Lesson 2
UNLESS A MAN IS BORN AGAIN
John 3:1-15
Key Verse: 3:3
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom
of God unless he is born again."
* NEW BIRTH AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD (1-13)
1. Who is Jesus talking with? (1) In what sense was Nicodemus a successful
man? (1,10; 19:39)
2. Why do you think Nicodemus came to Jesus at night? (Ec.1:18; 5:10) What
did he believe about Jesus? What was the basis of his belief? Why was Jesus
not satisfied with such faith? (cf.2:23-25)
- Ec.1:18 "For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the
more grief." Ec.5:10 "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever
loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless."
3. According to Jesus' answer, what did Nicodemus need? (3) What was his real
problem?
4. What was Nicodemus' response to Jesus' teaching? (4) What does this reflect
about his inner life and way of thinking?
5. Look at Jesus' explanation of the new birth. (5-9) What does it mean to
be born again? (6, 1Cor.2:14) How can a man be born again? (5) Why is this necessary?
(Eph.2:3)
- 1Cor.2:14 "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come
from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand
them, because they are spiritually discerned."
- Eph.2:3 "All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings
of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest,
we were by nature objects of wrath."
6. What is the evidence that shows one's new birth? (8; Gal.5:22) Why is Jesus
uniquely qualified to tell about heavenly things? (11-13) What can Nicodemus do
in order to have eternal life? (11,12)
- Gal.5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, ..."
* FAITH AND ETERNAL LIFE (14-15)
7. What does the incident of Moses and the bronze snake teach about faith?
(cf.Num.21:4-9)
- Num.21:4-9 "They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea,
to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against
God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt
to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest
this miserable food!" Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they
bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said,
"We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord
will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people. The Lord
said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten
can look at it and live." So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a
pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake,
he lived."
8. What does Jesus mean when he says, "... so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life"? What is the connection
between Jesus and the bronze snake?
* What does this passage teach us about how one can be truly happy?