Summary: Life in God’s world begins when our spirit is brought to life by the Holy Spirit. How that birth happens cannot be explained. But we can be certain that our new life with Jesus is really real and it is a gift given in love.
Core Idea: Being made alive spiritually is a gift from Jesus through the Holy Spirit
Ice-breaker question: If you are willing, share a time when you were given a gift that surprised you.
Read: John 3:1-9
Observation (What does the passage say?)
1. What was the evidence that Nicodemus said indicated that God was with Jesus?
2. What did Jesus say must happen before one can see the kingdom of heaven?
3. Humans can only produce human life. According to Jesus, who produces spiritual life?
- Is it possible to explain how people are born of the Spirit?
Interpretation (What does the passage mean?)
- What do you think Nicodemus was looking for when he went to talk to Jesus?
6. The kingdom of heaven is the rule and reign of God. It is both a present reality and a future fulfillment. What are some characteristics of the kingdom of heaven that we long for?
7. In the original Greek language in which the New Testament was written, the word behind the phrase “born again” can also mean “born from above.” What did Jesus mean when he said that we must be born again, or born from above, before we can be part of the kingdom of heaven?
8. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit is like the wind. Both are invisible and we can’t explain where they come from and where they are going to go, but we feel their effects when they move. What are some examples of sure signs that the Holy Spirit is working?
Application (What does the passage mean to me personally?)
9. If you are living a new life because of the Holy Spirit, describe what that new life is like?
10. What are some things that we can do to help others to experience this new life?
(This Bible Study is based on the message shared on Oct 15/17 at Walnut Grove Lutheran Church, Langley BC.)
Farewell to Shadowlands 