John 3:1-21
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “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.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 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.”
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 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. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
16 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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 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. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
When Nicodemus first met Jesus, and we are not told when that happened, he probably did not believe to much in what Jesus did or say...And it must have been difficult as a Pharisee to come to Jesus...But Jesus has this Way about Himself that gets our attention, something that attracts us, something that we want to take a second look at...And in these different things and in different ways, He draws the sinner towards Him...
We learn many things throughout our life...Some of the things we learn are not necessary the truth of the matter...Everything we learn is not correct...Often what we have learned is not the right thing or things at all...We may have to unlearn some things, we thought were true and believe in...And this is very difficult to do, to unlearn something we thought was true -especially if we have believed it for a long time...Nicodemus better understands this (unlearning and believing in things we thought were true, but are not) after his talk with Jesus...When Jesus tells him truly, truly I tell you (Nicodemus and all those listening and reading), He means that there are many things, we do not understand...Jesus reminds us there are many things here on earth that we do not understand...Let alone the things of the Spirit, and those things in heaven...Nicodemus, now understands there are many things he doesn't understand, after his conversation with Jesus...
In those things about Jesus that draws us to Him, one of those things is His ability to do miracles...Miracles and signs attract people...But there is more to faith than miracles...And in the conversation with Jesus, Nicodemus seems to want to believe Him, and wants to learn more...Nicodemus did come to Him at night to question Him...Nicodemus even tells Jesus, “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.”...So Nicodemus believes that He is a Man of God and from God, because of the miracles He has done...Nicodemus is basing his initial faith on the signs that Jesus has done...Jesus' miracles has brought Nicodemus to Him...Yet, Nicodemus is still there trying to learn more , and maybe trying to be more faithful to this New Teacher, who has much knowledge of all things...Maybe Nicodemus is there trying to figure out who is this Man...And Nicodemus has approached Jesus to see if He has this great knowledge he is looking for, and in this New Teacher's answers Nicodemus is not let down...Nicodemus sees quickly that he does not understand Him or all the things His New Teacher is saying...
All that is in our thoughts and minds are not necessarily true or truth...And we do not understand everything, so it should not be surprising we make mistakes in learning and need to find the Truth later...Nicodemus, one of the teachers of Israel, is told this by Jesus...Jesus tries to explain both some earthly things to Nicodemus and some heavenly things, like being born again, and things about the Holy Spirit...“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?...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...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.”...Jesus is trying to reteach Nicodemus some of the past things that he has learned...
Unlearning things is difficult, but Nicodemus is able to do just this...Nicodemus will learn from Jesus this night and later become a Disciple of His...He will even assist Joseph of Arimathea in Jesus' burial...
Both the believing man and the unbelieving man cannot understand God's Divine Plan...God has came down from above from heaven and dwelt with us...He would teach us about love, forgiveness, and God's grace...For God so LOVES the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life...No one has ever gone into heaven except the One who came from heaven—the Son of Man...Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up from the cross, so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him...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 is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of Light because their deeds were evil...Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and will not come into the Light for fear that their deeds will be exposed...But whoever lives by the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God...
Some of the things Jesus teaches are hard to understand are about heaven and we are limited in our knowledge of heaven...Jesus clearly states that His Father LOVES us...And He clearly states that He was sent not to condemn us, but to help us gain salvation...And in these things and much like His conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus teaches us He wants our faith, and our belief in Him, and not particularly our understanding of these things...