John 3: 1-21
Thank you for continuing this journey of The Gospel Project®
for Kids. Over the next four weeks, preschoolers are going to learn
about Jesus’ early ministry. In Sunday’s Bible account, Nicodemus, a
Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin—a Jewish governing body—visited
Jesus at night. Nicodemus was part of an exclusive group of religious
elite. Nicodemus believed that if a person was a law-abiding Jew, then
he would be accepted by God. Jesus turned this belief system on its
head.
Jesus’
words perplexed Nicodemus: “Unless someone is born again, he cannot see
the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). For a moment, Nicodemus actually
wondered if Jesus was saying that someone must crawl back into the womb!
Jesus explained that spiritual birth is not unlike physical birth: a
person cannot do it himself. It is something that happens to him.
Jesus
reminded Nicodemus of the Old Testament account of the disobedient
Israelites and the bronze snake. The Israelites could not help
themselves, but when they trusted in God and looked to the bronze snake
lifted up on the pole, they were healed. (Numbers 21:4-9)
Every
person is born a sinner. It is by God’s Spirit—not our own effort—that
we are born again. Without Jesus, we are spiritually dead. Sin separates
us from God. When people believe in Christ and are "born again," they
receive new life and become God's children. Jesus offers new life to
those who trust in Him for salvation.
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