The New Birth or Reborn ­ (新生或重生)

Romans5:6-21約翰3:1-18

Worldwide Outreach Teaching School

www.WorldwideOTS.org

Dr. Meiman Lai Saidi

Key Word: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 若有人在基督裡、他就是新造的人．舊事已過、都變成新的了。

Preface: The example of born again: Chuck Colson’s life pivoted (被轉向) on August 12, 1973. Before that date, he had been known as Richard Nixon’s “hatchet man (職業殺手),” and he was indicted on Watergate-related charges. However, on Sunday evening, August 12, 1973, Colson visited his friend, Tom Philips, and his life was forever changed.
            Tom told him, “I have committed my whole life to Jesus Christ and it has been the most marvelous experience of my life.” Colson was stunned, not only by the news, but by the change that he sensed in his friend. That night, as they talked over tea, Tom was frank. He suggested that the White House staff had put their faith in themselves, because they had no faith in God. Colson couldn’t deny it. As Tom read to him from C. S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity, Colson felt under conviction because Tom was reading about him. When Tom asked if he wanted to accept Jesus Christ, Chuck said he wasn’t ready, but before Chuck left, Tom prayed for him. Chuck was moved by the words of the prayer. He said later that the prayer was so intimate that he found himself fighting back the tears. When Colson got to his car, he couldn’t drive because of the tears. They just wouldn’t stop. He started the car and drove a couple hundred feet, but he had to stop because he was sobbing uncontrollably. There in his car he offered himself to God, saying, “Take me, take me.” For the first time in his life, he felt he wasn’t alone.

            This was the beginning of the transformation of Chuck Colson. People were at first skeptical that Nixon’s sidekick in dirty tricks had promised God to give the rest of his life to religious service. But his life is one of the outstanding and best-known examples in modern times of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. The ministry of Prison Fellowship, his radio program Break Point, and more than 30 books give witness to that change.

            Today’s session focuses on a person very much like Chuck Colson. He was also a very prominent man in politics. His name was Nicodemus, and he was separated from God by sin. Nicodemus was a man who seemed to have it all. He was wealthy, well-educated (John 3:10), a leader in his nation, and a very religious man. You would think that someone like Nicodemus had it all. But he didn’t. And he knew it. Something was missing from his life. That’s why he came to Jesus one night.

Scriptures Reading: John 3:1-8 Nicodemus Visits Jesus at Night尼哥底母來見耶穌.

Nicodemus Nicodemus was a man who was wealthy, well-educated, a member of the Sanhedrin, a respected teacher, and very religious. He came to Jesus under the cover of darkness to avoid the criticism of those who might see him. Or it could be that he came to Jesus at night so they would be uninterrupted by the crowds of people who flocked around Jesus during the day. However, it could be that Nicodemus came to Him in the evening because he was under conviction and just couldn’t wait through the night to see Him.

You must be born again (vv. 3-7). 耶穌說您必重生, 因聖靈能給接受耶穌者靈命.

Nicodemus began by asking a polite question about Jesus’ ministry. Rather than answer directly, Jesus responded to what Nicodemus wanted to say. “Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again’” (v. 3).

Nicodemus didn’t understand, so he asked, “How can anyone be born who has already been born and grown up?” (v. 4). Jesus answered again, “No one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit” (v. 5). “Water” is a symbol of cleansing. When we embrace Jesus, seeking His forgiveness, He washes our sins away. “The Spirit” represents power. It is His Holy Spirit that enables us to receive Jesus into our lives. John Wesley called this “initial sanctification” because it is the beginning of God’s purifying work in the believer. Christ comes to us imparting new life so that we may live differently, so that we may grow in Christlikeness.

When Jesus said, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit” (v. 6), He was saying that only God’s Holy Spirit can give spiritual life to the one who believes (1:12). There is urgency in Jesus’ voice when He says, “You must be born again” (3:7, emphasis added). The new birth is an imperative for those who want to be part of the kingdom of God. The most important decision we will make is to participate in the new life available in Christ.

The Spirit is like the wind (v. 8). 聖靈如風 看不見但深感能力 使人有耶穌形像. According to Jesus, the Holy Spirit’s presence is like the blowing of the wind (v. 8). You can’t see it, but you can see and feel the effect of its powerful presence. In the same way, the Spirit’s presence in a believer can be seen. It will be evidenced by Christlike changes in the individual.

The Vistor from Heaven: John3:9-15

The Son of Man must be lifted up 人主必生天 (vv. 13-15).

The “Son of Man” was Jesus. John 3:13 makes it clear that the Son of Man was revealing himself as the one who descended from heaven. Jesus was qualified to speak authoritatively about heavenly matters because He came from heaven.

Jesus then reminded Nicodemus of an incident that transpired while Moses was leading the children of Israel (Numbers 21:4-9). The people became impatient because they ran out of bread and fresh water, so they complained about Moses, and even spoke against God. Then poisonous snakes invaded their camp, and many died. The people repented and asked Moses to pray that God would take the snakes away. So the Lord told Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it on a pole. Anyone bitten by a snake could look at the bronze serpent and live.

Jesus used this incident as a prophetic picture of God’s plan of salvation. Just as Moses lifted up the bronze serpent, Jesus said that He, the Son of Man, must be lifted up. And anyone who believes and looks up to Jesus will be saved from the deadly bite of sin. What Jesus meant that He would be crucified on a cross so that “everyone one who believes may have eternal life in him” (v. 15).

Lifting Up the Savior 救主生天 (John3:16-18) The entire message of the Bible is encapsulated in this one verse: “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (v. 16).

            This is how much God loves you: He gave His one and only Son for you. He comes saying, “You must be born again” (v. 7). How is a person born again? John 3:16 tells us, “Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

            Bill Manning said, God calls us to himself in love. He yearns for us to come to him. And He lovingly waits for us to respond to His invitation. Methodist Bishop Charles McCabe used to tell this true story that happened to him while he was traveling by train down the coast of California. As he rode along, there was a young man near him who was quite nervous and fidgety (坐立不安). He explained that he had just been released from prison and was headed home. He said that his parents had been so hurt when he was sent to prison that he was not sure they would take him back. He had written a letter asking them to forgive him. He told them that he wanted to come by the house and see them after he was released. He had written, “If it’s okay to stop by the house for a visit, just tie a rag in the old tree by the back porch.” He would be able to see the tree from the train as he passed by the family farm. He told them, “If there is not a rag in the tree, I’ll just keep on going.”                                                                                                                                         As the train approached the farm, the young man could not bring himself to look for the signal. He asked McCabe if he would look and let him know if he saw a white cloth. As the train rounded the turn, McCabe saw the tree and leaping to his feet screamed out, “Look! Look! The whole tree is covered with white rags! Hundreds of them!” And that, said McCabe, is a picture of the forgiving heart of God.                                            I have good news for you today! The “whoever” of John 3:16 means you:  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 這真實故事說剛出獄之罪人其父母歡迎他回家 神也是愛我們.  “神愛世人、甚至將他的獨生子賜給他們、叫一切信他的、不至滅亡、反得永生 (約翰3:16).”

POINT: Jesus accepted our punishment and paid the price for our sins so that we would not perish. Perish does not mean physical death, for we all will eventually die. Here, it refers to eternity apart from God. Those who believe will receive the alternative, the new life that Jesus bought for us—everlasting life with God. (Life Application Bible Commentary: John [Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1993], 63).

QUESTIONS:                                                                                                                             1. Why Nicodemus came to Jesus at night? (John 19:38-42 reports that Nicodemus was present with Joseph of Arimathea and placed Jesus’ body in the tomb. His first appearance was at night; now he shows up in full daylight. Nicodemus experienced the good news of Jesus).                                                                                                                  2. What does it mean to be born again?  (The new birth has to do with coming into a relationship with Christ and experiencing new life in Christ. It involves a spiritual transformation. The New Birth,” helps us rethink what it means to be a true follower of God.)                                        3. In what ways we can get the spiritual growth?