The New Birth

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The New Birth

October 11, 2023 • Pastor Ludence Robinson

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The New Birth

John 3:1-18

The new birth is one of the most exciting teachings of the scriptures. It is called in other places the new man, a new creature, a new creation, and being born again. These and other phrases are commonly seen throughout the scriptures. But perhaps the most heard phrase is born again. Maybe you or someone you know have been asked “are you a born-again Christian?” But exactly is the new birth, what does it mean to be born again, how does a person experience it, and what happens after they receive it?

This expression “born again” is only used four times in the New Testament twice here in John (3:3; 3:7) and twice in 1 Peter (1:3; 23). However, the idea of being “born” of God is used many times. The authors of the New Testament use vivid language to describe this spiritual experience:

Jesus describes it as being…

· born of water and the Spirit – John 3:5

Peter describes it as given by God…

· Into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead – 1 Peter 1:3

through the living and enduring word of God – 1 Peter 1:23

Paul describes it as in light of God’s mercy…

· As a spiritual act of worship, where we are no longer confirmed to the pattern of this world, but…transformed by the renewing of the mind.

· Through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit – Titus 3:5

· To be made new in the attitude of your minds, and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness – Ephesians 4:23

· Being untied with Christ in both his death and resurrection – Romans 6:5

· A new creation – 1 Corinthians 5:17

· Christ living in me – Galatians 2:20

James describes it as given by God…

· through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created – James 1:18

John describes it as…

· not continuing to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God – 1 John 3:9

· believing that Jesus is the son of God – 1 John 5:4

In His conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus gives us insights into this new birth experience. So, I would like to use his discussion with Nicodemus as the basis of the study tonight, so let's examine what Jesus teaches us here about the new birth.

First, he mentions….

THE _____________________ OF THE NEW BIRTH (1-3)

Why is the new birth necessary?

It is necessary for two reasons:

1. It is necessary TO SEE the Kingdom of God

a. Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom – John 3:3

2. It is necessary TO ENTER the Kingdom of God

a. Unless one is born again, he cannot enter the kingdom – John 3:5

What is the kingdom of God? In brief...

It is the rule and reign of God in the person of Messiah: that is a kingdom or system of government that is ruled by God. The terms are used interchangeably in many instances, but they have nuanced differences.

So as far as Jesus is concerned one could not perceive the kingdom of God by observation, it has to be by regeneration. being born again therefore is to experience God’s miraculous manifestation of transforming power.

Now Nicodemus is somewhat puzzled and raises a question to clear up his confused mind. “How can a man be born when he is old?... Surely, he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born?” So, Jesus explains...

Secondly,

THE ________________ OF THE NEW BIRTH (4-5)

What is the _____________ of the new birth?

The _______________ of the new birth involves several things…

Here in John’s gospel, John records Jesus as saying “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.”

But what did Jesus mean? Here are some interpretations.

Some have concluded that water in this passage is literal and is intended to mean baptism for salvation.

Many see water as referring to the Holy Spirit, as in John 7:38,39 where Jesus spoke of “streams of living water will flow from within him” and where John clearly says, “by this he meant the Spirit.”

Still others suggest that water in this verse refers to the word of God. As in Ephesians 5:25, 26 where Paul speaks of Christ's love for his church as “cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.” So that, here water is closely associated with the word of God. Both Peter and James as I mentioned earlier said that the new birth is said to take place through the word of God.

However, what struck me as interesting is that the word translated “and” could just as correctly have been translated “even”, thus, the verse would read “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water even the Spirit.” Thus, physical birth is not enough, one must be born of the Spirit. So, the Spirit is responsible for the new birth. Jesus makes this clear “flesh gives birth to flesh, but the spirit gives birth to spirit.” The new birth occurs whenever and wherever God decides…

Thirdly,

THE _______________ OF THE NEW BIRTH (6-8)

What is the ____________ of the new birth?

The _______________ of the new birth is that God is working within and without. It is God doing whatever he pleases him. There are only two things that please God.

Faith – Hebrews 11:6

Fruit – John 15:8

Could it be that where there is neither faith nor fruit there is no rebirth? As the conversation continues (John 3:9-13), it soon turns into a discourse (John 3:14-21), the latter in which Jesus describes...

Lastly,

THE _____________ AND _______________ OF THE NEW BIRTH (14-18)

What are the _____________ and _____________ of the new birth?

The ___________and ____________ of the new birth hinge on the:

The Sacrifice of Christ

The Love of God

The Faith of Man in God

In His conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus reveals much about being born again...

The necessity of the new birth (one cannot see or enter the kingdom unless he or she is "born again")

The nature of the new birth (is totally the work of the Spirit of God)

The nuance of the new birth (is God working within and without, as he is glorified by faith and fruit).

The nuts and bolts of the new birth (Christ's sacrifice, God's love, man's faith in God)

The practical life of the new way of living is seen in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians 4:17-6:1-20).

Modeling the Prayer Life of Jesus

November 15, 2023 • Pastor Ludence Robinson

And it came to pass, that as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. MODELING THE PRAYER LIFE OF JESUS AS FOUND IN THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE Luke here in this passage captures for us this marvelous moment. As the disciples were coveting the best that Jesus had to offer, besides himself – prayer. As they heard him pray, it made them desire, long, yearn, crave, and hunger for, a more profound prayer life like his. Notice that one of his disciples addressed Jesus “when he finished.” The disciple did not address him before he prayed nor while he was praying the text says, “when he finished, one of his disciples said to him.” The disciple did not attempt to interrupt the master while he was praying, he waited until he was finished, and asked that he teach them to pray. In the New Testament, the common word for prayer is referenced 84 times, and in Luke, the word occurs 34 times. Thus, the other 50 times when the word is mentioned, it’s shared among the other authors of the New Testament. Luke is one of the few New Testament authors who have paid strict attention to prayer, besides Paul. He, a Gentile from birth, and a Roman citizen who understood how important it was to pray to the gods. Hence, after becoming a part of the Jewish sect (the band of followers who believed in Jesus of Nazareth), Luke saw prayer as more important now, than ever before. Luke is the only one, out of all the other gospel writers to focus on the prayer life of Jesus. They all recorded Jesus’ principles on prayer, however only Luke gives us a glimpse into his posture in prayer. He recorded Jesus as praying more than any other gospel writer, more than Matthew, Mark, or John, all of whom have only mentioned Jesus’ prayer life in passing. However, Luke records Jesus as always engaging in prayer. He paints Jesus as a Son in constant communion with his Father and as a man in constant communication with God. Luke in particular draws attention to the gaps in our theology, the holes in our prayer life, and shows us how our prayer life pales in comparison to our Lord. He gives prayer its theological foundation and place in the divine son of God. Many scholars have noted the uniqueness of Luke's account of the prayer life of Jesus. Luke has recorded 13 instances where Jesus engaged in prayer, seven of which are mentioned directly and three that are inferred. These 10 are exclusive to Luke’s narrative only and not found in the other gospel writers. 1. Luke alone mentions that as Jesus “was praying that heaven was opened” at his baptism (Luke 3:21). 2. Luke alone tells us that Jesus was praying alone in Caesarea Philippi, when he asked his disciples, "Who do the people say that I am?" (Luke 9:18). 3. Luke alone conveys to us that Jesus “took Peter, John, and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray” when he was transfigured (Luke 9:28,29). 4. Luke alone records the request of Jesus' disciples, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples" (Luke 11:1). 5. Luke alone points out two prayer parables, one of the boldness of a friend at midnight asking for bread (Luke 11:5-8), and the other a shameless widow begging the judge for justice (Luke 18:1-8). 6. Luke alone notes Jesus’ prayer for Peter that Satan would not "sift" him (Luke 22:31-32), 7. Luke alone talked about Jesus “being in anguish, prayed more earnestly” in Gethsemane (Luke 22:44) 8. Luke alone tells of Jesus' activity “each day…teaching in the temple and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the mount of Olives” (Luke 21:37). 9. Luke alone pens Jesus as saying “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). 10. Luke alone pictures Jesus as crying “Out with a loud voice, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (23:46). But although scholars often point out the attention Luke gives to Jesus' prayers, only a few have attempted to dive into the reasons for this emphasis. This evening I will attempt to draw some practical principles to help us with/in our own prayer time, as we consider Jesus’ moments in prayer. 1. Luke records Jesus praying during his baptism (3:21-22) When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli, 2. Luke records Jesus praying after teaching the crowds (5:15-16) Yet the news about him spread all the more so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. 3. Luke records Jesus praying before choosing his disciples (6:12-16) One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. 4. Luke records Jesus praying before inquiring about the reports concerning himself (9:18) Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.” 5. Luke records Jesus praying before receiving instructions from his Father (9:28, 29) About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John, and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses, and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 6. Luke records Jesus praying in the company of his friends, before teaching them how to pray themselves (11:1-4). One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. 7. Luke records Jesus as having prayed for Peter’s faith that it failed not (22:31-32) “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 8. Luke records Jesus praying before facing the cruel Cross of Calvary (22:39-46) Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down, and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. 45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” 9. Luke records Jesus praying for his enemies as they crucified, sneered, and mocked him (23:33-36) 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar. 10. Luke records Jesus praying before breathing his last, committing his life in the hands of God (23:44-46). It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he said this, he breathed his last. In summary Pray to God before and after major milestones. Pray to God before and after our interactions with people. Pray to God before and after major decisions and/or choosing lifelong friends. Pray to God before and after encountering the opinions of others. Praying to God will radically transform our lives. Praying to God along with others is a divine mandate for getting things done. Praying to God fortifies our faith relationship with Him. Praying to God gets us through the toughest and most trying times in our lives. Prayers to God are to be offered on behalf of everyone. Praying to God is the ultimate comfort to commit to when death looms on the horizon.

The Power of Patience

October 18, 2023 • Pastor Ar

“THE POWER OF PATIENCE” “I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, and heard my cry.” — Psalm 40:1, NKJV I believe I’m on safe ground tonight when I say, in today’s society, a quality that many people are struggling with is patience. Some people say, “patience is a virtue.” While this saying is true, the phrase itself does not come from the Bible. It comes from a poem called “PIERS PLOWMAN,” written by the poet WILLIAM LANGLAND in the fifth century AD. However, the colloquialism is in line with what the Word of God does say about it. The Apostle Paul wrote, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, PATIENCE, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23) ▪ Patience Comes Packaged In The Fruit Of The Spirit 🡺 Other words used in various translations that also mean patience include FORBEARANCE and LONGSUFFERING. The Fruit of the Spirit are virtues, behaviors, and characteristics that GROW in believers and serve as EVIDENCE of the presence and work of the Holy Spirit. ■ Speaking in the heavenly language of “tongues” is not the only evidence of the Holy Spirit. Patience is not only one of the first listed fruit of the Spirit, but it also facilitates some of the others. It is easier to be gentle with others when one is full of patience. Self-control can also be related to patience, as an abundance of patience can help someone not overreact to others or to annoying situations. In my conjecture, what makes the virtue of patience so difficult to acquire and maintain is the “right now” accessibility of our culture. ♦ WE LIVE IN AN ON-DEMAND CULTURE. Unfortunately, when we have everything “now” and “on demand,” we quickly start to believe that everything must be that way. BUT LIFE ISN’T LIKE THAT! It is one of the reasons why we see so much disharmony on social media. It is why we see so many incidences of road rage and anger between people for the smallest slight. And, it is why you can see people “going off” on other people at the slightest hint of a delay—about anything! That said, the power of patience is essential. In a 2007 study, two professors found that people who valued patience experienced less DEPRESSION and had more socially positive emotions. For instance, qualities such as compassion, kindness, and consideration are all hallmarks of patience. Also, researchers have found that the power of patience also affords those who practice it more happiness. In short, patience makes us better people. IS PATIENCE THE SAME AS PASSIVITY? ⇒ “Patience is not passive waiting. Patience is active acceptance of the process required to attain your goals and dreams” ~ Ray A. Davis PASSIVE VERSUS PATIENT Waiting is something that we’ve all had to do; however, there’s an important difference between passively waiting and patiently waiting. ♦ Being passive means being inactive, and being inactive means that you’ve given up control. ♦ Being patient means waiting with calmness, which can be inactive, but it doesn’t have to be. Control hasn’t been ceded; patience allows for productive activity while waiting. To illustrate my point, think of a passive farmer and a patient farmer. BEING PASSIVE The passive farmer would plant his seed and then do nothing. If it rains enough and if the ground has enough nutrients, then he will have a successful crop, and his passivity will have paid off. If it doesn’t rain enough or the ground doesn’t have the right nutrients, then he will have a poor crop. Either way, it’s not up to him. BEING PATIENT The patient farmer would plant his seeds and then calmly wait. He will, however, remain active. He will monitor rainfall and the nutrients in the ground, and if needed, he will irrigate and fertilize. 🡺 There is, of course, a limit to how much a farmer can do to assist his crops, but the patient farmer’s chances of success are greater than those of the passive farmer. He has more control. If you are passive, then you must deal with what is dealt to you. If you’re patient, then you will have some control over the outcome. In Psalm 40, David is not passively waiting; he is patiently waiting. What did he do? I. HE RESOLVED TO PRAY “I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry” v.1 ⇒ CEV – “I patiently waited, Lord for you to hear my prayer…” PRAYER HAS THE POWER TO TRANSFORM OUR LIVES ⇒ In 1 John 5:14, the scriptures tell us: “And this is the boldness we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us.” There is immense power in daily prayer. Jesus tells us that with the power of the Holy Spirit, we can do great things as He did. II. HE RELEASED A PRAISE “He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our god; many will see it and fear and will trust in the Lord.” Faith moves God, and praising Him is an expression of our faith in Him. Praise releases His power to work on our behalf. We must remember that God is not moved when we cry to Him in unbelief! He knows exactly where we are and what He has promised us. Therefore, when we release our praise, we steer our attention away from our problems and back onto His greatness. ▪ As you praise the Lord, things begin to happen in the unseen (spiritual) realm. In the Old Testament, the people of God didn’t have the name of Jesus as a weapon…they had praise. [2 Chron.20:22-26] III. HE REFLECTED ON THE PAST “Many, O Lord my God are your wonderful works which you have done; and your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to you in order; If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” ⇒ The secret of a better and more successful life is to cast out those old, dead, unhealthy thoughts. Substitute for them new vital, dynamic faith thoughts. You can depend upon it—an inflow of new thought will remake you and your life.” NORMAN V. PEALE ▪ Cr. Ph.4:8 What Controls Your Thoughts Controls You The brain controls what you think and feel, how you learn and remember, and the way you move and talk. But it also controls things you’re less aware of like the beating of your heart and the digestion of your food. Think of the brain as the control computer that controls all of the body’s function.

The Doctrine of Repentance

September 27, 2023 • Pastor Ludence Robinson

The Doctrine of Repentance The last time we were here we discovered and discussed the Hebrew word for repentance – teshuva. And the word teshuva means “turn”, but more accurately understood as turning back to God. In spiritual terms, “teshuva” may be regarded as a practical turning away from evil and a turning toward the good. In Jewish thought it’s returning to God as the means by which we turn away from evil. There is another related word in Hebrew which is “nacham”, which is often associated with the emotion of regret, comfort, and consolation (mostly in the KJV “nacham” is sometimes obscurely translated as “repent”) for example Genesis 6:5,6. 5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. Perhaps a more favorable rendering of the verse is found in both the RSV and the ESV. "And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart" (6:6). "And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart" (6:6). The idea in Hebrew is not that God repented, but that his sorry or regret was more of a deep breath or sigh as a way of expressing his pity, and/or compassion in response to the offense by others. Therefore, we read, “And the LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth and his heart was filled with pain” (6:6 NIV) Since it is absurd to say that God needs to repent from sin or that He morally regrets His actions, the meaning of nacham must be qualified when it is applied to God. Here the word does not mean that God acknowledged the creation of man as a mistake, but that God grieved over how sinful man had become (6:5), thus grieving for God was the appropriate response to the condition of man. Now as far as we go, regret over sin, feeling sorry for our actions, and doing harm to others intentionally are unique to us human beings, and belong exclusively to us as free moral agents. This very word nacham is translated using the Greek word metanoia. Metanoia is a compound word that comes from “meta” (after, with) and “noia” (to think), which means "changing your thinking". In other words, the word implies that how we think will affect how we make decisions or how we live our lives, and therefore to repent means that we acknowledge that we are cognitively mistaken about the nature of our existence or how we live. So, the question before us tonight is: Why is repentance necessary? Repentance is necessary because we have all violated God’s law through our disobedience. Our first parents disobeyed God and fell. Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, death through sin, and in this way, death came to all men, because all sinned” and because we all have sinned, we have all violated God’s law. And according to 1 John 3:4 sin is defined as a violation of God’s law. lawlessness can be perceived in several ways but here are three: · Sin · Transgression · Iniquity Basically, the three words communicate the same idea: evil and lawlessness, However, upon closer examination, each word can also carry a slightly different meaning. · Sin means “to miss the mark.” It refers to doing something against God, against a person, or against self. · Transgression refers to presumptuous sin. To transgress is to choose to intentionally disobey; transgression is willful trespassing. · Iniquity refers to premeditated choices; to commit iniquity is to continue without repentance. A genuine change of mind towards sin will produce a genuine change in behavior towards God (Romans 12:1-2). How are People Brought to Repentance? You and I brought to repentance by: 1. God’s kindness (Romans 2:4; 12:1,2). 2. God’s patience (Peter 3:9). 3. God’s instructions (2 Timothy 2:25). 4. God’s Son being raised from the dead (Acts 5:31). 5. God’s Gospel (Acts 11:18; 20:21). 6. Godly sorrow for sin (2 Corinthians 7:10) Here are some practical steps of repentance… 1. Forsake the sin. 2. Regret the breach sin has caused in your relationship with God and others. 3. Confess the sins, live the truth, and make amends with those we have harmed. 4. Accept God's forgiveness and move forward with the LORD Jesus through faith.