LESSON OVERVIEW FOR ADULTS
In John 3:1-17, a religious leader named Nicodemus came to visit Jesus at night. Nicodemus had seen the miracles Jesus performed and recognized Jesus must have come from God. During their conversation, Jesus explained to Nicodemus that to enter God’s kingdom, a person must be born again. This confused Nicodemus, who wondered how someone could be born a second time. Jesus explained that being born again means receiving spiritual life from God, which is different from physical birth.
Jesus continued teaching Nicodemus about God’s amazing love for the world. He explained God sent His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send Jesus to condemn people but to save them. This conversation reveals the heart of the gospel message: salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, and through Him we can have a relationship with God and the promise of eternal life in heaven.
OPENING ACTIVITY 10:15-10:30 | Pinwheels
Items Needed:
- Pinwheel printable
- Brads
- Straws
- Holepunch
- fans or hair dryers (on cool setting)
Give each child a pinwheel craft to make and assist them in decorating it and assembling it. Show them how we cannot see the wind, but we can see what the wind does. Turn on fans around the room and let children move their pinwheels in the air. Explain that Jesus told Nicodemus that being born again is like the wind we cannot see it happen, but we can see the results in someone’s life when they believe in Jesus.
BIBLE VERSE GAME 10:30-10:40 | Footsteps
Items Needed:
Description: Create a path of footprints around the room. Have children follow the footprint path while you say the Bible verse together: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.” (John 3:16a).
Each time you start over, let a different child be the leader. This gets them moving while learning the verse.
Once they complete the path, give them a John 3:16 take home footprint.
SONG 10:40-10:50
BIBLE STORY 10:50-11:00 a.m.
Question 1: Where is this found in the Bible? The Book of John
Question 2: Is this in the Old Testament or New Testament? New Testament
There was a man named Nicodemus who was a teacher. He taught people about God and the Scriptures. One night, when it was dark outside, Nicodemus went to see Jesus.
Nicodemus said to Jesus, “Teacher, I know that You come from God. No one could do the amazing miracles You do unless God is with him.”
Jesus told Nicodemus something very important. He said, “You must be born again to see God’s kingdom.”
Nicodemus was confused. He asked, “How can someone be born again? I am already grown up!”
Jesus explained that He was talking about a different kind of birth. When we are born as babies, that is our physical birth. But Jesus was talking about being born in our spirits, in our hearts. When we believe in Jesus and ask Him to forgive our sins, He gives us new life inside. We become God’s children!
Jesus helped Nicodemus understand by talking about the wind. He said, “The wind blows wherever it wants. You can hear the sound it makes, but you cannot see the wind or know exactly where it comes from or where it is going. That is what it is like when someone is born again.”
Object Lesson: (Show a pinwheel or blow on tissue paper) See how we cannot see the wind, but we can see what the wind does? That is how it is when Jesus changes our hearts. We cannot see it happen, but we can see that someone loves Jesus and acts differently!
Then Jesus told Nicodemus the most wonderful news! He said, “God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son. Everyone who believes in Him will not die forever but will have eternal life! God did not send His Son to punish the world, but to save the world through Him.”
Jesus came to earth so that we could become friends with God! When we believe in Jesus, we are born again, and we get to live with God forever in heaven.
Theological Questions:
- Who came to visit Jesus at night? (Nicodemus, a teacher)
- What did Jesus say we must do to see God’s kingdom? (Be born again)
Life Application Questions:
- Who does God love? (The whole world, including you and me!)
- What happens when we believe in Jesus? (We become God’s children and get to live in heaven with Him forever)
Prayer: Dear God, thank You for loving us so much that You sent Jesus to save us. Help us to believe in Jesus and be born again so we can be Your children forever. Amen.
BIBLE CRAFT 11:00-11:15 a.m. | Wind Streamer
Items Needed:
- Paper plates
- Colorful ribbon or crepe paper streamers
- Glue or tape
- Stickers
- Markers
- Hole Punch
- String
- Bible Story Printout
Help children decorate a paper plate with stickers and markers. Have them glue the story of John 3:1-7 to it. Attach 5-6 colorful streamers to one side of the plate. Punch a hole in the top and add string for hanging. When hung outside or near a fan, the streamers blow in the wind. Remind children that Jesus told Nicodemus about the wind and being born again.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE: John 3:1-17 KJV
¹There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: ²The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. ³Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ⁴Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? ⁵Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. ⁶That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. ⁸The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. ⁹Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? ¹⁰Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? ¹¹Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. ¹²If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? ¹³And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. ¹⁴And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: ¹⁵That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ¹⁷For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
COLORING PAGE
ChatGPT Prompt:
“Create a simple black and white coloring page for preschool children (ages 3-5) showing Jesus talking with Nicodemus at night. Jesus should be sitting and gesturing warmly while speaking to a bearded man in robes (Nicodemus). Include a few stars and a crescent moon in the sky to show it is nighttime. Add a small cross in the corner. Make the lines thick and bold, appropriate for young children to color. The style should be friendly, simple, and age-appropriate for Christian children’s ministry.”
PARENT TAKE HOME SHEET
Today’s Key Takeaway: Born Again
What I learned today: Jesus told Nicodemus that we must be born again to enter God’s kingdom. Being born again means believing in Jesus and receiving new spiritual life from God. God loved the world so much that He sent Jesus so that everyone who believes in Him can have eternal life in heaven.
Questions to ask me:
Theological Questions:
- Who came to visit Jesus at night? (Nicodemus)
- What is the name of the book in the Bible where this story is found? (John)
- Is the Book of John in the Old Testament or New Testament? (New Testament)
- What did Jesus say we must be born to see God’s kingdom? (Born again)
- What does it mean to be born again? (To believe in Jesus and receive new life from God in our hearts)
Life Application Questions: 6. Who does God love? (The whole world, everyone, including me!) 7. Why did God send Jesus to earth? (To save us and give us eternal life) 8. What happens when we believe in Jesus? (We become God’s children and get to live with Him forever in heaven) 9. Can we see the wind? (No, but we can see what it does) 10. How is being born again like the wind? (We cannot see it happen, but we can see it makes a difference in our lives)