Knowing Jesus - Nicodemus

There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”

John 3:1-2

Think back to when you first courted your wife. You probably wanted to find out everything you could about this exciting young woman, so you asked questions. You asked her about her faith, her beliefs, her background, and about what she enjoyed. There was no end to the questions you wanted to ask.

If you really want to get to know someone, you have to ask lots of questions. A Pharisee named Nicodemus wanted to know Jesus, so that’s what he did.

Most of the Jewish religious leaders in Jesus’ day showed little or no interest in truly knowing him. Nicodemus was an exception. He came to visit Jesus at night, probably so that he could have some uninterrupted time to find out more about the man who had created such a stir in his hometown.

He also didn’t want anyone to see him in case the meeting didn’t go well.

Unlike most of his associates, Nicodemus acknowledged that God had sent Jesus to teach them if they would only listen (see John 3:1-2).

Nicodemus learned a lot more about Jesus that night than he probably expected. Jesus taught him that he wasn’t just a teacher but the Messiah his people had waited so long to see. He was the Savior of the entire world who came to bring salvation to anyone who would believe in him.

Hearing these things changed Nicodemus’s life and his eternal destiny.

Before the evening ended, Nicodemus knew Jesus. No longer just a curious bystander, he had become a true disciple who stood up for Jesus when his associates wanted to do away with him (see John 7:50-52). He even took part in Jesus’ burial (see John 19:39).

Do you really want to know Jesus? Getting to know him more deeply and intimately means spending time with him. It means asking questions, observing his life, and hearing his words. When you do these things, you will learn more about him than you expect.