THE NEW BIRTH

Sermon Notes, July 6, 2014

Rev. Dan White

Pastor Dan’s message was titled “The New Birth,” and his scripture reference was John 3:1-8.  You can’t tell where the wind comes from, but you can tell where it’s been.  Sometimes hard times have to come to you before you can win people to the Lord.  Pastor Dan told of a time when 20 people left his church; he went out in the community, and asked his friend Keith “Can you help me?”  Keith came to church, then later asked Dan “Will you lead me to the Lord?”  Keith continued to work in the church, and with his help, his friend Mike quit drinking and his life changed.  The church needs people who lead others to the Lord.

The new birth is a necessity.  Pastor Dan told of a man he met at Burger King whose wife had passed away.  He was sure that he’d go to heaven because his wife did.  But John 3:3 says “no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”  Unless you’re obedient, you won’t see God.  Moses didn’t get into the Promised Land (although he did see it) because of disobedience.

The new birth is a spiritual birth, and it is a true experience.  1 Corinthians 2: 14 says that the natural man can’t understand spiritual things—they’re foolishness to him.  Doing good things doesn’t save.  You can lead a person to the Lord, but only Jesus can save them.  

How can we know this spiritual thing?  According to Romans 8:16, His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children.  There is no shortcut to Heaven. (John 10:1)  We must be born again. (John 3:3)  We must be sanctified: “Without holiness it is impossible to see God.” (Hebrews 12:14)

God sent Jesus to show us Himself.  Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to help us bring others to Him.  Who is the Holy Spirit sending?  Us!  Brag on the Lord—tell what He can do when we turn it all over to Him!