Everyone is different. We need to recognize that some people are as different as night and day.

While our message never changes, our approach certainly should.

John 3 and John 4: As different as night…

…And Day

John 3 and 4: Contrasts John 3 - Nicodemus John 4 – Samaritan woman At night Comes to Jesus Highly respected No recorded response Middle of the day Jesus comes to her Social outcast Immediately evangelized

John 3:1-13 The Need Explained John 3:14-17 The Solution Explained

John 3:1-3 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 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.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

To make disciples, we need to know our audience.

Jesus gets his attention by knowing His audience! A Pharisee The teacher of Israel Intrigued by the Word Jesus gets his attention by knowing His audience! Nicodemus Night and Day

John 3:4-7 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?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” John 3:8-10 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.” Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?

Jesus has his attention and leads the conversation toward the only possible conclusion Nicodemus had to have new life and it had to come from the Spirit THE teacher of Israel realizes he doesn’t understand the simplest and most important truth! Nicodemus Night and Day

Nicodemus has to have Jesus tell him what the OT indicated What was the answer? Nicodemus Night and Day

To make disciples, we need to know our audience.

John 3:14-17 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

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Believing is as simple as taking a look! Numbers 21 and John 3 Numbers 21 John 3 Problem – Need life Provision – Serpent Action = Look Result = Got life Problem = Need life Provision = Cross Action = Believe Result = Get life Believing is as simple as taking a look!

If we believe in Jesus to give us life, we get it! First, Jesus uses an OT illustration Next, Jesus gives a clear, simple message: If Nicodemus did something, he got something If we believe in Jesus to give us life, we get it! Nicodemus Night and Day

There is great value in a great illustration! Nicodemus Night and Day

Jessica, 7 Year Olds, and Red Apples “Because you told me you would” “And, He would never lie to me!”

Jessica, 7 Year Olds, and Red Apples “Eternal life”

The Dollar Bill Is He a liar? Does He have the power to give what He promised? If you believe Him, what do you have? The dollar bill illustration makes a lot of cents.

Then, Jesus explains that this was for more than just the Jews; It is for the whole world! Nicodemus Night and Day

The most important truths are often the simplest truths.

John 20:30-31 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but 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.

John 11:25-27 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

To make disciples, we should all first be involved bringing people to an assurance of their eternal life. It’s difficult to grow in a family if you’re not a member of the family.

When we believe in Jesus to give us eternal life we get it because the Christ is the Lifegiver!

To make disciples, we need to know our audience.

To make disciples, we need to know our audience.

John 4:7-9 The Gift (7-15) The Giver (16-26) A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

John 4:10-12 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?”

John 4:13-15 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”

Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” John 4:16-20 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”

John 4:21-24 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” John 4:25-26 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

Jesus knew His audience Jesus didn’t care about foolish social restrictions (She was Samaritan) Jesus knew her fondest wish was to not be embarrassed every day by getting water and used it as an opportunity The woman Night and Day

He was wise, simple, and clear The woman needed to know the gift of God and the Giver. When she believed in Him, she would have living water within her But, what could Jesus give to the woman that would produce everlasting life? The woman Night and Day

The reality that He himself was the Christ! (John 20:31) This is the same message of chapter 3, but in a very different approach We need to know our audience, but we also need to know our message! The woman Night and Day

She came physically thirsty. She leaves with living water… And no water pot! “The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”

We can and should learn the simple message of life. We can and should learn simple ways to explain it. But, a few things remain. We must we willing to share it.

And, we need to love people enough to know them. We need to plan… And pray… And watch… And, we need to love people enough to know them. Nothing in life is more important. Nothing in life is more rewarding.

John 6:47 - How Jesus explains it Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.  

Can He give eternal life when we believe? Pretty simple, isn’t it? Is that true? Can He give eternal life when we believe? Would He lie to you?

When we believe in Him for eternal life, He gives it to us…right now! The promise of Christ is this: When we believe in Him for eternal life, He gives it to us…right now!

To make disciples, we need to start by sharing the message of life. To do that…

We need to know our audience and know the message because the world needs to know…

He would never lie to you!