FOCUS TEXT: John 3

Sunday marked the second week of our “We Are Family” series. In week one, we delved into Genesis 1-2, discovering that God created humanity in His image to establish a family for Himself and for His glory. We learned that humanity was meant to glorify God by knowing Him, relating to Him, reflecting Him, and joyfully obeying Him as Father. However, everything changed when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God (Genesis 3), leading to human separation from the true Father and banishment from His family.

But this past Sunday, from John 3, we saw that God has provided a way for us to be reborn into His family. We explored the story of Nicodemus, a prominent leader among the Jewish people, who approached Jesus by night to ascertain if He was the Messiah. Jesus took control of the conversation by declaring: “Truly, Truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus was puzzled. Jesus clarified, identifying Himself as the “Son of God,” and explaining that spiritual rebirth is the work of God’s Spirit (verses 5-8), achievable only through faith in God’s Son (verses 14-18). Jesus conveyed to Nicodemus that “light had come into the world” and that people must choose to walk in the light rather than persist in their own wicked ways. He conveyed to Nicodemus and humanity at large that they were condemned unless they embraced the light and experienced new life in Jesus.

John 3 isn’t the only passage in the New Testament that speaks of rebirth. In fact, it recurs throughout the New Testament! Upon closer examination, we find the New Testament’s clear teaching: Only by the Spirit and through faith in Jesus can sinners have their relationship with God restored and become part of God’s family.

In John 3:22, right after explaining spiritual rebirth, Jesus heads into the Judean countryside and starts baptizing. From this and other New Testament passages, we discern that Baptism serves as a public declaration of identification with God as Father, Christ as Lord, and with God’s family—the Church.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

• Has the Spirit of God stirred your heart, leading you to faith and repentance?

• Have you been baptized? If not, repent of your sins, ask God to save you, and inquire about baptism!

• How has being born again and walking in the light transformed you? What evidence of God's work can you point to?

PRAYER FOCUS

• Pray for your fellow believers at Anchor Church, that they may walk in the light and experience transformation.

• Ask God to use you to guide sinners into the light and to encourage fellow believers to walk by the Spirit.

MEMORY VERSE: John 3:16-18