A Conversation in Secret Reveals Why Jesus Came- John Chapter 3

Night time is when things are done in secret. Crime rates are higher at night. Secret clandestine meetings happen at night in the movies.

John chapter 2 ends by saying- Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name

Chapter 3 begins with a religious leader, a Pharisee, named Nicodemus coming to see Jesus at night. Nicodemus had seen the signs Jesus performed. Nicodemus complimented Jesus by saying:

 “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

Jesus’ response did not acknowledge Nicodemus’ compliment. Jesus spoke of something never revealed before when he said:

“Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

Born Again

Nicodemus could not understand. He was puzzled by how he could possibly experience physical birth again. Jesus explained that he was talking about a second birth spiritually.

The conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus revealed why Jesus came. He came to be our Savior. He came to die for us, so we could be forgiven by God. Jesus referred to Moses lifting up a metal serpent on a pole that we read about in Numbers 21 in the bible. If people were bitten by poison snakes, they would be saved if they looked at the serpent on the pole.

The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” ⁹ So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

Jesus referred to the incident with Moses and the bronze snake on the pole and then said:

“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up^, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

Thus indicating to Nicodemus that Jesus would be crucified on the cross for us and that anyone who trusts in Jesus and what Jesus did for us can have eternal life. Then Jesus spoke that famous bible verse- John 3:16:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

The reason Jesus came was because God loves us. Out of God’s unconditional love for us, God made the way for us to be forgiven, have relationship with God, and have eternal life.

That is what we are celebrating this Christmas and every Christmas. Jesus was born as a human baby to grow to be a man and die for us. Jesus loves us that much.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.