I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. Jn 10:10   Father Jews believe truth light life abide works witness world

…these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. Jn 20:31 

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Jn 14:6 cf 1:29 Lamb of God…sin        

~But as many as received Him, to them He gave the power to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: Jn 1:12  1Jn 5:13<o:p></o:p>

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I. The Only Way a Physical Being can enter the Spiritual Realm is if they are Born of the Spirit

3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.2  This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." 3  Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."4  Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?" 5  Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6  "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7  "Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8  "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." 9  Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"

10  Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?  Ps 51:10; Ezk 11:19 36:24-28;

 Jn 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 6:63  "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.”

II. The Only Way a Finite Being can know the Light of Infinite Truth is if an Infinite Being Reveals it

3:11  "Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12  If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13  No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. (Dan 7:13) Jn 1:4-5 cf Gen 1:3-4    Jn 1:9 light every man 1:12 right to become children of God

III. The Only Way a Person gets the Light of Life is by Believing in God’s Provision for their Sin

3:14  "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”12:32 “if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.

Numbers 21:4…to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. 5  And the people spoke against God and against Moses:…our soul loathes this worthless bread. 6  So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. 7  Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 8  Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live." 9  So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

3:16  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

Emphasis on Believe (not works; nothing about being given faith =0x in Jn)

Jn 8:24  "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." Cf 1:29 Lamb of God

IV.The Only Way a Person maintains the Light of Life is by Choosing to do things God’s Way

Jn 5:40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.  2Pt 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 3:18  "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil/worthless. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.

5:24 “… he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 5:29 and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation

6:27  "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." 6:47  "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.”

12:25  "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”

17:3  "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. Where do we get our ideas about the spiritual world? Is the truth narrow and exclusive? Is that wrong? Why do some think so?

2. Why do you think most people who ignore or reject God’s love and gift do so? Is it just a matter of understanding the Truth better?

3. What is so bad about sin? Why would someone choose to stumble in the dark rather than walk in the light? Why do we hide?

4. In what ways are getting and maintaining life similar/different? Do you determine the depth of your relationship with God?

5. How have you deepened your intimacy with God over the past month? What has helped/hindered? Will next month be better or worse?