Reference

John 3:13-16

There is a conversation recorded in John 3, between Jesus and a religious ruler named Nicodemus. It takes place in the middle of the night in a private and dark place. 

Nicodemus is someone who should know the scriptures, but Jesus has to explain the history of the scripture and what they mean regarding salvation.

Read John 3:1-16, where Jesus says:

  • No one has ever gone up to heaven
  • The Son of man came down to dwell amongst us
  • He must be lifted up for all to see
  • All who look to (depend on) Him will not perish but have eternal life
  • God loved the world
    • so much that He gave up His Son
      • SO THAT
        • whoever believes in Him
          • will not perish, but have everlasting life

We all need to have a midnight experience where we go to investigate Jesus. 

Nicodemus had a lot of things, even religious knowledge, but he did not have the assurance of salvation in his life. He was not sure that all the good he did and all the wisdom he had as a religious man was enough to get him up into heaven. So Jesus spoke to him about the necessity of being born again. 

In this conversation, Jesus reveals why He came and how salvation would be made possible. 

Jesus declares that He is the One who came down from heaven and so he was uniquely qualified to talk to Nicodemus about heaven. 

Nicodemus was a religious leader. Religion says "work your way up to heaven". We know a lot of people who are religious and do good works, but not everyone who says 'Lord, Lord' will make it to heaven. Jesus says it's more than religion, it's rejuvenation.

  • Nicodemus had knowledge without transformation.
  • Nicodemus had ceremony without conversion.
  • Nicodemus was familiar but not surrendered.
  • He was religious but not redeemed.

It's not what you have done, but it's what He has done. It has ALREADY been done for you on the cross. 

Here's what we learn from this conversation:

  1. Jesus came down from heaven to reveal God. Jesus is God in the flesh. (John 1:1-11)
    1. Humanity can never climb high enough to reach God, so Jesus came down to save us.
  2. Jesus was lifted up to rescue the lost. To heal and bring life like Numbers 21.
    1. The people did nothing but look at the snake to have healing and life, and we must look to Jesus on the cross to receive eternal life and be rescued from our sin.
    2. The answer to sin is the Saviour on the cross, not self-improvement.
  3. God's love offers eternal life to those who believe. He shed His blood for you, so that you might get to heaven, having life everlasting. He did this for anyone in the world who wants to believe.

Do you believe?

Anybody religious, non-religious, good, bad - anybody can believe, and He will not abandon those who believe in Him. He loves you! More than anything you've done, He loves You! He wants You! 

Do you believe?