Teaching Notes are Bible studies we taught before GraceLife Ministries began publishing articles online in 1995. Some were presented as sermons, others as group studies.
Our hope is that these older studies will be a blessing to you in your life and ministry. Please use them in any way God leads you.
These teaching notes are part of a study in the Gospel of John about the need for a “new life.”
[These notes are from a Bible study taught more than 40 years ago. The notes are in outline form.]
I. The necessity of the New Life – John 3:3
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
I believe there are three ways that a man or woman will not see the Kingdom of God unless they are born again.
A. Spiritually – They will never know nor understand the things of God. They will never know the joy of fellowship with God’s Spirit.
B. Mentally – They will never know the peace and freedom that Christ can give to the mind of a person.
C. Physically – They will never know the everlasting Kingdom of Go that will transform our mortal bodies into immortality.
II. How to obtain the New Life – John 5:24 – Jesus said –
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
John 6:53 – Jesus said –
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.”
What does it mean to eat the flesh of Christ and drink His blood?
Difficult as this language first appears, it is really blessedly simple. It is not a dead Christ which the sinner is to feed upon, but on the death of One who is now alive forever more. His death is mine, when appropriated by faith; and thus appropriated, it becomes life in me.
The Amplified Bible translates –
“And Jesus said to them, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood [unless you believe in Me as Savior and believe in the saving power of My blood which will be shed for you], you do not have life in yourselves.”
Verses 55 and 56 –
“For My flesh is true [spiritual] food, and My blood is true [spiritual] drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] remains in Me, and I [in the same way remain] in him.” Amplified Version
Verse 57 continues the thought –
“Just as the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, even so the one who feeds on Me [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] will also live because of Me.” Amplified Version
The eating and drinking here is spiritual – not physical.
III. How to spend the New Life – John 12:24
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”
Very different were the thoughts of Christ from those which, most probably, filled the minds of the disciples on this occasion. Jesus was no doubt looking to the distant future, but He must have also contemplated the near future. Death lay in His path, and this engaged His attention at the very time when His disciples were most jubilant and hopeful. There must be the suffering before the glory; the Cross before the crown.
At this point, let me share with you five deaths that should accompany the believer, followed by three new lives.
- Death to sin – Salvation
- Death to evil pleasures – Separation
- Death to self-guided decisions – Obedience
- Death to self-seeking purposes – Service
- Death to selfish expectations – Suffering
Followed by –
- New Life of Godliness in Responses
- New Life of Sensitivity in Sharing
- New Life of Reproduction of Spiritual Maturity
IV. How to act out the New Life – John 14:12-14
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”
Apply these promises in the correct context and we will know what God wants us to do and how we will do it.
[Thank you for reading these teaching notes from more than 40 years ago. My prayer is they will be a blessing to you, your family and your ministry.]
Published by gracelifethoughts
Founder & Director of GraceLife Ministries View all posts by gracelifethoughts
