Born Of The Holy Spirit

Born of the Holy Spirit

December 21, 2008

Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction

A All over America, many churches have a life-size nativity scene in front of their building.

1 Several figures, life-size (Mary, Joseph, angel, shepherds, etc....and of course baby Jesus).

a In recent years, a common prank has been to steal baby Jesus from the manger ($200 to thousands for wooden statues).

b To thwart would-be cradle-robbers this year, some churches have begun putting GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking devices into their “baby Jesus.”

aa These devices let the church track their stolen statues.

bb Can you imagine the pastor knocking on some kid’s door & demanding, “You need to give Jesus back...now.”

2 The real Jesus does not need to be stolen , kidnapped.

a He’ll come and live in anybody’s heart who invites Him to come in.

b But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name...John 1:12 (NASB)

aa Received: not find, earn, discover, locate

bb Received (lambano): can also mean “to take”

I God has offered us Himself through His Son, Jesus. (John 3.16; Romans 6.23)

A The prophet Isaiah prophesied “14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel .

Isaiah 7:14 (NASB)

1 The virgin birth is a red flag that Jesus is Messiah.

a John 1.1, 14

“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

b Yet, it is an incredible truth & mystery that we must simply take on God’s Word

aa 16 By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels,

Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory. 1 Tim 3:16 (Italics mine, NASB)

bb The mystery is how/why God would leave His throne & step into our world.

cc The Word became flesh, but not just flesh. Blood capable of spilling and Bones capable of breaking. Infinite putting on the finite.

dd Taking off His royal robe and taking on a blue collar; leaving the right hand of the throne & down grading to business class.

2 Denying the fact that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in Mary is as the disciple John says (1 John 4.2; 2 John 7) is from the spirit of antichrist.

B Matthew 1.18-25

1 It’s impossible for us to image/understand the profound mystery of how a Holy Savior/ Blemishless Messiah could be conceived by the Holy Spirt and born of Mary, who was herself in need of a Savior.

a The word conceive (Gk. Gennao) means “beget”, “begotten,” “born.”

b The Holy Spirit was the reason Jesus became real to Mary.

aa She needed a Savior, Messiah, Redeemer. How do I know? She said so in Luke 1.46!!!

bb Mary was not sinless, without blemish, stain, flaw, error, without fault.

cc The Holy Spirit brought Jesus into her life! In her belly was the water of life/living water!

2 God, at the moment we get saved, sends His Holy Spirit and He becomes real inside of us. (cf. John 3.3, 5-8; 1 John 2.29; 4.7)

a The Scriptures affirm that God conceives someone inside of us!

aa Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3 (NASB)

bb Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and 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 "Do not be amazed 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 do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." John 3:5-8 (NASB)

cc If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him. 1 John 2:29 (NASB)

bb Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7 (NASB)

b The same Holy Spirit that brought God’s favor to Mary, brings favor to us; put Jesus in Mary’s belly put’s Him our belly!