One of the people I like in the New Testament is a man named Nicodemus. He is sometimes considered a coward because he visited Jesus at night, rather than coming to Him during daylight hours. We know that he was a local leader of some influence in the synagogue, a Pharisee by vocation. He really couldn't safely approach Jesus during the day because he would have been persecuted by the other Jewish leaders. Today, let's listen to our first encounter with Nicodemus in John's Gospel:

There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” (John 3:1-2)

The first time Nicodemus is mentioned in Scripture is in this secret visit with Jesus. The second time he's mentioned is later in Chapter 7, when he reminds his colleagues in the Sanhedrin that the Law requires that a person be heard before being judged. Finally, right after Jesus's crucifixion, he shows up with Joseph of Arimathea to provide the customary spices for preparing Jesus' body for burial. He's no longer secretive—he's a disciple. Nicodemus knew a lot about God; he was a Pharisee and a prominent and influential member of the Sanhedrin. But he had begun to suspect that there was a lot more to Jesus than what he already knew. I can identify with this and maybe you can, too. I was raised in church and knew a lot about God. But in 1971, Jesus began to be on my mind all the time, and at a winter youth gathering at a place called Massanetta Springs I gave my life to Christ. He came to me in a new and life-changing way. And since then, I've had many personal encounters with Jesus. Over the past 55 years, He's been my lifelong Savior and Friend. Today, you may think you know a lot about God—and you probably do—but I encourage you that there's still a lot more that you and I can learn about Jesus. Jesus is alive today and doing things—life-changing things for you and me in the days ahead...and that is very Good News!