John 3:1-8
Niccodemus was a religious leader and wanted to know more about Jesus and His teachings. However, being a religious leader, an expert, it would have been embarrassing to be seen asking religious questions and learning about religion from a carpenter. So he met Jesus at night. Jesus met Nick at night. And as they conversed in the dark, we get some astounding insights and headlines.
Three headlines from Jesus’ conversation with Niccodemus:
- Being religious is not enough (vv. 1-2). … Niccodemus had all the religious credentials. He was Jewish. He could trace his descendants back to Abraham. He was also a pharisee. Pharisees were rule followers. They even added more rules to help them follow the rules God had given to the Jewish people. Side note: That is not advisable. We do not need to add to what God has given, even the rules. Niccodemus was also a leader, part of the Sanhedrin. If any could be saved by religion, it would be Niccodemus, but even he cannot be saved by religion alone.
- New birth needed (vv. 3-8). … A new birth? Yeah, Niccodemus was also confused, Niccodemus wondered how he can go back into the womb to be reborn. And he also thought he was already part of the Kingdom of God simply by being born into his people, the Jews. There are three births we need to understand:
- The physical birth, born of water.
- The virgin birth. The birth of Jesus from the virgin Mary, an immaculate birth that made Jesus both fully man and fully God.
- The spiritual birth, born of the Spirit. This is the one Jesus is talking about here.
- There is only one way to be saved (v. 3). … Jesus makes it clear there is only one way to be saved.
- Some people believe that everyone will make it to Heaven, that there is no Hell, that everyone from Mother Theresea to Adolf Hitler will be there. That does not match up with what the Bible says, with what Jesus says. The Bible and Jesus tell us Hell is real and there is one way to be saved.
- Some people believe in Inclusivism, the belief that Jesus saves some people even though they didn’t put their faith in Him. This is where people try to say that there are many paths to Heaven, that all religions lead to the same destination. But that is contrary to what we are told by God.
- What the Bible teaches is Exclusivism, that there is one way, and only one way, to reach Heaven. There only way to be saved is to put your faith in Jesus. Knowing this, it makes it unloving if we tell people there are multiple ways. When we tell people about the only way to be saved, we do so through love.
What happened to Niccodemus after this conversation? Well, John 19:39 tells us he helped embalm Jesus’ body. This would seem to indicate that his life changed after this conversation and he became a close follower of Jesus.
For Further Study/Resources Used to Prepare This Message
- Exalting Jesus in John by David Platt
- Preach the Word by Kent Hughes
- ESV Expository Commentary
- John For You Commentary
- The Story of God Commentary
- NIV Application Commentary
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