1. Pray. Ask the Lord to open your eyes, that you might behold wondrous things out of his Law (Ps. 119:18). 

2. Read Sunday's passage. Feel free to read it more than once, or in another translation.

3. Review the sermon outline. Try to see how the points came out of the text.

4. Answer the questions below. Focus on personal application.

5. Pray. Praise and thank the Lord, then ask him to work in mighty ways. 

Remember, we live not by bread alone, but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God (Dt. 8:3; Mt. 4:4).

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Intro:  In 375 BC, Plato wrote his most famous work, The Republic. In it, he crafts the Allegory of the Cave. He imagines a man coming out of the darkness of his limited perception of the world and into the bright light of reality. Once he knows the truth, everything is different. Interestingly, Jesus' clandestine encoutner with Nicodemus is very similar. Will Nicodemus come out of the darkness, and into the light? What about you? 

I. Salvation requires the new birth of the Spirit (v. 1–8). Jesus alludes to Ezekiel 36 to make the case that a person cannot see or enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born again from above by the Spirit. Salvation is not the result of piety, religiosity, obedience, or any other work; it is the gift of God, as he awakens hard hearts to new life by his Spirit. 

II. Salvation is made possible by the work of the Son (v. 9–15). Nicodemus asks (quite literally), "How is it possible for these things to be?" Jesus gives him another Old Testament allusion to show that just as God had saved his people from sin in the past by giving them something to look to with faith (see Numbers 21), now he has sent his Son to do the same. Those who look to him with eyes of faith will receive eternal life. The Son's work on the cross makes salvation possible. 

III. Salvation is available because of God's love (v. 16–21). This is how God loved the world: he gave his Son, that whoever believes in him (just like the Israelites had to believe the Word of God and look at the serpent), will receive eternal life. Despite the world's rebellion and sin, God still loves, God still sends, God still saves. The love of God is why salvation is available at all. 

Conclusion:  Note the two "W's" in v. 16. The "world," and "whoever." We all start out in the world. Those who believe in Jesus join the "whoever." Which "W" do you belong to? Believe in the Son, Jesus Christ, and receive eternal life.  

1. Salvation requires the new birth of the Spirit.

- Read Ezekiel 36:25–27.

- Who takes the actions listed in this passage in Ezekiel?

- What did you contribute to your first (natural) birth?

- What do we contribute to our second (spiritual) birth? 

- How do you know if God's Spirit dwells in your heart?

2. Salvation is possible because of the work of the Son. 

- Read Numbers 21:4–9.

- Why did God judge the people? 

- Why did God save the people?

- What made salvation possible? 

- How does this relate to Jesus? 

- Why do we need a Savior? Why can't we save ourselves?

3. Salvation is available because of the love of God. 

- Why does God save anyone? 

- Imagine a friend challenges you on God being loving. How would you explain God's love to him/her?

- How does John use the term "world" in his Gospel? Is it generally positive, negative, or neutral?

- What is most shocking about John 3:16?

- How does a person cross from the "world" to the "whoever?"

- According to this passage, why doesn't the world believe in Jesus? 

- What can be done for those who don't believe? 

- How could your own testimony help them? 

1. Praise God for being a God of love. 

2. Thank him for providing a way of salvation, in spite of our sin and rebellion against him.  

3. Thank Jesus for doing everything necessary for our justification and salvation.

4. Ask the Holy Spirit to work in your heart, to conform you to the image of Christ, and to make you more like Jesus. 

5. Ask God to open the eyes of your friends or family members who don't know Jesus. 

6. Ask God for opportunities to share the Gospel.

Thanks for reading the Bible Study Guide! I pray it helps us "continue to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ" (Eph. 4:15).

Sincerely, your brother in Christ,

Tom Hansen, Senior Pastor