FORGIVENESS REACHES AND GIVES REST
Not all Pharisees who died while Jesus walked this Earth went to hell after His resurrection. When Jesus was here, He reached His hands out and touched all classes of people. He gave salvation freely to the prostitutes, Gentiles, tax collectors, Jews, homeless, rich, poor, widows, the lost, the crippled, the lame, warriors, plus ordinary people. Nicodemus is a good example of whom name reflected a good man regardless of his classification in society during Jesus’ days. He witnessed the teaching and miracles of Jesus whereby he did not become a disciple of Jesus while he walked on Earth, Nicodemus remain faithful to the name until he witnessed Jesus’ burial. Read the testimony of his name as it reads in the scriptures:
John 3:1-9: “Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said. ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.’ Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.’ ‘How can someone be born when they are old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Sprit. 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.”
John 7:45-52: “Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, ‘Why didn’t you bring him in?’ No one ever spoke the way this man does.’ The guards replied. ‘You mean he has deceived you also? The Pharisees retorted. Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?’ No! But this mob that knows nothing of the Law- there is a curse on them’ Nicodemus who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked ‘Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?’ They replied, Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”
John 19:38-42 “Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission he came and took the body away. he was accompanied by Nicodemus the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, in the spices, in strips of linen This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.”
Yes, Nicodemus was confused by the political satire and legal system of his generation, yet his lifestyle represented one of a honest man who desired the will of the Lord. Look at Jesus’ nature. Do you feel He held a vengeful strike against the effort of Nicodemus made as He endured the cross. Jesus knew whom He represented towards humanity. Nicodemus did not understand the transition of testaments. The Kingdom of Heaven has room for testimonies such as his.
Not all Pharisees who died while Jesus walked this Earth went to hell after His resurrection. When Jesus was here, He reached His hands out and touched all classes of people. He gave salvation freely to the prostitutes, Gentiles, tax collectors, Jews, homeless, rich, poor, widows, the lost, the crippled, the lame, warriors, plus ordinary people. Nicodemus is a good example of whom name reflected a good man regardless of his classification in society during Jesus’ days. He witnessed the teaching and miracles of Jesus whereby he did not become a disciple of Jesus while he walked on Earth, Nicodemus remain faithful to the name until he witnessed Jesus’ burial. Read the testimony of his name as it reads in the scriptures:
John 3:1-9: “Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said. ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.’ Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.’ ‘How can someone be born when they are old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Sprit. 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.”
John 7:45-52: “Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, ‘Why didn’t you bring him in?’ No one ever spoke the way this man does.’ The guards replied. ‘You mean he has deceived you also? The Pharisees retorted. Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?’ No! But this mob that knows nothing of the Law- there is a curse on them’ Nicodemus who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked ‘Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?’ They replied, Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”
John 19:38-42 “Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission he came and took the body away. he was accompanied by Nicodemus the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, in the spices, in strips of linen This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.”
Yes, Nicodemus was confused by the political satire and legal system of his generation, yet his lifestyle represented one of a honest man who desired the will of the Lord. Look at Jesus’ nature. Do you feel He held a vengeful strike against the effort of Nicodemus made as He endured the cross. Jesus knew whom He represented towards humanity. Nicodemus did not understand the transition of testaments. The Kingdom of Heaven has room for testimonies such as his.
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