Breaking Ground
What’s the biggest test you’ve ever taken? What did it decide & how did you do?
The Dig
This Sunday, we continued our series Jesus the Christ by exploring Jesus’ interaction with one of Israel’s religious leaders named Nicodemus.
Begin by reading John 3:1-16. Here, we find Jesus metaphorically describing the level of transformation he believes that following him will produce in the life of a person. In it, Jesus engages with an important Pharisee (one of 1st century Israel’s religious leaders). Specifically, Jesus famously describes those that follow him as undergoing a total rebirth. That is, they experience such a radical transformation of their life & views concerning God, themselves, & others that the only way to describe them after meeting Jesus is by saying they’ve become a totally new person.
Why do you think Jesus chooses the imagery of rebirth to describe what following him will bring in the life of a disciple? What sort of transformation do you think Jesus is describing through this language?
Why do you think Nicodemus was so shocked by this back-&-forth? How would he, as someone viewed as a religious expert, be particularly challenged by what Jesus is saying here?
Consider who you were before you met Jesus & who you are now.
Where have you experienced the greatest amount of transformation? Is there any part of your life where you’d describe yourself as undergoing a rebirth? Consider your worldview, belief system, relational health, daily activities, etc.
Where, in your life, haven’t you experienced this kind of radical transformation? Why do you think that is & how might Jesus’ teaching here challenge you in that area?
Where do you currently feel like things have become stale or unhealthy in your life, worldview, & relationships? What would rebirth through Jesus look like in this area of your life? How can you begin letting Jesus turn that part of your life upside-down in this next season?
Getting Out of the Hole
In this series, take time each week to reflect upon the story from the story & how you can find yourself within it during this season of your life.
- Read Luke John 3:1-16. First, break this story down into pieces. What is Jesus doing in this story? How are people responding to him? What changes by the end of the story?
- Next, close your eyes & reflect upon the story. Imagine yourself in it. Put yourself into the space of the various characters & imagine what it would be like to encounter Jesus in the story.
- What images, teachings, or ideas speak to you the most in this story? What intrigues or confuses you? What feelings arose as you thought about being in the story? How can this story impact your life & your relationship with Jesus in this next season?
Journal, reflect, & pray on how God might be speaking to you through each week’s teaching. Share your experience with your growth group next week!
Additional Resources*
TheBibleProject.com
Simply Jesus by NT Wright
The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
Coming Up This Week:*
Sunday, November 3rd: Join us next Sunday as we continue our series Jesus the Christ! * Please see mye3.org for details.