Let's begin this study in prayer...
Proverbs 1:22-33How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock you when calamity overtakes you-- when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.
I. RECAP
Up until now we have seen how Jesus:
1. Made atonement for the forgiveness of our sins.
and,
2. Delivered us from the power of darkness.
To see this, let us read again the following verses,
Colossians 1:13-14
Reflecting upon these things, we also found that in addition to being
our Lord, our God, Jesus Christ is also our Friend. To see this, let
us read what Jesus once said to His disciples,
John 15:9-17
II. BACKGROUND
However, it does not stop here for we find that even with knowing
about all the above blessings we are still the same! Perhaps we have
a deeper longing for Jesus and His ways but other than that we are
pretty much as we were when we started. In fact we find that we have
the same problems Israel did during the Old Testament times when God
delivered them from their bondage under Egypt. Namely, they and us
are a stiff necked, stubborn and rebellious people. In order to see
this, let us just read about some of the incidents that occurred
during Israel's exodus from Egypt to the land that God had promised
to them.
A. INCIDENT AT REPHIDIM - PRIOR TO THE LAW
What is interesting is that this incident happens right after God
had fed Israel with quail and is now providing them manna for
their sustenance.
Exodus 17:1-7
Notice vs 3
6 He will stand before the rock.
B. INCIDENT AT KIBROTH HATTAAVAH - AFTER THE LAW
Numbers 11:1-10
Notice vs 6
We must remember that it is God who is providing this manna in a
miraculous way on the desert floor.
QUESTION: Why? Why did Israel continue to sin and why did they
want to return to Egypt? Didn't they have God's commands &
statutes? Didn't they see all the miracles God did for them? Why
did they not follow God and His commands/decrees? What was/is
the problem?
Well, the answer to these questions is given to us in the New
Testament where the Holy Spirit through Paul describes the state
of man who has yet to be born again, i.e. his natural state.
Romans 7:14-25(a)
Notice vs 14 "law is spiritual, we are not"
18b "I have desire to do what is good, but
can not carry it out"
25 "through Jesus Christ God will rescue us."
As it turns out we find that God knowing our problem foretells,
in the Old Testament, of a time when He would make a New
Covenant with mankind and enable us to follow Him by making us
into a new man (i.e. person). To see this, let us read what God
said through the prophets,
A. JEREMIAH
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Notice vs 33 Law in our minds & written on our hearts.
To see another view of this new covenant, let us read from,
B. EZEKIEL
Ezekiel 36:24-28
Notice vs 25 made clean.
26 a new heart and a new spirit.
27 will put His Spirit within to move
us to follow His decrees & laws.
QUESTION: What is this new covenant talking about? What is it
referring to?
Well, it is referring to,
III. THE NEW BIRTH - GOD'S GLORIOUS GIFT
In fact, it is this new birth that our Lord Jesus Christ was talking
about during His conversation with Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish
ruling council. To read it, let us turn to,
John 3:1-7
Notice vs 3 "...unless..."
5 "I tell you the truth..."
QUESTION: What happens? When we are born again, what happens?
Well, what we will find is that the prophecies given through Jeremiah
and Ezekiel will be fulfilled in us!
In other words, in Christ Jesus, we become a new creature. To see this,
let us read,
2 Corinthians 5:17
QUESTION: How does this happen? How does God make me into a new
creation?
Well, to find out let us read what Jesus Christ said during a great
Jewish Feast.
John 7:37-39(a)
What is very interesting is that the feast being celebrated here is
the Feast of Tabernacles, which was to bring the nation of Israel in
remembrance of their walk in the desert as God had freed them from
the slavery of Egypt. It is also interesting that here Jesus is again
telling them that if they are thirsty to come to Him for drink, just as
He did in the desert.
1 Corinthians 10:1-4
So we find that when we come to Jesus, the Holy Spirit (the living
water) comes and dwells inside us, i.e. we become reborn of the Holy
Spirit, just as Jesus told Nicodemus.
Thus, by the Holy Spirit indwelling within us God has now fulfilled
His promise to enable us to follow His decrees and statutes. To see
this, let us read,
2 Peter 1:3-4
Oh My ! Oh My! Oh My!
QUESTION: How does one become born again? What must we do?
IV. THE HOW TO
A. WE MUST BELIEVE IN WHO JESUS IS
This is extremely critical for let us not forget what Jesus said
to the Jews who were asking Him who He really was.
John 8:23-24
Or perhaps put another way, we must receive/accept Him,
John 1:10-13
Then,
B. WE MUST BELIEVE IN WHAT HE DID & CALL TO HIM FOR SALVATION
To see this, let us read,
Romans 10:9-13
and finally,
C. WE MUST REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED
To see this, let us read how Peter responded to those who asked
him (Peter) what one must do to be saved from their sins.
Acts 2:37-39
Notice vs 39 "... the promise is for all of us."
V. CONCLUSION
QUESTION: So what is the point? What is the message of this whole
study?
Well, we can know a lot about Jesus Christ. We can know what He did,
who He is, what He said and what He is going to do. We can belong to
a Church. We can be involved in all kinds of good activities.
However, unless we are born again we will not see the Kingdom of God.
To see this let us close by re-reading our Lord's conversation with
Nicodemus,
John 3:1-7
Let's end this study in prayer...
Galatians 3:14He [Jesus] redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
Read the book by John Sweet, Jr.
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