Leader s Guide: Ages 12-14 Kings & Kingdoms Part 1: The Life of Jesus Unit 2, Lesson 8 Jesus Answers Nicodemus Lesson Aim: To explore what it means to be born again. (Salvation Message) THE WORSHIP Who God Is: The King Who Serves THE WORD What He Has Done: Jesus answered Nicodemus questions about being born again. Scripture Focus: John 3:1-21 Key Verse: John 3:3 Christ Connection: Numbers 21:7-9 THE WAY The Big Question: What does it mean to be born again? UNIT 2 FOCUS VERSE Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Luke 9:23-24 Unit 2: The King Who Serves Bible Story What He Has Done Lesson Aim* 7 Jesus Forgives the Woman Caught in Sin, John 8:1-11 8 Jesus Answers Nicodemus, John 3:1-21 9 Jesus Talks with the Woman at the Well, John 4:6-30, 39-42 10 Jesus Visits Mary and Martha, Luke 10:38-42 11 Jesus Seeks Zacchaeus, Luke 19:1-10 Jesus forgave the woman and stopped the condemnation. Jesus answered Nicodemus questions about being born again. Jesus taught the woman about eternal life and His identity. Jesus encouraged Martha to spend time with Him. Jesus sought Zacchaeus and went to his home. To recognize the difference between judging a behavior and judging a person. To explore what it means to be born again. (Salvation message) To understand how only a relationship with Christ can satisfy our deepest thirst. To gain perspective on the importance of time with Jesus. To see that Jesus pursues and transforms us. LEADER S ENCOURAGEMENT This week, read John 1:12-13. Please join us in praying, Thank You for the gift of eternal life. Thank You for preparing students hearts to believe in and follow You as their Savior. Amen. Lesson Aims are based on reflecting God s character as we participate in His actions to, for, and in the world. Take Home Elements: The Journal Entry, Action Card, and Family Discussion Card may be sent home to encourage students to reflect on the lesson. The Journal Entry is an in-depth personal study. The Action Card is a visual reminder of the Bible story, God s action, and how we can join into that action. The Family Discussion Card gives parents and guardians a way to engage their students in what they are learning. Leader s Tip: For larger gatherings, teach THE WELCOME, THE WORSHIP, and THE WORD in a large group setting and divide into small groups for discussion with THE WAY. Permission is granted to reproduce these materials. Not for resale. Use is subject to the Terms of Use available at ResourceWell.org. Terms are subject to change without notice. All other rights are reserved. Kings & Kingdoms Unit 2, Lesson 8 ~ Ages 12-14 ~ Page 1 of 6
Getting started THE WELCOME Suggestion: Choose a game that focuses on concepts related to the lesson such as birthdays, questions, or wind. ACTIVITY OPTION 1: BIRTHDAY RACE Purpose: To introduce Jesus teaching about being born again. Supplies: Rolls of streamers, crepe paper, or toilet paper, optional: gift decorations such as bows, ribbon, gift tag, etc. Directions: 1. Form teams of two students. Give each team a roll of paper. If you have gift decorations, give each team the same decorations. 2. Have each team choose who will wrap (the Wrapper) and who will be wrapped (the Gift). 3. On your signal, the Wrapper wraps the Gift in the entire roll of paper and decorates him/her with any provided gift decorations. 4. The first team to finish is the winner. 5. Optional: Offer an award to the best wrapped Gift. ACTIVITY OPTION 2: SLAP, CLAP, SNAP, SNAP Purpose: To use birthdays to introduce Jesus teaching about being born again. Supplies: None Directions: 1. Everyone sits on the floor in a circle. 2. Teach everyone the pattern, Slap, Clap, Snap, Snap. This is done by patting one s legs with both hands, clapping in front of you, and then snapping with the left hand and then with the right hand. Do it several times until everyone in the circle is comfortable with the rhythm. 3. The leader starts the action: Slap, Clap, Snap, Snap, but instead of saying Snap, Snap the leader calls out their name and birth month. For example: LEADER: Slap, Clap, Luke, February. 4. Play continues clockwise around the circle until everyone has called out their name and birth month. 5. Then the game begins. The leader continues the rhythm but calls out the name and birth month of another person in the circle. That person must continue the rhythm, calling out a different name and that person s birth month. For example: LEADER: Slap, Clap, Jenny, June. JENNY: Slap, Clap, Paul, October. PAUL: Slap, Clap, Sarah, May. 6. The trick is to never break the rhythm. Practice until everyone gets comfortable with the pattern, then move into Elimination Mode: Any time the rhythm is broken, the person who broke the rhythm is out. The person sitting to his/her left starts the rhythm again. Speed up the rhythm to eliminate people more quickly. Play until only one person remains. Kings & Kingdoms Unit 2, Lesson 8 ~ Ages 12-14 ~ Page 2 of 6
The King who serves THE WORSHIP Note to Leader: The instructions below are suggestions only. Adapt this time of worship to suit your environment, resources, and cultural expression. Encourage students to broaden their view of corporate worship by including a variety of expressions such as group prayer, group praise, silent meditation, singing, listening to music, reading scripture, collecting an offering, drama, dance, visual arts, and/or a physical exploration of nature or neighborhoods. Ideas for Optional Visuals: The Seven Stars of Lent If this lesson is taught during the Lenten season (the 40 days before Easter), we recommend the Seven Stars of Lent activity located at ResourceWell.org under Children - Other Resources. Choose one star for each week of the Lent season. Today, we worship God as the King who serves us. To serve someone is to help that person; Jesus serves us by providing for our needs. In today s story, Jesus knew Nicodemus needed to be born again into a new life eternal life forever close with God. Read Unit 2 Focus Verse: Luke 9:23-24. Sing worship songs that focus on being born again into a new life where we are forever close with God. Read Psalm 16:11. Invite students to offer sentences of praise to God by completing the following sentence: Lord, we worship You for. Kings & Kingdoms Unit 2, Lesson 8 ~ Ages 12-14 ~ Page 3 of 6
Jesus answers Nicodemus THE WORD Presentation Note to Leader: Adapt this segment to your setting (Sunday School class, youth group, multi-age gathering, youth camp, retreat, etc.). In some settings, you may choose to have a student read the scripture aloud, and then have the leader, in his or her own words, briefly communicate the Teaching Points, the Christ Connection, and the Big Question. In other settings, a teacher, pastor, or other experienced speaker may present a lecture or extended message that includes those same elements. Ideas for Optional Visuals: You may choose to include an object lesson, video clip, drama, dance, song, or work of art to illustrate the teaching points. Option 1: Option 2: TEACHING POINTS Consider current culture and influences impacting your students, and adjust the teaching accordingly. Read the suggested scripture and communicate each of the points noted. The leader or a student reads John 3:1-21 and John 14:6 aloud. Last time we read about how Jesus forgave the woman caught in sin. He challenged the Pharisees to not condemn her. Today, we see Jesus explained that He did not come to condemn the world but to save it, giving new life to all who believe in Him. Jesus said it is through water and the Holy Spirit that we are born again. Water reminds us that Jesus washes our sins away. Believers are sprinkled or dunked in water as a sign that they believe in Jesus as the Lord who washed their sins away. When we are born again, the Holy Spirit comes and lives in our hearts forever. The Holy Spirit is like the wind. Both are invisible and cause things to move and change. The Holy Spirit is like the breath or wind that moves us in the right direction to keep us following Jesus. At our first birth, we are born into a physical life that eventually ends in death. When we choose to believe in Jesus, we are given a second birth and are born into a spiritual life with no end. The day we choose to believe in Jesus is the day we are born again. It marks the beginning of our new life with Jesus here on earth and later in heaven. Today, if you want to make the choice to believe in Jesus as the only way to eternal life, you can simply pray to Him and ask Him to be your Savior. When you accept His free gift of eternal life, you will be born again. (Provide a time of silent prayer, or offer to lead in prayer anyone who wishes to receive Christ as Lord and Savior.) Some people feel like a whole new person when they are born again; others don t feel any different. Regardless of how you feel, when You accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, you can be confident that the Holy Spirit lives in your heart. Kings & Kingdoms Unit 2, Lesson 8 ~ Ages 12-14 ~ Page 4 of 6
THE WORD Presentation continued The leader or a student reads 2 Corinthians 5:17 aloud. The Bible promises that from the moment we believe in Jesus, we are a new creation and we live by the truth as Jesus describes in John 3:21. Even as a new creation, there will be times where we will sin, either through what we have done or what we have left undone. The Bible promises if we confess these sins, God is faithful to forgive anyone who is born again. Jesus died to save us from all our sins past, present and future! Even though he was very religious, Nicodemus had questions about God. It is normal to have questions about God. Not only is it normal, but it s important to ask questions. That s how we discover truth and grow in our faith. Connecting the Old Testament, the New Testament, and Us CHRIST CONNECTION In the whole story of God, what's the connection between this New Testament story and the Old Testament? Nicodemus was a religious leader who knew the history of the Israelites. To help Nicodemus understand what it meant to be born again, Jesus spoke of the time over a thousand years earlier when God saved the Israelites from deadly snakes. Jesus wanted Nicodemus to understand that the only way to eternal life was through Him. The leader or a student reads Numbers 21:7-9. Just as all the Israelites who confessed their sins and looked at the bronze snake were saved, everyone today who confesses to be a sinner and looks to Jesus as their Savior is saved. THE BIG QUESTION Introduce and elaborate on this question. Students will answer it in their discussion group. What does it mean to be born again? Kings & Kingdoms Unit 2, Lesson 8 ~ Ages 12-14 ~ Page 5 of 6
Being born again THE WAY Discussion GETTING STARTED Display and review the Discussion Group Covenant below: We will include everyone here, treating one another with respect and kindness. We will encourage everyone here to express their thoughts and opposing views. Every student shares his or her best experience or greatest challenge of the past week. READ IT AGAIN Read John 3:1-21 and John 14:6 silently or aloud. What did Jesus say must happen in order for us to enter God s kingdom? When we are born again, our Creator gives us a new life. What kind of new life does Jesus say we will be given? What is the only thing we must do in order to receive this eternal life? THE BIG QUESTION Invite students to share their answers. What does it mean to be born again? TAKE ACTION Lead students in a discussion using the questions below. What big questions would you like to ask Jesus in person? According to Jesus, whoever believes in Him receives eternal life. What do you think it means to believe in Him? Ask each student to complete this sentence: God calls us to live by the truth, SO THAT others might. PRAY Share prayer requests and answered prayers. Have students pray with partners, or have the whole group pray together. FINAL FIVE MINUTES When only 5 minutes remain, begin this segment. Give each student Action Card #8 and Journal Entry #8. Take home today s Action Card as a reminder of how we can join in what God is doing. Use the Journal Entry as your personal devotional study. Complete your Journal Entries at home and keep them together in a notebook or in your Bible. Optional: Provide parent or guardian with Family Discussion Card #8. Kings & Kingdoms Unit 2, Lesson 8 ~ Ages 12-14 ~ Page 6 of 6
KINGS & KINGDOMS JOURNAL ENTRY #8 WHAT DOES IT MEAN? It is the Holy Spirit who points us to Jesus, helps us believe in Him, and guides us in our new life with Jesus. In what way is the Holy Spirit like the wind? Jesus Answers Nicodemus John 3:1-21 WHAT DOES IT SAY? Pray!!! Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what He wants you to learn from this passage. Now read John 3:1-21; 14:6 and 2 Corinthians 5:17. Describe what it means to be born again. Have you ever seen an example of 2 Corinthians 5:17 in someone, where in their new life in Christ you can see the old has gone, the new has come? If so, describe that example. Use this space to write John 3:16-17 in your own words. What did Jesus say must happen in order for us to enter God s kingdom? To be born again is to be given eternal life. What does Jesus say we must do to receive eternal life? What do you think Jesus is saying in John 3:21? WHAT CAN I DO? Describe a time when you could see that what someone had done had been done through God. Reread the words of Jesus in John 3:16-18 and John 14:6. With Jesus words in mind, what do you believe to be true about Him?