Free Bible lesson for kids · Ministry Begins

Nicodemus Comes by Night

Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus at night. Jesus told him that he must be born again, and that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.

Teach this lesson: film, sheets and guide Print the coloring page

Bible passage: John 3:1–21
Big idea: God loves the world so much that He gave His Son.
Memory verse: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (KJV)
Ages: Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
Time: About 45 minutes
Included, free: Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game

The story

Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus by night and said, “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God” (John 3:1–2). Jesus answered, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Nicodemus wondered how a grown man could be born a second time (John 3:4). Jesus explained that this new birth comes from the Spirit of God (John 3:5–7).

The Spirit is like the wind: we hear it, but we cannot tell where it comes from or where it goes (John 3:8). Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, Jesus must be lifted up, so that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life (John 3:14–15). “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16). God sent His Son to save the world, not to condemn it (John 3:17).

Read it in the Bible: John 3:1–21 (KJV)

¹There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: ²The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. ³Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ⁴Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? ⁵Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. ⁶That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. ⁸The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. ⁹Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? ¹⁰Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? ¹¹Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. ¹²If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? ¹³And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. ¹⁴And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: ¹⁵That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ¹⁷For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. ¹⁸He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. ²¹But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Questions to ask

When did Nicodemus come to Jesus?
By night.
What did Jesus say a person must be?
Born again.
What does whoever believes in Jesus receive?
Everlasting life.

What this story teaches

Everyone must be born again to see God’s kingdom (John 3:3).
Only the Holy Spirit can give us new life (John 3:5–6).
God loves the world so much that He gave His Son (John 3:16).
Whoever believes in Jesus will have everlasting life (John 3:15–16).
Jesus came not to condemn the world, but to save it (John 3:17).

Jesus Was Lifted Up

Just as Moses lifted up the serpent, Jesus was lifted up, so that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.

John 3:14–15

A 45-minute lesson plan

5 min	Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Thank God for loving us and giving Jesus.
10 min	The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next.
10 min	Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “God loves the world so much that He gave His Son.” What does that mean for us?
5 min	Memory verse. Say John 3:16 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone.
10 min	Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions).
5 min	Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week.

Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.

Game time

For kids · game · indoors · about 10 minutes

Night Verse Hunt

You need: John 3:16 written in seven pieces, flashlights, a dim room

Hide the verse pieces around the dim room.
Kids search with flashlights, like Nicodemus coming at night.
Put the verse together on the floor and say it as a group.

Nicodemus came to Jesus at night with questions, and Jesus told him, “God so loved the world.”

For youth group · game · outdoors · about 20 minutes

Flashlight Tag

You need: Two or three flashlights, an outdoor area at dusk with clear boundaries

The taggers count to 30 while everyone hides.
Taggers search with flashlights. If your name is called while you’re in the light, you’re caught and help search.
Last one found wins.

Jesus told Nicodemus that the light has come into the world. Whoever does what is true comes to the Light.

Pray

Thank God for loving us and giving Jesus.