John 3:1-13 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven - the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

Nicodemus was an educated man. He was a powerful man. He was a Pharisee - that group of men that Jesus was constantly calling hypocrites. He was a member of the Sanhedrin, the most powerful body of men in the Hebrew world. But Nicodemus was also a seeker of truth.

With all his power and influence, Nicodemus could easily have sent one of his assistants to talk to Jesus, but he didn't. Rather, he went to Jesus himself. Granted, he did it under cover of darkness - probably because he didn't want to be seen talking to Jesus. (Later, he would boldly speak out for Jesus, but he wasn't ready for that yet.) But he did go, and he did listen, and he did believe. On that night, he learned several things. One of them was that God doesn't have any grandchildren.

Spending eternity with God isn't a cultural thing or a racial thing. It doesn't matter how educated, how influential, or how smart you are… it doesn't matter what race you are, or what background you have, or bloodline you carry. No matter who you are, you still have to go one-on-one with Jesus. Spending eternity with God isn't a religion thing, either. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been in a church every time the doors open since you were born, or whether you’ve never set foot in any church at all. It doesn't matter what church you belong to, or what style of worship you prefer, or what's written over the door where you spend time with other believers. What's important is what's written on the door of your heart.

Have you gone one-on-one with Jesus? No one else can do it for you. Remember, it's personal – because God doesn’t have any grandchildren.

From Dogwood Ministries, Inc.

J-R-and-Bonnie@dogwoodministries.org

Used with Permission