Bible Text:
John 1:12
2 Corinthians 5:17
John 3:3
John 19:38-42
Romans 3:23
John 3:16-17
John 1:12
Romans 12:2
Matthew 12:33-37
Ephesians 5:3-5
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Made New
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we become a new creation. We are restored by Jesus to what God had originally created us to be. Everything about our lives change, because we are transformed into the likeness of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
Just like a caterpillar changes into a butterfly, we too are changed when we accepted Jesus as our Savior. God transforms a person from being a sinner who does not know God and who does wrong into a person who loves God and wants to do right. Instead of doing and living the way we what to, we live to be like Jesus. Our desire is to please Him. Instead of looking at people, things and the world through our eyes we see everything through the eyes of Jesus. Everything about us becomes new!
Born Again
Late one night one of the religious leaders named Nicodemus went to speak to Jesus. Nicodemus recognized Jesus as a teacher sent from God. As Jesus was explaining the Scriptures with him, He said something Nicodemus did not understand. Jesus told Nicodemus that no one can see the kingdom of God unless they have been born again. Nicodemus did not understand what Jesus was talking about. How could a person be born again?”, he wondered. People today still ask that same question.
John 3:3 NKJV
“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ ”
Nicodemus had never heard about “being born again.” Jesus explained to Nicodemus that you must be spiritually born again. He had a hard time fully understanding that it isn’t enough just to know God. Jesus told him that he had to begin a new life by being “born again.” Jesus continued to explain to Nicodemus who He was and what was going to happen to Him and why. Nicodemus listened very carefully to Jesus as He spoke. After the things that Jesus spoke about came true (after Jesus’ crucifixion) Nicodemus helped prepare the body of Jesus for burial.
John 19:38-42 NKJV
“After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.
Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.
Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.”
Nicodemus had believed the things that Jesus told him and he was born again! Like Nicodemus we must believe in Jesus in order to be born again.
New Life In Christ
In the beginning God made everything and it was good. God would come down from heaven and walk with Adam and Eve in the evening. Man enjoyed a very intimate (close) relationship with God. Everything was perfect until sin entered into the picture. Because of the sin man could no longer enjoy the intimate relationship with God. God is a holy God and sin cannot come into His presence. Sin had separated man from God and it brought spiritual death into the world.
Romans 3:23 NKJV
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
Everyone has sinned and that means that we have been separated from God and are spiritually dead. We must experience new life in Jesus if we want a relationship with God – we must be born again. God loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus to pay our penalty for our sins. As Jesus hung on the cross, God laid on Jesus the sins of the whole world upon Him – all our sins were put on the sinless Son of God. Jesus suffered much on the cross then He died. Jesus took our punishment for our sins upon Him and the blood that He shed made a way for us to be forgiven.
John 3:16-17 NKJV
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
Each one of us must be born again (to have our sins forgiven). We must experience the new birth that we receive when we admit that we have sinned and ask Jesus to forgive us. When we experience this new birth we become part of the family of God – we are born into His family.
John 1:12 NKJV
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”
The first thing that we must do is admit that we have sinned against a holy God. Then we must be willing to turn from our sin and believe that only Jesus can forgive us of our sins. When we admit that we have sinned, believe that Jesus can forgive us of our sins and confess our sins to Him, God will forgive us and we will experience a new birth. We are not the same – we are changed by the power of God.
Transformed By The Word
God’s Word shows us how we really are and how we should be. We must allow the Word of God to transform us into the image of Christ. When we look at ourselves through the mirror of God’s Word and submit ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit, we are gloriously transformed more and more into Christ’s image.
Romans 12:2 NKJV
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Christians must not allow the world to set their standards or morals. They are to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. All Christians are called to lives of holiness. It is a commandment from God – not a suggestion. Holy living shows our true identity. After a person accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior they are no longer of this world – they belong to God. Each person will stand before God and give an account for the way that they lived. For the things that they did, didn’t do.
Fellowship With Christ
Just as fruit is produced on the branches of a healthy tree or vine, so spiritual fruit comes from the life of a believer in close daily fellowship with Jesus. If we desire to have good fruit in our lives we must remain in Christ.
Matthew 12:33-37 NKJV
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you , being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasures of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasures brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment, and by your words you will be condemned.’ ”
Ephesians 5:3-5 NKJV
“But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”
The goodness of our fruit depends on how spiritually healthy and strong we are. The Holy Spirit who lives inside of the believer desires to produce good fruit in us and through us, however we must submit to Him in order for this to take place.
Memory Verse
John 1:12 NKJV
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”
Life Application
When I receive salvation I become a child of God.
Review
1. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we become a __________ ______________.
2. At salvation we are transformed into the likeness of Christ. What does that mean?
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3. “Therefore, if anyone is in ____________, he is a new creation; old things have _____________ ________ ; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV
4.Late one night one of the religious leaders went to speak to Jesus. What was his name?
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5.Jesus told Nicodemus that no one can see the kingdom of God unless they have been born again. What does born again mean?
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6. After Jesus’ crucifixion, what did Nicodemus do?
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7. In the beginning man enjoyed a very intimate (close) relationship with God. What happened to change that?
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8. Sin __________________ man from God and it brings spiritual death.
9. What must we experience if we want a relationship with God?
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10. On the cross, Jesus…
* paid our ______________ for our sins.
* suffered much then He __________.
* took our ____________________ for our sins upon Him.
* shed His ______________ to make a way for us to be forgiven.
11. At salvation a person is born into ________ family
12. We must admit that we have sinned against a holy God. What does that mean?
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13. God’s __________ shows us how we really are and how we should be.
14. Christians must not allow the world to set their standards or morals. What does that mean to you personally?
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15. Are all Christians called to live a life of holiness?
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16. Each person will stand before God and give an ________________ for the way that they lived.
17. The Holy Spirit who lives inside of the believer desires to produce good fruit in them. What does “good fruit” mean?
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