Smiths Outline Bible Project

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John 3: You Must be Born Again

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Read John chapter 3

Introduction: The third chapter of the Gospel of John contains one of the most well known verses in the entire Bible, John 3:16. This chapter focuses on the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council. Jesus teaches Nicodemus about the necessity of being born again to enter the Kingdom of God. The chapter also includes John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus and ends with a powerful statement about belief in Jesus as the path to eternal life, which all blood bought Christians know to be a fact.

I. Jesus Teaches Nicodemus (John 3:1-21)
In these verses, Jesus explains to Nicodemus the concept of being born again, emphasizing that it is a spiritual rebirth, not a physical one. He uses and example of the wind to describe the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration (John 3:8). Jesus also references Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness (Numbers 21:9) as a foreshadowing of His own crucifixion (John 3:14-15). Jesus also declares that God’s love for the world is the reason for His coming (John 3:16), and draws a sharp contrast of the consequences of belief and unbelief (John 3:18).

II. John the Baptist’s Testimony (John 3:22-36)
John the Baptist boldly proclaims that Jesus is the Messiah and that He must increase while John must decrease (John 3:30). He testifies to Jesus’ heavenly origin (John 3:31) and His authority to speak the words of God (John 3:34). John also points out the importance of belief in Jesus, teaching that those who believe in the Son have eternal life, while those who reject Him face God’s wrath (John 3:36). These verses bring to mind the prophecy of Isaiah that the Messiah would be a light to the nations (Isaiah 49:6), as Jesus is the true light that gives life to everyone (John 3:34).

Conclusion: John 3 teaches a clear message about the importance of the spiritual rebirth and the supremacy of Jesus as the prophecies Messiah and Savior of the world. Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus highlights the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers, while John the Baptist’s testimony confirms Jesus’ divine authority. The chapter concludes with a call to belief in Jesus as the only way to eternal life, reinforcing the theme of salvation that runs throughout the Gospel of John.

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The Nicolaitans were a group mentioned in the book of Revelation in the New Testament, specifically in Revelation 2:6, 2:15. They were a heretical sect in the early Christian church that was condemned by Jesus in his messages to the churches of Ephesus and Pergamum. The exact beliefs and practices of the Nicolaitans are not clearly described in the Bible, but early church leaders such as Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria suggested that they promoted sexual immorality and the consumption of food sacrificed to idols. Some scholars believe that the Nicolaitans were followers of a false teacher named Nicolas, who may have been one of the original seven deacons appointed by the apostles in Acts 6:5. However, the exact identity and teachings of the Nicolaitans remain a matter of debate among theologians and historians.