You Must Be Born Again
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Opening Illustration
Opening Illustration
As children, many of us learn about the wondrous process by which a caterpillar morphs into a butterfly.
The story usually begins with a very hungry caterpillar hatching from an egg.
The caterpillar, or what is more scientifically termed a larva, stuffs itself with leaves, growing plumper and longer through a series of molts in which it sheds its skin.
One day, the caterpillar stops eating, hangs upside down from a twig or leaf and spins itself a silky cocoon or molts into a shiny chrysalis.
Within its protective casing, the caterpillar radically transforms its body, eventually emerging as a butterfly.
This picture of transformation can be found in an article written by “Scientific American.”
And this picture of transformation is what I would like to draw your attention to.
I want you to imagine how radically different a caterpillar is from a butterfly.
The caterpiller has many legs but can’t go where the butterfly can go with its wings.
The caterpillar doesn’t compare in appearance to the elegance and beauty of a butterfly.
The butterfly is a completely brand new creation.
It’s old self as a caterpiller is dead and gone.
The butterfly is a wonderful visual illustration of what it means to be born again.
Sermon Introduction
Sermon Introduction
So, please turn your copy of God’s Word to the Gospel of John.
We will be conducting our study in Chapter 3 and focus on verse 7.
Our message this morning called “You Must Be Born Again”
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Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer
Before we consider our text, please join me in prayer...
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Let’s turn to our text for today:
Reading of the Text
Reading of the Text
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
Before we being to explore the verse we are focusing on...
We nee to take a look at the background.
We need to look at the context.
Background
Background
Look with me at the opening of Chapter 3...
Look with me at verses 1 through 6:
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”
Nicodemus was a part of the religious elite of that day know as the Pharisees.
The Pharisees, who memorized and “knew” the Scriptures...
Didn’t really know it...
They didn’t really understand it.
Instead of leaning on God’s Word...
They used their knowledge of the Scriptures to lean on their own man made traditions.
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Most of the members of the Pharisees hated Jesus because He was able to expose this truth.
Jesus properly presented the right interpretation of Scripture and rebuked these religious leaders for losing sight of the truth found in the Word of God.
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But not all of the members where against Jesus.
Some, like Nicodemus here, could see that the miracles that Jesus did must have been from God.
Yet despite understanding this...
He had many questions of his own as we will see with the following verses.
Verse three and four read:
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Jesus’ statement on the necessity of being born again shocked Nicodemus.
He did not understand how being born again was possible from and earthly perspective.
So, Jesus clarifies what He is meaning by being born again in the next two verses.
Verse five and six read:
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Jesus said to Nicodemus that one must be born of water and the Spirit.
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By itself this verse can be understood in many ways.
Some believe that to be born again requires water baptism.
They believe this is why the term “water” is used.
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But the following verse interprets the previous and we are given a proper understanding.
When we use Scripture to interpret Scripture...
We see that the following verse says “born of the flesh is flesh” and “born of the Spirit is spirit.”
So the word “water” in verse five is referring to “born of flesh” in verse six...
And the word “Spirit” in verse five is referring to “born of the Spirit” in verse six.
So, this cannot refer to water baptism as the term “water” is talking about something natural and related to the first birth.
It is the being born of the Spirit that is talking about the second birth or being born again.
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So, what is the first birth that is refereed to as “water” and “flesh”?
Well along with Scripture interpreting Scripture, understanding terms used in Scripture is very important.
We must understand how terms were defined and applied during the time they where originally recorded for their original audience.
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In the 1st century world in the Mediterranean region to say on was “born of water” was to refer to natural birth. The reason for the use of the word water was to refer to the amniotic fluid that is present in the birth of a baby.
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But our study today will not be on the first birth that all mankind experiences.
We will instead focus on the second birth for those who will inherit eternal life.
And now this brings us to our verse that we are studying.
Lets break down verse seven and look at our first point.
1) This Is Not A New Teaching
1) This Is Not A New Teaching
Verse 7a: Do not marvel that I said to you,
This is not a new teaching that Jesus is telling Nicodemus about.
That means being born again is not first found in the New Testament.
In fact we see people being born again in the Old Testament too.
That is why Jesus bluntly tells Nicodemus that he should already understand this teaching.
Take a look at what it says in John 3:9-10:
9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?
Nicodemus should have already knew what it meant to be born again.
That is because the method of salvation has never changed.
From the Old Covenant to the New Covenant..
From the Old Testament to the New Testament...
Salvation has always been the same.
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The ways to eternal life has always been about being saved by grace through faith in Jesus.
As it says in Ephesians 2:8:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
This has been the same case in the Old Testament.
Just take a look at Abraham and what it says in Genesis 15:6:
6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
Paul quotes this verse in Romans 4:22-25 to show it was faith that made one born again.
22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”
23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone,
24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,
25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
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Church, the same people that wrongly believe water baptism saves believe that circumcision saved in the Old Testament.
But the text is clear that it was faith that saved.
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Another point about this that should be mentioned.
Abraham’s faith that was “counted as righteousness” happened 14 years before he was ever circumcised.
Abraham was not saved by works.
He was saved by grace through faith in the promised messiah.
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So to put it another way...
The ones who where saved before during the Old Testament period where saved on credit.
They looked forward to a future event.
The ones saved during the New Testament and up until this present period are saved on debit.
We now look back to what Christ has already completed on the cross.
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The way of salvation has always been the same...
And there are no exceptions.
This takes us to our next point.
2) There Is No Other Way
2) There Is No Other Way
Verse 7b: ‘You must
There is no way to heaven...
There is no way to the Father...
Except through Christ.
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The world hates this message because it is an exclusive message.
The world hates this message because they can’t get to heaven on their terms.
But Jesus was very clear when He said in John 14:6:
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus was also very clear to Nicodemus when He said in John 3:16-18:
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
Notice the end of this passage.
If you do not believe then you will not be born again.
And if you are not born again then you are condemned.
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The only way to avoid condemnation is to put one’s faith in the only name that saves...
The name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Only then will you too hold to the promise that is said in Romans 8:1:
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
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The only way to avoid the wrath of God that will lead to Hellfire is to be saved by God.
That means that one is to repent and believe.
That means that by repenting one is turning away from the life of sin they previously lived.
That means one is to believe by putting there trust in the Lord.
That means one is to believe by surrendering to the Lord.
That means one is to believe by being transformed.
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And that takes us to our next point.
3) Transformation Is Required
3) Transformation Is Required
Verse 7c: be born again.’
So, what does being born again look like?
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It is the work of God that makes us born again.
That is how we are born from above.
It is the removing of the horse blinders and scales from our eyes so we can see clearly.
It is the stone heart that becomes flesh like it says in Ezekiel 36:26:
26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
So, it is by God’s grace that we are transformed.
With brand new eye we must lift up our eyes to Jesus.
Remember what our Lord and Savior said to Nicodemus in John 3:14-15:
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
I beg you if you haven't already then look upon Jesus for eternal life.
Christ was lifted up like the bronze serpent that Moses lifted up.
And like all those who looked upon the bronze serpent where healed so too are all those who look unto Jesus on the cross.
We must look towards Calvary and the sacrifice that was made to pay a debt for lost sinners
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And for those who are born again...
For those who are born from above...
They are in the Spirit and no longer in the flesh as it says in Romans 8:9-11
9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
When we are in the Spirit that means we are no longer a part of this world.
Yes, we are in the world but we are not of the world...
Because we are transformed...
Because we are renewed...
Look at what Paul says in Romans 12:2
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
To be born again is to be a whole new creation.
That person you where in the past...
That person is dead.
In Christ you have a new identity.
You are a Child of God.
The world can’t claim that.
All humans are created in the image of God but never once in all of Scripture is all of mankind called children of God.
Instead you see passages like John 1:12–13:
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
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Before we were saved we were enemies with God.
We were rebels against a Holy God.
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But by His grace and mercy He transforms us an makes us Children of God.
Like it says in Titus 3:5:
5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
He adopts us into a royal family for no reason of our own except that He showed us mercy.
So remember what it says in 2 Corinthians 5:17:
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
To be a new creation is to be born again.
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To be born again your old self must die...
As it says in Galatians 2:20:
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Remember this truth.
To be born again your old self must be crucified with Christ.
Have you experienced this?
Has your old self died?
Can you say that your desires no longer live in you?
Can you say that your passions no longer live in you?
Can you say that your ambitions no longer live in you?
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Has your old self died and been crucified with Christ?
Just look at what is says in 1 John 3:9:
9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
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Some people claim they where born a certain way and can’t help who they are.
Have you come across this.
When people say I was born this way.
They will say that the anger they have is just who they are because they where born that way.
They will say the lust they have is because they where born this way.
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What is the big celebration for this month?
Why are all the big corporations changing their logos to rainbow?
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Pride Month, right.
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What is the reason people excuse their sin of homosexuality?
They say that they where born that way.
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Well, we as followers of Christ have an answer to this claim.
The very words of our Lord and Savior:
You must be born again!
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We all could take our pet sin and say, “I was born this way”...
But Jesus doesn’t allow us that excuse.
No matter who you are or what your past is.
Everyone that comes to Christ for salvation must be born again.
Closing Illustration
Closing Illustration
So, as this message comes to a close...
I would like to share this.
This is the testimony of Leslie Reynoso.
She lived the LGBT lifestyle until God saved her and transformed her.
She says,
“Growing up in a non-Christian household, I didn’t have friends or family who believed in God and His word.
I can’t recall a time when I had someone preach the gospel to me as a child/young adult.
I felt depressed and tired, often wondering if there was more to life than the way I was choosing to live.
I sought out pornography, drugs, and alcohol as ways to escape the chaos in my life.
I got into relationships with women hoping to fill the longing inside me for something more.
I was yearning for the approval of others but realized no label was going to fix what felt like a broken identity.
Peace and acceptance were my heart’s desire, and yet nothing seemed to fill the void.
Shame and hiding became part of my daily life.
I was hopeless and felt far from God.
The rejection I felt from women created in me a deep desire to connect with them.
I always felt pushed aside because I enjoyed doing things other women didn’t appear to be doing.
I thought femininity came from being a certain way, and I felt unable to relate as a woman to other women.
I tried to justify my lifestyle through listening to teachings by LGBT Christians.
I thought "He must have made me this way".
This thought changed when I asked God to show me the truth about my lifestyle.
And He did!
I initially ignored it because I did not want to surrender that part of my life.
I was afraid of being alone until Jesus told me I would never go through anything alone.
One day, after having a serious panic attack, I called out to the Lord, and He answered.
I still remember the voice in my head saying, " If you were to die today, where would you go?".
I immediately thought of the answer and I wept and asked God to help me.
I surrendered my life and my sexuality to God in July of 2019.
Since then, I have been walking out life with Jesus and letting Him guide me each step of the way.
I feel peace and security in my identity as a female for the first time.
I have allowed Jesus to show me what my identity is and have realized that femininity is not determined by how I dress or look.
It is determined by who my Heavenly Father says I am.
I am a daughter and a woman of God because He says so, not because of how others view me.
I feel comfortable in my own skin for the first time in my life.
I love the woman I am becoming as I let Jesus mold me and show me who I am.
My identity is no longer in my attractions but in Christ.
I no longer desire to be with a woman:
I desire what Jesus wants for my life.
I am in love with how He created me to be!
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What an amazing story and an amazing transformation.
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Remember this amazing promise from the Word of God found in Romans 10:9-10:
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
And it is with this wonderful promise I leave with you to take with you in the upcoming week.
To God be all the glory.
Amen.
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Please join us for one more song from the band.