Beloved friends, we welcome you to the closing meditation from John chapter three concerning the night visitation of Nicodemus with the Lord Jesus. Certainly this wonderful incident in the life of the Son of God has brought to us some of the greatest revelations of divine truth and particularly emphasizing two great facts. First of all, the necessity of the new birth for salvation for every human person in order that they might see and enter that eternal kingdom of God. Second, that they might also note carefully and believe it the necessity for the crucifixion and the death of Christ on the cross to provide it. So never forget that Jesus said to Nicodemus, what he says to you and me, ye must be born again, chapter three and verse seven. Neither forget what he said in verse fourteen, the Son of Man must be lifted up to die. We have followed the story of Nicodemus and the Lord Jesus, first of all, face to face, then mind to mind, and in our preceding message heart to heart, in verses fourteen through fifteen. Yet the Lord Jesus continues to speak from the great heart of God, and through his own heart, to Nicodemus as we read John three, sixteen and seventeen. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. Oh, my beloved, is not this the greatest message, from the heart of God through the heart of his dear Son and the lips of his beloved Son that ever has been spoken. The Lord Jesus had already told it even, how he could be born again, but he tells it again, and in another way, revealing the great love of God in all of his perfection and fullness, toward the unworthy world, the race of sinful men. First of all, let's emphasize the truth John three sixteen begins with. The heart of God and His love are revealed by the opening words. For God so loved the world. How unlike human love this is. Human affection goes toward those who are good. Those who are lovely, those whom may merit that love from us. But God's love flows out in the direction of the undeserving, the guilty, and even the vilest. Is it not well written in Romans five, eight? God commended his love toward us. For while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Is it not written in first John chapter four in verse ten? Herein is love, not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his Son, the propitiation for our sins. My beloved, the greatest love that can ever be displayed is only displayed when it stoopes the lowest. Can I repeat it? The greatest love displayed can only be that love that stoopes the lowest. And my beloved, God's great love streams down from his heart above, through Christ whom he sent to the earth, to the most unworthy object, the great sinful world, and every man, every sinner, man, woman, boy, and girl in it. That love is not limited by distance. nor space, nor time. It reaches everywhere. It reaches everyone. The greatest love can only be seen by the greatness of its sacrifice and the immensity of its gift toward the object of his love. And John three sixteen tells us not only the heart of God and his love of the world, but the immensity of his gift that he gave his only begotten Son, the sincerity and the intensity of the love of God for Nicodemus, his love for you and me, my beloved, is clearly indicated in evidence by the great value of his heart in giving his only begotten Son. And let us not fail to realize where he gave that Son, and particularly It must be the evidence of his death upon the cross. Is it not written in Romans eight and verse thirty-two? He spared not his son, but delivered him up for us all. And my beloved, let me please state to you and to my own heart, when God sent his son from above with love to the whole world, the direct purpose and the ultimate aim. was to send that blessed Son of His love to the cross of Calvary to save us. Yes, all my sins were borne by Jesus. Jesus bore them on the tree. God who knew them laid them on Him and believing I'm free. Can you say that? The vastness of God's great love can only be rightfully measured when you look at Calvary and see the vastness, the greatness of the sacrifice. Twas not a creature. Twas not an angel or a body of angels. It was the most favored, blessed son of his heart, and only begotten son, dearer to the heart of God than Isaac was ever dear to the heart of his father Abraham. Now the purpose of God's love should be very, very clearly understood. The glorious and the sublime purpose of God's love, how very few seem to know it. How very few seem to enjoy it? How very few seem to accept it? The sublime purpose of that love is for the salvation of the whole world. Note the words at the end of verse seventeen, that the world through him, Christ, might be saved. My beloved, listen, true love contemplates the very best for the object for the one who is loved. A God-like love and a God-like gift has a God-like purpose. And what is this purpose for the salvation of the world? And also in John three sixteen, you and I, Nicodemus also, that you and I and Nicodemus or any other should never perish. The love of God through the death of Christ is intended to save the world. And Nicodemus is told it was intended to save him. You and I are told it is intended to save us from the greatest calamity that we face in life, perishing. You see, what does that mean? Well, the word means in the Greek to be destroyed, destruction. and then particularly it means in eternal destruction, and bluntly it means eternal hell. Tell me, is not this the grandest message that our hearts can ever hear? Was not this for Nicodemus? They shall never perish, says the Lord Jesus in John ten twenty-eight. Permit me to testify personally that the moment I came to the Savior and found salvation from hell, My heart overflowed with joy at the deliverance. Faith. What a message. Has this happened to you, my friend? Now please know. The simplicity of receiving this salvation offered to the whole world. It is amazing. It is alone found and received by faith. Whosoever believeth in him, whosoever believeth God's great gift of salvation through the death of his Son is within the reach. I do not hold my words back. It is within the reach of every man, woman, boy and girl who hears it. The offer being given on the easiest terms, faith, believing, no other terms. For we are saved by grace through faith. That none of yourselves it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. Ephesians two, eight and nine. My beloved friend, you either receive this salvation, this new birth, this salvation and redemption by faith, or you leave it alone. God has no other terms. It is his unspeakable gift. I'm sure that we can all agree. that the Lord Jesus certainly revealed to Nicodemus and to you and to me, God's heart. Yes, the Savior's own heart when he spoke to Nicodemus. My beloved friend, may I ask, I wonder, is God and is the Lord Jesus and is the Spirit of God speaking to your heart just now? My beloved, why don't you believe on the Lord Jesus and receive him? Trust him. He will save you now. Have you ever wondered what happened to Nicodemus? There are three scriptures in our New Testament about Nicodemus, the one we have been reading in John chapter three, when he came to Jesus by night. And on that occasion it was perhaps we could say midnight in his soul. The second occasion that he is mentioned by name is in John chapter seven, verses fifty and fifty-one. When he defended the Lord Jesus before the Sanhedrin members of Jerusalem and spoke to the chief priests and Pharisees, I was rebuked by them. But he gave a good word to speak kindly for the Lord Jesus. I don't think it was midnight in his soul then. It might have been twilight. He had not forgotten that midnight visit to the one who spoke to his heart. But do you remember when Christ was crucified and dead? Was it not Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea who boldly came to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus and took that precious body of Jesus and wrapped it up and laid it in the tomb with loving hands? And may I suggest only Joseph and Nicodemus, two members of the Sanhedrin who perhaps had been Believers in the Savior, but secret ones, came out boldly to confess and even bury him, though everyone else had fled. Then I believe it was daylight in the soul of Nicodemus. Complete daylight. My beloved friend, is the Lord speaking to your heart. Is he telling you of his love for your soul? By his atoning death, he has redeemed you by his death for you from your sins. Listen to him at the heart's door. saying, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him and sup with him and he with me. Open your heart's door today, my friend, and the door of heaven will be open wide for you. Father, in the name of the Lord, bless the truth in Jesus' name for his glory to everyone. Amen.