How Can a Man be Born Again?

We ask questions about everything. I think our questioning mindset is why internet search engines do so well. We ask Google for everything. As a matter of fact, if I ask a question in the teen class, I will have them look up the question in order to see what is being said about that subject. Sometimes that is a great idea -sometimes! If I really want to know the authoritative answer on any subject, I will try to go directly to the source. In John chapter 3, you and I read about a man who is desperate for an answer. We can all understand his predicament. How many times have we all been there? Notice the following…

As we read this account, Nicodemus WANTED a REAL answer. In John 3:1-4 we see this idea clearly. The answer he is searching for is founded in truth. As a matter of fact, truth does not scare Nicodemus away. His question is genuine. Even when he asks about re-entering his mother’s womb, he still understands truth. He has a heart for service unto our God. Now, here comes the real question- Do I have that same heart?

In this account. Jesus GIVES Nicodemus a REAL answer. Notice John 3:3 & 5-8. While Nicodemus went to the correct source, Jesus did not back down the truth of God’s plan of Salvation. It would be so easy to say to Nicodemus because of his purity of heart and his desire of knowing, that –that would be enough. But he had not followed the plan yet. Notice that Jesus did not change HOW Nicodemus was to access the gift of God. So often we stop reading this account around verse 5, however the discussion carries through the entire chapter. The real question to ask here is: What will I do with God’s real answer for salvation?

So what did Nicodemus do with all this knowledge? Well, in this chapter, not a lot. We do read about him later in the Gospel accounts. In John 19:39 we read that Nicodemus is responsible for gathering the body of Jesus and preparing that body for burial. As we examine the life of Nicodemus, we see the actions of a follower of Christ even though we are never told that Nicodemus was a disciple. The real question to ask is: What am I willing to do for Christ?