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In Chapter 3 of John's Gospel we read of a meeting between Jesus and a Jewish man who belonged to the ruling council of the Pharisees. His name was Nicodemus and he was highly regarded and respected. He came "by night", perhaps because it wasn't easy to speak with Jesus when He was surrounded by excited crowds, but maybe because he didn't want the other Pharisees (who were very suspicious of this new young preacher) to know. Nicodemus had been amazed by Jesus' miracles and thought He must have been sent by God. In reply to this, Jesus said these astonishing words: "I am telling you the truth. No-one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again" (verse 3).
Well! Nicodemus at once commented that no person can enter his mother's womb and be born a second time! But Jesus was adamant. He talked of being born "of water and the Spirit" (verse 5), that is, from above, by God's Holy Spirit. Nicodemus had been sure that, as a devout Jew, his place in the coming kingdom of heaven was assured. But he wondered if there was something more to learn. Now he had to believe that prophecies in the Old Testament Scriptures had been right and that this man in front of him was the Son of God, the promised Messiah.
Jesus went on to say "Those who believe in the Son are not judged, but those who do not believe have already been judged, because they have not believed in God's only Son" (verse 18). The "water" Jesus referred to is from Ezekiel chapter 36 verses 25 and 26 in the Old Testament. "I will sprinkle clean water on you and make you clean from all your idols and everything else that has defiled you. I will give you a new heart and a new mind" ...the Lord's words for the Israelites. Jesus thought that the intelligent Nicodemus should have known this already, along with all the other prophecies!
So Nicodemus became a follower of and believer in Jesus, although the Bible doesn't tell us exactly when. However, later, when the Pharisees were discussing how Jesus "was fooling everyone" and were looking to put Him to death, Nicodemus suggested that He should at least be given a fair trial (see John chapter 7). After Jesus was crucified, Nicodemus and a man called Joseph of Arimathea (who was a follower) took Jesus' body to a fresh tomb and wrapped it in linen and spices according to the Jewish custom of preparing a body for burial. Nicodemus had become bolder for Christ, revealing his love and devotion. We must be bold too! Following Jesus is a journey where we grow in confident faith and show others the love He has shown to us.
