And Then.... Number 1 (New Beginnings) Born Againn Series

And Then…. #1 New Beginnings

A series regarding the journey to:

“His Lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”

(Matthew 25:23 NKJV)

Proposition: Either start the journey or acknowledge the journey starting today!

Sunday, December 26, 2021

Introduction

“You are My witnesses,” says the LORD, “And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me.”

(Isaiah 43:10 NKJV)

Opening Reading

“I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Accuse me, let us go to trial; set forth your case, so that you may be proved right. Your first ancestor sinned, and your interpreters transgressed against me. Therefore I profaned the princes of the sanctuary, I delivered Jacob to utter destruction, and Israel to reviling.”

(Isaiah 43:25–28 NRSV)

“But now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen!

Thus says the LORD who made you, who formed you in the womb and will help you: Do not fear, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen.

For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your descendants, and my blessing on your offspring.

They shall spring up like a green tamarisk, like willows by flowing streams.

This one will say, “I am the LORD’S,” another will be called by the name of Jacob, yet another will write on the hand, “The LORD’S,” and adopt the name of Israel.”

(Isaiah 44:1–5 NRSV)

Opening Illustration

Oh, how perfect everything is when a beautiful child is born into this world- healthy, happy, and a true blessing to all. There is for a time a sense of serenity as the whole world seems “right.”

Then you go home…. The sleepless nights, the crying, the feeding, and every other stressful moment that comes along with the upbringing of a new baby.

The nerves, or are you doing it right? What do the different cries mean? What if they poop and there is no one else around to hand them off to change the diaper?

Then we start to ask ourselves questions such as we, as parents, children, and families, embark upon a journey.

• What will they look like as they get older?

• What will their interest and hobbies be?

• What will they want to do for a living?

• Will they grow in the faith that which we instruct them?

Scripture Background

A fascinating trend develops in the prophecies of Isaiah, in that it is the first time that the idea of universal salvation is presented to the people of Israel. This bears significance because no longer was growth in the Lord exclusive to a birthright.

That salvation would be nothing other than a gift of grace, not merely a birthright.

Message

Opening Points/Observations

As we have just celebrated the birth of Jesus, the savior we know that because of him we have the opportunity to be “born again.”

And then……

We learn that not only do we have the opportunity, we see that it is THE ONLY WAY

“Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is Spirit.”

(John 3:5–6 NRSV)

And then……

When we were born again, Full up hope, promise, and a future! REDEEMED!

“For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring;”

(Isaiah 44:3 NKJV)

“He has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him—”

(Colossians 1:22 NRSV)

And then…….

Free!

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

(John 14:6 NRSV)

“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”

(John 8:36 NRSV)

Many if not all of us can perhaps think back to that moment when we were born again. What it felt like. The sense of excitement, and relief and all of the feelings that accompany being born again. The peace and joy that came when the weight of the world, and burden of our sins were removed!

And then……

The world tries to “remind us” constantly of who we were before the new birth. And by reminding it would be more applicable to say re-label.