Who is Jesus? Chapter 19 Jesus meets a Religious Leader.

March 27, 2022

Late one evening Jesus had a visitor; his name was Nicodemus. He was a Pharisee and a leader of the Jews; and he stated, “I know you are a teacher sent from God, because no one can do these miracles, unless God is with him.”

Jesus answered and said unto him, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

These words puzzled Nicodemus, and he asked, how can a man be born again when he is old; how can he enter again into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered; “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. The wind blows and you hear the sound, but you can't know where it comes and goes.”

Nicodemus questioned, "How can these things be?"

Jesus said to Nicodemus, "You being a teacher of the law should understand about "Being Born Again." (Jesus knew that Nicodemus was a student of the Old Testament and had wondered about many of the prophets and their words, but Jesus was referring to the prophesy of Ezekiel 36:25-28.) Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, I will cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments, and do them. And I will be your God.”

Jesus continued speaking: “If I have told you earthly things, and you find it difficult to believe, how shall you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?” Jesus then predicted his death by reminding Nicodemus of when God told Moses to lift up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up: So that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

You may remember how the Children of Israel were always complaining and murmuring. "And the people spoke against God and against Moses: 'Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we hate this worthless bread.” (They were referring to Manna the bread from heaven saying they despised their daily food - - which was a gift from God. This deeply offended God and caused Him to be angry with the people.

So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; (like a cross) and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived. This happening in the desert was a picture of Jesus dying on the cross, and who ever looks on Jesus and receives Him into their life, will be given eternal life and not perish, and will receive a new spiritual heart to live for God.

Jesus continued with a verse it would be good to memorize if you haven't already done so: John 3:16 & 17 "For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."

Nicodemus left Jesus that night with much to consider and to think about. Much later Nicodemus realized that Jesus was truly the Son of God and the Savior of the World.

It is good for us also to think about what Jesus said: Have you considered these words: "God so loved the World, (and that includes YOU and me also;) that whosoever (and that also includes you and me,) will believe on Jesus, should not perish but will receive everlasting life."

All it takes is a decision to believe Jesus is the Son of God, that He died for your sins, that He rose from the dead in three days, and is now in heaven, waiting for the signal from Father God, to return to earth and catch all his believers to be with Him for ever. Today is a good day to invite Jesus into your life and you will be "born again." Today is a good day to do make that choice; and God will create in you, a clean and a new heart.

Jesus reminded us that the wind blows and you hear the sound, but you can't know where it comes and goes. The voice of the Holy Spirit is softly blowing just like the wind.

However - - Listen because The Holy Spirit is blowing so quietly - - and is speaking to you right now. What are His words? Let me tell you, the Holy Spirit is saying; "Come to Jesus now and invite Him into your life today. You will be so glad you received him because He will become your best friend and He will never leave you nor forsake you."