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?
Well don’t give up on them or be too hard on yourself for this because there is hope. Look at John 19: 38-40
38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.
39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.
40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
So Nicodemus did come out publicly and help claim the body of Jesus and prepared it for burial. He had finally overcome his fear of what others thought or said and concerned himself with the will of GOD!
Nicodemus in our scripture verses for today readily admits that Jesus was a great teacher and was sent by GOD and even justifies how he knows this. Verse 2 says “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.”
This too is a way that the people of this world dismiss Jesus today. They say he is a great teacher but they don’t really believe he is the Son of GOD. But if they don’t accept him as the Son of GOD they cannot be saved.
John 3: 16 says “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
It doesn’t say he sent a wise man or a teacher but he sent his only Begotten Son and believing in him will give you everlasting life! It’s almost too simple isn’t it? How do we explain it to someone who doesn’t know Jesus? The only way we can is tell them about him and live our lives in such a way that every one who sees us will say “There is a Christian who truly believes what he says. I can tell because he lives just like he talks!”
Now that brings me to what today’s message is really all about. That is what kind of life are we going to live in the New Year?
Are you going to live the kind of life that Jesus has declared unto you? Or are you like Nicodemus only going to come to him when you think no one will notice?
Are you going to show people your faith by the way you live and work? Or are you going to leave people wondering whether you are a true Christian or a hypocrite?
To live like a true Christian there are several things you need to do and the first of which is to live a life of Faith. There are several ways for you to do this and show the world that you are a Child of God and an heir of salvation with Jesus.
You can start to do this by following what has come to be called “The Great Commandment”. Look at Matthew 28: 19 where Jesus say’s “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”
Go ye therefore is what he says. He doesn’t say Send ye therefore missionaries. Yes sending missionaries is an important part of spreading the Gospel to the world but it is just as important to spread that Gospel in your own family or your neighbor hood as it is to spread it to Africa or China or India or even Iraq. And yes through some of the Cooperative programs that we give to, we send missionaries to New Mexico, Minnesota and even Utah. But we still need someone to tell your neighbor or the person you work with, or the clerk at the convenience store where you stop. Notice Jesus said teach all nations, that means every body. And this commandment wasn’t just for the disciples but for us too. We are to teach all nations and like Peter done the place to start is where we live, right in our own neighbor hoods.
Look at our text verses again. Do you notice that Jesus say’s in verse 3
“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Except a man be born again. We must be reborn in Spirit or we will never see the Kingdom of GOD! That is what we must show the world.
Job 14: 1 & 2 says Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
Notice it says he is cut down and continueth not when he is born of a woman but Jesus says “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” This then is the promise of God if you are born of the spirit you will see the Kingdom of GOD. And how are you born of the Spirit.
Let’s look at John 1: 11- 13
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
He gave power to become the sons of God to them that received him, Jesus, or that believed upon his name. And they not born of the blood but by the will of GOD or born of the spirit.
Born of the Spirit of GOD, that is how we are born again by the will and spirit of God and that makes us sons or children of GOD and that not only gives us certain privileges, such as asking in Jesus’s name and that GOD is going to freely give us all things, but we also have duties such as spreading the gospel, being a cheerful giver, and passing along forgiveness to others. But we also have a duty not to fear. Look at Romans 8: 13-15
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
For we are not in the spirit of bondage and fear but when we are in need or see something that troubles us we can call upon Abba, Father. We can call upon our Heavenly Father for help at anytime and he will give it.
Matthew 7 verse 11 says “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
In this same chapter in verses 7 & 8 it says Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
So if we ask we receive and if we seek we shall find. If we ask GOD to send someone to help us he will and if we seek someone to help us we will find him. If you doubt this then I say to you just remember the two lots we now have. We asked for help in our prayers and we received the first lot from Mr. Morris and when we sought the second lot we received it too.
Yes we have also had some trials and tribulations along the way but he says we shall have these but if we persevere and continue to believe than we shall be blessed and again we shall receive.
So then as we enter in to this New Year let’s all join together in believing on the Son and in his promises. As we continue to get our building operating again and we struggle with how we are going to get things done there is one thing we need to remember. That one thing is everything belongs to GOD and he will freely give to us and we have no need to fear. GOD is always faithful and he will not lead us to a place without he provides for us. We may not drive Cadillac’s and Lincolns or Mercedes but he will provide transportation. We may not hold our services in a crystal cathedral, or even a stone church but he will provide a place.
But as he is being faithful to us so should we be faithful to him. Believing He will provide and acting that way. Following his Great Commandment “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” And let us start by reaching out right here in our own neighbor hood. Witnessing to our neighbors, friends and coworkers, showing them what great things he has done in our lives and telling of all the blessings he has bestowed upon us. And let us always do just what it says at the bottom of the right page of our bulletin.
Remember Jesus Loves YOU!
Please join me in Prayer!
