Open your Bibles to John 3. This morning we are going to continue with one of the things that we talked about last week and that is the word “believe.” Now this morning we are going to look at a conversation that Jesus had with a man named Nicodemus.
Now before we read from the scripture, let’s step back and see some details about this in the place in the Bible.
1. Who is the writer? John (the Beloved disciple)
2. What is he writing about? John writes about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. We know the Gospel according to John is one of the four gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Matthew, Mark and Luke are very similar, most of the stories and accounts of Jesus’ ministry happen in the same order, but the Gospel of John is different. It is believed that John wrote his gospel after the others were written, and even gave us some information that was important that Matthew, Mark, and Luke may have not written down. John’s main emphasis in his writing on the life and ministry of Jesus Christ was to show his deity, to show that he truly was God in the form of man, to show that Jesus may have come in flesh, but he was all God. This way very important, because as you will see today, Nicodemus goes from seeing Jesus as only a Teacher that was sent by God, to seeing that not only was he sent by God, but that he was God. And each of us will have to make our own mind up to this same question. Really, who was Jesus? A good man? A good teacher? Or is he God? Let’s read.
John 3:1-15 Conversation with Nicodemus
When you look at this conversation between Jesus & Nicodemus, you can see that Nicodemus was much different than some of the people that came to Jesus and spoke to him.
Who was Nicodemus? Verse 1 gives us the answer: “a man of the Pharisees, ruler of the Jews.” Who were these Pharisees? They were the religious leaders of the day. Now they did not have the power of the Government, which was Roman, but they had influence. They could put pressure on the government, and sometimes even force their will on them, as we see later in the crucifixion of Jesus.
As a Pharisee, you were very well informed of the Law of Moses, the Torah. The Torah was the Law that we see in the OT which included the 10 commandments but also over 600 other laws given by God. The Law was a set of guidelines given by God to his chosen people chosen people telling them how to live, how to worship, how to be forgiven for their sins. But as much as these Pharisees were well educated in the Law and the Scriptures, they had missed the most important thing, the Messiah. They’re eyes were closed that this man, was only a man. In their minds, they did not accept Jesus as God’s son, the Messiah. How did they see him? Well most of them thought he was a blasphemer. To say that he was the Messiah. There is no way. They could not open their eyes, and their hearts to see who he really was. They were all about making sure that everyone followed the Law, instead of looking for the promised Messiah.
Now I believe that Nicodemus was different, or maybe the best way to explain it was that the Holy Spirit was working on the heart of Nicodemus. You see while the other Pharisees were plotting to kill Jesus, Nicodemus was asking questions.
Many people in the people that approached Jesus were asking for Jesus to do something for them. Like Mary & Martha sending someone to him to help Lazarus, or the ten lepers who called out to Jesus from a distance to heal them, or the maned name Jarius who fell at Jesus’ feet to come and see his daughter…all of these people wanted for Jesus to do something for them, but Nicodemus, came with a question. This question could be the most important question every asked ever. It’s a question that was so important that God has preserved it over time to make sure that we know the answer. In fact, the way you answer this question in your own life, will determine your eternity.
So, verse 1 identifies Nicodemus as a Pharisee. And you all know that the Pharisees wanted to remove Jesus, and later in John and throughout the four Gospels we see that they were plotting to kill him. Look at verse 2, “this man came to Jesus by night.” Why would he come by night and not during the day? Because he didn’t want any of his Pharisee friends to know he was talking to Jesus. And notice what Nicodemus says…
"Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." (3:2)
In speaking to him, he says of Jesus three things:
1. First he says you are a Rabbi (Teacher). Now we know that Jesus was much more than a Teacher. He was God, in the form of flesh. This is how he even described himself one time: …whoever has seen me, has seen the Father..” John 14:9 So we know that Jesus was much more than a Teacher.
2. The second thing Nicodemus says of Jesus is this….”come from God.” Nicodemus was right. Again in his own words that John records in 6:38…”For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” He was more than a teacher, and he was sent by his Father.
3. The third thing Nicodemus says is this, “for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." The source of Jesus’ power and authority came straight from his Father, God. Acts 10:39 Peter said that…”God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power…
Now I want you to see what happens next in verse 3. Jesus makes a statement without being asked. John 3:3: Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Did Nicodemus ask about seeing the kingdom of God? No, but Jesus knew the question that was on his mind, and he cut right to it. You must be born again, to see the kingdom of God.
Born again means “born from above.” So, this idea of entering your mother and being born like you were before, is quickly removed by the next words of Jesus.
5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Now Jesus isn’t speaking of water, that we can get from our well. In the Old Testament, they would use water as a symbol to cleanse, or wash away. Jesus is using it here to say there is a spiritual cleansing, a renewal, and this happens only with the Holy Spirit. So when someone comes to faith, like it says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, the new has come, the old is gone. For those of us who want to see the Kingdom of God, there is a cleansing and filling of the Holy Spirit.
All of these things confused Nicodemus. He did not understand. He even said in verse 9, "How can these things be?"
Jesus answered him, with a statement that spoke to him and the entire nation.
10 Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?
Jesus looks and him and said, you are the smart one. You are the teacher of the law. How could you not see this in the scriptures? How can you not understand this? You are the master of the Pharisees. Jesus then goes on to ask him how can you understand things of heaven when do will not understand the things of earth.
Then Jesus comes to one final statement to Nicodemus which points to a time that is coming later in this book, the time that Jesus will be sacrificed for the sins of the world. Jesus speaks of Moses, and how he followed God’s direction in saving people who were headed for death.
In Numbers 21:5-9 we go back to a time when the children of Israel were wandering through the wilderness. They didn’t like it. They complained. They didn’t like the food, they didn’t like how long it was taking to get to the Promised Land…they were not happy. In fact, they spoke out against God. So the Bible tells us that God sent fiery snakes, and if one were to bite you, you would die. The people repented, like they always did, and God made a way for them to be saved. He told Moses to put a snake on a stick, hold it up, and for whoever was bitten, if they would look to the snake, they would not die.
Who else was lifted up on a stick, and if men look to him, they will not die? Jesus. Like the snake on a stick was the way for those Israelites, Jesus on the cross is the way for us. The only thing that can save you, save me, looking to Jesus, trusting in him, believing in him, following him…in other words being born again.
There is only two other time we hear about Nicodemus in scripture. First, the Pharisees had made up their mind, they had decided to force the government to arrest Jesus and crucify him. (John 7:50-52) Nicodemus spoke up and said, we need to let him speak in a court of law before we say he is guilty. The other time (John 19:38-42) he helped bury the body of Jesus after his crucifixion. You see I believe that Nicodemus followed the words of Jesus and the leading of the Holy Spirit and was born again.
Can you say the same thing? Can you say I have been born again? I have trusted in Christ, I have called upon the name of the Lord and he has washed we with water and the Spirit? If like Nicodemus, the Holy Spirit is pulling you unto the one that was lifted up, give in, give your heart to him.
