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NEW BEGINNINGS

Introduction

For the last two weeks in our Sunday morning services we have been looking at some people in the Old Testament that God gave “New Beginnings” to.

We have taken on this theme of “New Beginnings” as we have begun meeting back here in our Church building again. Our Church has been blessed by God to be given a “New Beginning” here in our building after a smelly disaster.

Tonight we want to recognize those that God has used to make this “New Beginning” possible. We appreciate all the hard work that has brought us to this point and that will ultimately see us through to the conclusion of the restoration in the coming days.

Last Sunday morning we saw God destroy a wicked world with a flood and then use Noah to give the world a “New Beginning.”

This morning we saw God call Abram to leave his country, his kin folks, and his father’s house and go where God wanted him to go and become what God wanted him to become and God promised to bless him profoundly in his “New Beginning.” It took Abraham getting out of his comfort zone for it to happen!

God said He would make a great nation out of Abram, he would bless him, he would make his name great, he would become a person who would be a blessing to others, those that blessed him would be blessed and those that cursed him would be cursed, and Abraham would wind up being a blessing to all the families of the earth.

I’m glad that God is a God of “New Beginnings!” Aren’t you?

Tonight as we celebrate the “New Beginning” that God has given us here in our building, I want us to move to the New Testament and see another person who the Lord wanted to give a “New Beginning” to.

We have all heard jokes about people showing up at the pearly gates seeking entrance into Heaven. These jokes may bring a smile to our faces, but behind most of them is the false assumption that we must do something to earn an entrance into Heaven.

It is shocking to people to hear that they can’t do anything to earn entrance into Heaven. Grace goes beyond human comprehension. By our nature, we want to merit God’s favor. This idea of grace challenges our normal way of thinking.

In our text this evening, we come across one of those persons who had a difficult time understanding the truth of free grace salvation. His name was Nicodemus, and as we move through our text, we will discover that Nicodemus was a very religious man who had a hard time realizing the difference between religion and relationship.

JOHN 3:1-21

I.            NICODEMUS WAS SEEKING FOR ANSWERS WHEN HE CAME TO JESUS.

               A.         Nicodemus Was No Ordinary Citizen.

                            He was rich.

                            He was respected.

He was religious. (A religious Pharisee who gave his life to studying and obeying the Law and traditions).

                            He was a ruler. (Sanhedrin 1 of the 70 who ruled the Jews.)

                            He would have been considered a role model in Jewish society.

From the outside, one would judge that Nicodemus seemed to have it all!

               B.         Nicodemus Had Deep Respect And Interest In Jesus.

His designation of Jesus as Rabbi (meaning, “Master”) shows great admiration for Jesus. After all, Nicodemus was a trained religious ruler and Jesus was only a commoner. Jesus had not been to the Rabbinical schools as Nicodemus had.

To recognize Jesus as a “teacher” shows that he had a deep admiration for Jesus.

He even recognized that Jesus’ ministry was blessed by God by acknowledging the divine blessing of God upon Jesus. (Vs 2)

Nicodemus, at this point in his life, fell into the category of the believers described at the end of John chapter 2. ( i.e. He believed in Jesus, but strictly because of the miracles. He was an admirer but not a genuine believer.)

Of course, Jesus knew Nicodemus’ heart. (2:24-25)

Nicodemus had some unanswered questions that came because of the emptiness that he had deep down inside despite his position, his power, his prestige, and his piety. (Exp–Mother Teresa)

Jesus knew why Nicodemus was really there, so he immediately challenged him and cut straight to the heart of the matter. (Vs 3)

Listen, the Lord knows the questions you might have as well as the reason for the emptiness you may feel. And just as He challenged Nicodemus that day, He challenges you with the crux of the matter!

               “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

SO, NICODEMUS WAS SEEKING FOR ANSWERS WHEN HE CAME TO JESUS.

II.           JESUS SAID THAT NICODEMUS, LIKE EVERY OTHER PERSON, HAD THE NEED FOR A NEW BEGINNING.

               A new birth! A need to be born again! A need to be born from above!

               A.         Jesus Said One Birth Will Not Do! (Vs 3-7)

                            I had my physical beginning back in 1956.

                            But, I had my new beginning, my spiritual beginning 2/17/71.

                            What Does Physical Birth Bring?

A physical birth brings us physical life. And depending on the circumstances of a person’s birth, it may bring:

                                         Wealth Or Poverty.

                                         Power Or Weakness.

                                         Prestige Or Obscurity.

                                         Respect Or Ridicule.

Or a host of other things, but one thing it cannot bring is spiritual life.

By spiritual life I’m talking about a life that is rightly related with God.

                            We are all born physically alive, but spiritually dead.

Romans 5:12–“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

The Bible says that when we are born the first time we are born spiritually dead.

Ephesians 2:1–“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

               B.         Being Born Again Is About A Personal Relationship.

                            Being born again is not about religion but about relationship.

It is about being born from above. It is about a new beginning, it is about a transformation.

                            Let’s talk about this new birth. What is the new birth?

                            1.          The New Birth Is A Spiritual Birth. (Vs 3-6)

                                         Being born again is not a physical act.

Being born again is not just a mental or emotional decision, although the intellect, emotions, and the will all come into play when one is born again.

Being born again is not a moral life style, although that is one result of having been born again.

                                         Being born again is to be born from above.

It is a spiritual transformation that comes only through the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit.

Titus 3:5–“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

                                         The new birth is a spiritual birth.

It is a spiritual transformation that takes place when one surrenders their life to Jesus Christ in faith.

                                         It is a spiritual act!

Too many attempt to make salvation physical (doing this or not doing that), but in reality, it is spiritual.

                            2.          The New Birth Is A Sovereign Birth. (Vs 7-8)

                                         The new birth is God-initiated and God-controlled.

Through his illustration of the wind, Jesus emphasizes this point.

Just as the human mind cannot understand the depth and details of how the wind blows, neither can sinful humanity understand how the new birth transpires.

It is a matter of faith. Salvation is a sovereign act of God.

Let me say here that while unbelievers may know little of how Christianity “works”, they can observe how the true children of God function in society. They can see the effects of the wind.

The true Christian’s life is a testimony of the unseen reality of God’s sovereign grace. The new birth is a sovereign act of God.

                                         The New Birth Is A Spiritual Birth.

                                         The New Birth Is A Sovereign Birth.

                            3.          The New Birth Is A Supernatural Birth. (Vs 9-12)

Once again, just as Jesus explained to Nicodemus, the new birth is a heavenly matter.

Explaining salvation in natural/human terms is impossible. New birth is a supernatural experience that cannot be tested or diagnosed. It cannot be placed in a test tube and examined.

The new birth is not a scientific formula. There is no secret combination or recipe. You see new birth comes only through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

It is a supernatural process that produces supernatural results. You cannot explain the reality of genuine salvation. It cannot be explained. It can only be experienced thru God’s grace. Transformation cannot be explained.

Take the man that was born blind in John 9. He said, I cannot explain it all. I just know one thing: I was blind and now I see. And that is the testimony of everyone who is born again.

I cannot explain all the ins and outs of how God can transform a sinner into a saint. I just know that I was lost and now I am found. I was blind and now I see. I was on my way to Hell and now I am on my way to heaven. The new birth is supernatural. It is beyond human explanation.

                            4.          The New Birth Comes Only Through The Saviour.

                                         (Vs 13-15)

It is all about relationship, a relationship between a holy God and a sinful people. How can this be?

How can a holy God have a relationship with a sinful people?

Because He came down (v.13). And why did He come down? So that He might be lifted up on the cross (v.14), and those who look up, those who believe in Him, will not perish but have eternal life (v.15).

Just as the Israelites in the desert, we have all been struck down by sin. Sin has sunk its fangs in our spiritual souls and we are dying. The venom has made its way to our hearts and we are dying in our sins.

But God saw us in our sinful hopelessness, and He made a way. He sent a Saviour, who was lifted up on Calvary’s cross. And for those who will believe, they will not perish but have eternal life. Look to the cross. There is healing in the cross. There is a Saviour.

                                         The new birth comes through the Saviour.

Being born again is about a personal relationship. It is not about human effort. It is about new birth. A spiritual birth that is initiated by God, that is brought about through the death of a Saviour, and that is transforming in its power, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

                                         Marvel not that I say unto you, you must be born again!

There were 4 hindrances that almost prevented Nicodemus from coming to Christ:

                                         1)         Pride. 

                                         2)         Tradition.

                                         3)         Ignorance.

                                         4)         Misunderstanding.

Don’t allow these 4 hindrances to prevent you from turning religion into a relationship.

Home Page   Contact Us    Service Times   Sermons   Are You Going To Heaven?

NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!