Opening question: Have you ever wished you could start life over again?
Read John 3:1-9
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born again.” 4 “How can anyone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
Discussion Questions:
1. Any difficult words?
2. How are Nicodemus and Jesus described?
3. What’s happening in this encounter between Nicodemus and Jesus?
4. What is flesh? And spirit?
5. What is the kingdom of God?
6. Why do we need to be born again to see and enter the kingdom of God?
7. What does it mean to be born again, and how can we experience this second birth?
Friday, February 25, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
From Death to Life
Opening question: What is the greatest gift we can receive and give?
Read Romans 5:12-21
12 Adam sinned, and that sin brought death into the world. Now everyone has sinned, and so everyone must die. 13 Sin was in the world before the Law came. But no record of sin was kept, because there was no Law. 14 Yet death still had power over all who lived from the time of Adam to the time of Moses. This happened, though not everyone disobeyed a direct command from God, as Adam did. In some ways Adam is like Christ who came later. 15 But the gift that God was kind enough to give was very different from Adam's sin. That one sin brought death to many others. Yet in an even greater way, Jesus Christ alone brought God's gift of kindness to many people. 16 There is a lot of difference between Adam's sin and God's gift. That one sin led to punishment. But God's gift made it possible for us to be acceptable to him, even though we have sinned many times. 17 Death ruled like a king because Adam had sinned. But that cannot compare with what Jesus Christ has done. God has been so kind to us, and he has accepted us because of Jesus. And so we will live and rule like kings. 18 Everyone was going to be punished because Adam sinned. But because of the good thing that Christ has done, God accepts us and gives us the gift of life. 19 Adam disobeyed God and caused many others to be sinners. But Jesus obeyed him and will make many people acceptable to God. 20 The Law came, so that the full power of sin could be seen. Yet where sin was powerful, God's kindness was even more powerful. 21 Sin ruled by means of death. But God's kindness now rules, and God has accepted us because of Jesus Christ our Lord. This means that we will have eternal life.
Discuss the following:
1.list some things that are the opposite of something else:
Note: About 2000 years after Adam lived, God raised up a leader for the Jews, the people of Israel. His name was Moses. At one point, God gave Moses a list of rules, called the Law. The Law was supposed to govern the way the Jews were to relate to each other and to God.
2. Do you think the Law that God gave to the people of Israel was positive or negative? Explain.
3. Why is “death” compared to being like a “king” in verse 17?
4. How is God described throughout these verses?
5. How many times is the word “gift” used, and why do you think it’s repeated so many times?
6. What did Jesus do about Adam’s sin, which was passed down to his children and to the rest of the human race?
7. What is “God’s gift” and how can we receive it?
Read Romans 5:12-21
12 Adam sinned, and that sin brought death into the world. Now everyone has sinned, and so everyone must die. 13 Sin was in the world before the Law came. But no record of sin was kept, because there was no Law. 14 Yet death still had power over all who lived from the time of Adam to the time of Moses. This happened, though not everyone disobeyed a direct command from God, as Adam did. In some ways Adam is like Christ who came later. 15 But the gift that God was kind enough to give was very different from Adam's sin. That one sin brought death to many others. Yet in an even greater way, Jesus Christ alone brought God's gift of kindness to many people. 16 There is a lot of difference between Adam's sin and God's gift. That one sin led to punishment. But God's gift made it possible for us to be acceptable to him, even though we have sinned many times. 17 Death ruled like a king because Adam had sinned. But that cannot compare with what Jesus Christ has done. God has been so kind to us, and he has accepted us because of Jesus. And so we will live and rule like kings. 18 Everyone was going to be punished because Adam sinned. But because of the good thing that Christ has done, God accepts us and gives us the gift of life. 19 Adam disobeyed God and caused many others to be sinners. But Jesus obeyed him and will make many people acceptable to God. 20 The Law came, so that the full power of sin could be seen. Yet where sin was powerful, God's kindness was even more powerful. 21 Sin ruled by means of death. But God's kindness now rules, and God has accepted us because of Jesus Christ our Lord. This means that we will have eternal life.
Discuss the following:
1.list some things that are the opposite of something else:
Note: About 2000 years after Adam lived, God raised up a leader for the Jews, the people of Israel. His name was Moses. At one point, God gave Moses a list of rules, called the Law. The Law was supposed to govern the way the Jews were to relate to each other and to God.
2. Do you think the Law that God gave to the people of Israel was positive or negative? Explain.
3. Why is “death” compared to being like a “king” in verse 17?
4. How is God described throughout these verses?
5. How many times is the word “gift” used, and why do you think it’s repeated so many times?
6. What did Jesus do about Adam’s sin, which was passed down to his children and to the rest of the human race?
7. What is “God’s gift” and how can we receive it?
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