First Thoughts: It's important for us to realize that when Jesus speaks to Nicodemus he's speaking to someone who is well-versed in Jewish law. Nicodemus' struggle to understand Jesus isn't due to his lack of education but likely because he's too educated. He has a certain perspective on the way things work, and that perspective gets in the way of his understanding what Jesus is telling him. This is undoubtedly why Jesus tells him he needs to be re-born. Nicodemus needs to be freed of all his old ideas which are blocking the new learning. The same is true for us. Romans 12:2 reads, "Do not conform to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." The "pattern of the world" is to figure something out, take a stand on it, and fight anyone who disagrees with you. Spiritual transformation, though, includes staying pliant, being open, and engaging in the ongoing work of knowing. It means being willing to be "born again." As you prepare for your lesson this Sunday, invite God to show you places in your mind which have grown "stale" -- places where you've become rigid or defensive, or where life simply isn't flowing freely anymore. Ask to be re-born in these areas, renewed in your mind. Bring your transformed self with you in your time with the children.
Teaching On Your Own: Hey everybody! How are you all today? I had a great week and I even made a new friend. Of course, that almost didn't happen. See, there's a new kid in my class, and the first day she arrived I smiled at her and asked her what her name was. She wouldn't even talk to me. She just opened her eyes really wide, like she thought I was crazy, and backed away. Of course, I just figured she was rude and decided to stay away from her. Well, a couple days later I saw one of my friends talking to her, and they were laughing. I asked my friend later why she would want to talk to such a rude person, and my friend said she wasn't rude at all. That was hard for me to believe. I mean, she was rude to me, right? But I decided to listen to my friend and talk to the new girl again. Turned out she was really shy, and she just froze up when I talked to her that first time. So now we're all friends! See, I learned to see something differently! Our scripture passage today is about somebody else who needed to see things differently.
Nicodemus was a leader in the Jewish community who heard Jesus preach and wanted to learn more. So he came to Jesus in the middle of the night to ask him some questions. Now you would think that since Nicodemus was a Jewish leader he was a pretty good student, right? But he wasn't at first. See, Nicodemus already saw things a certain way -- just like you saw the new girl a certain way. Jesus was trying to show Nicodemus something new and at first he just couldn't see it. Do you know how Nicodemus learned the new lessons? Jesus said he had to be born again. That means he had to clear out his mind of old ideas, so he could learn the new things, which is just what I did! I decided to let go of my first idea about the new girl to find out if she really was friendly. You know, God is always teaching us new things, and we have to be ready to learn those new things, to see things differently. If we ever decide we know everything, or we have nothing else to learn, we're in trouble. I mean, if I wasn't willing to learn anything new I wouldn't have a new friend. We miss out on lots of things if we're not willing to see things differently.
Teaching As A Team:
Leader 1: So what's up with you, (name)?
Leader 2: I made a new friend this week, but it almost didn't happen.
Leader 1: Oh, why not?
Leader 2: There's a new kid in my class, and the first day she arrived I smiled at her and asked her what her name was. She wouldn't even talk to me.
She just opened her eyes really wide, like she thought I was crazy, and backed away. Of course, I just figured she was rude and decided to stay away from her. Well, a couple days later I saw one of my friends talking to her, and they were laughing. I asked my friend later why she would want to talk to such a rude person, and my friend said she wasn't rude at all. That was hard for me to believe. I mean, she was rude to me, right?
Leader 1: So what changed your mind?
Leader 2: I decided to listen to my friend and talk to the new girl again. Turned out she was really shy, and she just froze up when I talked to her that first time. So now we're all friends!
Leader 1: That's great! You learned to see something differently. You know, our scripture passage today is about somebody else who needed to see things differently. Nicodemus was a leader in the Jewish community who heard Jesus preach and wanted to learn more. So he came to Jesus in the middle of the night to ask him some questions.
Leader 2: Since he was a Jewish leader, he probably was a really good student, huh?
Leader 1: Not at first. See, Nicodemus already saw things a certain way -- just like you saw the new girl a certain way. Jesus was trying to show Nicodemus something new and at first he just couldn't see it.
Leader 2: So how did Nicodemus learn the new lessons?
Leader 1: Jesus said he had to be born again. That means he had to clear out his mind of old ideas, so he could learn the new things.
Leader 2: That's what I did! I decided to let go of my first idea about the new girl to find out if she really was friendly.
Leader 1: It's something we all need to work on. God is always teaching us new things, and we have to be ready to learn those new things, to see things differently. If we ever decide we know everything, or we have nothing else to learn, we're in trouble.
Leader 2: Yeah. If I wasn't willing to learn anything new I wouldn't have a new friend.
Leader 1: That's right. We miss out on lots of things if we're not willing to see things differently.
Closing Prayer: God, be with us as we learn to see things differently, as we receive new lessons you have to teach us each day. Help our eyes be clear and our hearts be open. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this lesson in a home or classroom environment, ask the children to share a time in their lives when they thought things were one way but then discovered things were different. For example, maybe they thought a snake was slimy and gross, but then they got a chance to touch one in the zoo. Or they thought going to school was scary, but now they realize it's a great place to learn and make new friends. Perhaps they thought rainy days were boring and annoying, but now they realize that the rain fills the earth with green things. Tell the children that young people have an advantage over adults when it comes to learning things. Their minds are open and clear, ready to receive new teachings all the time. Adults sometimes get stuck in a particular way of thinking and they stop learning. This was the problem for Nicodemus. He had a lot of learning in his head and needed to let that go if he was going to understand what Jesus was teaching. Ask the children what they think it means when Jesus says Nicodemus must be "born again" or "born from above." His mind must be reshaped and renewed, aligned with heaven's purpose, before he will be able to be part of Jesus' ministry on earth.
For an illustration, provide each child a copy of the template from this lesson. Follow the instructions on the template: Have the children stare at the middle three dots while you count to thirty together. Then they close their eyes and open them, looking at a blank wall (or the other side of the paper). Their eyes should have imprinted on the image, now giving them a vision of Jesus in their eyes. Explain that their eyes have adjusted and are now seeing things differently and able to see Jesus wherever they look. When we pray together, read scripture together, and worship together, we're keeping our eyes focused on Jesus. Over time we begin to see things differently -- Christ is everywhere we look. Let them know they can use this template during their prayer time as a reminder of their need to see things differently. Close with a time of prayer.
