What a grand passage to kick off our theme, “Salvation, Forgiveness, and New Life.” I’ve always liked Nicodemus and how he was seeking truth. He went right to the source, Jesus. Seeking Jesus would not have been a popular choice for someone in his position, so he had to hide in the darkness of night.
Oh to have been a witness to such a conversation! Nicodemus must have had some great questions when approached Jesus with the openness to learn. He recognized that God was with Jesus, but did he recognize him as God’s son? I’m sure we only are given a small glimpse into that life changing conversation.
Jesus cuts right to the chase and gives Nicodemus a startling prerequisite. For the Kingdom of God to be revealed, one must be born again (or born from above). Imagine how preposterous this was to hear! It’s not like we can crawl back into our mother’s wombs once we’re grown. But Jesus encouraged Nicodemus to think outside the box to understand how rebirth was possible.
Jesus is the key to this mystery, and he started referring to himself as the Son of Man. Jesus also referenced a story that would have been familiar to Nicodemus about Moses and the serpent. You can read that here in Numbers 21:4-9. Just as the bronze snake kept the people from dying, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross would give us a way to live. As Jesus said about himself, “everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.”
The most memorized verse in the Bible, John 3:16, reminds us how much God loves us. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” Nicodemus’ head must have been spinning. We may have the same thing going on when we try to fathom what God did for us.
When we reflect on our own salvation and Jesus’ promise of eternal life, we can’t help but think of “judgment day.” Suffice it to say we’ll never understand with our earthly understanding “how” it works. But this verse makes it clear that what we believe is key. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.”
Jesus is God’s light coming into the world. John the Baptist preached about it in the wilderness. Isaiah prophesized about it. Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” Are you walking in the light ready for your new life in Christ?
Let’s pray. Father, thank you for loving me so much that you sent Jesus to redeem the world. Forgive me when I am tempted by the darkness that tries to surround me. Cleanse my heart and make me clean. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
