Unforgettable Encounters with Jesus - Nicodemus

Today’s passage draws us into the unforgettable encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus, a respected religious leader who comes to Jesus under the cover of night. Nicodemus, though steeped in religious tradition and knowledge, is searching for something more—he is curious, sensing that Jesus is different from any teacher he has ever known. Jesus, seeing through the surface, addresses the deeper longing in Nicodemus’ heart, bypassing small talk and going straight to the heart of the matter: “Unless you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God.” This statement confounds Nicodemus, who is used to thinking in terms of rules, rituals, and human effort.

Jesus explains that being “born again” is not about physical rebirth or human achievement, but about a spiritual transformation that only God can bring. He points Nicodemus back to the promises of Ezekiel, where God speaks of cleansing with water and giving a new heart and spirit. Jesus uses the imagery of wind to describe the mysterious, undeniable work of the Holy Spirit—unseen, yet powerfully real in its effects. The message is clear: entering God’s kingdom is not about what we do for God, but about what God does in us.

To further illustrate, Jesus recalls the story from Numbers 21, where the Israelites, dying from snake bites, are saved simply by looking at a bronze serpent lifted up on a pole. In the same way, Jesus says, the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. This is the heart of the gospel: God’s love is so great that he gave his Son, not to condemn, but to save. The invitation is simple and profound—look to Jesus and live. It is not about striving or earning, but about trusting and receiving.

Nicodemus’ journey shows us that curiosity is not enough; transformation comes when we move from questioning to trusting, from striving to surrender. Somewhere between his first encounter with Jesus and the end of the gospel, Nicodemus moves from curiosity to faith, honoring Jesus as King. The same invitation stands for us today: to look to Jesus, receive new life, and allow the Spirit to transform us from the inside out.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Jesus Sees the Individual in the Crowd No matter how lost or insignificant we may feel among the masses, Jesus sees each of us personally. He knows our struggles, our questions, and our hearts, and he calls us into a personal encounter with him. This truth invites us to come honestly before him, knowing we are fully seen and deeply loved. [02:07]
• 2. Spiritual Rebirth Is God’s Work, Not Ours Nicodemus, despite his religious credentials, could not achieve spiritual life through effort or knowledge. Jesus makes it clear that being “born again” is a work of the Spirit—a mysterious, transformative act that we cannot manufacture. Our role is to surrender, not strive, and to allow God to do in us what we cannot do for ourselves. [17:56]
• 3. The Gospel Is Simplicity and Grace, Not Complexity and Striving The story of the bronze serpent reminds us that salvation is not about rituals or religious performance, but about trusting God’s provision. Looking to Jesus, lifted up on the cross, is all that is required for life. This challenges our tendency to complicate faith with rules and self-effort, calling us back to the simplicity of grace. [22:57]
• 4. Transformation Moves Us from Curiosity to Commitment Nicodemus began as a curious seeker, but his story did not end there. Over time, he moved from cautious inquiry to courageous identification with Jesus, even at great personal cost. True faith is not content with curiosity; it leads to transformation, public witness, and sacrificial devotion. [27:39]
• 5. The Spirit’s Work Is Mysterious but Evident Jesus likens the Spirit’s work to the wind—unpredictable, invisible, yet undeniably real in its effects. We may not fully understand how God changes hearts, but we can see the evidence in lives marked by peace, love, and forgiveness. This invites us to trust the Spirit’s mysterious work, even when we cannot explain it. [16:33]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:45] - Series Introduction: Unforgettable Encounters
• [01:22] - Jesus and the Crowds: The Power of Personal Encounters
• [02:07] - Jesus Sees the Individual
• [03:17] - Setting the Scene: John 2 and the Start of Jesus’ Ministry
• [05:19] - Nicodemus Comes to Jesus
• [06:33] - Who Was Nicodemus?
• [07:44] - The Pharisees: From Good Intentions to Legalism
• [09:47] - Nicodemus’ Curiosity and Approach
• [10:58] - Jesus’ Radical Response: Born Again
• [12:50] - Nicodemus’ Confusion and Jesus’ Clarification
• [15:20] - Water, Spirit, and the Promise of Ezekiel
• [16:33] - The Spirit’s Work: Like the Wind
• [17:56] - Not What You Do, But What God Does
• [20:31] - The Bronze Serpent: Looking and Living
• [23:35] - The Heart of the Gospel: John 3:16
• [27:39] - Nicodemus’ Transformation
• [29:02] - The Invitation: Look to Jesus and Live
• [29:59] - Prayer and Response

Bible Reading

John 3:1-17 (ESV) —
> Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Observation Questions

1. What do we learn about Nicodemus’ background and why he came to Jesus at night? ([05:19])
2. How does Jesus respond to Nicodemus’ curiosity and what does he say is necessary to see the kingdom of God? ([11:36])
3. What Old Testament promise does Jesus refer to when he talks about being “born of water and the Spirit”? ([15:20])
4. What story from Israel’s history does Jesus use to explain his own mission, and what is the main point of that story? ([20:31])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus goes straight to the heart of Nicodemus’ spiritual need instead of engaging in small talk or theological debate? ([11:36])
2. What does it mean to be “born again” according to Jesus, and why can’t Nicodemus’ religious knowledge or effort achieve this? ([17:56])
3. How does the image of the wind help us understand the work of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life? ([16:33])
4. In what ways does the story of the bronze serpent challenge the idea that salvation is about rituals or religious performance? ([22:57])

Application Questions

1. The sermon said, “Jesus sees you. He still sees each individual. He still knows your struggles. He still knows what’s going on in your heart and in your life.” Do you find it easy or hard to believe that Jesus sees and knows you personally? Why? ([02:07])
2. Nicodemus was a respected religious leader, but he still felt something was missing. Have you ever felt like you were “doing all the right things” but still sensed a deeper need? What did you do about it? ([10:24])
3. Jesus says we must be “born again”—not by our own effort, but by the Spirit. Are there areas in your life where you are still striving to earn God’s approval instead of surrendering to his work? What would it look like to surrender in those areas? ([17:56])
4. The story of the bronze serpent shows that salvation is about looking to God’s provision, not our own solutions. What are some ways you might be tempted to “complicate” faith with rules or self-effort? ([22:57])
5. Nicodemus moved from curiosity to commitment, eventually honoring Jesus publicly. Is there a step of faith or public identification with Jesus that you feel God is inviting you to take? What holds you back? ([27:39])
6. The Spirit’s work is mysterious but evident. Can you think of a time when you saw real change in your own life or someone else’s that you can only explain as God’s work? How did that impact your faith? ([16:33])
7. The invitation is simple: “Look to Jesus and live.” What would it look like for you this week to intentionally “look to Jesus” in a specific area of your life? ([29:02])