Let’s being with answering one of the following questions…

What’s a great testimony you can share from last week?

What lesson did you learn last week? 

HOW ARE WE BORN-AGAIN?

1. ADMISSION OF SIN.

1 John 1:8-10 (AMP) 8 If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude ourselves and the truth is not in us. [His word does not live in our hearts.] 9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose]. 10 If we say that we have not sinned [refusing to admit acts of sin], we make Him [out to be] a liar [by contradicting Him] and His word is not in us.

Question: What do you think is the difference between “freely” admitting sin and “unwillingly” admitting sin?

Question: Why are you thankful for God’s forgiveness? Who would you be without His love and forgiveness?

2. REPENTANCE OF SIN. (UNLESS THEIR IS A REPENTANCE OF SIN BROUGHT ABOUT THROUGH THE PREACHING OF THE WORD AND CONVICTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THERE WILL NOT BE ANY REGENERATION.)

Acts 2:37-39 (AMP) 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart [with remorse and anxiety], and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what are we to do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is for you and your children and for all who are far away [including the Gentiles], as many as the Lord our God calls to Himself.”

• It’s unfortunate when someone confesses their sin, but never repents. This is why there is no transformation.

• There is no transformation, not because God is not powerful, but because someone chooses not to repent.

3. BELIEVE AND ACCEPT JESUS AS SAVIOR AND LORD. (BELIEVING ISN’T ENOUGH, WE MUST ALSO ACCEPT HIS LORDSHIP OVER OUR LIVES.)

John 1:11-12 (NLT) 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

• Note: the belief and acceptance always comes after the hearing of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

A. GOOD NEWS: JESUS WAS PUNISHED FOR OUR SIN SO WE WOULDN’T HAVE TO BE.*

Romans 3:24-26 (TLB) yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins. 25 For God sent Christ Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to end all God’s anger against us. He used Christ’s blood and our faith as the means of saving us from his wrath. In this way he was being entirely fair, even though he did not punish those who sinned in former times. For he was looking forward to the time when Christ would come and take away those sins

B. GOOD NEWS: ALL THAT BELIEVE AND ACCEPT JESUS WILL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. (We can believe and receive the Love of God and His gift of eternal life or WE can reject it.)

John 3:15 (NLT) so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life [after physical death, and will actually live forever]. 16 “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 Whoever believes and has decided to trust in Him [as personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no judgment, no rejection, no condemnation]; but the one who does not believe [and has decided to reject Him as personal Savior and Lord] is judged already [that one has been convicted and sentenced], because he has not believed and trusted in the name of the [One and] only begotten Son of God [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, the One who alone can save him]. 19 This is the judgment [that is, the cause for indictment, the test by which people are judged, the basis for the sentence]: the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For every wrongdoer hates the Light, and does not come to the Light [but shrinks from it] for fear that his [sinful, worthless] activities will be exposed and condemned. 21 But whoever practices truth [and does what is right—morally, ethically, spiritually] comes to the Light, so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are— accomplished in God [divinely prompted, done with God’s help, in dependence on Him].”

• Note: Sad to say some people choose the temporary over the eternal.

  Question: What temporary thing can you give up to benefit the long run?

C. GOOD NEWS EVERYONE WHO HAS PLACED THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST IS BRAND NEW PERSON. (They Have received the greatest miracle of all and that’s being “BORN-AGAIN”.)

2 Corinthians 5:17 (TLB) When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!

2 Corinthians 5:17-18 (NLT) 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.

D. WE ACCEPT HIM THROUGH OUR CONFESSION. (We can also reject Him through our confession.)

Romans 10:9-10 (AMP) 9 because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation.

• It’s important to recognize God as Savior AND Lord.

• Let’s remember our ABC’s

A – Admit that you’re a sinner

B – Believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins

C – Confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior

• You need all 3!