Nicodemus Comes to Jesus at Night

 http://www.missionarlington.org/d/LOC10-08-NicodemusatNight.pdf

Memory Verse:
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only beggotton Son; that whosoever beileveth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Memory Verse Craft:
Make wind socks. Provide students with construction paper, instructing
them to print the Bible verse on it. Roll the construction paper into
a cylinder, securing it with staples, tape or glue. Decorate the bottom
of the wind sock with strips of tissue paper. Attach string to the top for
hanging. Talk about how the Spirit is like the wind.
Story:
John 3:1-21
 Who remembers from the story last week where Jesus went to
celebrate the Passover? Jerusalem! While He was there, someone came
to visit Him. This visitor did not come during the day, when most visitors
make their visits. This visitor came to talk to Jesus at night. His
name was Nicodemus.
The Bible tells us that Nicodemus was an important man. He was
a leader. He was part of a group of men who studied the law
(Pharisees). He was also part of a group that was almost like our Supreme
Court is today. They made decisions that people
had to obey.
Nicodemus had either seen the signs and miracles Jesus had performed
or he had heard about them. Because of these signs, Nicodemus
knew that Jesus was from God. He knew that no one could do those
amazing things if God were not with him.
Instead of talking about how wonderful His miracles were, Jesus
took the opportunity to explain to Nicodemus that we have to be born
again to be able to go to heaven. Maybe you are thinking, “born again?”
“How can someone be born after they are grown?” Well, believe it or not,
that is exactly what Nicodemus wondered, too. He even asked how
someone can get back inside of their mother to be born a second time!
Jesus explained to Nicodemus that he was not talking about an
actual, physical birth. What had to happen to Nicodemus and what has
to happen to us in order to go to heaven is a spiritual birth. Jesus explained
it by comparing it to the wind. We cannot see the wind. We do
not know where it comes from or where it is going. Have you ever
watched birds gliding in the air? Sometimes they move straight forward,
other times they drop down quickly, and at other times they
swerve to the side. They are gliding with the wind. We may not be able
to see the wind, but we can see what the wind does by looking at birds
gliding or watching the leaves on a tree move. That is how the Spirit of
God works.
That spiritual birth that Jesus talked about means that we have
to be born from God. But how does that happen? Even though Nicodemus
was an important leader, he did not understand. Jesus did not
leave him to figure it out on his own. And He does not leave us to figure
it out on our own. Jesus told Nicodemus that He, Jesus, would die
on a cross* so that whoever believes can have life forever with Him in
heaven one day. Then Jesus explained that God loves everyone of us,
you and me and everyone else, so much that He sent His one and only
Son to earth so that whoever believes in Him can live forever and ever
with Him in heaven one day. Jesus added that He did not come to
earth to tell everyone how bad they are, He came so that everyone can
be saved because of His death on the cross.
What did Nicodemus need to be saved from? What do you and I
need to be saved from? Are we in danger? Well, just like someone who
is lost needs to be found, and someone who is drowning needs to be
saved, we are in danger. We are in danger because of sin. Sin, disobeying
God, separates us from Him. God is perfect and when we disobey,
it makes us less and less like Him. We need Jesus. We need to
believe that He died for us and made a way for us to spend forever with
Him. Do you realize that you are in danger? Do you know you sin?
Will you accept and believe that Jesus died in your place and wants
you to believe in Him?
Prayer:
 Thank you God for loving me! Thank you for sending Jesus. I love you!
Craft:
 On page 7 of the PDF file is a certificate. Print out and have children write their names on it and colour/decorate it.