“February 11–17. John 2–4: ‘Ye Must Be Born Again’” Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2019 (2019)
“February 11–17. John 2–4,” Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: 2019
February 11–17
John 2–4
“Ye Must Be Born Again”
As you read John 2–4, the Spirit will teach you things about your own conversion. Make note of His promptings. You may find additional spiritual insights from the study ideas in this outline.
Record Your Impressions
At a marriage feast in Cana, Christ changed water into wine—an event John called the “beginning of miracles” (John 2:11). That’s true in more than one sense: while it was the first miracle Jesus performed publicly, it can also symbolize another miraculous beginning—the process of our hearts being transformed as we become ever more like our Savior. This miracle of a lifetime begins with the decision to follow Jesus Christ, to change and live a better life through Him. Ultimately this change can become so complete that becoming “born again” is one of the best ways to describe it (John 3:7). But rebirth is just the beginning of the path of discipleship. Christ’s words to the Samaritan woman at the well remind us that if we continue on this path, eventually the gospel will become “a well of water” inside us, “springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).
Ideas for Personal Scripture Study
The power of Jesus Christ can change me.
As you read about the Savior changing water into wine in John 2:1–11, what insights do you gain about the power of Christ to change you?
You may gain additional insights by considering the perspectives of the different people who were there, such as Mary, the disciples, and others. How might these people have experienced the miracle? You could compare what you learn about miracles in these verses with what Jesus Christ taught Nicodemus (see John 3:1–8) and the woman at the well (see John 4:3–26).
I must be born again to enter the kingdom of God.
When Nicodemus came to Jesus in private, he was a cautious observer. Later, however, he publicly defended Jesus (see John 7:45–52) and joined the believers at the Savior’s burial (see John 19:38–40). What teachings do you find in John 3:1–21 that might have inspired Nicodemus to follow Jesus and be born again?
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “Being born again, comes by the Spirit of God through ordinances” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 95). What role did your baptism (being “born of water” [John 3:5]) and confirmation (being born “of the Spirit” [John 3:5]) play in being born again? What are you doing to continue this process of change? (see Alma 5:11–14).
See also Mosiah 5:7; 27:25–26; “Salvation,” Gospel Topics, topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org; David A. Bednar, “Ye Must Be Born Again,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2007, 19–22.
Heavenly Father shows His love for me through Jesus Christ.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught, “The first great truth of all eternity is that God loves us with all of His heart, might, mind, and strength” (“Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders among You,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 127). How have you felt the love of God through the gift of His Son?
The sacrament provides a time to reflect on the love of God and the gift of His Son. What hymns help you feel this love? Consider watching the video of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square singing “I Stand All Amazed” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). What could you do to make the sacrament more meaningful?
Is God a spirit?
Some may be confused by Jesus’s statement that God is a spirit. The Joseph Smith Translation of this verse provides an important clarification: “For unto such hath God promised his Spirit” (in John 4:24, footnote a). Modern revelation also teaches that God has a body of flesh and bones (see D&C 130:22–23; see also Genesis 5:1–3; Hebrews 1:1–3).
Christ offers me His living water.
What might Jesus have meant when He told the Samaritan woman that whoever drinks the water He offers will never thirst? How is the gospel like living water?
Christ’s gospel is the living water that nourishes our soul.
One of the Savior’s messages to the Samaritan woman was that how we worship is more important than where we worship (see John 4:21–24). What are you doing to “worship the Father in spirit and in truth”? (John 4:23).
See also Guide to the Scriptures, “Worship”; Dean M. Davies, “The Blessings of Worship,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 93–95.
Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Family Home Evening
As you read the scriptures with your family, the Spirit can help you know what principles to emphasize and discuss in order to meet the needs of your family. Here are some suggestions:
As your family reads these chapters this week, pay special attention to how the Savior used everyday things—birth, wind, water, and food—to teach spiritual truths. What items in your home can you use to teach spiritual truths?
As you avoid things that would make your home unclean physically and spiritually, it can become a sacred place—like the temple. What does your family need to keep out of your home so it will be a sacred place? What will you do to keep those things out?
Ask family members to think about the miracle of pregnancy and birth—the process of creating a living, moving, intelligent being. Christ taught that we must be reborn before entering the kingdom of God. Why is rebirth a good metaphor for the change required of us before we can enter the kingdom of God? How have we experienced the process of spiritual rebirth?
Invite family members to restate this verse in their own words as if they were explaining it to a friend. How has Christ helped us feel God’s love in our lives?
What was the Savior teaching us when He compared His gospel to living water? Consider holding up a glass of water and asking your family to describe the qualities of water. Why do we need to drink water every day? Why might Jesus Christ have compared His gospel to “a well of water springing up into everlasting life”? (John 4:14).
For more ideas for teaching children, see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Primary.
Improving Personal Study
Look for symbols. The scriptures often use objects, events, actions, or teachings to represent spiritual truths. These symbols can enrich your understanding of the doctrine being taught. For example, the Savior likened conversion to rebirth.
Living Water, by Simon Dewey