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The New Birth
- 1. And 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 everlasting life. (John 3:14-15) The New Birth
- 2. And 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 everlasting life (John 3:14-15) The New Birth
- 3. And 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 everlasting life (John 3:14-15) The New Birth
- 4. And 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 everlasting life (John 3:14-15) The New Birth
- 5. And 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 everlasting life (John 3:14-15) The New Birth
- 6. And 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 everlasting life (John 3:14-15) The New Birth
- 7. And 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 everlasting life (John 3:14-15) The New Birth
- 8. And 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 everlasting life (John 3:14-15) The New Birth
- 9. And 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 everlasting life (John 3:14-15) The New Birth
- 10. And 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 everlasting life (John 3:14-15) The New Birth
- 11. And 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 everlasting life (John 3:14-15) The New Birth For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16
Editor's Notes
- Leader’s notes:What follows is a set of simple drawings which try to make sense of Jesus’ illustration of the “snake on the pole.” The notes for these slides take their cue from the underlined phrases at the top of the page. verse phrase by phrase; every addition to the drawing tries to explain the part of the verse which is. Suggested ideas are indicated by the bullet points below:Jesus makes His point by referring to a story Nicodemus knew well, the story of the Israelites being bitten by poisonous snakes, as recorded in the book of Numbers, chapter 21. In the story, the rebellious Israelites provoke God’s anger by rebellion, and He sends snakes. People are dying by the multitudes.
- Leader’s notes:But the Lord gives Moses a remedy: “Make a snake out of bronze and place it on a pole,” He tells Moses, “and let the people know that whoever looks at the snake will be healed.”So “Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.”
- Leader’s notes:When “Ike Israeli” hears about the snake, he questions how a bronze statue can have anything to do with physical healing. But recalling God’s power through Moses’ earlier miracles, “Ike” finally musters the faith, if only momentarily, to believe the promise of healing (=new life) in Moses’ cure for death.“Ike” simply looked in the faith that the snake could give him life, and God responded by giving it to him; He healed Ike and anyone else who believed in God’s remedy.
- Leader’s notes:God responded to “Ike’s” faith, even if the faith was only momentary, by imparting “life from above” (see 3:2). Where he should have died by the snakebite (the line represents his birth/life/death), “Ike” lived on.“Ike” rejoices; he’s healed! Even if his faith wavered, as did the faith of most of Israel during the wilderness experience, the healing was permanent; he lived out his new “lease on life.” Believing in the snake got “Ike Israeli” an extension of life, just as all Israelis received who believed the promise of the snake.
- Leader’s notes:But Ike and his generation eventually died. They got an extension of life, but it eventually ran out. They didn’t live forever!
- Leader’s notes:In the same way that the snake on the pole was “lifted up,” the “Son of Man,” says Jesus, will be “lifted up.”The “Son of Man” is another term for the Messiah, the coming Savior that Nicodemus was expecting.
- Leader’s notes:When the verses say that the Son of Man is “lifted up,” it’s pointing forward to Jesus’ death on the cross (see John 12:32). He was “lifted up,” just as the snake was.The very person now speaking to Nicodemus would soon be put to death by the religious leaders, just as Jesus had predicted in John 2:19: “Destroy this temple,” He had told them, speaking of His body, “and in three days I will raise it up.”
- Leader’s notes:So what does it mean to “believe in Jesus” to receive eternal life?Well, rememberthat “Ike Israeli” simply looked in the faith that the snake could give him life, and God responded by giving him that life; God healed Ike, and anyone else who believed in God’s remedy.Believing in Jesus is exactly the same. If you can believe the One who hung on the cross can give life, He will likewise give you the life you need!
- Leader’s notes:This is that “new birth” that Jesus was explaining to Nicodemus. When someone believes in Jesus, God gives “life from above,” just as He did to “Ike Israeli” in the wilderness.As a result, the believer “will not perish.” He’s delivered from death, just as “Ike” was.(Note that Jesus doesn’t call for an attitude of faith, only an act of faith! When I believe in Jesus for life, it’s mine!)
- Leader’s notes:But all who believe in Jesus receive, not a new lease on life, but a new kind of life. Those who believe in Jesus receive more than an extended life; they receive eternal life, one that goes right on through death, on into eternity (indicated by the arrow, a life that passes through the barrier of death). Ike and his generation eventually lost their lives, but for anyone who can believe Jesus, He gives a life that never ends! This, after all, is what it means to believe in Jesus; it’s to believe that He is able to give me eternal life, just like He promised, when I believe it!
- Leader’s notes:No wonder Jesus went on to say that (read John 3:16)… What else but love could have prompted God to send His only Son to the cross to make such life possible? Believe Jesus’ promise today, and experience that “new birth” that makes eternal life yours and yours forever!