Awaiting His Return - Prepare To Meet Thy God - Born Of Spirit

2023.05.05. Sermon Notes. Awaiting His Return. Prepare to meet thy GOD. Born of Spirit

William Akehurst, HSWC

Counting the Omer – Day 32 of 49 to Pentecost - Born of SPIRIT

Counting the Omer is preparing, cleansing, purifying until receiving GOD’s Law, Torah.

Law = Truth; Lawlessness = living the lie.

BIG IDEA: Pentecost is the celebration of the HOLY SPIRIT come upon mankind to all who believe in JESUS. We are saved by faith and sealed by the HOLY SPIRIT.

What evidence do you have of HIS SPIRIT in you? Have you changed?

Galatians 4:6 (NLT) And because we are HIS children, GOD has sent the SPIRIT of HIS SON into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

Matthew 6:9b-13 9b Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

IT DOESN’T GET ANY CLEARER THAN THIS…

Amos 4:12 “…Prepare to meet thy God…!”

BE READY

Matthew 24:44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

THE MOST FAMOUS ENCOUNTER

John 3:1-21 1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

BORN OF WATER is Physical. Humans birth humans. When a woman gives birth, what is the first thing to happen? The water breaks.

John the Baptist baptized with water in the baptism of Repentance, of Change, turning back to GOD. But he also indicated that there would be ONE who would baptize with fire. That is, JESUS, and the HOLY SPIRIT.

BORN OF SPIRIT is Spiritual. GOD’s SPIRIT births Spirit.

BORN OF SPIRIT – GOD’s SPIRIT IN US. The Rebirth into Eternal and Everlasting, reintegrated with GOD with nothing between us. With GOD’s SPIRIT within us, giving us new life – born again. When we truly believe in JESUS, the whole trajectory of our lives changes—we are awakened to new life within us.

Continuing John 3

5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

JESUS LIFTED UP *

FOR OUR SIN, UPON A POLE – DEATH TO SIN

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent* in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

SERPENT – The Garden of Eden. Represents Sin.

See Numbers 21:4-9*

*EXODUS – SAVED THROUGH THE RED SEA

*Numbers 21:4-9

4 Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way.

SIN – COMPLAINT

5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.”