2023
Jesus the Lover
Passage: John 3:1-17
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Ephesians 1:3
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
How have you encountered the love of Jesus this week?
Read John 3:1-17. What ideas or phrases surprise, encourage, or spark questions for you?
Describe how Nicodemus approaches, engages, and responds to Jesus according to this passage. How do you see yourself approaching, engaging, and responding to Jesus in this season? What do you learn from how Nicodemus comes to Jesus and more importantly, how Jesus responds to him?
We are invited to approach Jesus with openness, curiosity (faith seeking understanding; purpose of reconstruction, not just deconstruction alone), and humility. What spiritual practices help you cultivate an openness, curiosity, and humility before God?
Read again John 3:14-17. Consider what lengths Jesus has gone to so that we can have life with him. His love makes our love possible. How does fixing our eyes on Jesus – specifically his death and resurrection – for our salvation, fill us with hope? Consider how the Israelites grumbled about earthly things in the wilderness and God’s patient response of salvation. How do we practice looking to Jesus, believing in him, especially through difficult circumstances?
PRAYER
Share with your group how they can be praying for you: what is weighing on you from this past week? What are you praising God for from this past week?
Patient God, even on this journey of faith, where I experience your presence and provision, I grumble, gripe, and turn away from you. Today, may I know the embrace of your grace more than the grip of sin, and may my complaints be turned to praise. In Christ’s name, amen. (Canons of Dort 5.1)