Nicodemus Visits Jesus - Born Again

But Nicodemus had questions! He had been watching Jesus and seeing the amazing miracles He performed. Jesus was different from any teacher Nicodemus had ever met! Nicodemus wanted to talk to Jesus and learn more, but he was nervous about what the other religious leaders would think. So he decided to visit Jesus at night, when no one would see him.

Nicodemus found Jesus and started the conversation respectfully: "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him." Nicodemus was giving Jesus a compliment! He recognized that Jesus must have come from God!

But Jesus didn't just accept the compliment and have a pleasant chat! Instead, Jesus got right to the heart of what Nicodemus really needed! Jesus said something that must have surprised Nicodemus: "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again!" Born again? What did that mean?

Nicodemus was confused! "How can someone be born when they are old?" he asked. "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be born!" Nicodemus was thinking about physical birth, but Jesus was talking about something completely different - something spiritual!

Jesus explained: "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit!"

Jesus was teaching Nicodemus something revolutionary! Being a good person, following all the rules, and being religious wasn't enough to enter God's kingdom! What Nicodemus needed was something only God could do - a spiritual birth! Just like you can't make yourself be born physically, you can't make yourself be born spiritually! It's something God does in your heart when you believe in Jesus!

Nicodemus still didn't understand. "How can this be?" he asked. Jesus was amazed! "You are Israel's teacher," Jesus said, "and you do not understand these things?" Even though Nicodemus knew so much about the Bible, he was missing the most important thing!

Then Jesus explained about heaven and earth: "Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven - the Son of Man!"

Jesus was telling Nicodemus that He Himself had come from heaven! Jesus knew about heavenly things because He came from there! Then Jesus said something that Nicodemus would have understood from the Old Testament: "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him!"

Nicodemus would have known this story! When the Israelites were dying from snake bites in the desert, God told Moses to put a bronze snake on a pole. Anyone who looked at that bronze snake would be healed and live! Jesus was saying that He would be "lifted up" on a cross, and everyone who looks to Him in faith - who believes in Him - will have eternal life!

And then Jesus spoke the most famous verse in the whole Bible - words that explain God's whole plan of salvation: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life!" What beautiful, powerful words! God loved us SO MUCH that He gave us Jesus! And anyone - ANYONE - who believes in Jesus will have eternal life!

Jesus continued: "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son!"

This conversation changed Nicodemus's life! At first, he came to Jesus secretly, at night, afraid of what others would think. But as time went on, we see Nicodemus's faith growing! Later, when the other religious leaders wanted to arrest Jesus, Nicodemus spoke up and defended Him, asking, "Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him?" That took courage!

And after Jesus was crucified, Nicodemus showed his faith openly! He came with Joseph of Arimathea, bringing expensive spices to prepare Jesus's body for burial. Nicodemus had been "born again" - his heart had been changed by Jesus!

Nicodemus's story teaches us important truths! First, being a good person and knowing about God isn't enough - we need to be born again! We need to have a personal relationship with Jesus! Second, being born again isn't something we can do ourselves through good works or trying hard - it's something God does in our hearts when we believe in Jesus! Third, we need to come to Jesus with our questions and doubts! Nicodemus came honestly seeking to understand, and Jesus patiently explained the truth to him!

Fourth, faith sometimes grows gradually! Nicodemus started by coming to Jesus at night, secretly. But eventually, his faith grew strong enough to defend Jesus publicly and honor Him after His death! It's okay if your faith starts small - keep seeking Jesus and learning about Him, and your faith will grow! Finally, eternal life is a free gift from God! We can't earn it by being good or religious. We receive it by believing in Jesus - trusting that He died for our sins and rose again!

Have you been born again? It happens when you believe in Jesus - when you trust that He is God's Son who died for your sins and rose from the dead, and when you ask Him to be your Savior and Lord! If you haven't done that yet, you can do it right now! God loves you so much, and He wants to give you eternal life! Just like He told Nicodemus, Jesus is telling you: "You must be born again!" And He's ready to give you that new life the moment you believe in Him!

Big idea: God is always with us and loves us very much!