Youth Sermon: Born Anew

Introduction

Hey everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something super important, and I've got a cool object lesson to help us understand it better. But first, let me ask you a question: Have you ever shaken a bottle of soda and then opened it? What happens? That's right, it explodes everywhere! Keep that in mind as we dive into today's message.

Object lesson: Soda bottle (shake it up, but don't open it)

Have you ever shaken a bottle of soda and then opened it? What happens? That's right, it explodes everywhere!

Nicodemus and Jesus

So, there's this story in the Bible about a guy named Nicodemus who goes to talk to Jesus. He's curious about who Jesus is and what He's all about. Jesus tells him that in order to really understand and be part of God's kingdom, we need to be born anew. That means letting Jesus change our lives from the inside out.

Now, remember that soda bottle? When we let Jesus into our lives, it's like shaking up that bottle. His love fills us up and wants to burst out of us, just like the soda. And when that happens, our lives start to look more like Jesus' life. We become more loving, kind, and joyful.

Jesus also talks about how much God loves the world – even when people don't love Him back. That's pretty amazing, right? God's love is so powerful that He sent Jesus to save us, not to condemn us. He wants to heal and restore us, making us whole again.

Application

So, what does this mean for us? It means that when we let Jesus into our lives and let His love fill us up, we can't help but share that love with others. We can show kindness to those who are mean to us, forgive those who hurt us, and share God's love with everyone we meet.

Let's pray together: "Lord, thank You for Your amazing love that fills us up and changes our lives. Help us to be born anew and to share Your love with everyone we meet. Amen."

Small Group Breakout Questions

1. What does it mean to be born anew? How does that relate to our relationship with God?

2. How can we better understand and accept God's overflowing love for us and the world?

3. In what ways can we show love to those who may be difficult to love or who we consider "enemies"?

4. How does knowing that Jesus came to save, not condemn, change our perspective on our relationship with God and others?

Get the Full Youth Group Plan

• Icebreaker: Soda Bottle Shake
• Group Activity: Creating Love Cards
• Youth Challenge: Show Love to Your Enemies