If you could sit down, face to face with Jesus, what would you talk about with Him? What would you ask Him? One night, 2,000 years ago, a man named Nicodemus was able to do just that.
Nicodemus was a very important man in Israel. The Bible says that he was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews. Jesus Himself called Nicodemus “the” teacher of Israel. Nicodemus visited Jesus one night because he had several questions for Jesus. He wanted to get to know Jesus better. His first statement really had an implied question embedded within it. Nicodemus said, “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.”(John 3:2) Basically, Nicodemus was saying, “We know that God has sent You and that You are doing great miracles and that God is with You.” The implied question was, “Is the Kingdom of God here and are You the King?”
In His response, Jesus basically said,” Nicodemus, I know that you want to see the Kingdom of God, but you cannot unless you are born again.” We can only imagine the look on Nicodemus’ face when he asked, “How can an old man enter into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
Why did Jesus say this to Nicodemus? He said it because of The Greatest Problem. We have to be born again because God’s Word makes it clear that we have all sinned. (Romans 3:23) We have all sinned and because of our sin we are all separated from God and without Christ we will all perish. (Romans 6:23a)
Many people have wondered, “How can I start life over?” “How can I go back and be born again?” The good news is you don’t have to go back. You don’t have to start over. It isn’t a physical rebirth you need. It is a spiritual rebirth we all need. And, Jesus went on to explain to Nicodemus how that can happen.
In the next article, we will see how Jesus shared this great truth with Nicodemus, the great truth we all need to know and believe.
Nicodemus was a very important man in Israel. The Bible says that he was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews. Jesus Himself called Nicodemus “the” teacher of Israel. Nicodemus visited Jesus one night because he had several questions for Jesus. He wanted to get to know Jesus better. His first statement really had an implied question embedded within it. Nicodemus said, “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.”(John 3:2) Basically, Nicodemus was saying, “We know that God has sent You and that You are doing great miracles and that God is with You.” The implied question was, “Is the Kingdom of God here and are You the King?”
In His response, Jesus basically said,” Nicodemus, I know that you want to see the Kingdom of God, but you cannot unless you are born again.” We can only imagine the look on Nicodemus’ face when he asked, “How can an old man enter into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
Why did Jesus say this to Nicodemus? He said it because of The Greatest Problem. We have to be born again because God’s Word makes it clear that we have all sinned. (Romans 3:23) We have all sinned and because of our sin we are all separated from God and without Christ we will all perish. (Romans 6:23a)
Many people have wondered, “How can I start life over?” “How can I go back and be born again?” The good news is you don’t have to go back. You don’t have to start over. It isn’t a physical rebirth you need. It is a spiritual rebirth we all need. And, Jesus went on to explain to Nicodemus how that can happen.
In the next article, we will see how Jesus shared this great truth with Nicodemus, the great truth we all need to know and believe.