Nicodemus and the Spiritual Conundrum

 Spiritual Treasure from John's Gospel

 

Nicodemus and the Spiritual Conundrum

John 3:1-13

 

Nicodemus was drawn to Jesus – there was something about Him – something worth pursuing. Under cover of darkness, Nicodemus found Jesus and began to speak to Him as one teacher to another. He was prepared to begin an intellectual discussion with someone who obviously had worthy credentials (vs 2). But the Lord Jesus, using the Jewish leader's desire to be part of the kingdom of God, began to draw him out of the darkness of human reason and into the light of spiritual truth. Jesus told him, "If you are not born from above, you cannot participate in the kingdom of God."

 

Nicodemus responded to the Lord with a question that exposed his natural, fleshly thinking: he asked how a grown man could enter a second time into his mother's womb. This religious leader is the quintessential example of 'that which is born of the flesh.' Human reason is fleshly, it will not lead to the knowledge of God or comprehension of the things of God.

 

Jesus came from heaven to testify about what He has personally seen there (vs 11-13), and yet these things are not understood by men because flesh cannot understand spiritual things. The flesh might find Jesus appealing or interesting.  It will try to live by the Ten Commandments, take part in religious activities and ceremonies, or commit to making the world a better place in which to live. But how will fleshly people see and respond to heavenly things? They never will!

 

Heavenly things are seen and understood by those who have a heavenly nature – a nature born of the Spirit of God. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. To participate in the things of God you must have a nature that originates from God Himself –

 

You must be born from above!