#198. You Can't Be Good Enough: Why It's The Best News and Why We All Need Jesus | John 2-4

Sign Up for the Dwelling Place Monthly Updates.“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16, ESVWhy did God send His Son to die for sinners? And how can we help our children understand their need for a Savior?In John 2–4, we see Jesus reveal His divine authority through miraculous signs, His cleansing of the temple, His conversation with Nicodemus, and His remarkable encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. But at the heart of these chapters is the message of John 3:16: God loved the world and sent His Son so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.On this episode of The Dwelling Place Bible Podcast for Busy Moms, Stephanie Hickox explores what Jesus taught Nicodemus about being born again, why salvation cannot be earned through our own efforts, and how the grace of Jesus transforms even the most broken lives.As we continue our chronological Bible reading plan, we’ll also consider what these encounters teach us about biblical parenting, our own spiritual growth, and praying for our children to know and love Jesus personally.In This Episode, You’ll DiscoverWhat John 3:16 teaches us about God's love, Jesus' sacrifice, and eternal lifeWhy even a deeply religious person like Nicodemus needed to be born againWhy salvation is a work of God's grace rather than something we can earnHow Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus points to His death on the crossWhat the bronze serpent in Numbers 21 teaches us about looking to God for salvationWhy the cross reveals the Father's love rather than persuading a reluctant Father to love usWhat John the Baptist meant when he said, “He must increase, but I must decrease”How the Samaritan woman encountered the Messiah and became a witness to her communityWhy your past does not put you beyond the reach of Jesus' graceHow Christian moms can model repentance, humility, and dependence on ChristWhy our greatest hope for our children is that they will know Jesus for themselvesHow to pray for your children to believe that Jesus truly is the Savior of the world John 3:16: Why We All Need a SaviorNicodemus was a respected religious leader. He knew the Scriptures and had devoted himself to understanding and obeying God's law. Yet when he came to Jesus, he discovered that religious knowledge and outward obedience could not accomplish what he needed most.Jesus told him that he must be born again—or born from above.Nicodemus needed something he could not produce for himself: new life through the work of God's Spirit.This is one of the most important truths we can grasp as Christian moms. We cannot save ourselves through good behavior, and we cannot make ourselves righteous through sheer determination. We need Jesus.Our children need Him, too.It can be tempting to focus on raising well-behaved children who know the right answers and follow the rules. But biblical parenting goes deeper than outward behavior. We want our children to understand their need for God's grace and to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior.The good news is that salvation is offered to everyone who believes in Him.The Cross Reveals the Love of GodSometimes people imagine God the Father as harsh and judgmental, while viewing Jesus as the gracious one who persuaded the Father to show mercy.But John 3:16 tells us something different.God's love is the reason He sent His Son.The cross does not create God's love for us; it demonstrates the love He has already shown in giving His Son for our salvation.Jesus willingly came to rescue sinners. Through His death and resurrection, He accomplished what we could never accomplish for ourselves.This is the hope of the gospel: we don't have to pretend we're strong enough, good enough, or capable of fixing ourselves. We can confess our sin, receive God's grace, and depend on the Savior who has power over sin and death.For Christian moms, this changes how we approach both our own failures and our children's struggles. Instead of hiding our sin or pretending we have everything together, we can model humble repentance and the joy of being forgiven.The Bronze Serpent: A Picture of Salvation Through FaithJesus pointed Nicodemus back to an unusual moment in Israel's history.In Numbers 21, the Israelites rebelled against God, and poisonous serpents began biting the people. God instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and lift it up on a pole. Those who looked at it as God instructed lived.Jesus used this account to explain what would happen to Him:“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” — John 3:14, ESVJust as the Israelites needed to look to God's provision rather than rescue themselves, sinners must look to Jesus for salvation.We cannot earn eternal life. We cannot remove our own guilt. We cannot overcome sin through our own strength.We must trust the Savior God has provided.And that is the message we want our children to understand: not that they can become good enough to earn God's acceptance, but that Jesus is the Savior they desperately need—and the Savior who graciously welcomes all who believe in Him.“He Must Increase, but I Must Decrease”John the Baptist understood his purpose.When his followers became concerned that more people were going to Jesus, John didn't become jealous or try to reclaim the attention. He rejoiced because the Messiah had come.He explained:“He must increase, but I must decrease.” — John 3:30, ESVWhat a heart-reset for Christian moms!We can spend so much energy trying to become more productive, more organized, more patient, or more capable. We want to improve ourselves and do better for our families. Those desires can have a place, but self-improvement cannot replace dependence on Jesus.We need Him to transform us.We need His Spirit to help us love when we're tired, respond with patience when we're frustrated, and serve faithfully when nobody notices.Our goal isn't to become impressive mothers who can handle everything on our own. It's to become women whose lives increasingly reflect the goodness of Christ.Jesus and the Woman at the Well: Grace for the BrokenIn John 4, Jesus travels through Samaria and speaks with a Samaritan woman—someone a Jewish man of His time might have avoided.Jesus knows her story, including her painful relationships and present circumstances. Yet He doesn't avoid her. He offers her living water and reveals that He is the Messiah.Her past does not prevent her from encountering the grace of Jesus.After speaking with Him, she goes back to her community and tells others about the man she has met. Many Samaritans believe because of her testimony, and then they come to hear Jesus themselves.Their response is especially meaningful:“It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.” — John 4:42, ESVThis is one of the most beautiful prayers we can pray for our children.We want them to hear us speak about God's goodness. We want them to see the gospel changing our lives. We want to teach them Scripture and help them understand the truth.But ultimately, we long for them to know Jesus personally.May our children come to believe not merely because we have told them about Jesus, but because they have come to know Him for themselves.Biblical Parenting: Pointing Our Children to Their SaviorChristian parenting is not about raising children who never struggle, never disobey, or never make mistakes.It's about faithfully teaching them God's Word and pointing them toward the only One who can rescue and transform them.That means helping our children understand both the seriousness of sin and the greater hope of God's grace.It means acknowledging our own need for forgiveness rather than pretending to be perfect.It means teaching them that God's commands are good, that sin has real consequences, and that Jesus welcomes sinners who turn to Him in faith.And it means praying that the Holy Spirit will work in their hearts in ways we cannot accomplish through our own efforts.We can faithfully teach, guide, correct, and encourage our children. But we cannot manufacture saving faith in them.Our hope rests in Jesus, the Savior of the world.Bible Study for Busy Christian MomsAs you continue your chronological Bible reading plan, reflect on these questions:Do I truly depend on Jesus, or am I still trying to earn God's approval through my performance?How does John 3:16 shape my understanding of God's character and His love for sinners?Where do I need to say, “He must increase, but I must decrease”?How can I model humble repentance and dependence on Jesus for my children?Am I teaching my children only to behave well, or am I also helping them understand their need for a Savior?How can I pray for my children to know Jesus personally and recognize Him as the Savior of the world? The more deeply we understand the gospel, the more faithfully we can share it with our families.Key ScripturesJohn 2–4 — Jesus reveals His authority and identityJohn 3:1–21 — Jesus and Nicodemus; the necessity of being born againJohn 3:16–17 — God's love and the gift of His SonJohn 3:30 — “He must increase, but I must decrease”Numbers 21:4–9 — The bronze serpent in the wildernessJohn 4:1–42 — Jesus and the Samaritan womanJohn 4:42 — Jesus, the Savior of the worldJohn 4:46–54 — Jesus heals an official's son A Prayer for Christian Moms and Their ChildrenHeavenly Father,We are in awe of the goodness of Your Son. Thank You that Jesus perfectly reveals Your character and that through Him we see Your mercy, patience, forgiveness, and relentless love.Thank You that we cannot earn salvation through our own strength. We need Jesus, and we rejoice that You have provided the Savior we need.For anyone listening who has not fully surrendered to Jesus, we pray that they would understand how deeply they are loved and turn to Him in faith.And for every child represented by these moms, we pray that they would not merely hear their mothers speak of Your goodness, but would come to know You personally. May they believe for themselves that Jesus is indeed the Savior of the world.Like John the Baptist, help us say, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Transform our hearts so that our words, attitudes, and actions point our families toward You.Give us wisdom to teach Your Word faithfully, humility to acknowledge our own need for grace, and perseverance as we pray for our children's faith.Thank You for the depth of Your sacrifice and the perfection of Your love.In Jesus' name, amen.Resources Mentioned:Entrusted With a Child's HeartFull-Circle Discipline Resources Commentaries Most Referenced: Moody Commentary, MacArthur Commentary