Ye must be born again

Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 15 January 2012

John 3 verses 1 – 17

John chapter 3 is one of the most well known of all the encounters read in the Bible.  Everyone knows about this man called Nicodemus and how he made his way to the feet of the Lord.  He comes by night and there have been many reasons why he did that.  Sometimes people say fear might keep you back – fear of family, neighbours, work colleagues could do that.  Maybe he wanted an uninterrupted meeting with Christ and the best time was at night.  Jesus told him “ye must be born again.”  This is the most important verse in the word of God.  It is the greatest experience of any person.  You must be born again.  Acknowledge you are a sinner before Christ.  That old things have to pass away and the new must begin.  Jesus said “marvel not ye must be born again.” 

The seriousness of this statement.  This is God’s own son sent down into the world that he might die on the cross of Calvary, might make a way from the dark paths of sin.  Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve broke God’s command in the Garden of Eden he has been on way out into lost Christless eternity.  God made a remedy for man.  It all begins at Calvary.  He became obedient unto his heavenly father.  John 19 “I have finished the work thou hast gave me to do.”  Make a way back to God.  To reconcile mankind unto God.  The Lord wants to do that for you tonight, that you might step out and trust him.  Turn to him.  Turn from everything that is dear to you.  Realising that you need Christ.  You have been blinded by Satan.  Came from the lips of God’s own son.  He says to you if ever you wanted to be in heaven ye must be born again.  Born once into this world.  You have to now been born again in the spiritual nature.   This is serious.  Seriousness of this subject within that bosom.  That soul will leave that body of yours, will go out into one of 2 places.  George Whitfield speaking to large crowd when a lady said to him “do you not realise who I am?”  Whitfield turned around “there is coming a day when it will not matter just who you are.”  Jesus was speaking to one of the richest, most influential man in israel.  The Lord said to him “ye must be born again.”  Good master we know that thou art a teacher come from God.  Confessing so much know you are a teacher come from God.  The Lord spoke to him not about his teachings or miracles, he got to the crux of the problem.  He needed to be born again.  I know that one day you must leave this scene of time.  One day the last breath will be taken by you.  That soul must leave and go out into eternity.  It is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgment.  The seriousness of this message.  The God of heaven will not ask you what denomination you belong to on earth but will ask you what you did with His son.

The scope of the Saviour.  Except a man be born again.  That coverse everyone.  Man’s problem is that he has been born physically with a nature that is sinful towards God.  Isaiah said there was a way between his people and their God.  There is a way – the way of sin.  Paul said in Ephesians 2 verse 3 “By nature you and I are the children of wrath.”  We have been born into a world as sinners.  Because of that the wrath of God is upon us. Thank God he has sent his son to take that judgment on himself.  The judgment of a lost sinners hell.  He took every sin and my judgment and laid it on himself.  We have been born in sin, come under condemnation and judgment of God.  He that believeth not on him is not condemned.  There is no condemnation for the child of God but he that believeth not is condemned already.  Paul in Romans proves extent of man’s great problem “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  Isaiah said “all we like sheep have gone astray.”  The scope of the Saviour is everyone in the world is.  His great love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  Jesus laid his life for the sins of the whole mankind.  The way to heaven is the same to all – “I am the way the truth and the life, no man cometh to the father but by me.  Riches for religious man Nicodemus led the prayers on the Sabbath day in the synagogue.  The thief hanging on the cross this remedy for sin.  Thief who railed accusations against the Lord on the brink of eternity turned his eyes to Christ.  “This man has done nothing amiss Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”  He realised he was the king of that next kingdom.  Jesus said “today thou shalt be with me in paradise.”  The scope of the Saviour.  Do you know that Christ as your own?

The secrecy of the subject – verse 8.  It is dependent on the Holy Spirit.  The wind bloweth where it listeth.  That is the great secrecy around being born again of the Spirit of God.  What actually happens.  God breaks the power of cancelled sin.  The alcoholic can never really understand that power.  Drugs dependent cannot imagine power setting them free.  We cannot tell how it happens but we know it happens.  The wind blows but you cannot see it or tell where it comes from.  The secrecy about it.  On the day of Pentecost Peter stood and preached the word of God.  The Holy Spirit convicted men and women on that day.  Not one could say how it happened but knew it had happened.  You will know when it happens in your life when you come to Christ and trust him as Saviour.

The simplicity of the subject.  “Ye must be born again”  “We are not born again of corruptible things such as silver or gold.”  We do not have to devise a plan to gather up enough to claim the merits of God’s saving grace.  You simply come to Christ.  Simplicity about it.  Come as a child.  The disciples asked the question one day “who will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  Jesus brought a child into their midst and said “except you be converted and come as this little child.”  A simple subject – “ye must be born again”.  Nothing difficult about it.  In Exodus 12 the children of Israel were down in Egypt.  Plagues affected their lives until the last one came.  God told Moses and Aaron to go in and speak to Pharoah but he hardened his heart.  God told them there would be one last plague.  The people had to take a lamb, put it to death and take the blood and put it on the door posts.  At midnight when God came to visit his people and when he saw the blood on the doorposts he would pass over but if not the firstborn in the family would die.  The simplicity of being born again.  Come to the Lamb of God the Lord Jesus Christ.  Apply it to your lives – “behold I stand at the door and know, if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in and will sup with him.”  He wants to come in, save you, take away your sin and make sure you are ready for heaven and home.