HEAVEN BOUND?

GOAL:

POINT: What does it mean to be born again?

INTRODUCTION

(ME)

As I start this series on “Heaven Bound?” Asking the questions that lead us to be fully devoted followers of Christ! I want to explain where I am being led. With the present state of our world today I have a few concerns on my heart that I can’t stop thinking about. As your pastor, as your shepherd, I know that I can’t change the entire world, but I can do my very best to impact the small part of the world I live in; and I care very much about this small part in Valley City North Dakota and the surrounding area. I know that God has us here for a reason.

As this story begins, before July 1987 I was a man, a very young man, who thought he had many things going for him, but was lost because I did not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. I knew “OF” and "ABOUT” Jesus but I didn’t know Jesus personally. I didn’t have a relationship with Him. In July 1987 that all changed and I was born again! I want to talk about that very thing today because it is the start for every person that is Heaven Bound. It is the start for every person that will become fully devoted followers of Christ; and that is where “WE” all come into this story.

(WE)

You see, all of our stories start with an “I”. Why? Because God is a personal God. He cares about every single one of us as individuals. So, the “I” is important; but the “WE” is also important because once the “I” is born again those around that person become very concerned about the people around them knowing Jesus as they now do. That very concern is not something that has to be originally stirred up! Why? Because when Jesus comes into our lives it is life transforming! It is eye-opening! What He does to the human heart and brain is, well, let’s just say it is miraculous! The very fact that when this happens, we have been delivered from the very clutches of HELL itself because of the power of Jesus Christ and what HE did for us on the cross!

The world we are living in today is very quickly changing. The need for “WE” that has been there all along will quickly become a reality that we will cherish. We all have loved ones, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances that know “OF” and “ABOUT” Jesus but don’t know HIM personally. We all know that the consequence of that state is eternal separation from God. We all know that “THE REAL DEAL” is that anyone that does not know Jesus personally will spend eternity in HELL in pain and agony forever; but the opposite of that is eternity with the God of all creation! The God of Love! The God of Mercy! The God of Grace! The God of Forgiveness!

So, this Born Again experience, this Born Again fact, is of utmost importance for all of us!

MESSAGE

(GOD)

In John chapter 3 there was a man named Nicodemus and he once connected with Jesus in a very interesting conversation. Now, you should know that Nicodemus was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He was a man of the upper class, a conservative in his beliefs, and definitely interested in Jesus’s teaching. As a Pharisee he belonged to the strict religious sect of Judaism in contrast to the Sadducees, who were less rigid in their beliefs and were more politically minded. As a member of the ruling council or Sanhedrin, he would have been sensitive to the prevailing doctrinal trends of the time. As Nicodemus grew in interest towards Jesus because of the miracles he had witnessed, he came for an interview to obtain more information. His approach shows that he was cautious, open-minded, and yet ready to receive a new revelation from God if he was sure of it genuineness.

The very fact that Nicodemus came by night raises some questions. Was he afraid? Was he aggressive towards Jesus? But, when we look at the references surrounding the understanding of this text we soon realize it was neither of these. His greeting was courteous, and he showed no sign of hostility.

Nicodemus merely makes a simple statement recognizing him as a teacher from God and that no one could perform the miraculous signs he was performing without God being with him. (John 3:2)

But, Jesus’ reply was cryptic and abrupt.

3 “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

5 . . . “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

He informed Nicodemus that no man could even see the kingdom of God without a spiritual rebirth. As we know, birth is our mode of entrance into the world; and birth brings with it the potential equipment for adjustment to the world.

To be born again, or “born from above,” means a transformation of a person so that he/she is able to enter another world and adapt to its conditions. The word “anothen, which NIV and many others translate as “again,” in John’s writings normally means “from above,” and it should be translated this here.

To belong to the heavenly kingdom, one must be born into it.

Even here, Nicodemus’s reply can be interpreted two different ways. At first sight he appears to be quite materialistic in his attitude, thinking that Jesus was advocating the impossibility of a second physical birth. On the other hand, he may not have so understood Jesus’ statement. Perhaps he meant, “How can a man whose habits and ways of thinking have been fixed by age expect to change radically?” Physical rebirth is impossible, but is spiritual change any more feasible?

This is where Jesus (in verse 5) repeats Himself, a very serious and earnest statement . . . “I tell you the truth, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Some have tried to make this statement of “water and the Spirit” more than it actually is. But, Jesus was trying to make it as simple as possible. Jesus’ ministry came shortly after John the Baptist and I believe was referring to John’s preaching. John’s preaching dealt with the baptism of water, signifying repentance, and with the coming messenger of God who would endow men with the Holy Spirit (John 1:31-33)

The new birth is conditioned on the repentance and confession of the individual in response to the appeal of God and by the transformation of life by the gift of the Holy Spirit. YOU AND I HAVE BOTH BEEN THERE! MANY OF US HAVE BEEN THERE!

Jesus is telling Nicodemus that to enter the Kingdom of God . . . that which Nicodemus was desiring . . . could not be achieved by legalism or outward conformity.

IT REQUIRES AN INNER CHANGE!

This membership into the Kingdom of God is not a prerogative of any particular race or culture, nor is it hereditary. No, it is given only by the direct ACT OF GOD. It is a transformation!

Jesus uses the example of the wind. The origin and the destination of the wind are unknown to the one who feels it and acknowledges its reality. Just so, the new life of one born of the Spirit is unexplainable by ordinary reasoning; and its outcome is unpredictable, but its actuality is undeniable.

Nicodemus responds, “How can this be?” Nicodemus was not unwilling to believe here, and it definitely was not an inability for him either! Nicodemus’s “How Can This Be?” was a plea for direction. He wanted to know how this experience could become his.

You see, nothing in Judaism that he knew of offered anything like this; but it is true and lines up with what Ezekiel 36:25-28 says.

Ezekiel 36:25–28 NIV84

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.

This spiritual principle speaks of this very same new birth that Jesus was talking about . . . that He was declaring to all!

You see, Jesus was telling Nicodemus that his descent from Abraham was not adequate ground for salvation.

Understand this, Proselytes to Judaism were washed completely, issued new clothing, and then received into the commonwealth of the people of God; but Israelites were regarded as sons of Abraham and children of God by covenant from birth. Jesus telling this to Nicodemus, Jesus was telling him that he (Nicodemus) would have to repent and begin a new life in the Spirit if he expected to enter the Kingdom of God (John 8:37-44).

Jesus illustrates this point by a play on the words applicable both in Hebrew and Greek. The word for “spirit” (Pneuma) is the word for “wind” in both languages and can be translated either way, depending on the context.

Through this Jesus was implying that Nicodemus (as the outstanding teacher of the nation), should have been familiar with the teaching of the new birth. (John 3:10)

It is the most important message. Salvation is a gift received only by believing God for it. Belief consists of accepting something, not doing something. The result of belief is that one receives eternal life. He is freed from condemnation and lives in a relation of total honesty with God . . . because he does not fear having his real self exposed.

(YOU)

Today, you have a choice like Nicodemus had. The plus is, it can be a lot easier to look at because on this side of it . . . Jesus has already died on the Cross. Jesus has already been buried in the tomb. Jesus has already came out of the tomb in His resurrected body because death couldn’t keep him in the ground; and Jesus has already ascended from this earth into heaven to return again one day. So on this side of it you have a better perspective than Nicodemus did because it is done! The Word of the Cross is Done!

You have two choices today:

If you are not a Christian this can be the best day of your life forever! If you are not a Christian you can become one today! How? By believing in Christ. By believing that He is God’s Son. By believing that He died on the cross for your sins! By confessing your sin and repenting (turning away) and asking for forgiveness. You have that opportunity

If you are a Christian, you have a choice also! Not only to remember the wonderful salvation that you have received; but to live it and spread it! To tell people about what Christ has done so they might receive it!

CONCLUSION

(WE)

Let me ask you a question. Have you ever felt like you just weren’t good enough? Seriously, in life, in general . . . you just felt like you didn’t belong! We’ve all had those times!

But, let me tell you something . . . imagine with me this. Close your eyes and picture this!

I want you to begin to envision your loved ones that we were thinking about earlier . . . your friends, your neighbors, and your acquaintances . . .

I want you to begin to envision them receiving Jesus Christ as their Saviour!

I want you to begin to imagine how that will change their lives, their marriages, their families, their relationships!

I want you to begin to imagine them coming to work and talking with you about spiritual things . . . the things that God is doing in their lives!

I want you to begin to imagine meeting your neighbors out in the front yard, better yet, all of you gathering in your back yard for a BBQ and talking about spiritual things, laughing and crying together because of God’s goodness!

I want you to begin to imagine your families getting together for holidays and instead of fighting and arguing about politics and other things . . . they are gathering around the table talking about the incredible things God is doing in their lives!

I want you to begin to imagine that very excitement spreading from neighbor to neighbor down your street as people continue to get saved because no one can keep it quiet about what Jesus is doing in their lives!

I want you to begin to imagine that it doesn’t stop until everyone in Valley City is born again and changed by the Holy Spirit to where inappropriate things are stopping, evil is stopping, crime is stopping, bad language is stopping, and the very fabric of our city is being transformed!

And it continues to not stop! It continues to spread beyond our city into the rest of the county, the state, and then beyond to the world!

You see! NOTHING IS TOO DIFFICULT FOR GOD! NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR GOD! NOTHING IS TOO BIG FOR GOD!

GOD wants to give us the most significant spiritual experience of our lives that doesn’t leave us where we were . . . NO, it changes us into NEW CREATIONS SET APART FOR GOD!

It can and will effect your children, your grand children, and your great grand children and beyond! THAT IS THE POWER OF GOD!

Will you pray with me today!