February 26- Middle School

What we’re learning this week:

In week two of our Friend of Sinners series, we will explore the famous conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus in John 3. Through this, we will see that a relationship with God is not something we earn, but a gift of His grace. And from that grace, we are invited into true friendship with Him.

Bottom Line: Friendship with God comes from Jesus, not from our own effort.
Scripture:John 3:1-17

Car ride home questions:

Below are some questions you can ask your student about the teaching tonight as you help them unpack what they’ve been learning.

What are some ways we, as a family, can be more open and honest about our struggles and questions with each other and with God?
How can we remind each other that our relationship with Jesus isn’t about being "good enough" but about trusting in what He has already done for us?

We learned about Nicodemus and how he came to Jesus in secret because he was afraid—afraid of being discovered for talking with Jesus and opening up about his questions. Like Nicodemus, we also can struggle with coming to God in our weakness and failures.

Tonight we practiced a powerful exercise - maybe one that you can do at home or encourage in your household. We encouraged the students to write letters to God, being honest about areas where they are struggling. As students wrote, they prayed and asked God to meet them in their weakness, to convict their hearts when they’re struggling with sin, and to redirect their focus toward Him. All this takes is a piece of paper, a note on your phone, and a few minutes with God. We pray God meets you there.

Things to know:

We are encouraging our students to bring a physical bible to Lifeline this year! We’re going to be more intentional about opening it up and reading for ourselves as we walk through a teaching. If you our your student need assistance getting a bible, don’t hesitate to talk with our staff!
We have launched a new Grow resource page to help students take practical next steps in areas of their faith. Some are more devotional in nature while others are meant to be a bit more information to help grow their understanding. A student can walk through these alone or it could be something you go through with them. The current topics we have are all available here on our Grow page.