SCRIPTURE: John 3: Verse 7
Nicodemus was not a common or ordinary man. He was a man of prestige, prominence, dignity and was highly regarded in his community. He was a religious ruler. He was a Pharisee, known for the strict observance of the laws of the Old Testament.
Unlike the Sadducees, the Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead. Nicodemus wanted to see Jesus. He had a need in his heart to speak to Jesus about his salvation and eternal life.
Nicodemus went to visit Jesus in the night so that he might not be seen with him. He was afraid that if he was seen with Jesus he could be rebuked by his brethren priests, disgraced, shamed, be removed from his high position of authority; be stripped of his power or even expelled from the religious council.
The consequence of his action by offending other members of the Sanhedrin did not prevent or stop him from meeting Jesus.
Nicodemus had witnessed the miracles of Jesus and desired to know more about the teaching and doctrine of Jesus. He and other members of the Sanhedrin acknowledged that Jesus could not do these miracles without the presence and the power of God is with him in the casting out of devils, the curing and healing of all kinds of diseases and sickness by his word and touch.
Nicodemus concluded that Jesus was with God and God was with him, so he confessed that Jesus was Immanuel, God with us.
Nicodemus became concerned about heavenly things, the coming of the Kingdom of God and to have part of it. He was troubled about where he would spend eternity. He believed that as a Jew, a seed of Abraham, a stock of Israel, made him a fit subject for the kingdom of Heaven. He thought that he had an inherent right to share in the Kingdom of God because he was a descendant of Abraham.
Many people believe that they would go to Heaven on account of their statuses and stations in life, their family and their ancestry.
Your parents’ religion and faith would not entitle you to see the Kingdom of God. You must work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (Phil. 2:12)
Nicodemus, you cannot rely on your lineage, your religion, your rituals and your offerings to see the Kingdom of God. You need no more argument on the matter. “You must be born again”, (regenerated, transformed, quickened by the Spirit of God; renewed by the Spirit and become a new creature) to enter into the Kingdom of God.
