WEEK 6 - REGENERATION

“Apart from new birth, I am my problem. You are not my main problem. My parents were not my main problem. My enemies are not my main problem. I am my main problem. Not my deeds, and not my circumstances, and not the people in my life, but my nature is my deepest personal problem.”

John Piper

PRIMARY TEXT:

JOHN 3:1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

SECONDARY TEXTS:

EPHESIANS 2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 

Ezekiel 36:26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.


DISCUSSION QUESTIONS.

The main focus of this week is to have a prolonged time of sharing and encouragement to reflect on the ways we have seen evidence of God giving us a new birth and new hearts. Ensure you have a significant amount of time set aside for this section. This may mean having to pause sidetracks or difficult questions to make sure you have time for this.


Read John 3:1-8, Ephesians 2:1-5 & Ezekiel 36:26

  1. What stood out from these passages?

  2. Do you tend to think of your life before Jesus as “dead”? Why/Why not?

  3. In what ways is becoming a Christian similar to being born?

  4. How does understanding that you are born again shape how we view our lives now?

Share and Pray (could be done with group split in half if it is large)

Share a time when the Holy Spirit has changed your heart, either in conversion or another significant time. Elaborate on what this looked like, how it happened and what changed.

Share any needs you have for God to be at work in your heart at the moment.

Pray and thank God for the work he has done and pray for his continuing work in us.