Introduction
Jesus’ display of passion in the temple during the Passover must have raised many eyebrows, but Jesus was then launched onto the stage of popularity in His day. The Bible says, “When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, for they also had been there” (John 4:45). But before that, Jesus had a meeting with a man named Nicodemus, who was very religious. He comes to meet Jesus under the cover of darkness because he was deeply concerned with his own reputation and did not want to be seen with Jesus. Take a look.
Reading [You can read as much as you can, depending on your availability]
John 3:1-21
Meditating [Use these questions to start your thinking]
- What does this passage tell us about Nicodemus?
- What can we learn about Jesus from this passage?
- What does this passage tell us about the Kingdom of God?
- What other questions do you still have?
Sharing: Text ONE of your answers to the questions above to your team. Each team should post a sharing from a team member in the comments below.
Throughout Jesus’ ministry we see Him calling people to “Come and see.” This is the same call that we make to those who do not know yet that Jesus is the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. You will note that some people turn and walk away and other people come at different times and in different places with an infectious curiosity. In this nighttime encounter with Jesus, Nicodemus is challenged to take his eyes off of himself long enough to see that the world we live in is not one-dimensional. When people come to Jesus, He will always reveal Himself as the way to heaven like He does here with Nicodemus.
Some have suggested that John was related to Nicodemus, maybe a nephew. It is interesting to note that only in the book of John is Nicodemus mentioned. Maybe John’s inside connection, which got him in the inner court the night of Jesus’ betrayal, was his uncle Nicodemus.
But more importantly, in this encounter we see the Master teaching us how to share who Jesus is with a religious unbeliever. Jesus’ strategy is masterful, taking Nicodemus from the seemingly impossible concept of being born again to the possibility, in Christ, of living in the Light free from fear. The process is one of faith. Nicodemus lacks faith. He is looking at everything physically and sees only the impossibility. Read back through the story, noting Jesus’ strategy. Jesus challenges Nicodemus to open his eyes of faith. Root number six is faith. You cannot physically see the wind, but you can see its effects as it blows. Just because you cannot see something with your physical eyes, does not mean that it does not exist. Jesus says it is the same for those who have been born in the Spirit (John 3:8). What is not possible to see physically is possible with God because He loved us. He loved us so much that He provided a way to be reborn, to have new life in Him. God’s love sent Jesus into His world to be lifted up and then die that we might have an eternal relationship with God the Father, our Creator, through Jesus.
Jesus goes to a very familiar story written by Moses with Nicodemus. It is found in Numbers 21:4-9. If you have time, stop and read the story. In this story, the people rebelled against God and were complaining about God’s provision. God allowed poisonous snakes in the camp to bite the people and then told Moses to craft a bronze serpent and place it on a pole. He had to tell the people that those who looked up at the bronze snake, in obedience, would be saved. This was exactly what this religious leader needed to do. He needed to take a step of faith, take his eyes off himself and look to Jesus as his Messiah sent from God. He needed to put His trust in Jesus. Did you see a glimpse of Jesus in the books of Moses? What a strong symbol of what was to happen on the cross. Jesus was to die for our sins, to take away the bite of the serpent Satan, to free us from the venom of sin and heal us. As Jesus hung on the cross, Satan thought he had his victory, but just the opposite was about to take place. On the cross, Jesus died, but really it was the death of sin and Satan’s grip over us (1 Cor. 15:55-57).
Whatever happened to Nicodemus? Keep your eyes open and we will run into him later in the life of Jesus.
Do you have a friend who has not yet seen with faith past this physical life to the One who can offer the Way to a relationship with God? Spend a few minutes praying for your friend. Then I would challenge you to share who Jesus is with that friend today. Tell your friend that it is possible to be born again and experience a real, authentic relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Challenge them to take their eyes off of themselves and this physical world and look on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.
What does the passage tell us about Nicodemus?
Nicodemus only says 3 things but I think the passage reveals Nicodemus’ lack of faith, hurt and confusion. Nicodemus seemed genuinely curious about Jesus but also reluctant to trust the things that Jesus was saying. It seems like he was trying to understand Jesus but still seeking to clarify the truths that were in his life also.
This passage for me showed how good Jesus was at reading people. It’s not the most applicable takeaway, but he knew when to show grace and when to challenge people. In terms of nicodemus, he was a teacher of the law, so Jesus knew that he could handle being challenged. On a more applicable note, it shows how narrow minded nicodemus was, or maybe just how difficult the message of the gospel was to him. Being born again isn’t common sense, and as a teacher, nicodemus probably isn’t used to being on the learning end, or being confused. It’s a good warning that we don’t get complacent in our own understanding of the scriptures and stay open minded.
What does this passage tell us about the Kingdom of God?
What it tells me about the Kingdom of God is that it won’t necessarily be scholars and people who may have studied the Bible who we would expect to be in the Kingdom, but it is those who simply believe in Jesus and the good news He shared with us.
I thought it was interesting how Nicodemus questioned Jesus a lot and seemed to be a little narrow minded. It also seemed as though Nicodemus didn’t want to be seen in conversation with Jesus when he came to Jesus at night. Jesus enlightens him and shared the good news with him. I think Jesus brings Nicodemus into the light in a figurative and literal sense.