A Fresh Look At The NT, Week 1: Jesus Birth

1. A Fresh Look At The NT, Week 1: Jesus Birth January 17, 2010

2. ANNOUNCEMENTS • Bible Study: Friday 7pm. • Location? • Text Message Alerts, Contact Sheet • Monthly Community Service (Raleigh Rescue) • Stand with your parents during worship • Camping trip, Falls Lake, • Ideas? OFFERING OPENING PRAYER

3. Review: The Prophets and Law The Old Testament Pointing  The Messiah • The Law Then (Exo 20) • The Law Now (Rom 3:19-20) • The Prophets Then (Eze 26:26-28) • The Prophets Now (Isa 52, 53)

4. Outline: The NT, 4 Weeks The New Testament: Jesus & His Church • Jesus’ Birth (Luke 2:1-20) • Jesus’ Life (John 3:1-21) • Jesus’ Resurrection (1 Cor 15:1-20, 50-58) • The Church (Acts 2)

5. Introduction VIDEO

6. Primary:John 3:1-21 • 1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."  3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.[a]" • 4"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" • 5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You[c] must be born again.' 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." • 9"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. • 10"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? 11I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.[d]14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.[e] • 16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[f] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.[g]19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."[h]

7. I.Begin again (Reference John 3:1-8) • What does the phrase "born again" mean? How might you explain it to someone using other terms?

8. II.Watch me (Reference John 3:9-15) • What people are role models in your life? Why do you admire those individuals so much? • Jesus never sat in the classroom of a high school or turned on a TV or played a video game or walked through a mall. How does this affect the ways Jesus can be a role model for you in the 21st century?

9. III.Remember what's true (Reference John 3:16-17) • Luke 2:11 proclaims the announcement of Jesus' birth. When have you heard some kind of amazing, incredible news, how did respond, and why? • What are some reasons why people run away from or ignore God's free gift of forgiveness?.

10. IV. Forgive or Forget (Reference Luke 2:14) • Spiritually speaking, what is the darkest place you visit on a regular basis? Is it your school or your job or your neighborhood or some other place? Why is it so dark spiritually? • How might you be a light in this place? How might you pray for God to work through you?

11. V. Additional Discussion • How do you respond to people who say Jesus was judgmental? •  Do you think most people view God as an angry judge or a loving parent? Explain. •  How do your choices create either darkness or light for yourself and those around you? •  How would you describe God to friends who know very little about him?

12. VI. Application • Think of someone you know who has a negative view of God. What could you say to that person to engage him or her in a conversation to share what you've learned today? • Pair up with another person in the group. Are there any places of "darkness" in your life? If so, what can you do to focus on the "light"? Take a couple of minutes to pray for each other, asking for God's help in revealing areas of darkness in your lives and asking for God's light to shine in all areas of your life. Also pray that people would see God's light through the way you live, talk, and act.

13. Secondary:John 3:17  God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him (John 3:17).

14. VII. Summary QUESTIONS?

15. Thanks! • For Additional Information, Check Out: • Email LGoenaga@ggcfchurch.com for any of the above documents, copies of the budget, questions, etc. • GGCFYouth.com