He came to Jesus by night, but he was darkened. He never knew peace with God, not a taste. He only knew religious rules and self righteousness. His religion was in the flesh. He never knew God's love, nor free forgiveness. He judged himself better than others. This religious hypocrite was polite, but he was lost!

Hear me! We don't know God, until we know Christ. We are not saved, until we see his value. We don't know the Father, until our sins are forgiven and we know grace. If the reason you're going to heaven is because of you, then you are lost. If Christ is not everything to you, then he is nothing. Nicodemus came at night, because God was drawing him! He wanted to show him mercy!

Secondly, we can't see God's kingdom, until we are born again. — John 3:3, “Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

We remain blind until God enters us by the Spirit, and forms us a new person. He gives a new heart, and then a new life. Ezekiel 36:25-26 — "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." He washes us clean from our filthiness, and teaches us the kingdom. He reveals Christ in us, not merely a list of commands, but his own Son in our heart by faith.

We see peace with God is Jesus's work on our behalf. We see how God can be just and justify. Atonement is made, and the Redeemer is enthroned inside us, like he is at God's right hand. We see the beauty and glory of God satisfied with his Son's blood as the remission of sins. We see Jesus as God's Prophet to be obeyed, the Centerpiece of Scripture, and the meaning of life. We see him more precious than a thousand worlds - the Eternal Savior who God resurrected in righteousness, the Ruler over all creation.

Do you see him high and exalted? Is he coming to judge the nations?

Thirdly, it doesn't matter if you can't understand it! You cannot enter God's kingdom until God's water of the word and his Spirit creates you a new person! John 3:4-5 — "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.”

This is how it happens. God creates SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING, just like he made the universe. He spoke, and everything was made that is made. He speaks, and sinners are born again. What they loved, they hate: sin. What they hated, they love: righteousness. They go from disobedience to obedience, from darkness to light, and from pride to shame. They go from self service to servitude, and from ignorance to enlightenment. They know their God and trust him by his miraculous intervention. They are saved from sin and Satan, and transferred into God's kingdom. Holiness is born in them and self confidence is broken. The boasting of their arrogance turns to deep humility. They are the chief of sinners and the least of the saints. They are ashamed of their ways and confident in the Lord! Ezekiel 36:31 — "Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations."

Has this happened to you, or are you outside of the kingdom? Are you a stranger to grace, or familiar?

You must be born again! Improvement is not enough. Putting on religion is insufficient. You must be totally transformed and made a worshiper. — John 3:7, “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”

Oh, what a miracle this is! So few receive it. Most are willing to perish without God's intervention. Not Nicodemus, however. His ignorance was reproved, and he became a learner. A teacher became a student.

This must happen to us! Abandon your life to follow Jesus. Become a lifelong disciple. Put away everything else as unimportant, compared to your Savior. Follow him fully, and you evidence faith and a new life. Rely on his resurrection as the reason you're spiritually alive to serve him. Walk as he walked, and live to make him known.

Finally, everyone born of the Spirit is a miracle from God. — John 3:8, “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.”

In sovereign mercy, he chose you, ordained you, and he raised you from the dead to declare his glory - the mysterious and wonderful grace that chose you, when you would never choose him, to love God forever. Eternal life is knowing God in his grace: it's salvation from hell fire by the blood of the Lamb, who satisfied justice and earned heaven's riches for you.