Nicodemus

We are now going to talk about a man who we do not know very much about, Nicodemus, we are told that he was a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews, and this man came to Jesus at night. The Gospel of John is the only record of him in the Scriptures. He seemed to be a little slow in taking up the spiritual metaphors used by Jesus in response to his questions. He is also mentioned in John 7:50-52 and John 19:40.

Nicodemus started the talk with: John 3:1-3

"1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

"Rabbi" was the name of Jewish religious teacher, using that to call a person gave a status of respect.

Nicodemus was a person, who as a member of the Sanhedrin, a Jewish ruling council, was advising the Romans. As a Pharisee, he has kept the Moses Law with great care. Every statement in the ten commandments and all that had been added, by the Jews over the years, he obeyed to the best of his ability. Nicodemus considered that he was a member of the chosen race, the Jews. He seemed to have a privileged ancestry, everything about his birth seemed perfect, yet Jesus has found fault in it. "You must be born again to see the kingdom"

"4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."

Jesus was now differentiating between his past birth, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh;" and a spiritual birth, to go into heaven, "is born of the Spirit is spirit."
How to be born spiritually, Jesus continues John 3:14-15

"10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?"

Jesus continues,
John 3:14-15

"14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."

Jesus said to Nicodemus that to be born again then you have to be like the Jews in the time of Moses, they had committed a sin, they had disobey the instructions of God, and were now being punished by God, they were being attacked by snakes sent by God as their punishment, once they were bitten they would die, but they could live by looking at the serpent on the pole. This was a snake on a pole which Moses had constructed according to the instructions of God. It is interesting to note that they had a choice, they did not have to look at the pole and snake, but they then died. By looking they were admitting that they had sinned and needed the help and forgiveness of God.

Nicodemus must admit that he too was a sinner, and that he must change his thoughts on what would make him acceptable with God. He must believe who Jesus was and instead trust Jesus who had come from heaven to offer forgiveness and eternal life through Him.
John 3:16-20

"16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved."

Jesus had not come to the earth to be the Judge, He had come into the earth to save it from Satan and the desires of Mankind, with the ultimate eternal punishment in the eternal Lake of Fire.
"He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." verse 18.

There is no middle ground, Jesus was saying that faith in Him would one day have eternal life, and would not be judged as a sinner, but if you do not trust in Him, you are already condemned, you cannot say, "I will think about it", to make no choice was indicating that you have actually made your choice, though God may give you another time to make a further choice.
If you did not chose, then you are already on the way to the Lake of Fire. unless you put your trust in Jesus.
John 3:19-21.

"19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."

John 8:12

"I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."