Nicodemus Learns About Being Born Again

Nicodemus was a very important man. He was a Pharisee, which meant he was a teacher of God's law, and he was a ruler of the Jewish people. He had studied the Scriptures his whole life and knew them very well. But even though Nicodemus was smart and important, he knew there was something special about Jesus. He had seen Jesus do miracles and wanted to learn more. So one night, when it was dark and quiet, Nicodemus went to visit Jesus.

Nicodemus said, 'Teacher, we know You come from God. Nobody could do the miracles You do unless God was with him.' Nicodemus was being very respectful. But Jesus knew what Nicodemus really needed to hear, so He said something that surprised him: 'I tell you the truth, unless someone is born again, they cannot see God's kingdom.' Born again? Nicodemus was confused! He asked, 'How can someone be born when they're old? They can't go back inside their mother and be born a second time!' Nicodemus was thinking about physical birth, like being a baby.

Jesus explained, 'You have to be born of water and the Spirit. When you were born the first time, you got a physical body. But to enter God's kingdom, you need to be born spiritually. Your spirit needs to become alive!' Jesus tried to help Nicodemus understand by talking about the wind. 'You can hear the wind blowing and feel it, but you can't see where it comes from or where it's going. That's what it's like when someone is born of the Spirit.' The Holy Spirit works in ways we can't always see, but we can see the results!

Then Jesus told Nicodemus the most important thing anyone could ever hear: 'God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son. Everyone who believes in Jesus will not die forever but will have eternal life! God didn't send Jesus to condemn the world, but to save it!' This is the most famous verse in the whole Bible, and Jesus was teaching it to Nicodemus for the first time. Jesus was explaining that God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to save us.

Jesus told Nicodemus that people who believe in Jesus are not condemned, but people who don't believe are condemned already because they won't accept God's gift. Nicodemus had a lot to think about that night! He came as a teacher, but he learned he needed to become like a little child and be born again. Later on, we see that Nicodemus's faith grew. He defended Jesus when other leaders criticized Him, and he even helped bury Jesus after He died on the cross. This story teaches us that no matter how smart or important we are, everyone needs to be born again by believing in Jesus!