STORY: Trust | John 3
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Welcome, church family! Below you’ll find my sermon notes from our latest message in the "Story" series. My hope is you can use these to reflect, revisit, and deepen your trust in Jesus — the true hero of your story.
The Power of Story: Do I Belong Here?
Last week, we explored the importance of belonging — that deep question we all ask when we enter a new community: Do I belong here? We want every person to experience the church not as a collection of individuals (like marbles in a bag) but as a family, united and transformed together (like grapes crushed for new wine).
This Week: TRUST — Who Is Jesus to Me?
This week, we focus on the "T" for Trust. The crucial question is: Who is Jesus to me? Regardless of where you are in your faith journey, this question shapes our daily lives and spiritual growth.
Rethinking “Lord and Savior”
You may have heard Jesus described as “Lord and Savior.” What do those words really mean?
Savior: We needed a rescue we couldn’t pull off ourselves.
Lord: Jesus is the one we follow; He leads our lives.
Many of us invite Jesus into parts of our lives, especially during hard times — but sometimes, we still live as if everything depends on ourselves.
Our deep hope for everyone at Dardenne is this:
Jesus is the hero of my story. He is my Lord and my Savior.
Not just the one I turn to in emergencies, but the true hero who gets credit for my rescue and has the authority to guide the next chapters of my life.
Learning From Nicodemus: Trust That Transforms
In John 3, Nicodemus — a respected religious leader — seeks Jesus, recognizing there’s something missing in his own impressive spiritual resume. Jesus tells him:
“No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
Nicodemus had to realize that being good, accomplished, or respected isn’t enough. Jesus spoke not of physical rebirth, but of receiving new life from above. You cannot contribute to your own spiritual birth; you must trust in God’s work.
The Ultimate Rescue: Looking to the Cross
Jesus draws a parallel to an Old Testament story: people bitten by snakes had to look up at a bronze serpent to be saved. So too, we must look to Jesus, lifted up on the cross, to be rescued from sin and death.
Key truth:
Our real enemies are sin and death, and we cannot save ourselves. Only Jesus can.
Jesus’s sacrifice and resurrection overcame the enemy no human could defeat. That’s why John 3:16 is still the greatest news:
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Everyday Trust: What Does It Look Like?
When setbacks come, when we grieve or fear, we can say: I don’t know the future, but I know who holds it.
When facing addiction or shame from the past, Jesus offers forgiveness and power to change.
Trust is not just mental agreement — it’s like sitting in a chair without doubting its strength.
If trusting people has been hard because of past hurts, Jesus isn’t asking you to trust blindly. He points to His ultimate demonstration of love — giving Himself for us.
Four Questions to Reflect On
To deepen your story and see Jesus as your hero, reflect on these four questions:
Before I trusted Christ, what was I trusting in?
(Money, success, relationships, my own effort, etc.)
How did Jesus meet and rescue me?
(When did Jesus become more than just a name?)
What has changed as I’ve learned to trust Him?
(How has making Jesus the hero changed my life?)
What do I need to place in His hands right now?
(What’s the big thing you’ve been holding onto?)
Your answers don’t need to be dramatic or polished — just honest.
Keep Moving Toward Jesus
Trust is a journey, as Nicodemus shows us. It often grows slowly as we keep bringing our questions, concerns, and hopes to Jesus. You don’t have to have it all figured out to belong — you just need to start looking to Jesus and letting Him be your hero.
Let’s be people who can confidently say:
Jesus is the hero of my story. He saves and leads me daily. I can trust Him — always.
Blessings,
Pastor
If you’d like to talk more about taking your next step of trust in Jesus — or how to articulate your own story — reach out. We’d love to walk with you.
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Opening Prayer
Begin your time together by inviting God’s presence and guidance:
“Heavenly Father, we thank you for meeting us through your Word and your Spirit. Grant us understanding and openness as we discuss what it means to trust you and live out the story you are writing in and through us. Amen.”
Icebreaker
Share a memory about a hero you looked up to as a child (real or fictional). What about them inspired trust and admiration in you?
Exploring the Sermon
1. Belonging and the Community of Faith
Reflect on the comparison between a “bag of marbles” (individuals that remain separate) and a “sack of grapes” (individuals becoming something new together).
In what ways has your experience of church felt more like one or the other?
How does your understanding of trust influence your participation in Christian community?
2. The Central Question: Who is Jesus to Me?
The sermon poses the question: “Who is Jesus to me?” and suggests we answer it most clearly by the way we live.
What does it mean to you personally that “Jesus is the hero of my story”?
How does naming Jesus as both “Lord” and “Savior” shape your daily life?
3. Biblical Foundations of Trust
Discuss the encounter between Nicodemus and Jesus in John 3.
Why is Nicodemus’s story significant for understanding trust in Christ?
What does it mean to be “born again” or “born from above”? How is this different from simply having religious knowledge or moral achievements?
What barriers to trust did Nicodemus face, and how do they resonate with challenges in your own faith journey?
4. Trusting Jesus With Our Whole Lives
The sermon notes, “We can give Jesus an important place in our lives and still live as if everything depends on us.”
Where are you tempted to rely on your own strength instead of trusting Christ fully?
What does healthy trust in God look like when facing fear, anxiety, loss, or change?
5. Salvation and Living Hope
Consider this statement: “Jesus is the hero who does what we cannot do for ourselves.”
How is the rescue Jesus offers like being saved from drowning?
In what practical ways does living in the reality of Jesus’s resurrection change how you confront sin, shame, addiction, or hopelessness?
6. The Four Reflection Questions
Reflect on the four questions presented:
Before I trusted Christ, what was I trusting in?
How did Jesus meet and rescue me?
What has changed as I have learned to trust Him?
What do I need to place in His hands right now?
Choose one or two to share with the group or spend time journaling about them.
Applying the Teaching
What area of your life do you sense God inviting you to trust Him with more fully?
How can your small group or church community encourage one another to live as people who trust that “Jesus is the hero” of our stories?
Is there someone in your life who needs to hear your faith story? How might you share what Jesus means to you, even if your story feels unfinished?
Prayer Time
Close your time in prayer, specifically:
Thanking Jesus for being the hero and Savior in each person’s life.
Asking for courage to place specific areas of uncertainty or struggle into God’s hands.
Praying for eyes to see God’s ongoing work of rescue and renewal.
Additional Reflection (Optional)
Meditate on John 3:16–17.
Consider writing or recording your own story of trust in Jesus as an encouragement to yourself and others.