“A Commercial for the New Birth”
John 3:1-8; 2 Corinthians 5:17
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There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 “Do not marvel that I said to you, `You must be born again.’ 8 “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:1-8 NKJ)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
(2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJ)
I was thinking of the old Coke commercial which said “Coke adds life”
When I looked up a couple commercials on the internet, I learned that Doritos, the flavor filled snack chip, added life as well. In their commercial a young man seems to be house-sitting. He neglects a gold fish and it dies. No problem, he sprinkles a few crumbs of Doritos in the bowl and like magic the fish is alive, fat and happy!
Later he knocks over an urn from a mantle, sprinkles a few crumbs of Doritos on the ashes and at the end – Grandpa is sitting next to him on the couch watching TV!
Now, of course, neither Coke, nor Doritos “add Life” Yet, the New Birth – Jesus says “You must be born again” definitely does!
Jesus says –
63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63 NKJ)
I. Our Lord Jesus is the main Spokesman for the New Birth and He says very clearly “You must be born again.”
1. The New Birth is necessary to even see the Kingdom of God –
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3 NKJ)
2. The New Birth is also necessary for entrance into the Kingdom of God –
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:5 NKJ)
3. This is a necessity for EVERYONE –
Nicodemus was a Pharisee (a religious leader / even a zealot) a ruler of the Jews (John 3:1) yet, even He needed the New Birth –
“Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘you must be born again.’ (John 3:7 NKJ)
4. It is important that Jesus tells us this because He not only knows the way to Heaven but He is that Way –
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6 NKJ)
Yet, Jesus is not alone talking about the New Birth –
II. The Apostle Paul and many others describe the New Birth, they describe its many benefits –
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJ)
The Apostle Paul describes the person who is “in Christ” as a “new creation” we are a new creation because we have been born again, yet you may ask, what is NEW about the person who is born again?
1. New Eyes – this is implied in what Jesus already said to us –
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3 NKJ)
The statement is unless a person is born again they cannot see God’s kingdom, the implication is, if a person is born again they can see the kingdom of God! You could say such a person has NEW EYES –
Paul says the same thing –
But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10 NKJ)
With our new eyes (perception we also have a New Mind –
2. A New Mind – The “natural” unconverted man cannot comprehend or relish the things of God –
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJ)
For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16 NKJ)
3. New Ears –
“But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. (John 10:26-27 NKJ)
The born again Christian is distinguished by their ears that hear and know the voice of Christ and God’s Spirit –
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches… (Revelation 2:7 NKJ)
The same phrase is also used in Revelation 2:11; 2:17; 2:29; 3:6; 3:13 and 3:22
4. A New Mouth (David gives us this one) –
He has put a new song in my mouth– Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the LORD. (Psalm 40:3 NKJ)
This “new mouth” is extremely different than the one we had before our new birth – “Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit”; “The poison of asps is under their lips”; 14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” (Romans 3:13-14 NKJ)
5. New Taste Buds –
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! (Psalm 34:8 NKJ)
A born again Christian has new desires and delights “old things are passed away” – But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:2 NKJ)
Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4 NKJ)
6. A New Heart – “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26 NKJ)
“Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, (Ezekiel 11:19 NKJ)
`Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart. (Jeremiah 24:7 NKJ)
A. Note the New Birth requires spiritual heart surgery –
B. Note the new heart is a soft fleshy heart which cannot sin without pain
C. Note the new heart is “one heart” the same heart other Christians have
D. Note the new heart is a heart to know God – Jeremiah 24:7; John 17:3 “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. (John 17:3 NKJ)
7. New Feet –
Before – “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways; (Romans 3:15-16 NKJ)
After – How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7 NKJ)
The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. …. (Habakkuk 3:19 NKJ)
These new feet are needed for the new paths God directs us to –
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10 NKJ)
8. An entirely new identity –
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. (1 John 3:1-2 NKJ)
III. We are also taught the HOW of the New Birth –
1. It is something we cannot do for ourselves it is accomplished by God’s Spirit –
“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8 NKJ)
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63 NKJ) “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63 NKJ)
2. The Word of God is its SEED –
having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, (1 Peter 1:23 NKJ)
3. Seek God / Pray for the Spirit – 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13 NKJ)
See also – LUKE 11:9-13
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 “If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 “Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:9-13 NKJ)
