Oh, He gets you.
If people were asked who the most influential person in their life is, I know his answer.
I know his answer because one conversation changed his life forever. And all for the good.
Maybe you’d like one conversation that changes your life all for the good.
The man I am thinking of—Nicodemus—had heard about the self-professed Son of Man, Jesus. Nicodemus is a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish Supreme Court called the Sanhedrin. He is a big deal, high up, influential guy.
This itinerant preacher/teacher from nowhere Nazareth is the buzz among the religious echelon because this radical upstart is performing miracles of healing while speaking of Himself as the fulfillment of ancient prophecy.
Nicodemus’s peers wonder. “What is this?” and “Who is this?”
Unlike his partners, Nicodemus decides to meet Jesus in person. It is this conversation that changes Nicodemus’s life.
One way to understand this conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus in John 3:1-17 is to put first things first. Nicodemus does care for others. His job is to teach those around him about faith in God. He may have even been a columnist for his local weekly newspaper. Imagine!
This member of the Sanhedrin likely did his job well. I say this because instead of sitting back or poking holes in theological arguments from a distance, he approaches Jesus.
How Nicodemus approaches Jesus is not shared in scripture. Maybe this Pharisee is smug and self-righteous. He could be arrogant.
Nicodemus also approaches Jesus at night. Maybe he wants to be sly and undercover about this. Keep his day face clean.
Then, too, maybe he has long days and realizes Jesus has long days, too. Maybe meeting in the quiet of the night made sense to this man of God.
These are all speculations. What is clear about this meeting between Jesus and Nicodemus is that Jesus gets Nicodemus. He understands him.
He also changes him.
When we meet Jesus—when we step away from our speculations and approach earnestly, openly and honestly—He changes us, too.
He changes us because He gets us.
Something Jesus says and how He says it lingers with Nicodemus. We know this because while the rest of the Pharisees are up in arms about Jesus, Nicodemus’s arms hold Jesus’ body as it’s taken off the cross.
Scripture never says Nicodemus publicly professes faith in Jesus. But here’s a fact. Nicodemus bought and brought burial spices (that is, very expensive burial spices) to the body. He put his money where his mouth is.
That one-time meeting with Jesus didn’t just change Nicodemus. It changes us. It shows we can approach Jesus, too.
Meet Jesus because He gets you. And His love for you, especially on the cross, changes everything.
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