TRANSFORMING-THE-SELF-1-A-DESCRIPTIVE.pptx

Understanding the Self, PPT

1. TRANSFORMING THE SELF BIBLE TEXT: JOHN 3:1-21 CONVERSATION OF JESUS AND NICODEMUS

2. INTRODUCTION: You have to transform the self to transform the world around you. When you observe life around you, not everything happen as you wish for. You want something else and the world around you goes into altogether in a different direction. Sometimes we want the things to change. We want the people, situations, and circumstances around us to change. But the question is how? https://www.modernagespirituality.com/transforming-the-self-to-transform-the-world/

3. You can change or transform the world around you, by changing yourself. You have to work. Everything should start from you. You have to show dedication. You have to create a path and walk on that path. Sooner or later you will see the results. It takes time and effort, but you can change the most drastic situations of your life. All it requires is time, efforts and patience. Life changes with you https://www.modernagespirituality.com/transforming-the-self-to-transform-the-world/

4. The point is, are you willing to strive for the world around you? Life is all about taking responsibility. Responsibility of not only of ourselves, but everything that happens around us. You can’t get into everything and change everything. All you can do is, start changing yourself and keep pushing yourself for the better and you will change the world around you https://www.modernagespirituality.com/transforming-the-self-to-transform-the-world/

5. Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 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.”   Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” Biblical Reference: John 3:1-21

6. “ 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!”   Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit .     Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’    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.”

7.   “How can this be?”  Nicodemus asked.   “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?   Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.   I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?   No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,   that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

8. WHAT WE CAN LEARN ABOUT THIS STORY? LESSON PROPER

9. we’re learning about a conversation Jesus had with a guy named Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee which means he was a smart Jewish guy who knew God’s law inside and out. He thought he knew everything he needed to know about God. He thought he was really good. But, Nicodemus heard that Jesus was teaching that we all have a sin problem that makes us not good people. So, he went to meet Jesus to ask him some questions. Jesus challenged Nicodemus by telling him that just knowing the law wouldn’t make him good enough for God.

10. The only way to be good enough for God was by having a relationship with Jesus. Remember, Jesus is God, and he came to save us from our sin problem. So, it doesn’t matter how smart we think we are or how much we know about the Bible, if we haven’t trusted in Jesus, then our sins aren’t forgiven. This was an important lesson for Nicodemus to understand and it’s important for us, too. On our own, we can never be good enough for God. We need Jesus to forgive us and live in our hearts and help us to live for him.

11. So what does it mean for us as believers to be transformed? How can we experience transformation in our Christian life? A caterpillar is born already possessing the life that will cause it to become a butterfly. Although an outward change does occur during metamorphosis, it’s the result of an organic change from within. A caterpillar doesn’t put on a butterfly costume or strive to act like a butterfly. As long as it eats, a caterpillar can trust in the metabolic process to assimilate those nutrients into its body and cause it to grow. Eventually, it undergoes metamorphosis and becomes a butterfly.

12. Nicodemus’ Secret Conversation with Jesus In  John 3 , Nicodemus concedes that God must have sent Jesus because of all the miraculous signs he performed. Jesus gets to the heart of the matter by responding with firm truth: “… no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again ” ( John 3:3 ). Nicodemus, thinking literally and physically, asks how anyone can be born twice ( John 3:4 ). Jesus continues the conversation teaching Nicodemus about the need to be born of the Spirit ( John 3:5-8 ). ( https://www.christianity.com/jesus/life-of-jesus/disciples/was-nicodemus-a-follower-of-christ.html ) (https://blog.biblesforamerica.org/)

13. Then Nicodemus simply asks,  “How can this be? ”  ( John 3:9 ). Jesus laments that Nicodemus cannot seem to grasp such a heavenly concept ( John 3:12 ) and relies on an Old Testament story ( Numbers 4-9 ), which a Pharisee was sure to have heard before, to illustrate how to be born again and get to heaven.

14. Nicodemus was Not a Spy Some scholars question Nicodemus’ motives. They claimed that he came as a representative of the Sanhedrin as a kind of spy, tasked with trapping Jesus in giving an official response based on the questions he would pose. After all, Nicodemus speaks using the first-person plural ("We know You have come from God as a Teacher"). But there are three problems with this idea.

15. Nicodemus was Honestly Seeking God The better answer is that Nicodemus, while not yet fully convinced of Jesus’ divinity, had seen the miracles Jesus performed. Comparing what he knew from the Old Testament and the expectation of the Messiah, he planned for a way to see Jesus. Therefore, he came honestly seeking after God. By the time of Jesus's crucifixion, Nicodemus had grown bold enough to publicly reveal what he now believed.

16. DIG 1. What can you find out in verses 1-2 ? What is significant about his coming to Jesus? Why at night (see verses 19-20 )? Why was so Jesus so direct with him? 2. What two ideas about birth are Jesus and Nicodemus thinking of? What point is Jesus making by comparing spiritual birth to the wind? How does Jesus account for Nicodemus’ lack of understanding? 3. What does Jesus claim about himself in verses 13-15 ? 4. From verses 16-18 , what stands out to you about God? About what He wants to do? About how a person is condemned? How will belief show itself? (verses 15-21 ) 5. How is Jesus’ use of words “born again” similar to and different from the way it is used today? How would you define ‘born again” in your own words?

17. REFLECT 1.What first aroused your interest in Jesus? Why? 2. Where you are right now in the birthing process of spiritual life: Not yet conceived ? Developing, but not so anyone could tell ? Heavy with child and waiting ? Kicking and screaming like an infant ? Growing daily ? Explain. 3. When did you begin to see God as saving you, rather than condemning you?   . F or your individual assignment, write about your spiritual journey. A minimum of 400 words. Write it on a long coupon bond.

18. GODBLESS YOU ALL