Neal spoke about Nicodemus’s night-time visit to Jesus.
Clip from “The Chosen” https://youtu.be/Q1AyMDZNy9k
John Chapter 3 – We see Nicodemus coming to meet Jesus at night. Nicodemus is a religious leader, a Pharisee and a member of the ruling Council of the Jews – The Sanhedrin – He is highly regarded as a teacher of the Law of Moses and is well versed in the scriptures – he has seen Jesus perform a miracle and heard about others and wants to question him?
What mattered to the Jews was being born into the right family – what mattered was being a child of Abraham and now here is Jesus saying he is starting a new family and natural birth is not enough – To Join this new family you have to be “Born again” – Mind blowing!
Why born again? What does this even mean?
At one point Nicodemus says “so it’s all about sin” – That’s the reason you have come? He is right – It is all about sin and the fact that we are sinners and need to be rescued from our sinful nature!
Romans 3 vs 23 – We are all in the same position before God!
It all started in the garden of Eden when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sin entered their lives – Paul in fact calls us “sons of disobedience” – We don’t teach our children to be naughty – they are just are – Why – Because we have the Sin DNA running through our lives which separates us from God and its this that needs to be dealt with in all our lives. We are not born neutral and we are not born good – we are born as sinners that need a saviour! You can be as good as you like and try and work your way to God – But God is a level 10 God and we are never going to be level 10 because of sin.
So what about Jesus – How come he didn’t have this sin DNA running through him? Because he was born of a virgin – this is so important to understand – don’t let anyone tell you that the virgin birth is not important because it is for this very reason.
Matthew 1 vs 20 - Jesus was the perfect man, who lived a perfect life and died as a perfect sacrifice for all of us and all our sin. Jesus came to restore our relationship with God and reconcile us to God. Just as the children of Israel had to look at the snake on the pole in the desert to receive healing so we look to Jesus and believe in him to be healed of our sinful nature.
Ephesians 2 vs 4 - This is the transformation that has taken place - from spiritual death or darkness to spiritual life – in the light and this is the transformation that happened to Nicodemus.
John 19 vs 38-42 - Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, in the dark and met with the Messiah – Now at the end of Jesus life he comes in the light of day to help take the body down from the cross and lay his body in the tomb. Something no Jewish Rabbi should be doing and there would have been many questions asked of him about his role – But Nicodemus had seen the light and recognised Jesus for who he was – The Messiah! A life changed forever by a meeting with Jesus!
Jesus says look up at me on the cross, sacrificed for you, taking your sin and reconciling you to Father God – Be born again by my Holy Spirit and come into my family!
2 Corinthians 5 vs 17-18
If you are Christian go back and remember when you were “Born again” – Think of how you felt – Remember God’s love – let his grace and favour wash over you again and thank him for his goodness.
Watch the video and let God’s love wash over you – Imagine being Nicodemus and the life changing transformation that happens in this meeting. Thank God for what he has done for you!
If you are not yet a Christian then know that God loves you and wants you to be part of his family – Simply believe and ask him to come into your life and start a new life with Jesus – It is a gift From God for you!