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Humble Hero
the cross reveals the love of God. His love is drawing us to Himself.
If we do not resist this drawing, we will be led to the foot of the
cross in repentance for the sins that have crucified the Savior. Then
through faith the Spirit of God produces a new life in the soul. He
brings the thoughts and desires into obedience to Christ. He creates
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the heart and the mind anew in the image of Jesus, who works in
us to subdue all things to Himself. Then He writes the law of God
in the mind and heart, and we can say with Christ, “I delight to do
Your will, O my God.”
Psalm 40:8
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In the conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus unfolded the plan of
salvation. In none of His later instruction did He explain so fully,
step by step, the work necessary to be done in the hearts of all who
wish to inherit the kingdom of heaven. At the very beginning of
His ministry, He opened the truth to a member of the Sanhedrin, an
appointed teacher of the people. But the leaders of Israel did not
welcome the light. Nicodemus hid the truth in his heart, and for
three years there was little apparent fruit.
But the words Jesus spoke at night on the lonely mountain were
not lost. In the Sanhedrin council, Nicodemus repeatedly defeated
plans to destroy Jesus. When at last He was lifted up on the cross,
Nicodemus remembered, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that who-
ever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” The
light from that secret meeting illuminated the cross of Calvary, and
Nicodemus saw in Jesus the world’s Redeemer.
After the Lord ascended, when persecution scattered the disci-
ples, Nicodemus came forward boldly. He used his wealth to sustain
the infant church that the Jews had expected to disappear at the death
of Christ. In the time of danger, he who had been so cautious and
questioning was firm as a rock, encouraging the faith of the disciples
and furnishing funds to carry forward the work of the gospel. He
became poor in this world’s goods, but he never hesitated in the faith
that had its beginning in that nighttime conference with Jesus.
Nicodemus told John the story of that interview, and John
recorded it for the instruction of millions. The truths taught there are
as important today as they were on that solemn night on the shadowy
mountain, when the Jewish ruler came to learn the way of life from
the lowly Teacher of Galilee.
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