FUEL: Refuel for your Future
John 3:1-18
Connect:
Share how you have seen God in the Highs and Lows of your week.
Discuss how resolutions made last week in “growing more like Jesus” worked themselves out— what did God do in and through you (Phil 2:13)? Celebrate those together!
Prayer:
Pray that God would lead your discussion time and bring fresh insight, conviction, and hope through your time together.
Read: John 3:1-18
Review: Remind the group of the focus of this series:
o This series looks at what Scripture says about health in various areas of our lives— places where the truth and grace of God can shine through and sustain us as well as those around us.
o Last few weeks, we looked at refueling in friendships, stress, failure, leadership
o this week, we looked at refueling in the area of our FUTURE
The Grand Tour of the message: Thinking back on what you heard this Sunday…
o What did you learn about God?
o What did you learn about people?
o What did you learn about yourself?
o What do you want to commit to putting into practice?
Reflect:
The focus of the message was about our “eternity”. Spend a few minutes comparing the way we typically think about our “time” as in life on earth and our “Eternity” as in life with Jesus in the new Heavens and the new earth… literally FOREVER!
Read John 10:1-3. Discuss the passage:
o Nicodemus came to Jesus because of a need for clarity— He new there was authority in Jesus’ words, but Jesus was not echoing the Pharisees! Does anyone in your group have a testimony like that? Share it if you are willing to!
o Nicodemus first words to Jesus and Jesus’ first words to him seem to be disconnected. What was happening there?
o Jesus said, “…no one…”. That sounds absolute, exclusive. If you had a friend who was a “nice atheist”, and they asked you about that, how would you communicate what Jesus meant?
o What does "See the Kingdom of God” refer to?
Read John 3:4-9. Discuss the passage…
o What does it mean to be born of “Water and the Spirit”?
o Flesh gives birth to flesh is a familiar idea. What does, “Spirit gives birth to Spirit” mean?
o Jesus makes it personal to Nicodemus, connecting with his surprise and confusion about this idea in v7. It went from ‘generally everyone’ to ‘you standing here with Me”. How did that change the game here for Nicodemus in terms of the way he interacted with, thought about, processed, Jesus words here?
Read John 3:14-15. Discuss the following:
o Identify some of the parallels that Jesus is drawing Nicodemus’ attention to here (Israel’s situation in Numbers 21:4-9, and ours)
o What kind of “believe” is Jesus talking about here? (A public belief, a private belief or a core belief)? Explain.
Read Joh 3:16-18. Discuss the passage:
o Talk about the depth of God’s love shown in that “He gave His only begotten Son”.
o Discuss the statement, “The Love of God is universal, but the response to it is personal”
o According to John 3:16-18, the default state of all people is “Condemned already”, and the ONLY way out is to “Believe”. Unpack that for a friend who has no idea what it means— condemned? (Why, so what?) Believe? (How, why would that make a difference?).
o Jesus came because of God’s love for people who already stand condemned, He came to save them from His Own judgement over sin! Talk about how we see BOTH God’s holiness and His mercy, HIs justice and His forgiveness, Hi love and His truth, working together.
The message ended with the question from a tightrope walker that thousands cheered on, but only one trusted with his life: “Will you get in the wheelbarrow?”
Respond:
o The message of the GOSPEL is the most important thing anyone will ever hear. Break up into groups of 2 or 3 and practice sharing the Gospel— simply in a way those who have no ‘churchy’ background can understand. Close in prayer that God would give you opportunities THIS WEEK to share THAT MESSAGE!
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