"For thou delightest not in sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou hast no pleasure in burnt-offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."
Psalm 51:16-17
God wants a broken and contrite spirit. He will welcome such a heart and rejoice over it. A broken heart surrenders and accepts responsibility for his sins. Such a heart destroys his strong will and allows God to rule it. It does not become calloused by sin. The broken heart mourns over his sins and is fully aware of his need for God's approval. Our hearts must break with sorrow when we sin. God will respond to our brokenness with Grace when we humbly confess our sins and surrender to His will. A contrite heart accepts that change must happen, godly sorrow (deep repentance). The Grace of God will only save the brokenhearted and poor in spirit.
Our lovely song, "Bring Christ Your Broken Life," compels us to bring our broken lives to Christ, who makes them new. It is a pleading invitation for lost souls to come to Jesus for help. When we bring our broken hearts caused by sin to Christ, we find rest or relief because Jesus purifies them from an evil conscience.
"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." (Heb. 10:19-22)
Jesus, our Lord and Savior, invites all broken and lost souls to come to Him for help and rest from the burden of sin. He wants those lost souls to bring their brokenness to Him for healing. Christ, our Savior, can make broken souls anew. He will "create anew." Our empty years marred by sin, He will restore when we are baptized and begin walking in newness of life. He will restore us to righteousness before God.
In baptism, we are buried with Christ to walk in newness of life.
"Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." (Rom. 6:3-4)
Our wasted life He will restore, justified before God.
"And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Cor. 6:11)
God has promised that our iniquities, He will "remember no more."
"For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more." (Heb. 8:12)
Jesus will mend and relieve our broken hearts and give us rest from the burden of sin when we surrender our brokenness to Him.
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:28-30)
Jesus came to be the Blest Savior of us all!
"She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." (Matt. 1:21).
He has promised us that His presence will be ours until the end.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20)
He is now preparing a home in His Father's house for all who will come to Him to be saved.
"In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." (John 14:2-3)
With Him, morning breaks, and Heaven is near!
He will wipe our tears away.
"And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Eph. 5:2)
We can "weep out" our "blinding tears upon His breast" because "His love is wonderful."
Thus,
"None that trust in Him shall be desolate." (Prov. 3:5)
Without Jesus and the healing power of His precious Gospel, life would be dark and drear!
CONCLUSION:
We live in a world of broken people. Our broken world has been around since the beginning of mankind when sin entered this world. Before Jesus was born, God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah of His people as being “broken.” Listen to His words.
“They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14; 8:11).
Sin is the cause of our broken world. When people ignore and refuse to listen to God’s instructions, that course of action will lead them to brokenness in their lives and the lives of others. Our lives will break down when we live contrary to our Creator’s direction. Such “brokenness”is seen throughout the Scriptures.
“For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our time in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another” (Titus 3:3).
When we obey His Gospel, our Lord removes our iniquities and remembers them no more. When we obey the remedy for sin that He offers and are buried with Him in baptism, He creates us anew. It is then that we start walking in the newness of life.
It is a joy to behold a new Christian arise from the watery grave of baptism to begin the new life with Christ!
Read with me the words of the song, "Bring Christ Your Broken Life," and let its words stir your soul.
"For he says, 'In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."
2 Corinthians 6:2
In a civil courtroom, the judge enters wearing a black robe symbolic of his office while the bailiff calls on those present to stand. There is a shuffling of feet as everyone rises to show due respect to the judge and his court. The attorney for the prosecution formally presses charges against the accused, presents the evidence, and calls for a conviction and sentence to punish the guilty. If he is convicted and sentenced, he is taken straight to prison. Our system has been developed to ensure a fair and just outcome, so much of our formality is an imitation of what justice looks like in the Bible as presented by God. However, God will not use a “jury of our peers” to condemn us. His knowledge of our crimes is absolute, and His justice is perfect. We can be sure that every sinner will be condemned for all eternity unless he is forgiven and transformed into a righteous servant of his Creator and Judge before the last great Day of Judgment. There is a Great Day Coming!
Today is the day of salvation! It is vital that we make proper preparation before the Lord returns, certainly before we die. It is impossible to prepare after we die because God will not give us the opportunity. After we die, we will be judged. There will be no second chance.
"And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment." (Heb. 9:27)
After death, there is no plan of redemption.
Are you preparing for Judgment Day?
Are you ready to be called before the judgment throne of God?
It is such a tragedy to be found unprepared!
Those who linger and are unprepared will receive eternal punishment.
"This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might." (Thess. 1:5-9)
We must be ready, for we do not know when that day of reckoning will be (Matt. 24:36; 2 Pet. 3:10).
We must make sure that we are ready while we still have the opportunity (2 Cor. 6:2; Heb. 3:15).
Therefore, we must obey the Gospel now, before we die.
The Gospel will judge us. Jesus, our Lord, and Savior, came from Heaven to bring salvation to mankind by God’s Grace (Matt. 1:21, Lk. 2:11; 19:10, 1 Tim. 1:15; Tit. 2:11). This salvation is a free gift offered to all men by God (Rom. 5:12-21). However, we must refuse to continue in sin to receive such a free gift. Why? Because we must turn from our sins and obey the Gospel to be forgiven or redeemed (Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:38). The Lord urges Christians and unbelievers to be ready because "There’s A Great Day Coming."May we never miss Heaven and be lost forever!
"And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him" (Heb. 9:27-28).
"For I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'" (Luke 16:28-31).
There is no opportunity for obedience after death!!
Eternity is real, and we must accept that we will be either in Heaven or Hell, eternally. It will directly reflect how we have lived our lives here on earth.
ARE YOU READY TO MEET YOUR GOD?
Two Eternal Destinies:
This morning more than 250,000 souls woke up, not knowing that it would be their last day here on earth. This will be the day that they face the Judge of all men, and most of them are unprepared. Are you prepared to meet your God? Remember, we're given two destinies: Heaven or Hell. Men may choose only two paths: death in sin or dead to sin (Romans 6). Be wise and choose well!
Knowing that someday we all will die and be raised to stand before the Judge of all when we receive our eternal reward, Heaven or hell, how seriously do we acknowledge this?Are you ready for death, resurrection, and final judgment?Man has only one earthly life and death. After judgment, men will receive their eternal destinies. The righteous will receive eternal life, a state of bliss in the presence of God. On the other hand, the wicked will receive eternal punishment, suffering, and sorrow, separated from God.How much worse could it be?
Judgment will be fair and just!
It will be based on Truth (Rom. 2:2).
Men will be judged without partiality (Rom. 2:11; 1 Peter 1:17).
Judgment will be inescapable (Rom. 2:3).
It will be universal (Rom. 2:6, 9, 10; 10:14-12).
It will be individual (Romans 2:6; 14:12).
It will be thorough.
All aspects of life will be examined (Rom. 2:7, 8, 9, 10, 16; 2 Cor. 5:10; Eccl. 12:14; Jeremiah 17:10; Luke 12:2).
And it will be final!
The rewards given on that day will be eternal and unalterable (Rom. 2;7; Matt. 25:46).
"Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28)
Many skeptics, some Christians, and some non-Christians, repudiate the concept of everlasting punishment.They dare to ask why would a loving God send people to hell.They reject Jesus' teaching on hell on the grounds that a just and merciful God could not do such a thing. They lean toward the atheist's arguments,who claim that if there were a God, He would not be so unjust as to send people to hell.
Our Lord Jesus Christ has declared that He will sit on His throne of glory and separate the righteous from the wicked. He will do this as the shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. Both will be judged according to their works (righteous and evil works). Then the dreadful sentence will be executed accordingly. God urges men to acknowledge their lost condition outside of Christ and accept that being lost means going to hell eternally, where suffering and agony never end.The horrible thought of going to hell ought to alarm us and cause panic!! (Revelation 14:10). For this reason, we must try to rescue the lost from the broad road that leads to this terrible perdition.
Sadly, most people refuse to believe in God.
There is indeed a great contrast between those who die in the Lord, the saved (the obedient and righteous) and those who die lost, without obeying the Gospel of Christ (Luke 16:26). There is no opportunity to obey the Gospel after death (Matt. 25:31-34, 41, 46). We must make proper preparation before the Lord returns or before our death. It is impossible to prepare after our resurrection, for there will be no open door or opportunity.
In Matthew 7:23, Jesus said, “I never knew you,” to Christians whose faith did not remain active and living.A Christian can and will fall from grace if he allows his faith (his faithfulness) to die!
In Romans 2:5-10, we read that God will give eternal life only "to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life."But to"those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury (hell)."God will give each of us an entrance into either Heaven or Hell according to our works or deeds. He will give eternal life (Heaven) only to those who do the will of God and persevere in faith and faithful service.Faith is not complete without active, good, and righteous works. We are justified by works and not by faith alone.
"For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead." (James 2:18-26)
Modern Protestants err by making a distinction between"the faith that saves" (without obedience or "works") and the faith that obeys the Lord Jesus. But such theology is pure folly! The Bible does not speak that way!
Those who willfully reject and disobey the Gospel of Christ“shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of His might.” (2 Thess. 1:9) After death, judgment will follow. There will be no second chance for salvation (Heb. 9:27). “There is a great gulf fixed” (the perfect tense form in the Greek Testament stresses the abiding nature of this separation), and to pass from one realm to the other, it is impossible (Luke 16:26). In hell, there's no plan of redemption (Luke 16:28-31).
The Bible is crystal clear about the consequences of our choices here in this life.
There is a right and wrong way to live, and we must stop to reflect frequently. We will either spend eternity in Heaven or Hell (Romans 6:23; Romans 14:10). The truth is that since God raised Jesus from the grave, He has given us the assurance that God will make mankind accountable on that Final Day of Judgment (Acts 17:31). So, Heaven and Hell are real. This is not some theorized possibility or folktale.God wants all men to be with Him in Heaven (1 Tim. 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9). Yet, Jesus has stated that most of mankind will end up in Hell (Matt. 7:13-14). Hell will be forever, and man does not have to go there.However, they must obey God now! Why? Because there is a deadline, the Day of Judgment (2 Peter 3:10-12). The eternal home of our soul and the souls of men is at stake!!
Therefore, we must endeavor to be watchful and ready for that final deadline. There will be a day when each of us will be audited and called upon to answer for our life (Rom. 14:11-12; Matt. 25:31-46). On that day, “God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Eccl. 12:14) How will you stand on that day? Are you prepared for the final deadline?
CONCLUSION:
Christians must remember that the primary work of the church is to save souls. Every Christian must try to save souls, teaching them the Truth and persuading them to obey the Gospel to save their souls from the wrath of God.
God has issued a divine verdict.
He has declared a divine plan.
He has sent forth a divine warning.
He has warned all men everywhere.
God has extended a divine invitation (Matt. 11:28-30).
He has already provided security and care (John 10:10, 27, 28).
He has already proclaimed a divine commission (Matt. 28:19-20).
How many people examine their lives and come to the conclusion that they are headed for hell? I am sure the number is small. Yet, Jesus our Lord taught that many are traveling the broad road that leads to destruction (Matt. 7:13).
It is a terrible thing to think that you are saved when you are not! Many deceive themselves, believing they are saved and don’t consider themselves to be lost.There is no middle ground between lost and saved! If one is not saved, then he is lost. Some are convinced they are saved, having accepted the doctrines of men.They teach that salvation is obtained by accepting Jesus as their personal savior and confessing His name.The Word of God does not teach that doctrine of salvation! (Rom. 6:17) Jesus has given us many warnings about the false doctrines we must avoid (Matt. 15:8-9; Rev. 2:15). When one accepts error, especially concerning salvation, he will be lost eternally (Gal. 1:6-9). God's plan of salvation is easy and is found in the New Testament. It involves faith, confession, repentance, and baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).
My prayer is that if you haven't gotten your life right with our Lord yet, that you would please consider obeying the Gospel today!!!
Knowing that someday we all will die unless our Lord comes before we die, and knowing that we will face the most excellent Judge of all men, are you ready to face God? Are you prepared for Judgment Day? Remember, we only get one chance at life. Don't blow it!!!
May we not miss Heaven, the grandest and most glorious place ever conceived. May we be found faithful and profitable servants by our Lord and not be cast into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. May we teach the lost the Gospel of salvation that they may obey the Truth and be ready for Judgment Day.
Our beloved song, "There’s A Great Day Coming," compels us to be ready, for every one of us shall appear before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of himself to God.
There’s a great day coming, a great day coming,
There’s a great day coming by and by,
When the saints and the sinners shall be parted right and left;
Are you ready for that day to come?
There’s a bright day coming, a bright day coming,
There’s a bright day coming by and by.
But its brightness shall only come to them that love the Lord;
Are you ready for that day to come?
There’s a sad day coming, a sad day coming,
There’s a sad day coming by and by,
When the sinner shall hear his doom, ‘Depart, I know ye not;’
"We are the clay, and Thou our potter; and we shall be the work of Thy hand."
Isaiah 64:8
What can you do with a hardened heart? A hardened heart cost Pharaoh his kingdom in the days of Moses. It kept the Jews from following their long-awaited Messiah. However, Jesus' disciples were molded and shaped into powerful spokesmen because they were pliable in His hands. The Lord patiently shaped them as a potter might fashion a lump of clay into a vessel of beauty, righteousness, and usefulness.When our hearts are easy to mold, God can do great things through us!
Our lovely song, "Have Thine Own Way, Lord," is one of my all-time favorites. Our beautiful song speaks of the relationship between the clay (ourselves) and God the Potter.
"Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?" (Romans 9:21)
Isn't it amazing what God can do through us if our heart is pliable! We have the hope of being molded into what He wants us to be and not stuck in our old ways of living, the unrefined old man of sin. Our God does the refining, molding, and reshaping. This process of metamorphosis or transformation can only be accomplished through His Word. God's Word can pierce our soul and spirit and judge our hearts' thoughts and intentions. Our Master Pottercan take us as a lump of clay and change us into something beautiful and new. However, the "clay" must humble themselves, be willing to yield and realize that God can transform them into the likeness of Christ as they submit to Him, the Potter. The Potter has the power to fix and mend us. The clay must be humble enough to see themselves as broken vessels needing the Master Potter to fix them.
"Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness." (Romans 6:13-18)
The clay must humbly look to God to cleanse them from sin.
"The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 'Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear[a] my words.' 3 So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4 And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. 5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6 'O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7 If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, 8 and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. 9 And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, 10 and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it. 11 Now, therefore, say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: ‘Thus says the Lord, Behold, I am shaping disaster against you and devising a plan against you. Return, every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.’ 12 'But they say, ‘That is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.''" (Jeremiah 18:1-12)
The Potter can cleanse the clay from impurities (sin) when the clay humbly bows before Him in complete submission (Phil 2:20). The clay must allow the Potter to rule their hearts. A heart that is willing to yield, be molded, and shaped by the Master Potter is exemplified by the plea,"Have Thine Own Way, Lord."
In Jeremiah 18:1-3, God is pictured as the Potter and man as the clay. God commanded the prophet Jeremiah to go to the house of a potter (Jeremiah 18:1-12). By Jeremiah going to the potter's house, he would hear the message that God would give him and also have it illustrated before him. God uses physical things, common things, to illustrate and convey His message as in this case. The prophet Jeremiahgoes to the potter's house and notices that the potter is making something at the wheel. As Jeremiah was watching the potter working at the wheel, he noticed that the vessel made of clay was marred or ruined in the hand of the potter. The vessel was not suitable. It could not be used for the purpose it was intended. So, Jeremiah watched as the potter carefully took the clay and began remolding it in his hands to form a vessel that would be useful and suitable for its intended purpose.
In His mercy, our Lord and Savior looks for humble souls that will allow Him to shape and mold them into instruments of righteousness. God can mold us into whatever instruments of service that He and the Body of Christ need and require. As clay in the hands of our Potter, our Father, we are totally pliable to our Creator's will, subject to his acts of creation, desiring to be the product of a great Creator.
God is the Potter who shapes and molds.
God is in control and knows what He is making. Indeed, God can make something useful and suitable for His purpose. He doesn't toss the clay, but rather He remolds it. And just as the potter in Jeremiahpatiently began remolding the clay, our God is doing the same with us, the clay.We are clay in the hands of a mighty God. God, the Potter, knows what kind of vessel He intends for us to be. The Master Potter wants useful and suitable vessels for His service. Thus, we must allow the Potter to mold us to His glory (Isaiah 64:8).
The clay must be soft and pliable, willing to develop and thrive in the potter's hands.
However, when the clay begins to harden, it cannot develop properly, the way the Potter needs it to be to continue working on us.How wonderful it is that the Potter is willing to shape us and reshape us if we humbly allow Him to have His own way with us!! Our God wants to reform the clay to be fit and useful for Him. We are the work of the Potter's mighty hands!
How wonderful it is that our Master Potter will not throw away the marred clay, but He will continue to make the clay that is soft and pliable into a suitable and acceptable vessel!
Are you willing to become that servant, be humble, and meet the needs within the Body of Christ as clay?
Are you willing to become that servant when our Lord needs zeal and enthusiasm?
Will you allow the Master Potter to make you and mold you into what He wants you to be?
Will you allow God, the Master Potter, to make you and mold you into a vessel of honor, useful to Him and prepared for every good work? (2 Timothy 2:20-22).
Or will you prefer to remain as vessels of dishonor, comfortable in their marred state of selfishness and sinfulness?
For the Master Potter to reshape you,you must be willing to yield and let Him push you away from your comfort zone of pleasure and sin.Our Lord wants useful, holy vessels, and He will find them.
And though the process of being shaped and molded is not an easy task, the Master Potter is willing to make a beautiful masterpiece of the clay, though it will take time and effort. However, God, the Potter, is willing to do it. Are you?
"Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?' declares the Lord. 'Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.'" (Jeremiah 18:6)
May we humbly allow our Master to have His own way with us, the clay. May we, the clay, allow Him to mold and refine us into vessels of righteousness. May we be submissive, pliable, and moldable clay in the mighty hands of our Mater Potter.
I hope the lovely words of our beautiful song, "Have Thine Own Way, Lord," stir your soul the way it does mine.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:3
Few ideas grip the imagination like the image of a worm transforming into a butterfly. The apostle Paul said, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” and he used the word for “metamorphosis.” (Romans 12:1-2) You can become what you are not! Jesus said you must be “born again.” The power that brings that about is the power of the Gospel message (Romans 1:16).
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith.'"
The beloved song, “Ye Must Be Born Again,”stresses the need to be born again. Our song recounts the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews who came to Jesus by night(John 3:1-2). Nicodemus recognized Jesus as a teacher who came from God. He was about to ask Jesus about His message, but Jesus stopped him with these words, “you must be born again”(John 3:4-5).
"Now 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 him, 'Truly, truly, 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, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.'"
Jesus’ message to him applies to all “children of men” (humanity) because all have sinned (Romans 3:23).
All humanity must attend to Jesus’ Word, for they will be judged according to that Word.
"The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day" (John 12:48).
The message of His Word is that we all must be born again by the Gospel.
"For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel" (1 Cor. 4:15-16).
Thus, all humanity is compelled to respond to the Gospel message of Christ to be saved. Those who wish to have eternal life must be born of God.
"And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life" (1 John 2:25).
"Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God" (1 John 4:4-6).
There is a glorious rest for those born of God.
"Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.[a] 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, 'As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’ although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: 'And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.' 5 And again in this passage he said, 'They shall not enter my rest.' 6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 again he appoints a certain day, 'Today,' saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.' 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.'" (Hebrews 4:1-10)
The ransomed will sing the song of blest.
"And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.'" (Revelation 5:8-10)
Those who respond to the Gospel Message and are thus born again by the incorruptible seed will receive their final reward.
"Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for 'All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.' And this word is the good news that was preached to you.'" (1 Pet. 1:22-25)
This is the hope for those who the precious blood of Jesus has ransomed.
Thus,
“Ye must be born again, Ye must be born again; I verily, verily, say unto thee, Ye must be born again.”
CONCLUSION:
Sadly, many call themselves Christians but misunderstand the concept of being born again. Jesus stresses the need for regeneration to enter the kingdom of God by saying, “Ye Must Be Born Again.”To be born again, one must obey the Gospel, God’s terms of pardon.
It is widely taught that one is “born again” before and without baptism. The problem with this teaching is that Jesus clearly taught that one cannot be born again without obeying the true Gospel of Christ. Peter calls it the imperishable seed (1 Peter 1:22-23). John 3:3-7 says that to enter the kingdom of God, he must be born again. So what does that new birth include?Simply two essential elements: one must be born of water and of the Spirit to become a child of God. Those who disregard what Jesus taught on this matter are not abiding in the doctrine of Christ and do not have God and are thus misleading many into error.They are teaching the doctrines and commandments of men! They are blind guides misleading and deceiving many souls to their own destruction (2 John 9-11; Gal. 1:8,9; Matt. 15:9,14; etc.). New birth and radical transformation must happen for Jesus to heal us of our sins. We can only have a relationship with Him when we look to Him, desiring to do His will.
Through Jesus, the new birth and radical transformation are possible, for He can heal us of our sins when we seek Him by faith, following Him and doing His will, and pursuing a sincere relationship with Him. Through the blood of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins is available to all. The new birth, the new life, is “in Christ” (1 Cor. 4:15; 15:22; 2 Cor. 5:17). We are “born again” by the incorruptible seed, which is God’s Word, the Gospel preached to us (1 Peter 1:22-25). The new birth is the product of the seed planted (the Gospel, the Word of God) and then germinates and produces abundant fruit. We become children of God through His Word (Luke 8:11) that is planted in the hearts of men when they hear the Gospel. The sincere heart heeds the words of Jesus, believes them, and obeys them, thus becoming “born again” as Christians, experiencing the new birth, the new life in Christ (Cf. James 1:18; 1 Cor. 4:15). The seed reproduces after its kind (Galatians 6:7). So we must make sure that the seed, the Message, that we teach for others to hear is the true Gospel! Why? Because we can plant the wrong seed in God’s Garden and not be able to grow the kind of plant that God wants. We cannot be born again when we accept a different Gospel.
May we teach those living in darkness how to enter the kingdom of God and be born again. May they understand that to be born again, they must obey the proper seed, the Gospel, to become a child of God and be in His kingdom. May we grow in grace and knowledge as those who have been born again of water and the Spirit.
A ruler once came to Jesus by night
To ask Him the way of salvation and light;
The Master made answer in words true and plain,
‘Ye must be born again.’
Ye children of men, attend to the Word,
So solemnly uttered by Jesus the Lord;
And let not this message to you be in vain,
‘Ye must be born again.’
O ye who would enter that glorious rest,
And sing with the ransomed the song of the blest,
The life everlasting if ye would obtain,
‘Ye must be born again.’
Chorus,
Ye must be born again, Ye must be born again;
I verily, verily, say unto thee, Ye must be born again.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
2 Corinthians 5:17
When the apostle Paul says that we become a new creation in Christ, he does not mean that we are automatically given a new state of being as if by miracle. His point is that we MUST become a new creation. We must live the life that Jesus taught. If we do that, if we truly listen and learn how to live, then we become something new. It is a deliberate transformation from old habits into new ones.
Christians have moral responsibilities before God toward those around them. All disciples of Christ have responsibilities given and commanded by Him. Jesus has taught us how to live our lives to please Him. When we obey the Gospel, we become new creatures of righteousness, striving to do the will of God as we remove all our old ways, bad habits, and sins from our lives. In Ephesians 4:17-24, the apostle Paul declares,
"Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."
The apostle Paul urges Christians to put off the old man and put on the new man. The Lord commands us to remove from our lives all that hinders us from walking in righteousness and holiness, doing the will of the Father.
"Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. 5 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them." (Ephesians 4:25-5:7)
In Ephesians 4:25-5:7, the apostle gives us a list of things that we must remove from our lives:
Lying.
Sinful anger.
Stealing.
Corrupt speech.
Bitterness.
Malice.
Wrath.
Clamor.
Slander
Sexual immorality.
Impurity.
Covetousness
Filthiness.
Foolish talk.
Crude joking.
And many sins such as these that make us stumble.
Those who walk in newness of life must not engage in any of these sins, for it is a shame to even speak of those things they do in secret. Instead, we’re urged to be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving, walking in love, being imitators of Christ.
Paul stresses some things we must cleanse from our lives to please God. For example, he commands women to wear modest apparel that reflects godliness (1 Timothy 2:8-10). Why? Because we are now new creatures, who walk in righteousness in Christ, refusing to walk in darkness or do the will of the prince of darkness.
"I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; 9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works."
In Galatians 5:19-21, he gives us another list of works of the flesh that we must avoid in our walk with Christ:
Adultery.
Fornication.
Uncleanness.
Lewdness.
Idolatry.
Sorcery.
Hatred.
Contentions.
Jealousies.
Outbursts of wrath.
Selfish ambitions.
Dissensions.
Heresies.
Envy.
Murders.
Drunkenness.
Revelries, and the like.
Those who have not learned this new life have not learned Christ. They must be concerned because no one who practices such things will inherit the kingdom of God.It’s amazing how many warnings our Lord has given us! Another one is found in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
Take heed! We must cease to practice these sins.
In Ephesians 5:22-23, we learn that Christians are responsible for behaving in a new way with their families: husbands, wives, and children.
Wives must submit to the husband’s headship as unto the Lord (Ephesians 5:22-24).
Husbands must love their wives just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to sanctify and cleanse her (Ephesians 5:25-29).
Children must honor their father and mother, that it may be well with them, and that they may live long on the earth (Ephesians 6:1-3). They must obey their parents and respect them while being trained at home.
Fathers must not provoke their children to wrath but raise them in the fear of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).
Christians also have responsibilities to Christ and the church.
Prayer is another significant responsibility the Lord gives (Colossians 4:2-4; Thessalonians 5:17-18; Philippians 4:6-7).
We must devote ourselves to serious Bible study to present ourselves as approved of God, rightly dividing the Word of God, that He not put us to shame (2 Timothy 2:15). We must spend more time in Bible reading and studying in-depth, even if we think we know enough.
We must also meet together every first day of the week, for it’s commanded (Hebrews 10:22-26). We hold fast to the confession of our hope when we exhort one another to love and good works on Sundays. We must not neglect the assembling of the saints.
When we come together, we fulfill our duty to partake of the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-29; Acts 20:7).
We must give the Lord a portion of what He has prospered us with, giving with a cheerful heart to the Lord (1 Corinthians 16:1-2; 2 Corinthians 9:5-7).
Christians must teach others the good news, the Gospel, always defending our hope with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15 Colossians 4:5; Acts 8:3-4; and Hebrews 5:11-14).
We’re commanded to grow in the Lord in grace and knowledge and teach what we learn to others so that they may know God and be saved from the guilt and practice of sin.
Finally, we’ve been given the most critical responsibility: to put God first in everything we do (Matthew 6:31-34; Luke 14:15-24, 33). There is no room for excuses in the life of a Christian, for we must put God first to be faithful disciples of Jesus. He must take priority even over our families (Matthew 10:37).
All these duties or responsibilities are commands given by God. We must fulfill them since He showed us so much mercy and grace when He sent His Son to die for us and redeem us.
May we never allow ourselves to become hardened in sin. May we live the life that Jesus taught. May we always strive to do God’s will to please Him.
"Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
Mark 8:34
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY BRETHREN AND FRIENDS FROM THE PARTAINS!
Indeed, 2021 has been another challenging and painful year for many of us. It has been a season of sorrows, tears, and burdens. So many are hurting because of their losses! I’m praying for them. However, we have learned many helpful lessons along the way. Despite the pain and challenges we have had to endure, there are many reasons for which we must still be thankful to God. We must be mindful of His many blessings toward us, even when life seems difficult and we struggle.
Even amid our troubling and dark times, God shows His goodness and kindness toward us. As the New Year 2022 quickly approaches, I am sure we are ready to bid farewell to 2021. I hope that as 2022 arrives, it will bring hope for a better year and a clean slate to write a new chapter in our lives. Every year at this time, we wonder what the Lord will have in store for us in the coming year. Despite the circumstances, we are pleased with what our God has accomplished through us in 2021. We are grateful to God for the glories He has shown us despite our trials and sufferings! Isn't it exciting and wonderful to imagine that God has no limits to what He might do in our lives?! Our hope for our brethren and friends this coming year is that you have a year full of wonder and Grace.
Every new year we have new hope and a second chance. No matter how badly we failed this year, we still have a second chance to do things better in the new year. When our Lord pardons our faults, He gives us the hope that tomorrow will be better and more fruitful. As we come to the end of this year and the beginning of a new one, let us examine ourselves and reflect on how we have used the past year, choosing to do better and make better and wiser use of the time the Lord has granted us. The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to make changes that can make a huge eternal difference in our lives. There is no greater need in one’s life than maintaining a good relationship with our Creator!We must make a change to improve our relationship with God.
My focus for the New Year shall be"None of Self and All of Thee."
I. NONE OF SELF AND ALL OF THEE:
As the new year approaches, let us refocus on those things most essential and recommit ourselves completely to God. Let me suggest a few:
Let us have less of self and more of Him.
Let us put the will of our Lord Jesus Christ first in our lives.
Let us redeem the time and not allow anything or anyone to distract us from serving our Lord and His kingdom of righteousness.
Let us put ourselves to death. When we crucify ourselves with Christ, we no longer live, but Christ lives in us (Gal. 2:20). Let us strive to live for Christ and not ourselves!
Let us deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Christ (Mk. 8:34).
Let us strive to know God better and walk in a manner worthy of His calling.
Let us bear abundant fruit to God’s glory.
Let us examine our hearts, look back at our lives, and devote ourselves entirely to God (1 Pet. 4:1-2).
Let us aim to become poorer in spirit (Matt. 5:3).
Let us bolster our faith!
Let us grow in Grace and strengthen our faith (Mk. 4:26-28). As our faith grows and develops, we start having none of self and all of God. We begin to fathom the width, length, height, and depth of Christ’s love (Eph. 3:18-19). Christ can only conquer our hearts when we give up ourselves and surrender to Him completely (Rom. 5:5).
Let us serve God better and more faithfully. Let us use the gifts the Lord has given us to serve Him abundantly.
Let us be more active in evangelism and start saving souls, for they are precious to God, our Creator.
Let us be more zealous for the Lord and not be afraid and lukewarm.
Let us have more love and kindness.
Let us be more disciplined and have self-control.
Let us not be ashamed of Jesus and the Gospel, pull back, and neglect our gifts to further God’s kingdom.
Let us not be ashamed or afraid to talk to people who do not know the remedy for sin. Do not be ashamed of Him who has saved us, even though the outcome of our faith may cause hardship and troubles! Should we be ashamed of Jesus, or should He be ashamed of us?! (Hebrews 2:11; Mark 8:38) Should we be ashamed of our Rescuer?! Should we be ashamed of our hope?! Should we be ashamed of the life that Jesus has brought to us?!Let us not have a silent faith!
Let us fight for our faith and hope like good soldiers of Christ! A brave and good soldier is not distracted on the battlefield. He is not entangled with other things. He is focused on doing what his Commander says to do. A good soldier acknowledges that distractions will keep him from serving and pleasing the one who enlisted him. He is single-minded, focused, and not distracted by daily affairs (everyday life, our country, sports, entertainment, social media, cultural problems, politics, jobs, hobbies, and devices). Remember, a good soldier pleases the Lord and is not distracted, for he is focused on God’s kingdom of righteousness! Let us be good soldiers of Christ!
Finally, let us be good athletes who compete by the rules to win. Which rules? Those sufferings that require us to take up our cross to follow our Lord (2 Tim. 1:8; 2:3). The rule for the athleteis not to avoid difficulties but to be willing to take up his cross, follow Jesus and suffer for Him (Matthew 16:24). The good athlete competes by the rules. He is willing to suffer shame, pain, rejection, and death. His reward is the crown of life forever!God will exalt him to His right hand! The rules of this race require us to die to ourselves, not save our lives at any cost.
CONCLUSION:
Let us purpose in our hearts this year and for the rest of our lives not to fear and be ashamed of our Lord and His kingdom of righteousness. Let us proclaim Him and His Message to the world of darkness! Let us be faithful and endure that we might reign with Him.But to accomplish that, we must not be ashamed and give up! We must be willing to suffer, lose our lives, be faithful, and stand up for Him! Moreover, let us be strengthened by the Grace in Christ to be more merciful, compassionate, loving, and forgiving. Remember Jesus and the Grace found in Him!
The truth is that this might be the last year for many of us!Will we be one of those who will stand before God this coming year, or will we live to see many more years?Only God knows!
Thus, let us choose to serve our God better. While we still have the breath to live, let us be grateful to our Creator and bear much fruit to His glory. Let us show our gratefulness by our devotion and service to Him as good soldiers who endure until the end and are approved of God, receiving their great reward (2 Tim. 2:14-26). Let us be instruments for honorable use (2 Tim. 2:20-21). To be honorable instruments to God, we must cleanse ourselves from the things of this world, dishonorable things, and start purifying our lives from the filth that stains us. To be an instrument for honorable use to our God, we must run from the passions and lusts of the flesh and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace from a pure heart. There is no other way to be useful to our Master and be ready for every good work!
Let us make an inventory within our hearts to get out of the mud and be clean!Let the world watch in awe as they see our sincere faith and devotion to our Lord!
May we further our service in God’s kingdom this year and each day of our walk with Him. May we evaluate our strengths and weaknesses to fulfill God’s purpose.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” (Col. 3:23)
I want to encourage each of us with the song, “None of Self And All of Thee,” to put the will of Christ first in our lives, giving ourselves up and thus committing ourselves completely to Him.
O, the bitter pain and sorrow That at time could ever be,
When I proudly said to Jesus, ‘All of self, and none of Thee.’
Yet He found me; I beheld Him Bleeding on th’accursed tree,
And my wistful heart said faintly, ‘Some of self, and some of Thee.’
Day by day His tender mercy, Healing, helping, full and free,
Brought me lower while I whispered, ‘Less of self, and more of Thee.’
Higher than the highest heavens, Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last has conquered: ‘None of self, and all of Thee.’
