Born Again A New Years Message

Born Again A New Years Message

John 3: 1-8

John 3

1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into 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 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Join me in Prayer!

This week as I started out to write a message or sermon for today I felt that it should be about the New Year and what we might have in store for us in the coming year. Then I thought that the New Year would be hard pressed to equal some of the surprises and twist and turns that last year took for us. But it will also be hard for it to equal the blessings that we have received during the last year. We not only received many blessings as a church but in our individual lives. So many blessings that all we can say is GOD was looking after us. As a matter of fact we as Christians should always remember that God does continually look after us and constantly knows what is happening to us. Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 10: 29-31

Matthew 10

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

This also brings me back to the blessings we received that was so many we know God must be looking after us and this reminds me of what Paul said in Romans 8: 31 & 32.

Romans 8

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Can you after the last year and all the wonderful blessings that GOD has poured out upon us have any doubts about this verse? God has truly freely given to us! Look at the two lots that we now have and we have our trailer sitting in the spot we wanted it in and it is leveled and awaiting tie down. We have water and electricity on the lots. We can’t keep ourselves from expecting that we will be back in that trailer for our services in the very near future.

But what if we aren’t?

What if something else delays our getting back in the trailer?

Then we can rest assured that GOD has more blessings in store for us. Look again at some of the blessings of the last year, especially the last two or three months. We have had some of our members open their houses to us for our services and we could not have found any more beautiful and peaceful place to meet than at these two houses. And look at the fellowship we have had at these houses, the dinners and just the times spent sitting and visiting with each other. Could we have been blessed any more than this? I don’t think so! But before I get too far off on the blessings of last year, we need to look at what our scripture verses are saying to us about the coming year. The year of 2004!

First in our scriptures Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews, a Pharisee, probably a High Priest comes to Jesus in the night. Why in the night?

Because he is a Pharisee and a High Priest and associating with Jesus is against what the High Council and the Sanhedrin has decreed. He there fore doesn’t want to be seen talking with Jesus because it might threaten his standing in the community. Does that sound familiar? Are there not many people today that don’t come to church because they are afraid of what there peers might say or think? Have you ever been that way?