The Miracle of the New Birth [Audio]
THE MIRACLE OF THE NEW BIRTH
Reading: John 3:1-7
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7, KJV).
Main Thought: The New Birth is the world’s greatest miracle. John Wesley said, Only the power that makes a world can make a Christian. The power to change a life is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.
Sometimes we have the thought that we can educate people into heaven, or clean them up enough to get them into heaven, but Jesus said “You must be born again!” He did not say:
- You must be baptized.
- You must be a church member.
- You must be confirmed.
- You must be a member of a certain denomination.
He said, “You must be born again.” Now, don’t misunderstand me, we’re not speaking against these things. They are all important. Baptism is of God, but if you are not born again, you will go down a dry sinner and come up a wet sinner. I once knew a lady who was actually born again through her confirmation, but not everyone is. Church membership is good, but it won’t get you into heaven. You must be born again.
BEING BORN AGAIN IS SUPERNATURAL
Jesus described it as a birth. Even a natural birth is miraculous. Story: My son in law. Nicodemus thought he had to crawl back into his mother’s womb, but Jesus said, No, it’s like the wind. You can’t see it. You can only see the results. You can only see the change it brings. It’s something accomplished by the Holy Spirit. It happens when a person opens their heart to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. When it happens, you are changed. You are different than you were before.
It happened to me. I was raised in a Baptist Church where I heard the Gospel. And when I was 9 years old I responded to the Gospel and was baptized. But my life did not change, because I did not turn my life over to God. But when I was 27, I heard the voice of God speak to me, “Turn from the things of the world.” I said “Yes, Lord” and my whole world changed. The scripture says: For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. (Isaiah 55:12, KJV).
That’s what it is like when you are born again. Everything is different, because your heart is changed.
I was reading Francis Hunter’s testimony of when she was born again. Before that she was smoking 5 packs of cigarettes a day, she was drinking like a fish, and she cussed like a sailor, but when Jesus came into her heart all that changed. Immediately she know she was to live differently, because her heart had been changed.
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26, KJV).
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 8:10-12, KJV).
WHEN YOU ARE BORN AGAIN
- Your sins are forgiven.
- You are delivered from the fear of death.
- You want to live right.
- You have a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe.
- You are part of a family and God is your father. Father of spirit. You are born of God.
- You have peace with God.
- You have access to His wisdom and power.
- You can live in His glory.
- You are royalty and have a full inheritance.
- You have the fullness of Christ. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. (John 1:16, KJV).
The new birth is miraculous because you become a completely new person.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17, KJV).
The seed of God is planted in your heart.
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (1 Peter 1:23, KJV).
YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12, KJV).
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23, KJV).
SALVATION IS GIFT
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23, KJV).
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16, KJV).
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:18, 19, KJV).
God loves you and wants you in his family. He’s not willing that ANY should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Today, you can choose to come to Jesus and receive Him.A man named Saul was on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians. He was very religious, but he was lost and on his way to hell. On the road, He encountered Jesus and was convicted of his sin. “What would you have me to do?” he said. Then this international terrorist became the most fruitful minister in the early church. Your life change change too. Make Him Lord today! (John 1:12, 2 Cor. 6.2)
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