Read John 3:1-21…”ye must be born again.”

WHO MUST BE BORN AGAIN?

1.               Is being born again designed only for a certain class of people?

2.               What about the individual who was born in a Christian home, sprinkled, and is faithful to the church?

3.               What about the person who is living a good religious, clean, moral life (to the world)?

4.               John 3:3 is not spoken to an irreligious, wicked blasphemer, but to the very highest flower of religious perfection in the day of Jesus – a Pharisee.

5.               The name Nicodemus comes from two other words:

·         “niko,” meaning victory or superiority, and

·         “dhmoj” from our word democracy meaning the people or the laity. It can be translated, the people’s triumph or superior to all the people.

6.               Nicodemus was an outstanding person.

·         He was a Pharisee. We associate Pharisees with hypocrisy – not so in Christ’s day.

·         This group originally arose as a protest against the growing unbelief and infidelity in the nation of Israel – REVIVAL.

·         Pharisees defended the Scriptures.

·         Orthodox – well educated.

7.               Nicodemus belonged to an excellent organization.

·         The Sanhedrin – ruling party of the nation of Israel.

·         The decision of the Sanhedrin was final in matters of doctrine and conduct.

8.               Nicodemus was a brilliant intellect. John 3:10

·         Jesus called him “a master of Israel”, revealing his knowledge.

·         He knew the scriptures, but knew nothing about a new birth.

·         He had a head of knowledge, but did not know how to be born again.

·         Outwardly, Nicodemus was a most pious, religious, and earnest man in Israel – BUT HIS SOUL WAS LOST.

WHY MUST WE BE BORN AGAIN?

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Luke 5:32 “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Luke 5:31 “They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.”

1.                  Through the first birth, we inherit the sinful human nature of Adam. We were born wrong the first time. We are born of the flesh – sinful flesh, mortal flesh, flesh under the condemnation of God.

2.                  The first birth is the birth of disobedience. The second birth is the birth of obedience.

3.                  We are born into this life with a sinful, depraved nature – carnal and rebellious.

4.                  If we die under the first birth, we die sinful and depraved.

5.                  The wages of sin is death – burning in hell throughout all eternity.

HOW MAY WE BE BORN AGAIN?

1.      Realize our sinful and lost condition. Rom. 3:23

2.               Recognize the fact that Jesus paid sin’s penalty.

3.               Visualize the tragic future without God and the GLORIOUS future with Christ!

4.               Be receptive to the convicting and convincing power of God the Holy Spirit. REPENT OF ALL SIN AND SURRENDER YOUR LIFE COMPLETELY TO JESUS CHRIST!!!