Must Have JesusSample

A Daily Decision

Jesus is the Son of God who came to the earth, died on a cross, and rose from the dead to rescue us from sin, fix our relationship with God, and show us the purpose we were created for. When we make the decision to commit our lives to Him, our old lives are completely washed away. We become a new person. Instead of being defined by the sin and shame of our past, we are now defined by God’s love for us.

But, if we aren’t careful, we can think of our relationship with Jesus as a one-time purchase instead of an ongoing relationship. Have you ever done that? If you are a follower of Jesus, do you realize that your everyday life is now attached to and dependent on Jesus?

The apostle Paul, who experienced radical transformation after an encounter with Jesus, said this:

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 NIV

If we have truly invited Jesus to save us and lead our lives, who we used to be is dead and gone, and our new life is completely dependent on Jesus. That’s why His resurrection from the dead is such a big deal! He is the living proof that new life is possible. Paul even goes as far to say that his physical life, his heart beating and lungs breathing, is dependent on his trust in Jesus and His sacrificial love. Do we think about our lives like that? Sadly, most of us do not. We get excited about being John 3:16 Christians, but we forget that we’re also meant to be John 3:30 Christians, who are willing to give up our very lives for God. What does that mean?

John 3:16, probably the most famous verse in the whole Bible, says this: “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NLT

That is really good news (which is actually what the word gospel means: good news.)! But, if we stop there, we can hear this good news and still be bad disciples. How could that happen? Well, the Bible isn’t just a random collection of isolated verse and sentences. It’s a unified story that leads to Jesus and invites us to become more like Jesus. And if we want to read it wisely, we have to actually read it the way it’s meant to be read: in passages and not just pieces.

When we read a single verse, even a verse as great as John 3:16, without knowing the context, the surrounding details that give meaning to what we are reading, we can miss out on so much of what God wants us to know.

This is why it’s so important to always remember that context is everything. When we learn the context of John 3:16, we discover the powerful truth that God sent Jesus, not just to save us from our sins, but to invite us into a completely different kind of life! It’s the kind of life where we realize more and more each day how much God loves us and that we get to play a part in His plan to restore the world. It’s a life full of purpose, joy, meaning, and fulfillment! It’s the kind of life all of us crave, but in order to have that kind of life, we must have Jesus.

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. John 3:30 NLT

For the rest of this Bible Plan, we are going to walk verse by verse through John chapter 3. As we do, we are going to find truths about who God is and who we are that have the power to change our lives and the people around us.

We will be using the S.O.A.P. method to study this chapter. It’s a really simple and helpful way to study the Bible that you can use anytime you read the Bible to help you get more out of what you’re reading.

S.O.A.P. stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer.

• We start with scripture. Using this method we start with reading a chunk of the Bible. Maybe a chapter or two, a few paragraphs, or a handful of verses. As you do, pay attention to the verses that most stand out to you. Once you’ve finished reading, write those verses in a journal or a note in YouVersion.
• Next, we observe. Make notes on what stands out to you about the passage overall, and specifically about the verses you chose. What makes sense and what doesn’t? Don’t be afraid to ask questions and search for answers in the passage or other places in Scripture.
• Step three is to apply. How does what you are reading affect your life today? How is that passage leading you to Jesus and challenging you to become more like Him? That is the goal the whole Bible is trying to accomplish, so lean in and let God’s Word transform you.
• Finally, we pray. Ask God to help you take action on the things you learned. Invite the Holy Spirit to remind you of the truth you read throughout your day. And acknowledge that Jesus is with you every step of the way.

Like we mentioned above, we’re going to use this method for the rest of the days of this Plan to help you study John chapter 3 and see just how good Jesus is.