John 3:3
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (NIV)

Nicodemus was considered “Israel’s teacher.” A Pharisee and a member of the ruling class, he was the best of the best. He was an expert in Jewish law and traditions. If anyone had a claim on heaven through the keeping of the law, it would be Nicodemus. But something just didn’t seem right to him. This couldn’t be what life is all about, following a bunch of rules. He’d always taken such pride in his knowledge and application, and in his ability to teach others to do the same, but for some reason, this wasn’t enough anymore.

Ever since Jesus came to town, preaching the Kingdom of God coming down, Nicodemus was obsessed with Him. He didn’t want the others to know of his obsession, so He listened to Jesus from a distance. He saw Jesus eat with sinners. He heard Him speak of grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Jesus healed, fed, and loved. This was new to Nicodemus. All He knew were rules. 

One night, Nicodemus met with Jesus. He didn’t want anyone else to know, so it was under the cover of darkness that they came together. Jesus spoke of being born again, of leaving the old behind and becoming new. This was revolutionary to Nicodemus. He wasn’t sure he understood it. The baffling implications of Jesus’ words rang in his mind: “The Father loves you so much, Nicodemus, that He sent His only son, Me, as a sacrifice so that you may inherit eternal life.”

What Nicodemus understood was the law, and what Jesus offered was grace and life. The law only points out our sin, but Jesus redeems us from our sin. He was the ultimate sacrifice so that we could inherit eternal life, be made new, and be born again. Jesus’ messy friend, Nicodemus, was a rule follower, but eventually, he became a Jesus follower.

Thursday’s Reflection

Remember, the Christmas story is only the beginning of God’s bigger story. It also includes the cross, the resurrection, and the kingdom coming. Let’s celebrate Christmas with the complete story in mind.