Opening Question: If you could be born all over again, what kind of person would you like to be?
Read John 3:1-8 out loud as a group, and then again silently by yourselves:
1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Word List:
Pharisees – member of the main religious party of Israel 2000 years ago
Rabbi – a spiritual leader and teacher
signs – miracles
kingdom – a group of people who are ruled by a king
womb – where unborn babies develop for 9 months before they are born
flesh – physical life
marvel – to wonder what something might mean
Discussion Questions:
1. Choose 3 people from your group to be the narrator, Nicodemus and Jesus. Now act it out!
2. What do the words “born of water” mean to you? And “born of the Spirit”?
3. When you see the word “king,” what do you think of?
4. Describe your idea of a perfect kingdom.
5. What would be the benefits of letting God become your King?
6. Why does Jesus compare “the wind” with being born again?
7. So, how can people become born again?
Friday, October 30, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Jesus Heals the Official’s Son
Opening Question: How would you describe the family you grew up in?
Let’s read John 4:43-54
46 So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” 49 The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!” 52 Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household. 54 This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.
Word List:
Cana of Galilee – a small town in the northern part of the nation of Israel.
Nobleman – someone who is at the highest level of society.
Capernaum – another small town in Galilee.
Judea – the southern part of Israel.
signs and wonders – miracles.
Discussion questions:
1. Who can re-tell last week’s story about Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana?
1. How would you re-tell this story?
2. What can we say about the nobleman?
3. What was so miraculous about this story?
4. What do you think Jesus meant in verse 48?
5. Why is it so hard for some people to believe in miracles?
6. What exactly does it mean to “believe”?
7. What miracle to you wish Jesus would do for you, or for someone else you know?
Let’s read John 4:43-54
46 So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” 49 The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!” 52 Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household. 54 This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.
Word List:
Cana of Galilee – a small town in the northern part of the nation of Israel.
Nobleman – someone who is at the highest level of society.
Capernaum – another small town in Galilee.
Judea – the southern part of Israel.
signs and wonders – miracles.
Discussion questions:
1. Who can re-tell last week’s story about Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana?
1. How would you re-tell this story?
2. What can we say about the nobleman?
3. What was so miraculous about this story?
4. What do you think Jesus meant in verse 48?
5. Why is it so hard for some people to believe in miracles?
6. What exactly does it mean to “believe”?
7. What miracle to you wish Jesus would do for you, or for someone else you know?
Friday, October 16, 2009
Jesus Changes Water to Wine
Opening Question: If God were to became a man, what would He be like?
Let’s read about Jesus in John 2:1-11
1 On the third day there was a wedding. It took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." 4 "Dear woman, why do you bring me into this?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do what he tells you." 6 Six stone water jars stood nearby. The Jews used water from that kind of jar for special washings to make themselves pure. Each jar could hold 20 to 30 gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." So they filled them to the top. 8 Then he told them, "Now dip some out. Take it to the person in charge of the dinner." They did what he said. 9 The person in charge tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He didn't realize where it had come from. But the servants who had brought the water knew. Then the person in charge called the groom to one side. 10 He said to him, "Everyone brings out the best wine first. They bring out the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink. But you have saved the best until now!" 11 That was the first of Jesus' miraculous signs. He did it at Cana in Galilee. Jesus showed his glory by doing it. And his disciples put their faith in him.
Discussion questions:
1. What are some observations we can make after reading this story?
2. What could Jesus have meant by, "My time has not yet come"?
3. How might we describe the person in charge of the dinner before and after the miracle?
4. How did changing the water to wine show Jesus' glory?
5. How did the disciples respond to Jesus' miracle, and why is that important?
6. Have you put your faith in Jesus yet? If so, how has he "filled" you with his "best"?
Let’s read about Jesus in John 2:1-11
1 On the third day there was a wedding. It took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." 4 "Dear woman, why do you bring me into this?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do what he tells you." 6 Six stone water jars stood nearby. The Jews used water from that kind of jar for special washings to make themselves pure. Each jar could hold 20 to 30 gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." So they filled them to the top. 8 Then he told them, "Now dip some out. Take it to the person in charge of the dinner." They did what he said. 9 The person in charge tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He didn't realize where it had come from. But the servants who had brought the water knew. Then the person in charge called the groom to one side. 10 He said to him, "Everyone brings out the best wine first. They bring out the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink. But you have saved the best until now!" 11 That was the first of Jesus' miraculous signs. He did it at Cana in Galilee. Jesus showed his glory by doing it. And his disciples put their faith in him.
Discussion questions:
1. What are some observations we can make after reading this story?
2. What could Jesus have meant by, "My time has not yet come"?
3. How might we describe the person in charge of the dinner before and after the miracle?
4. How did changing the water to wine show Jesus' glory?
5. How did the disciples respond to Jesus' miracle, and why is that important?
6. Have you put your faith in Jesus yet? If so, how has he "filled" you with his "best"?
Friday, October 9, 2009
The Word of God - Part II
Opening Question: If you were God, what would you say to the people of the world?
Read the following verses out loud, and then again silently:
1 In the beginning, the Word was already there. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were made through him. Nothing that has been made was made without him. 4 Life was in him, and that life was the light for all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness. But the darkness has not understood it. 6 A man came who was sent from God. His name was John. 7 He came to give witness about that light. He gave witness so that all people could believe. 8 John himself was not the light. He came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 10 The Word was in the world that was made through him. But the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to what was his own. But his own people did not accept him. 12 Some people did accept him. They believed in his name. He gave them the right to become children of God. 13 To be a child of God has nothing to do with human parents. Children of God are not born because of human choice or because a husband wants them to be born. They are born because of what God does. 14 The Word became a human being. He made his home with us. We have seen his glory. It is the glory of the one and only Son. He came from the Father. And he was full of grace and truth. 18 No one has ever seen God. But God, the one and only Son, is at the Father's side. He has shown us what God is like.
John 1:1-14,18
Q 1. Circle all the ways in which “the Word” is described by John.
Q 2. What do you think is the connection between Word and light and life?
Q 3. The Word was full of glory, grace and truth. What do these words mean to you?
Q 4. Who is the Word, and how do we know?
Q 5. What does it mean to “believe in the name” of Jesus?
Q 6. How do we “receive” Jesus?
Q 7. Have you received Jesus yet? If so, what difference has that made in your life?
Read the following verses out loud, and then again silently:
1 In the beginning, the Word was already there. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were made through him. Nothing that has been made was made without him. 4 Life was in him, and that life was the light for all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness. But the darkness has not understood it. 6 A man came who was sent from God. His name was John. 7 He came to give witness about that light. He gave witness so that all people could believe. 8 John himself was not the light. He came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 10 The Word was in the world that was made through him. But the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to what was his own. But his own people did not accept him. 12 Some people did accept him. They believed in his name. He gave them the right to become children of God. 13 To be a child of God has nothing to do with human parents. Children of God are not born because of human choice or because a husband wants them to be born. They are born because of what God does. 14 The Word became a human being. He made his home with us. We have seen his glory. It is the glory of the one and only Son. He came from the Father. And he was full of grace and truth. 18 No one has ever seen God. But God, the one and only Son, is at the Father's side. He has shown us what God is like.
John 1:1-14,18
Q 1. Circle all the ways in which “the Word” is described by John.
Q 2. What do you think is the connection between Word and light and life?
Q 3. The Word was full of glory, grace and truth. What do these words mean to you?
Q 4. Who is the Word, and how do we know?
Q 5. What does it mean to “believe in the name” of Jesus?
Q 6. How do we “receive” Jesus?
Q 7. Have you received Jesus yet? If so, what difference has that made in your life?
Friday, October 2, 2009
The Word of God – Part I
Opening Question: What are some helpful words people need to hear in different situations?
Read: Christians believe the Bible is the Word of God. What do the following verses say about God’s word (also called Scripture)?
How can a young person keep his life pure? By living in keeping with Your word. Psalm 119:9
I have hidden Your word in my heart so that I won't sin against you. Psalm 119:11
Your word is like a lamp that shows me the way. It is like a light that guides me. Psalm 119:105
Jesus answered, "It is written, 'Man doesn't live only on bread. He also lives on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4
Heaven and earth will pass away. But My words will never pass away. Matthew 24:35
The word of God is living and active. It is sharper than any sword that has two edges. It cuts deep enough to separate soul from spirit. It can separate joints from bones. It judges the thoughts and purposes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
God has breathed life into all of Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right. 2 Timothy 3:16
Q2. What is the purpose of words?
Q3. Can you remember a time when a word helped you? Hurt you?
Q4. Why are words so powerful -- for good or for evil?
Q5. Can you think of some helpful words you can share with someone in your life? If so, plan a time when you will try to share them.
Read: Christians believe the Bible is the Word of God. What do the following verses say about God’s word (also called Scripture)?
How can a young person keep his life pure? By living in keeping with Your word. Psalm 119:9
I have hidden Your word in my heart so that I won't sin against you. Psalm 119:11
Your word is like a lamp that shows me the way. It is like a light that guides me. Psalm 119:105
Jesus answered, "It is written, 'Man doesn't live only on bread. He also lives on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4
Heaven and earth will pass away. But My words will never pass away. Matthew 24:35
The word of God is living and active. It is sharper than any sword that has two edges. It cuts deep enough to separate soul from spirit. It can separate joints from bones. It judges the thoughts and purposes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
God has breathed life into all of Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right. 2 Timothy 3:16
Q2. What is the purpose of words?
Q3. Can you remember a time when a word helped you? Hurt you?
Q4. Why are words so powerful -- for good or for evil?
Q5. Can you think of some helpful words you can share with someone in your life? If so, plan a time when you will try to share them.
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