Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to take a look at a passage of scripture but before we do that I wanted to ask you a question.
Have you ever been working on a construction project only to find out later that you had to tear it down and completely start over right from the very beginning again? Have you ever been in the kitchen cooking a meal and then realized that you had misread the directions, threw out the food that you had cooked and then started over from scratch?
The Christian life is very similar to this because God wants us to start over from scratch. Each of us have been born into this world one time already, but God wants us to start over and be born again. Just like a young newborn child, He wants us to relearn the proper way to live our lives and to become a new creature who serves and loves Him.
John 3:1-7
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.
The Lord Jesus clearly teaches us that in order to enter into God’s kingdom someday, we must be born again. To go through this process we must be converted and be baptized by full immersion in water and believe on Christ the Lord with all of our hearts.
Conversion is a change in character, form, or function. It’s an inner spiritual change from sinfulness to righteousness. It’s placing your faith in Jesus Christ for guidance and salvation. Being reborn is becoming a new spiritual child through faith in Christ and His teachings in scripture.
Matt 18 1-4
At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus wants us to become like little children who humbly come to Him. True humility before God will be filled with submission towards Him.
James 4:10
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Conversion is an inner work of humility towards the Lord, by which we can obtain the grace and forgiveness that we so desperately need.
Acts 3:19 – Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Acts 2:38 – Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
God wants to give us a very precious gift, the Holy Spirit.
Luke 11:10-13
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Water baptism is the very beginning of the new spiritual life in Christ. We are born into this world through our mothers in an amniotic sac. Christian baptism is to be submerged under water in the name of Jesus, and becoming a member of Gods family. He is our heavenly parent, are we are reborn because of what Jesus did for us at the cross.
1 Peter 1:3 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
Water baptism is a new birth into the family of God, by which we begin a new life as a child of His
2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
As a young child is educated in the ways of the world at a school, as a born again child, we are re-educated through the teachings of Holy Scripture.
1 Peter 1:23 – Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
John 1:12-13 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.
It’s time for all of us to start over from scratch and it begins with a rebirth into the family of God.
Let’s think about those things for today and Lord willing I’ll talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤
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Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 