Quest 12
THOSE WHO EXPERIENCE THE POWER.
Nicodemus was the most influential person Jesus had met up to that point.
It was early in his ministry when Jesus met Nicodemus (John 3:1-2 NIV) - Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night.
When the Sanhedrin (Jewish ruling council) was going to arrest Jesus in the Temple, Nicodemus urges caution (John 7:50-52 NIV) - Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, "Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?" They replied, "Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee."
He was apparently rich based upon what he brought to the burial of Jesus (John 19:38-39 NIV) - Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.
He saw Jesus as a “Rabbi,” a religious teacher, sort of like himself (John 3:2) - This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “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.”
Getting Nicodemus’ endorsement would have been a feather in Jesus’ cap. But Jesus didn’t seem impressed with Nicodemus (John 3:10-12) - Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM JESUS’ CONVERSATION WITH NICODEMUS?
1. Influencing people for Jesus is . . .
not based on your prestige (a ruler of the Jews).
not by being good because good enough is not good enough (a man of the Pharisees).
can’t be done from your closet (came to Jesus by night). Some desire to be close to Jesus without coming out of the closet.
2. Some want a personal relationship without public proclamation (John 12:42-43 TLB) - However, even many of the Jewish leaders believed him to be the Messiah but wouldn't admit it to anyone because of their fear that the Pharisees would excommunicate them from the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Matthew 10:32-33 - So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Mark 8:38 - For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Those in the closet want the benefits of being a disciple without the cost.
3. Nicodemus did not question the desirability of change but the possibility of change (John 3:4) - Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
His question was not why should we change but how it is impossible to change.
Some people do not see any reason to change, much less on how to go about it.
4. Experience the power and you will be an influencer for Jesus (John 3:5-6) - Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Obey the Lord (John 3:7) - Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
You do not need to understand how it works to obey (John 3:8) - The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
The last thing we hear about Nicodemus is that he became the caretaker of Jesus’ corpse.
