EVERY BELIEVER IS BORN AGAIN (Outline)
JOHN 3:1-17 - May 22, 2005 - PENTECOST 1
INTRO: Everyone is happy at the birth of a baby. They are just so cute and cuddly. But the reality is that everyone is born into this world of sin as a sinner. Our first birth pales in comparison to being born again. We are born naturally but reborn spiritually, or supernaturally. That term to be born again has been often misused. Many like to point to a time when they decided to believe and thus are proud of a very specific day and time of being born again. Being born again does not depend on man’s efforts. Be-ing born again is totally dependent on God’s free grace. "For you have been born again, not of perish-able seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God"(1 PETER 1:23). Once again, we gather around this living and enduring word of God to discover and learn that:
EVERY BELIEVER IS BORN AGAIN –
I. not naturally,
II. but spiritually.
I. EVERY BELIEVER IS BORN AGAIN – NOT NATURALLY
A. In verse 1 Nicodemus, a Jewish leader and teacher comes to Jesus. He wants to learn more of Jesus.
1. Verse 2 describes the teaching that only a person who did not sin could perform miracles.
2. Jesus performed miracles, which made him a man without sin like the Jewish ruling council.
B. But there was more to Jesus than this mistaken notion of Nicodemus. Verse 3.
1. Nicodemus needed to be born again. Verse 4 expresses Nicodemus’ doubts.
2. One cannot enter the womb once born. True as Jesus says in verse 6.
C. Yet to be born again was not by natural means. In verse 7 Jesus scolds Nicodemus.
1. To be born again is a divine mystery of salvation. Jesus compares it to the wind, verse 8.
2. Just as the wind does what it wants and goes where it wants – so it with God’s Holy Spirit.
3. Still, Nicodemus is not quite certain in verse 9. Soon his eyes of faith will see.
D. In our day and age when everyone wants answers in black and white, the spiritual nature of faith can often remain a complete mystery. All to often man tries to make God to be something he isn’t. They want God to bless them and no one else. They want God to get even with their enemies. People are happy when they feel God has come through for them. As soon as they think God has failed them many go blame him and turn away. "They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts"(EPHESIANS 4:18).
E. Our society is also very self-sufficient. With hard work and determination anyone can make himself or herself into something great. No one really has to depend on anyone else for anything. No one wants to feel obligated to anyone else. This attitude can carry over into the matters of eternal salvation. Who really needs God after all? Who hasn’t heard the false statement: If I just try hard enough and live a good enough life that should be good enough to get into heaven. Or we might by guilty ourselves of feel-ing we haven’t been so bad in life that God would keep us out of heaven. At least we aren’t as bad as others. Again, these are very dangerous thoughts and sentiments. "No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him--the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough"(PSALM 49:7,8). No one can save oneself. Not by works, not by good intentions, not by money.
F. Our loving Lord has made salvation simple. It does not depend on man’s efforts. Eternal salvation is far too important for God to entrust it to mankind. After all, Adam and Eve ruined a perfect world. We dare not think that we could do any better. Scripture clearly declares that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world. This is the simple message of salvation that is just too simple for those wise in the ways of the world. "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God"(1 CORINTHIANS 1:19). The cross, that instrument of torture and death has become for us who believe the power of God.
TRANS: EVERY BELIEVER IS BORN AGAIN -- not naturally, not by human wisdom or standards.
II. EVERY BELIEVER IS BORN AGAIN – SPIRITUALLY.
A. Jesus had a daunting task to convince Nicodemus to see him with eyes and a heart of faith.
1. Even though a leader in the church Nicodemus did not understand. Verse 10.
2. It would be hard for Nicodemus to understand spiritual things when he did not believe earthly.
B. Verse 11 tells how the people did not truly recognize Jesus. They saw him as only a miracle worker.
1. Jesus reminded Nicodemus of Moses in verse 14. Moses lifted up the bronze snake for Israel.
2. Many in Israel were saved. The Son of Man would be lifted up to save the world. Verse 15.
C. The eternal question is why any salvation at all? No one deserves it or can earn it. Verse 16.
1. Jesus came to save not to judge in verse 17. Later, on the Last Day, Jesus would judge.
2. Verse 5 describes the miracle of being born again by the water and the word.
D. Believers are washed by the water and the powerful word of God. Out of love and because of this love believers are saved. No one can save himself. God has squarely placed the responsibility of eternal salvation upon his shoulders. It is just far too important for mankind to mess up. We rejoice and are very thankful that our eternal destiny does not depend on our decision. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast"(EPHESIANS 2:8,9). If eternity was our decision that would take away from faith being God’s gift. If eternity was our decision that would lead to becoming proud and boasting.
E. Over and over the Bible reminds us how God has taken this responsibility of saving mankind very seriously. The Bible reminds us the plan of salvation that the Lord determined would be best to save man-kind from the fiery punishment of eternal death. "God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit"(TITUS 3:5). Believers are born again and saved by the mercy of God.
F. Infants are brought to the Lord’s altar to be baptized. Faithful parents and/or other family members bring them. This is a beautiful way in which believers are saved by grace. Infants once held tightly by the grasp of Satan are now placed into the hands of the Lord God almighty. Sins are washed away by God’s powerful word working through the water. Now the lives of sinners saved are drastically different. We no longer wear the red cape of Satan. Instead we are covered with the white robe of Christ’s right-eousness. "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ"(GALATIANS 3:26,27). This is another miracle. God the Father who calls Jesus his Son, now calls believers his children. Imagine that!
CONC.: Every believer is born again by the washing of water with the living and enduring word of God.
All of this happens as the miracle of faith, which takes place solely by the power of God and the working of the Holy Spirit in the sinful hearts of mankind. This rebirth happens without our decision. Yes, man-kind can make a decision concerning eternity. God wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowl-edge of the truth. God’s decision is that none would perish. But man’s decision is to turn away and chose eternal destruction rather than life. Thank God that by his power he can and does make saints / believers out of sinners / unbelievers. "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins"(1 JOHN 4:9,10). Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
PENTECOST 1 Readings (ILCW – A) = GENESIS 1:1-2:3; 2 CORIN. 13:11-14; MATT. 28:16-20
