What Jesus Did! 'A Good Place to Start' — John 3:1-2

Monday, February 9, 2026

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 NLT

Key Thought

Some people give Nicodemus a hard time for coming to Jesus at night. However, John doesn't. In fact, if we listen carefully to this story, Nicodemus does exactly what Jesus says people "who do what is right" will do - they come out of the darkness to the light to have their deeds revealed. Nicodemus makes a good start. He recognizes that what Jesus does shows he comes from God. That's a good beginning. In fact, there are a lot of people who think Jesus is a good person, a good teacher, a good prophet that has come from God. For many of them, that is enough: good intentions, good thinking. But for Nicodemus - and the rest of Jesus' disciples - this evaluation of Jesus is not enough. Jesus will challenge Nicodemus to see things in a whole new light. [1] He will do very much the same for those of us who want to keep Jesus contained. Jesus is about to remind us that he is our Lord and we begin fresh, or we stay in darkness. Are you ready for the journey? Are you ready to join Nicodemus?

[1] Nicodemus' positive response to Jesus and his teaching is indicated by Nicodemus helping Joseph of Arimathea bury Jesus after his crucifixion (John 19:38-40).

Today's Prayer

Father, I confess that there are times when I want to tame Jesus and take some of the radical call of his Good News out of my path. Yet I recognize that grace was costly to you and should not be trivialized by me. With all that I have, I surrender my heart to Jesus as Lord. Use your Spirit, O God, to open my heart to follow Jesus fully and to live powerfully as a witness to your transformational grace. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

7 Related Resources by Heartlight

Minister Selflessly
Article by Phil Ware
How can we do it when it is often so hard? Phil Ware continues his SHIFT series by talking about Nicodemus and how he was moved to minister selflessly to Jesus after he really understood God's love and Jesus' sacrifice at the cross.
Your Best Is Not Good Enough
Devo: A Year with Jesus
"Dear Beloved, What do you do when you recognize that your best isn't good enough to get you to God? That's the essential question that every..."
As Different as...
Article by Phil Ware
How important are our differences? Phil Ware continues his series on Outside the Walls, looking at Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman at the well and reminding us that they are more alike than they are different: both need Jesus and his truth, life, and love.
I Doubt It: The Delivery Room
Article by Phil Ware
If Nicodemus needed grace despite all his religious accomplishments and his genuinely God-seeking heart, then we desperately need grace, too. Phil Ware continues his series on 'I Doubt It' by talking about Jesus' encounter with Nicodemus and his need to be born of God, from above, born again.
See All 7 Related Resources about John 3:1-2

Illustration

Illustration of John 3:1-2 NLT — "Rabbi," —— "we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Monday, February 9, 2026

Passion for Praise
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
'Who Else?' (Is. 40:12)
"[To whom can you compare God?] Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight...."
Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'God's Reconciliation' (Ro. 11:33-36)
"Dear Father, How great your mercy is! How deep your riches and wisdom and knowledge are! How unsearchable are your judgments! How inscrutable your..."
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Morning Thought: 2 Peter 3:18
"Heaven will be full of the ceaseless praises of Jesus. Eternity! thine unnumbered years shall speed their everlasting course, but forever and for..."
Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'Worship with a Personal Touch' (Acts 3:7-8)
"Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man's feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He...."

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

More What Jesus Did!