WYO? Family Devotional: Week 3, Nicodemus
John 3:1-21
PREPARE:
Open a Bible to John 3:1–21, which is the story of Jesus and Nicodemus. Read the story yourself before presenting it to your family, making note of the following things about Nicodemus and Jesus’ interaction with him. Focus on how your family can apply Jesus’ method of evangelism to people in your sphere of influence.
-
Nicodemus was a member of the powerful Jewish council and a secret believer in Jesus. He was also wealthy and welleducated. Because of the Jews’ animosity toward Jesus, he was afraid to be seen with Him; therefore, he made an appointment to visit Jesus at night.
-
Speaking in spiritual terms, Jesus told Nicodemus he must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven, meaning we are reborn spiritually through the work of the Holy Spirit. We receive the Holy Spirit by confessing faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior (v. 3).
-
As Israel’s teacher, Nicodemus knew the Old Testament thoroughly, but he didn’t truly understand what it said about the Messiah. Knowledge does not equal salvation (vv. 10–11).
-
Jesus tells Nicodemus plainly that belief in God’s Son is the only way to heaven and that He was not sent to condemn the world, but to save it (vv. 16–18).
-
Jesus uses the term Light to describe Himself. Light reveals truth. No thought or deed can be hidden from God.
LEAD:
Gather the family, and remove any distractions, such as television and electronic devices. Review the concept of Who’s Your One, and remind family members who their one is. According to the ages of your children, either read John 3:1–21 from the Bible, or tell the story.
QUESTIONS & ACTIONS:
1. Discuss what it means to be spiritually born again. Talk about how you might explain the concept of being born again to a person who knows nothing about Jesus or the Holy Spirit. How might you explain the concept to your one? Jesus uses the example of the wind (v. 8).
2. Like Nicodemus, does your one know a lot about the Scriptures but has no relationship with Jesus? Knowledge is not salvation. What would be the evidence of a person being born again? (Holy Spirit controlled, fruits of the Spirit evident, points to Jesus as the source of salvation, etc.)
3. Most people have at least heard of John 3:16, perhaps even your one. Discuss as a group what Jesus is saying in John 3:16–18. This is the gospel message in a nutshell. How can you share this message with your one? Use the 3 Circles app to help.
4. Think of ways to explain to your one that God sees everything we do and knows our every thought. Explain that one of the functions of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of sin or to bring it into the light. Other functions of the Holy Spirit are Counselor, Teacher and Comforter. The Holy Spirit always points to Christ.
5. Does your one believe in the Trinity? Discuss ways you can explain that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are One Person. For help, refer to the following verses: John 10:30; John 20:28; John 14:16–17.
PRAYER:
Pray for your family and your commitment to this task. Then pray for your one(s) using the prayer on day 15 of the prayer guide. Pray also for whatever the Lord lays on your heart about the persons for whom you are praying. Continue to pray every day, using the prayer guide and the bookmark, for seven days, until you come together again as a family for the devotion for week four. Give opportunities for family members to share the experiences they have had with their one(s).
