What We Believe...about Regeneration

Larry Brincefield

larkayb@earthlink.net

Sunday Evening, March 9, 2003

Title: What We Believe...About Regeneration

Text: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Introduction

I used to be a big Star Trek Fan...

I watched some of the classic Star Trek series...

but my favorite was Star Trek: The Next Generation.

I guess the thing that I loved about the series and the movies is:

the sense of exploring new and mysterious places..

and the fact that no matter how hopeless a situation became...

with a little original thinking and ingenuity, they would come up with a plan to overcome all odds.

In one of the movies that was made, Star Trek 2, The Wrath of Khan...

part of the story revolved around the "Genesis Project"...

The Genesis Project was a device whereby a completely dead planet...

incapable of supporting any life....

could basically be brought to new life.

I assume that they got the name from the idea of God creating the world in the Book of Genesis...

But there is also another application...

which brings us to our study tonight...Regeneration.

The Manual says, "we believe that regeneration, or the new birth, is that gracious work of God whereby the moral nature of the repentant believer is spiritually quickened and given a distinctively spiritual life, capable of faith, love, and obedience."

Read Text:

Regeneration has the idea of something that is dead,

finding new life...

renewal...

restoration...

rebirth...

In the Star Trek Movies, the Genesis Project was responsible for not only bringing a dead planet back to life...

it was also instrumental in bringing a beloved member of the crew (Spock)-- who had died-- back to life.

We believe the same thing happens when we get saved.

When we invite Jesus into our hearts...

He takes what once was dead...

He takes our dead, sinful, lives...

and regenerates us...

gives us new life.

Body

1. If Anyone...

Our text says, "IF ANYONE is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

The Gospel Message is for ANYONE and EVERYONE...

regeneration is available for anyone.

God is not willing for anyone to perish but for all to come unto repentance.

If anyone is dead in their sin...

If anyone is lifeless in their spirit...

If anyone is lost in their sin...

Then this Scripture is for you!

2. That little word "if" is conditional...

you have to meet certain conditions for this to apply to you...

"If anyone is IN CHRIST, he is a new creation"

In one of the movies that was made, Star Trek 2, The Wrath of Khan...

part of the story revolved around the "Genesis Project"...

The Genesis Project was a device whereby a completely dead planet...

incapable of supporting any life....

could basically be brought to new life.

I assume that they got the name from the idea of God creating the world in the Book of Genesis...

But there is also another application...

which brings us to our study tonight...Regeneration.

The Manual says, "we believe that regeneration, or the new birth, is that gracious work of God whereby the moral nature of the repentant believer is spiritually quickened and given a distinctively spiritual life, capable of faith, love, and obedience."

Read Text: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Regeneration has the idea of something that is dead,

finding new life...

renewal...

restoration...

rebirth...

rejuvenation

In the Star Trek Movies, the Genesis Project was responsible for not only bringing a dead planet back to life...

it was also instrumental in bringing a beloved member of the crew-- who had died-- back to life.

We believe the same thing happens when we get saved.

When we invite Jesus into our hearts...

He takes what once was dead...

He takes our dead, sinful, lives...

and regenerates us...

gives us new life.

Body

1. If Anyone...

Our text says, "IF ANYONE is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

The Gospel Message is for ANYONE and EVERYONE...

regeneration is available for anyone.

God is not willing for anyone to perish but for all to come unto repentance.

If anyone is dead in their sin...

If anyone is lifeless in their spirit...

If anyone is lost in their sin...

Then this Scripture is for you!

2. That little word "if" is conditional...

you have to meet certain conditions for this to apply to you...

"If anyone is IN CHRIST, he is a new creation"

If you are lost, dead in your sin, lifeless in your spiritual walk...

you just come to Christ and He will give you new life...

He will regenerate you...

He will make you a New Creation!!

You just have to be IN Christ!

In Christ is one of Paul’s favorite ways to describe the relationship that we have with Jesus Christ.