Lesson 11 of Basic Discipleship manual. This is exploring what it means to be born again. TO BE BORN AGAIN The Story of Nicodemus, John 3:1-9 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 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.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 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 answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” WHY MUST I BE BORN AGAIN? Jesus says that unless we are born again: “You cannot see the kingdom of God” v.3 “You cannot enter the kingdom of God” v.5 What does it mean to be born again? 1) Born from above The expression “born again” literally means to be “born from above”. Jesus makes a clear distinction between natural birth – “That which is born of the flesh is flesh” John 3:6 spiritual birth – “that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” John 3:6 2) We are born again by receiving Jesus The apostle John tells us “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” John 1:12. The condition for this right to become children of God is to receive Jesus by His Spirit into our lives. On the basis of believing, we are then able to receive Jesus and thus be born again. 3) We are born of God “We are born not of blood, not of the will of the flesh, not of the will of man but of God” John 1:13. That is, we are born from above or born again. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I AM BORN AGAIN? Once I am “born again”, that is “born from above”, I am: No longer in darkness: “Delivered from the power of darkness and conveyed into the kingdom of the Son of His love” Colossians 1:13. It is no longer I who lives, I become a new creation; Christ now dwells in me (Galatians 2:20). I do not sin because: “I have been born of God” 1 John 3:9, and His seed remains in me (1 John 3:9). I guard myself from sin and the evil one cannot touch me. “But he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him” 1 John 5:18. I have love for others because I know God. “Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” 1John 4:7. I live in victory. “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith” 1 John 5:4. I am a spiritual being. Jesus said “That which is born of the Spirit is spirit” John 3:6. I now live in a supernatural realm (Ephesians 1). I have: Every spiritual blessing from God v.3 Been chosen in Christ v.4 Been adopted as a son v.5 I have received every grace v.6 Redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins v.7 Received wisdom and understanding v.8 Received revelation knowledge of the mystery v.9 Received a supernatural inheritance v.11 Been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise v.13 Supernatural wisdom and revelation of God v.17 I have come to know the hope of His calling v.18 I have been seated in Christ in heavenly places Eph.2:6 Equal access with all mankind to God the Father through Jesus Christ the Son Eph.2:18 I am free because I have been born according to the Spirit. “So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free” Galatians 4:31. I become a child of God “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God” John 1:12. We have already seen that to be born again means that we are born from above. I am born again because God desires this. “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” James 1:18. “God desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” 1 Timothy 2:4. We are born of the will of the Father (John 1:13). WHAT MUST I DO TO BE BORN AGAIN? Believe: I believe in the name of Jesus Christ (John 1:12) Receive: I receive Jesus into my life (Jn.1:12) Nothing can destroy my ‘born again’ relationship with God because it is based upon the word [incorruptible seed] of God which is totally reliable. By faith I receive the promise of God’s word [the seed] and receive Jesus [the Seed] into my life. “I am born again of incorruptible seed through the word of God which lives and abides forever” 1 Peter 1:23. God had promised this Seed and the victory He would win, in the garden of Eden. “I will put enmity between you (Satan) and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise His heel” Genesis 3:15. This is a clear prophecy concerning the coming of Messiah Jesus and what He would do to the enemy. To be born again means that I receive this victorious Seed [Jesus] into my life and live my life in the victory that He has won over sin and death. Memory verse: Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. John 3:5 Question: How can I be born again? According to John 1:12 there are two important steps: 1. ....................................................................................................................... 2. ....................................................................................................................... What kind of birth is it – to be born again? .............................................................. Name five blessings that come to us when we are born again. i. ............................................................................................................. ii. ............................................................................................................. iii. ............................................................................................................. iv. .............................................................................................................. v. ..............................................................................................................
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 02:12:41 +0000
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