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Are you born again?

At the Agape Love Evangelical Church, service is in session. After opening prayer, Bible reading, intercession, announcement, hymns and praise and worship, the senior pastor walks to the pulpit to bring his message for the day.

Good morning.

I am happy to be here this beautiful Sunday.

If you are like me, I see every new day as a gift from God, something to be unwrapped and enjoyed; a day to rejoice and be glad in. Tell your neighbor to rejoice. We are joyful not because of what we have or what we do not have; we are joyful because JESUS lives. And because HE lives, we can face each day with confidence and hope. He has promised to never leave or forsake us.

I have come to share with you today a familiar Bible story. It is the story of Nicodemus, a Jewish ruler who visited Jesus by night. The account can be found in John chapter three. Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews who and a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. He was also a Pharisee, a very devout sect of Judaism whose adherents were very committed to the laws of Moses. Why did Nicodemus visit Jesus at night?

Nicodemus had a very high status in society. Some Bible scholars have compared his standing to the equivalent of a District Attorney or an Attorney General of a city or state. Just as it would not be cool for a District Attorney to visit a prophet of an unknown sect in a remote part of town, it would have been unseemly for Nicodemus to be seen visiting Christ during the day. The safe option was to visit at night. Nicodemus greeted Jesus:

“Rabbi we know that you are a teacher come from God: for no one can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him.” (John 3:2)

Notice Nicodemus’ choice of words. “We know you are a teacher come from God…” he did not say “I know.” His experience of Christ was in a general sense instead of the personal, definite, one-on-one type of relationship that God desires. Jesus picked up on this and quickly corrected him. “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” In other words, before you begin to talk about God, a teacher from God, miracles, or the kingdom; the first step is to be born again.

Perhaps there is someone like Nicodemus here today. Your experience of Christ is a general one. You have never had a personal encounter with the man of Galilee. You have an uncle who is a pastor, an aunt who is an ordained minister, a friend or family member who is a youth leader in the YMCA. I will also remind you as Jesus did to Nicodemus: “except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Jesus is not saying the person is blind physically; it just means that spiritually, he or she is blind to Christ, the things of Christ or things that pertain to the kingdom of God and HIS righteousness.

Nicodemus was puzzled. He was perplexed. He asked: “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” (John 3:4)

Jesus explained salvation to Nicodemus in simpler terms: “Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Jesus was not talking about a physical birth. He was talking about a spiritual rebirth through the WORD and the SPIRIT.

Although Nicodemus was a very highly educated person by the standards of that era, he did not understand the concept of salvation or things pertaining to the kingdom of God. This is a medical school. There are a lot of bright people sitting here today with great talent and abilities. But despite your impressive reservoir of knowledge, the things of God remain fuzzy and unclear to you. You are bright, smart, and intelligent but you lack that personal encounter with Christ that brings true freedom!

Romans 10:10 says, “With the heart man believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” So, while you believe with your heart, using your mouth you confess outwardly what you decided inwardly, that Jesus is Lord. Personal faith. Personal confession. Personal salvation. Personal walk of faith.

“Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved…” (Romans 10:13)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, what whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Revelation: 3:20)

Perhaps Christ is knocking at the door of your heart. I want to plead with you, don’t postpone that decision until another time. No one knows what tomorrow will bring. The only time we know we have is now. Is there anyone here today who wants to surrender your heart to Christ. Do you want a new beginning?

One hand goes up.

Thank you for that hand. Thank you. God bless you. It is a day of joy.

Another hand goes up.

The Bible says there is much joy over a sinner that repents. Is there anyone who wants to bring joy to heaven today?

Another hand goes up, then another, then another.

Please raise your hands up very high. The Lord bless you.

I saw five hands raised but many more said the prayer of repentance.

Please say after me; “Father, I thank you for today. Today, I receive you as my personal Lord and savior. Please write my name in the book of life and give me your spirit to lead me into your truth, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

If you are already born and again and serving Christ, I have a word of encouragement for you. Jesus compared a born-again person to a wind that is able to blow far and wide without any hindrance. He was talking about a spirit-filled believer being able to operate at a supernatural, spirit-level, heavenly, unstoppable, unpredictable, and unquestionable level. Far above systems, governments, ideas, philosophies, or the approval or opposition of man. Just as no one tells the wind to start here or stop there, go a little or go far, skip three houses then stop at the next house, so is a born-again person. Jesus said to Nicodemus:

“The wind blows where it lists and you hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell where it comes or where it goes, so is everyone that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).

Thank you and God bless.

After the message, there were some more announcement and then closing prayers.