Locations & Times

What if your version of faith is built on the wrong thing?

Most of us are living with a faith that’s built on a contract, “God, if I do this, you’ll bless me,” but that house of cards always collapses when life gets hard. In this talk, we walk through the end of John 2 and into chapter 3 where Jesus flips tables in the temple, calling out a broken system that held people hostage. Then He has a late-night conversation with a religious leader who has all the answers, but still feels lost. Jesus offers something radically better: a whole new life, not a better version of the old one. Jesus didn’t come to clean us up. He came to save us. Nicodemus, like many of us, had spent his whole life trying to earn his way to God. But Jesus tells him straight: unless you're born again, from above, you’ll never see the Kingdom. And He’s not talking about behavior—He’s talking about belief.

In Jesus, we are not just forgiven…we are made new. Not by what we do, but by what He’s done. No more religion. No more shame. Just a new identity and a new life through Christ.

Set List

Discussion Questions

John 2&3

Jim Burgen
Jan 18th, 2026

// Bible References: John 2:13-17, 23-25; 3:1-6, 14-18. Luke 2:22-24. Heb 10:3-10.

// Community Question: Think about one of your closest relationships. What is it about that relationship that makes it feel safe, meaningful, or lasting?

// Discussion Questions

1. Jim talked again this week about how our relationship with Jesus can sometimes feel contractual, like we’re making deals with God instead of trusting Him. We’ve asked a similar question before because this reveals our posture toward God. How would you describe the difference between a transactional faith and a relationship built on trust, and where have you noticed yourself bargaining with God rather than resting in His promises? What do you think that reveals about what you were hoping for or afraid of in that season?
2. We heard about how strongly Jesus reacted to the temple becoming a place that made it harder for people to encounter God. Why do you think this mattered so deeply to Jesus, and where do you see people today feeling blocked or pushed away from experiencing God’s presence? In what subtle ways might our expectations, habits, or assumptions unintentionally create barriers instead of making space for others to meet Jesus?
3. Looking at Luke 2:22–24 and Hebrews 10:3–10, the Old Testament sacrificial system required repeated offerings, while Jesus’ sacrifice was final and complete. How does understanding the permanence of Jesus’ sacrifice shape the way you relate to God when you fail or fall short, and what does it expose about the voices or lies you’re tempted to believe in moments of guilt or shame?
4. Going Deeper: Read John 3:1-6, 14-18. Nicodemus struggles to understand what it means to be “born again” because he’s focused on knowledge and behavior rather than inner transformation. Why do you think this concept was so difficult for him to grasp, and where might your own spiritual life lean more toward outward actions or religious effort instead of surrendering to the deep, internal work Jesus wants to do?

// Challenge: Billy Graham often used John 3:16 to clearly explain the gospel…that all have sinned, God is holy, and forgiveness is found only through faith in Jesus. This week, take a quiet moment to ask yourself honestly: do I truly believe that, in Christ, I am fully forgiven (past, present, and future)? If not, what might be holding you back from trusting that truth? As you meet with your group, make space to share what you’re learning or wrestling with, not to fix it, but to let others walk with you in it.