How to Live Like Jesus at School: Born Again with a New Heart

Hey, carpool crew, whether you're heading off to school, running errands, or just starting out your day with your family. I'm Pastor Justin, and I'm so glad you're here with me. This month we're diving into big, life-changing questions that people ask Jesus. These aren't silly or small. They're deep questions, the kind that you may have asked at some point, and the answers from Jesus can change everything. Today's question comes from a man named Nicodemus. Now, Nicodemus was a Pharisee, which means he was a religious leader. He studied the Bible, followed the rules, and knew a lot about God, or so he thought, but something about Jesus made him curious. You know what it feels like to be curious, right? You have questions and they're nagging at you, and you wanna seek out and discover the answers. So one night, that's exactly what he did. When no one else could see him, Nicodemus snuck out to talk to Jesus. Maybe he was nervous. Maybe he didn't want people to know. But either way, he had a question burning in his mind and in his heart that he had to ask, and Jesus gave him a surprising answer. As Nicodemus and Jesus were talking, Jesus made the statement that no one can see the kingdom of God unless they're born again. Nicodemus was like, wait, what did you just say? So he asked him, and this was the big question, how can someone be born when they're already old? That happens in the book of John chapter three. See, here's the one big idea I want you to have for the ride today. Jesus gives us a brand new life when we follow him. So I wanna look at Nicodemus. See, he was thinking about babies in hospitals when Jesus said that you have to be born again. But Jesus was talking about a brand new start on the inside, a new heart, a clean heart, one that wants to live God's way. It doesn't mean that you are actually being born again. You're already a big kid, but you're being reborn in a way that wants to serve, honor and follow God in a new, fresh way. What could that look like for you today, maybe at school? Let's say someone cuts in front of you in line, or your friend says something mean at recess, or you forget your homework and feel embarrassed. Those are moments when your old self might want to yell, be mean back, or make an excuse or lie, but guess what? Because you're born again, you don't have to live like that anymore. If you've said yes to Jesus, you have a new life, a new life filled with his love, patience and peace. When you wanna react in anger or sadness, you can stop, breathe and say, Jesus, help me live the new life you've given me. It's like having a superpower from the inside out. Here's the best part. It doesn't matter how young you are. Jesus is ready to give you a brand new heart today. So as you walk into school, into your classroom, or onto your playground, remember this. You're not alone. If you follow Jesus, he's with you. And if you put your faith in Jesus, he's given you a new heart so that you are able to react differently and treat people differently than you would've before. Thanks for taking this ride with me today. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. Parents, if you're loving this podcast, send it to some parent friends so they can have faith-filled moments too. Here's the question for today. Answer it together before you go: how can living with a new heart from Jesus help you be different today at school? I'll see you tomorrow on Carpooling with Jesus.