Nicodemus
John 3:1-2 “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that Thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that Thou doest, except God be with Him.”
I love this old gentleman,…Nicodemus, who was surely frightened of the chief rulers and priests….still came to see Jesus….to settle some heart questions he had about his own state before God.
A good man, and observant of the law….yet feeling as though something was missing;…something….not right between him and his God. He wanted to know how he could be in the Kingdom of God.
So Nicodemus came to see Jesus….but at night, so that he would not be seen and questioned about it.
(We think, shame on him! surely that would disqualify him from being a follower of Christ. But Jesus saw his heart….and desire for truth in his own life.
What of us? Do we come to Jesus when we know something is not right?)
And so Nicodemus began his inquiry….by “flattery”. Everything he said was true…..Jesus was come from God. He was teaching the truth about God, and performing miracles that Israel had not seen for a long while….
….yet, Nicodemus started with this…not getting to the point of the visit….not really knowing how to speak of his own lack in his spiritual life.
But Jesus got right to the point….to answer Nicodemus’ need:
John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
(Verily means truth. Jesus said, Truth, truth, I say unto thee….a man must be born again to see the kingdom of God.)
Nicodemus was taken back….and asks, “how?”
John 3:4 “Nicodemus saith unto Him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?”
If we were thinking in physical terms, this might be a good question. But the Kingdom of God is a spiritual Kingdom…one where He reigns within us. This Nicodemus lacked…and he knew it…and wanted it.
Even every Israelite knew that the Kingdom was internal as well as….someday, external. Many were looking for a King which would establish the external Kingdom….one where they were over the other nations, making them “someone”…. but few were looking to be in a right relationship with God…in the internal Kingdom of the heart and life.
The system of sacrifices (all pointing to Christ’s perfect sacrifice) was only good if they were given from the heart. This should have been sufficient to lead Nicodemus out of himself….and into seeing the life of the Spirit of God.
How? is often a question we ask when a specific problem is troubling us….and Nicodemus was an old man….his life closer to the end than the beginning.
How? wants an explanation….
….”we know Thou art a teacher come from God”….so please explain being born again.
Knowing Nicodemus desire….Jesus explains. (And it is a great revelation to every soul, when we see this)
John 3:5-8 “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I say unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.”
To be born of water….as when we come from our Mother’s womb…..
…and of the Spirit….as when the new nature of God, by the Holy Spirit, comes within our spirit.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh….all who are born, are flesh….are Adam’s children with his sinful nature.
And that which is born of the Spirit is spirit….all who come to Christ and receive Him are born again….and are God’s children with His new nature, by the Holy Spirit within.
The Holy Spirit is like the wind. We are unable to see the wind,….but we can see the effects the wind has: the leaves swaying back and forth, our hair blowing…we can hear the sound of it…etc. So we can see the effects the Holy Spirit has in our life….we have new goals, new desires, new thoughts, new ways of speaking. We have new life….God’s life implanted within us.
But this explanation flabbergasted Nicodemus….for again he asks “How can these things be?” (John 3:9)
How can the Spirit of the living God come within me? Nicodemus understands the fact that he must have the Spirit of God….but how? It seems impossible that the Holy should enter into him and dwell there!
Then Jesus, with the patience of a true teacher….speaks a rebuke to Nicodemus’ limited thoughts of God….and shows him Who He, Jesus, is. (John 3:10-21)
“Truth, truth, I say unto you, We (My Father God, and the Holy Spirit and I) speak what we know,…and ye receive not our witness.
I have told you about the earthly life of one in the Kingdom of God. It is by the Holy Spirit coming within you….to make all things new within you.
But now I tell you that I am the Messiah. I have come down from heaven as a Son of God, to show in this flesh….that all who believe in Me, the Son of God, may have everlasting life, by the Spirit.
I was given by My Father to present the light of God, and I will be “lifted up”….and all who look and believe on Me will live.
For I am showing the light of God….all who will receive this light…”who come to the light” will be saved…”that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”
In other words, Nicodemus….you will know that you are part of the Kingdom of God, as the life given you will be leading you in God’s Will.
Jesus brought it down to the most simple answer…..we do not need to comprehend everything about the gift of the Holy Spirit to us….but we do need to receive Him….come to Jesus and believe. And His light will manifest that we are born again, by HIs Spirit. (Romans 8:15-16)
It is believing and receiving that opens the heart and mind to Christ Jesus….and then gives us the understanding we need…to follow on.
Nicodemus did indeed follow on…..speaking out for Christ Jesus before the chief priests and Pharisees, later….when they wanted Jesus arrested in the Temple.
(And this is the way of the Kingdom of God…..giving NIcodemus courage to stand before the very men he was afraid of before.)
John 7:50-51 “Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
Doth our law judge any man, before it hear Him, and know what He doeth?”
(It is interesting to note that right before they wanted the officers of the temple to “take Jesus”….He was again speaking of the giving of the Holy Spirit….the very Person of God Who personally guides and indwells us.
If you look at the times the Spirit is mentioned….He is only spoken of by Jesus, when Jesus also is being spoken of or offered to people to believe on Him.
John the Baptist hears of the Spirit, when he would see the One who is the Christ come. John 1:32-34
Nicodemus, when he came to Jesus. John 3:5-8
To His disciples, when He offered Himself as the Bread of life. John 6:58, 61-63
To the people who had gathered in the Temple, when He offered Himself as the Water of life to the thirsty. John 7:37-39
To the disciples that followed Him into Gethsemane, right before He was taken…when Jesus, spoke about sending the Spirit as the Comforter, for Jesus would not leave them spiritual orphans….but would send a Spirit of Truth, who would testify of Jesus to them. John 14:16-18, 15:26-27, 16:13-14)
Jesus, the Son of God, came to live a perfect life and die a perfect sacrifice for all who come and believe.
The Holy Spirit comes to all who believe on Jesus, the Son of God, and lives within them forever….to Comfort, guide, and show the Truth.
Nicodemus is again seen…..at the death of our Lord.
John 19:38-40 “And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus,….besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave….
And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.
Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.”
Seeing to the body of our Lord Jesus, with loving care….placing Him in the tomb. He was a disciple….a follower.
(And though his name, as many of the names are not mentioned when they gathered in the upper room waiting for the giving of the Holy Spirit, on the day of Pentecost….I believe he was there…waiting for the earnest of his inheritance, which Jesus had spoken about…which is the Holy Ghost, won by Christ Jesus.)
Of course, Jesus Christ arose on the third day…by the power of God.
And I am here to tell every Christian…..every born again one….that that same power of God, by HIs Holy Spirit is ready to be given each one of us….to be raised to newness of life….in every respect.
Ephesians 1:13-20 “In Whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,
Which is the earnest of our inheritance….
Wherefore I also…cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him:
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
And what is the exceeding greatness of HIs power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power,
Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places,”
That power that raised Christ from the dead,…is there by the Holy Spirit within us, as we receive it….as we yield to Him.
Nicodemus wanted to know…..about his personal way into the Kingdom of God. He knew that his life was “good”, but lacking. So he came to Jesus,….for though he did not know certain things….yet he knew Jesus was sent from God….and He would have answers for him.
Nicodemus got his answers….and went on to receive His Word, and follow Christ Jesus.
What of us? If we know we lack anything…..where should we turn for answers, but to Christ Jesus? And then follow on after Him, yielding to His Spirit.
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” James 1:5
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 