Lesson 2:

Nicodemus and the new birth

INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

One of the best ways to teach children about regeneration and the new birth is to outline the
conversation the Lord Jesus had with Nicodemus on this subject. It is the most comprehensive outline
on the new birth to be found in the Bible. I feel that the best way to teach this outline to the children in
an interesting fashion is to do it as a first person narrative by Nicodemus himself closely following
the biblical outline and using the four flashcards (eight pictures) during the narrative.
But, if for some reason you would prefer not to tell your story in the first person, you could adapt
the wording to allow you to do it in the third person.

MEMORY VERSE for the children to learn:

You must be born again (John 3 v7).

BIBLE PASSAGE John 3 v1-21.

Slide 1 Title slide

Lesson
Before teaching this lesson you should revise briefly the content of the previous lesson.
Have you ever met someone who is a religious leader, someone who is thought by everyone to
be very good and holy? Have you ever seen perhaps on television a bishop, or an archbishop,
or even the pope?
Slide 2
Well, my name is Nicodemus. I am a person like that. I am a religious leader of the Jewish
people. I am a member of the religious society known as the Pharisees and I sit in the council of
men who supervise the Jewish religion. You will not find anyone who does more good works or
is more religious that I am. I go to all the church services each week, I read and study my Bible, I
pray several times each day. There are days when I dont eat any food so that I can have more
time to pray. I give money to the poor and I do try to be good. If anyone had asked me if I was a
follower of the true God I would have said Yes. If anyone had asked me if I was going to
Heaven, I would have said Yes. I was certainly a very religious person.

But some strange things were happening here in Jerusalem and I was determined to get to the
bottom of it all. First of all, a man called John the Baptist had been gathering great crowds and
telling them to turn from their sins and when they did so he baptized them in water. That is how
he got his name. This caused a great sensation and we, the religious leaders, were concerned
about what was happening and were certainly not in favour of this man and his preaching.

Slide 3
But even worse was happening. A person called Jesus Who was, I believe, Johns relative,
appeared on the scene and not only was He preaching to, and teaching, the people but He was
also doing miracles which no one could explain. I heard that over in Cana He changed water into
wine. Then He went into the temple our temple and drove out all the people who were
changing money and selling animals there. He even spoke about the temple as His Fathers
house and He said that if it was destroyed He would raise it up in three days.
And so I made up my mind to go to this man and speak with Him, to find out Who He was and
what He was trying to do. Yes, I was curious. But I was also concerned because I really wanted to
know the truth.
Slide 4
So I went one night to see Him and talk with Him (John 3 v2). I went at night because I
thought that He would be less busy and have more time for me. I also wanted our conversation to
be private; and I must confess that I didnt really want the other religious leaders to see me going
to speak with this man. He was not too popular with them and I could have been in trouble!
Slide 5
He received me very graciously and even though it was night-time He really took time to
answer my questions and talk with me. He gave me the impression of being very caring, loving
and personal.

Slide 6
I started by saying something which I thought would please Him. I called Him Rabbi which
means Master or Teacher and a title which is only given to religious leaders (John 3 v2). I
thought He would like that. And I also told Him that I knew He was a Teacher come from God
because of the miracles He did. I thought that just as I praised Him He might praise me as a
religious leader, a great teacher, and a person who did many good works. I was thinking of Him
and myself as being two teachers who could discuss religious matters and ask each other
questions about religion. I was expecting Him to start a discussion or argument about God, and I
was hoping especially that He would explain to me what was happening in the country because of
Him, and what He was intending to do.

But you can imagine my surprise when in response to the nice things I had said He looked right
into my eyes and said:
Slide 7
If a person is not born again he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3 v3).
A few moments afterwards he said this again (John 3 v5). Then later He became even more
personal and direct when in the words of our Bible verse for today He said to me, the great
religious leader who was known for my good works and holiness,
Slide 8
You must be born again. (John 3 v7).
I did not understand what He meant but I was greatly troubled because it seemed that He was
telling me that I needed something I didnt have.
Slide 9
He seemed to be saying that I could not enter Heaven despite my religion and my position as a
teacher. He was saying that I needed new life from above a new beginning of some kind. This
came to me as a great shock. If anyone was going to Heaven surely it was me. Did I have to start
again? How could I possibly do so?
I wonder is there someone listening to me who is in the same position as I was? Do you think
that because you are good, or that you try to be good, God is pleased with you and you will go to
Heaven when you die? But that is not enough. The Lord Jesus also says to you in the words of
this verse as He did to me You must be born again.
Slide 10 shows Nicodemus thinking
And so I asked Him how it was possible for a man like me to be born again and did I have to
become a little baby again? (John 3 v9). I was confused; I was mystified.
But graciously He tried to help me understand.
Slide 11
I am not speaking about babies or human birth. I am speaking about a spiritual birth. If you
want to enter Gods kingdom you must become a new person inside; your body cannot be born
again or born from above, but the real you can and must.
I think He must have seen the puzzled look which was still on my face and He went on to say,
This is a mystery and it is difficult to understand. It is like the wind which we feel in our faces as
we walk. We dont know where it comes from or where it goes to. It is a mystery. But we know it
is there. The new birth is also a mystery and hard to understand; but I want to make it clear that
this new birth is only possible because the Holy Spirit causes it to happen (John 3 v8).
I felt that I was beginning to understand what He was saying but I was still not sure how this
could happen in a persons life even in my life. And so I asked one more question,
Slide 12
How can this happen?
Then Jesus assured me that He knew the answer even though I as a leading Jewish teacher
did not; and He answered my question by telling a story from the Old Testament.

Slide 13
He said something like this (John 3 v14-16). Do you remember how Moses lifted up the brass
snake in the wilderness? The Jewish people who were marching through the desert on their way
to the Promised Land had started to complain and speak against God (Numbers 21 v4-9). As a
result God sent poisonous snakes into their camp and many died. Moses prayed and asked God to
take away the serpents. God told Moses to make a brass snake and put it up on a pole in the
middle of the camp and those who were bitten were told to look at the snake.
Slide 14
When the Jews or Israelites who had been bitten by snakes looked at the brass snake they were
healed. They had a new beginning and a new start in their lives.
Slide 15
Jesus continued, Now I am going to be lifted up (on a cross) and when anyone who is a
sinner looks at Me and trusts Me as their Saviour they will be saved and have eternal life. They
will be born again. They will have a new beginning and a new start in their lives. Thats how it
happens. They just have to look and trust. Thats all.
And then He went on to explain to me that because God loved the world so much He, the Son
of God, had come to die so that those who trust Him would be born again and have life which
would never end.
Slide 16
He told me that .. as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of
Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3
v14 and 15).

Slide 17
Also He explained that those who trusted Him would never be condemned or judged by God,
and He spoke these words which have become the best known verse in the whole Bible For God
so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have everlasting life (John 3 v16).
Have you believed in Him? Have you trusted Him or received Him as your Saviour? If you
have, this verse tells you that you have eternal life and that you will live forever. If not, the Lord
Jesus said that you will perish and be separated from Him.
Trust Him today.

Slide 18
That was a very special night for me. Something happened to me that really made me different.
Looking back on that night I feel that I was born again that night although I never told anyone. I
was certainly different.
I still served on the Jewish council, but when they, at a later date, were considering what to do
with the Lord Jesus, and even trying to decide if they should condemn or judge Him, I spoke up
for Him and said, You cannot judge someone unless you examine closely what they are doing
and give them the chance to speak for themselves. As a result these other leaders criticized me
and made fun of me. But I knew I was right in speaking up for the Lord Jesus.
Slide 19
And then at last they crucified Him. But this was my chance to let people know that I loved
Him, and although I had kept so quiet I really in my heart had trusted Him and was born again.
When all His disciples fled, Joseph of Arimathea (who was a secret disciple like me) and I asked
for His body. After anointing it we placed it in a new grave. Yes, I was different now.
In this way I was glad to let people know, at last, how I really felt about Him, and express my
thanks and love for what He had said to me, and what He had done in my heart that night three
years earlier.
Slide 20
I hope I have helped you to see how important it is for you to be born again. Remember the words
of the Lord Jesus in our verse for today, You must be born again (John 3 v7). There is much
about this which you may not understand. I know I didnt understand everything the Lord Jesus
said to me. But there is no problem in understanding that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross,
and that if you trust Him and receive Him as your Saviour, you will be born again. You will be a
new person. Dont try to work it all out. Just believe what Jesus Christ says and trust Him.