What is the result of faith in Jesus?

Fellowship

Based on what has happened with you since the last time we met, what is something you are thankful for?
What has stressed you out this week, and what do you need for things to be better?
What are the needs of the people in your community, and how can we help each other meet the needs we’ve expressed?
What was the story last time we met? What did we learn about God and people?
In our last meeting, you decided to apply what you learned. What did you do, and how did it go?
Who did you share something with from the last story? How did they respond?
We identified several needs last time we met and planned to meet those needs. How did it go?
Now, let's read today's story from God...

John 3: 3-21

³ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” ⁴ “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” ⁵ Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. ⁷ So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” ⁹ “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked. ¹⁰ Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? ¹¹ I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. ¹² But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. ¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. ¹⁶ “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. ¹⁹ And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. ²⁰ All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. ²¹ But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

Application

Now, let’s have someone retell this passage in their own words, as though they were telling a friend who has never heard it. Let's help them if they leave anything out or add anything by mistake. If that happens we can ask, "Where do you find that in the story?"
What does this story teach us about God, his character, and what he does?
What do we learn about people, including ourselves, from this story?
How will you apply God's truth from this story in your life this week? What is a specific action or thing you will do?
Who will you share a truth from this story with before we meet again? Do you know others who would also like to discover God's word in this app like we are?
As our meeting comes to a close, let's decide when we will meet again and who will facilitate our next meeting.
We encourage you to make note of what you said you will do, and to re-read this story in the days before we meet again. The facilitator can share the story text or audio if anyone doesn't have it. As we go, let's ask the Lord to help us.

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