1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:02,860 I feel joy to be here this morning, 2 00:00:05,590 --> 00:00:08,350 wonderful to see many friends who have known 3 00:00:08,350 --> 00:00:11,290 different areas down through the years. 4 00:00:12,330 --> 00:00:13,910 To think what heaven's going to be like. 5 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:20,260 It's like someone said about my head, there'll 6 00:00:20,260 --> 00:00:21,520 be no parting there. 7 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:27,470 I want you to turn, please, with me 8 00:00:27,470 --> 00:00:31,030 this morning to the Gospel of John, Chapter 9 00:00:31,030 --> 00:00:31,630 3. 10 00:00:32,230 --> 00:00:35,250 Gospel of John, Chapter 3. 11 00:00:37,860 --> 00:00:41,260 In the evening sessions at least, we're going 12 00:00:41,260 --> 00:00:44,860 to bring a series on God the Holy 13 00:00:44,860 --> 00:00:45,320 Spirit. 14 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:49,340 And this morning we're going to talk about 15 00:00:49,340 --> 00:00:52,940 the new birth, born of the Spirit, as 16 00:00:52,940 --> 00:00:53,640 we sang. 17 00:00:56,250 --> 00:00:58,270 That's to remember the Spirit of God is 18 00:00:58,270 --> 00:01:01,570 not just only an influence, He's a person. 19 00:01:03,970 --> 00:01:07,270 They, God, with all their attributes of the 20 00:01:07,270 --> 00:01:08,250 Father and the Son. 21 00:01:09,710 --> 00:01:11,210 We need to keep that in mind. 22 00:01:11,290 --> 00:01:13,370 So let's read this well-known passage in 23 00:01:13,370 --> 00:01:16,830 John, Chapter 3, the first 16 verses. 24 00:01:18,250 --> 00:01:22,410 Thus a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, 25 00:01:23,490 --> 00:01:26,530 a ruler of the Jews, the same came 26 00:01:26,530 --> 00:01:28,630 to Jesus by night and said unto him, 27 00:01:28,710 --> 00:01:31,830 Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher 28 00:01:31,830 --> 00:01:34,550 come from God, for no man can do 29 00:01:34,550 --> 00:01:38,670 these miracles that thou doest except God be 30 00:01:38,670 --> 00:01:39,330 with him. 31 00:01:40,390 --> 00:01:43,090 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, 32 00:01:43,170 --> 00:01:46,490 I say unto thee, except a man be 33 00:01:46,490 --> 00:01:50,290 born again, he cannot see the kingdom of 34 00:01:50,290 --> 00:01:50,770 God. 35 00:01:51,710 --> 00:01:54,110 Nicodemus said unto him, How can a man 36 00:01:54,110 --> 00:01:55,570 be born when he's old? 37 00:01:56,150 --> 00:01:58,270 Can he enter the second time into his 38 00:01:58,270 --> 00:01:59,830 mother's womb and be born? 39 00:02:00,690 --> 00:02:03,890 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, 40 00:02:04,010 --> 00:02:06,730 except a man be born of water and 41 00:02:06,730 --> 00:02:11,410 of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the 42 00:02:11,410 --> 00:02:12,910 kingdom of God. 43 00:02:13,610 --> 00:02:16,250 That which is born of the flesh is 44 00:02:16,250 --> 00:02:19,690 flesh, and that which is born of the 45 00:02:19,690 --> 00:02:20,970 Spirit is spirit. 46 00:02:21,710 --> 00:02:23,970 Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye 47 00:02:23,970 --> 00:02:26,430 must be born again. 48 00:02:27,290 --> 00:02:30,850 The wind bloweth where it lifteth, and thou 49 00:02:30,850 --> 00:02:34,390 hearest the sound thereof, for canst not tell 50 00:02:34,390 --> 00:02:37,570 whence it cometh, and whither it goeth, shows 51 00:02:37,570 --> 00:02:40,530 every one that is born of the Spirit. 52 00:02:41,490 --> 00:02:45,150 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can 53 00:02:45,150 --> 00:02:46,190 these things be? 54 00:02:47,230 --> 00:02:50,010 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou 55 00:02:50,010 --> 00:02:54,130 a master of Israel, and knowest not these 56 00:02:54,130 --> 00:02:54,650 things? 57 00:02:55,410 --> 00:02:57,950 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, we speak 58 00:02:57,950 --> 00:03:01,250 that we do know, and testify that we 59 00:03:01,250 --> 00:03:05,530 have seen, and ye receive not our witness. 60 00:03:05,530 --> 00:03:08,750 If I have told you of earthly things, 61 00:03:08,910 --> 00:03:12,530 and ye believe not, how shall ye believe 62 00:03:13,050 --> 00:03:15,510 if I tell you of heavenly things? 63 00:03:16,250 --> 00:03:18,510 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, 64 00:03:18,610 --> 00:03:21,590 but he that came down from heaven, even 65 00:03:21,590 --> 00:03:23,370 so the Son of Man which is in 66 00:03:23,370 --> 00:03:23,670 heaven. 67 00:03:24,390 --> 00:03:28,170 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in 68 00:03:28,170 --> 00:03:31,910 the wilderness, even so must the Son of 69 00:03:31,910 --> 00:03:36,070 Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in 70 00:03:36,070 --> 00:03:41,050 him should not perish, but have eternal life. 71 00:03:41,490 --> 00:03:45,550 For God so loved the world that he 72 00:03:45,550 --> 00:03:50,550 gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth 73 00:03:50,550 --> 00:03:55,330 in him should not perish, but have everlasting 74 00:03:55,330 --> 00:03:55,950 life. 75 00:03:56,050 --> 00:03:58,830 May the Lord add his blessing to the 76 00:03:58,830 --> 00:04:01,110 reading of his holy word. 77 00:04:03,380 --> 00:04:07,060 This morning we are talking particularly to the, 78 00:04:08,740 --> 00:04:13,320 and I'm sure it's also a doctrinal message, 79 00:04:13,460 --> 00:04:15,940 but particularly we're thinking about the gospel and 80 00:04:15,940 --> 00:04:17,260 being born again. 81 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:21,520 The gospel is a great subject. 82 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:23,780 It works wherever it goes. 83 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:25,980 I remember when I was in England, I 84 00:04:25,980 --> 00:04:29,680 heard the story that, you know, in Britain 85 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:32,780 you have four nationalities. 86 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:35,200 There's the British or the English. 87 00:04:35,940 --> 00:04:40,240 You have the Irish, the Welsh, and the 88 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:40,860 Scotch. 89 00:04:42,060 --> 00:04:46,460 And sometimes among these four different groups of 90 00:04:46,460 --> 00:04:49,040 people, there's a bit of friction. 91 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,180 But when it comes to the gospel, they're 92 00:04:54,180 --> 00:04:55,160 all together on that. 93 00:04:57,760 --> 00:04:59,820 The Welshman, he loves the gospel because he 94 00:04:59,820 --> 00:05:00,440 can sing it. 95 00:05:02,470 --> 00:05:04,190 And the Irishman, he loves the gospel. 96 00:05:04,270 --> 00:05:05,750 It's something he can fight for. 97 00:05:07,700 --> 00:05:10,700 And the Englishman, he loves the gospel because 98 00:05:10,700 --> 00:05:11,840 it's something he can shout. 99 00:05:13,380 --> 00:05:15,220 And of course the Scotch, he loves it 100 00:05:15,220 --> 00:05:16,040 because it's free. 101 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:21,240 And that's a glorious gospel, isn't it? 102 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:22,600 It is free. 103 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,760 Now, we're going to start on the Holy 104 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:27,940 Spirit this week. 105 00:05:28,840 --> 00:05:30,780 Now, there's a few things that's true of 106 00:05:30,780 --> 00:05:33,720 every believer in the Lord Jesus. 107 00:05:33,840 --> 00:05:36,420 I say every believer, if you're truly saved, 108 00:05:37,140 --> 00:05:39,120 then you have been born of the Holy 109 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:39,660 Spirit. 110 00:05:40,660 --> 00:05:44,100 You have been indwelt, and you are indwelt, 111 00:05:44,420 --> 00:05:46,040 by the Holy Spirit. 112 00:05:46,980 --> 00:05:50,080 You have been baptized by the Holy Spirit 113 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:51,640 into the body of Christ. 114 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:54,700 You have been anointed by the Holy Spirit 115 00:05:54,700 --> 00:05:55,340 of God. 116 00:05:56,220 --> 00:05:59,680 You have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. 117 00:06:00,280 --> 00:06:03,620 You have the earnest of the Spirit, and 118 00:06:03,620 --> 00:06:04,820 also the witness. 119 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:07,960 These things are all true of every believer. 120 00:06:08,840 --> 00:06:11,400 However, there's a command that's not true of 121 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:13,740 every believer, that they're not drunk with wine 122 00:06:13,740 --> 00:06:17,560 when there's excess, but be filled or controlled 123 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:19,400 by the Holy Spirit. 124 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:22,020 I would like to deal with these subjects 125 00:06:22,020 --> 00:06:23,980 in the coming night, and maybe some in 126 00:06:23,980 --> 00:06:24,440 the morning. 127 00:06:24,540 --> 00:06:26,440 I won't have time to deal with all 128 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:27,340 of them in the evening. 129 00:06:28,540 --> 00:06:30,860 But I believe it's very, very important in 130 00:06:30,860 --> 00:06:33,060 the day that we're living in, when there's 131 00:06:33,060 --> 00:06:36,040 so much wrong teaching on the Holy Spirit, 132 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:38,820 that we are not trying to combat that 133 00:06:38,820 --> 00:06:40,920 as such as to expose error. 134 00:06:41,260 --> 00:06:43,200 We rather want to teach the truth. 135 00:06:44,380 --> 00:06:46,300 Like Spurgeon said one time, he was asked 136 00:06:46,300 --> 00:06:47,460 to defend the Bible. 137 00:06:47,980 --> 00:06:51,340 After thinking it over, he declined, and he 138 00:06:51,340 --> 00:06:53,560 said, you don't have to defend the Word 139 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:53,960 of God. 140 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:56,760 Just let it loose like a line, and 141 00:06:56,760 --> 00:06:58,200 it'll defend itself. 142 00:06:59,140 --> 00:07:01,280 So I believe if we teach the positive 143 00:07:01,280 --> 00:07:04,560 teaching on God the Holy Spirit, and we 144 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:07,080 establish in the truth, that will keep our 145 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,640 error better than anything else. 146 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:12,680 If you know the truth, the Lord Jesus 147 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:16,820 said, the truth shall set you free. 148 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:20,940 The morning we're talking about the New Birth, 149 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:25,040 a common subject ever since President Carter's days 150 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:27,300 when he came out and declared he was 151 00:07:27,300 --> 00:07:28,480 a born again believer. 152 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,820 Everybody then, of course, became quite a popular 153 00:07:31,820 --> 00:07:32,480 subject. 154 00:07:33,140 --> 00:07:36,460 Sometimes people misunderstand the subject altogether. 155 00:07:37,220 --> 00:07:40,040 They think if you get a heart transplant, 156 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:42,400 and you begin to have a new lease 157 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:43,920 on life, that's being born again. 158 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:45,420 That's not being born again. 159 00:07:46,180 --> 00:07:47,360 That's not what we're talking about. 160 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:49,880 That's only extending that natural life. 161 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:51,580 That which is born of the flesh, said 162 00:07:51,580 --> 00:07:53,280 the Lord Jesus, is flesh. 163 00:07:53,380 --> 00:07:54,900 How can a man be born when he's 164 00:07:54,900 --> 00:07:56,320 old, said Nicodemus? 165 00:07:56,860 --> 00:07:58,300 So even if you get a new heart 166 00:07:58,300 --> 00:08:01,040 transplant or whatever else, it sort of gives 167 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:02,080 you a new lease on life. 168 00:08:02,100 --> 00:08:04,800 That's not what the Bible is talking about. 169 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:08,960 It's talking about a life from above. 170 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:12,420 Born of the Spirit, as we sang. 171 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:15,660 We're born the first time to fit us 172 00:08:15,660 --> 00:08:16,900 for an earthly life. 173 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:19,920 We're born again the second time to fit 174 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:22,700 us for a heavenly life in the presence 175 00:08:22,700 --> 00:08:23,360 of God. 176 00:08:23,620 --> 00:08:27,580 We're born with a natural, sinful nature, but 177 00:08:27,580 --> 00:08:29,960 when we're born of the Spirit, we're born 178 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:32,620 and we're given the divine, we become partakers 179 00:08:32,620 --> 00:08:35,760 of the divine nature which fits us for 180 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:36,940 the heavenly home. 181 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:39,100 And isn't it wonderful to be born again? 182 00:08:42,110 --> 00:08:44,930 Our sister sang that beautiful hymn. 183 00:08:46,090 --> 00:08:48,450 And isn't it an amazing thing that even 184 00:08:48,450 --> 00:08:50,550 when it comes to eating, there's many things 185 00:08:50,550 --> 00:08:52,530 that you either too often get tired of 186 00:08:52,530 --> 00:08:54,810 it, or think you're too often you get 187 00:08:54,810 --> 00:08:55,730 tired of doing that. 188 00:08:55,810 --> 00:08:57,950 You never get tired of the Lord Jesus. 189 00:08:58,790 --> 00:09:00,650 You never get tired of hearing of Him. 190 00:09:00,730 --> 00:09:03,210 You're never tired of learning new things about 191 00:09:03,210 --> 00:09:03,390 Him. 192 00:09:03,610 --> 00:09:04,550 We're never tired. 193 00:09:05,210 --> 00:09:08,510 He becomes more and more precious to us 194 00:09:08,510 --> 00:09:10,030 with the years. 195 00:09:10,530 --> 00:09:11,590 He certainly does. 196 00:09:12,670 --> 00:09:16,890 Now Nicodemus, the ruler that came to Jesus 197 00:09:16,890 --> 00:09:19,050 by night. 198 00:09:19,210 --> 00:09:22,350 Notice there was a certain man of the 199 00:09:22,350 --> 00:09:25,090 Pharisees named Nicodemus. 200 00:09:25,770 --> 00:09:28,110 Now first, I want to talk about, just 201 00:09:28,110 --> 00:09:29,310 ask a few questions. 202 00:09:29,530 --> 00:09:31,970 Sometimes we speak about a topical subject like 203 00:09:31,970 --> 00:09:33,930 this, you ask questions. 204 00:09:34,070 --> 00:09:36,310 What is it to be born again? 205 00:09:36,470 --> 00:09:39,290 What is it to be regenerated, born of 206 00:09:39,290 --> 00:09:40,970 the Spirit, born from above? 207 00:09:41,310 --> 00:09:42,350 Just what is it? 208 00:09:44,660 --> 00:09:46,860 And that's what the Lord Jesus is talking 209 00:09:46,860 --> 00:09:47,740 about here. 210 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:51,460 And He gives us a very, very clear 211 00:09:51,460 --> 00:09:53,680 answer down through this portion. 212 00:09:54,660 --> 00:09:56,860 Just one very brief answer in our Jesus's 213 00:09:56,860 --> 00:09:58,740 answer, verse 5, very, very clear answer, that 214 00:09:58,740 --> 00:10:00,760 except a man be born of water and 215 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:03,100 the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of 216 00:10:03,100 --> 00:10:03,300 God. 217 00:10:03,380 --> 00:10:05,460 There's something definite that has to take place. 218 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:07,920 We are not born of the Spirit by 219 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:08,440 nature. 220 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:12,780 We're only born, this is a work of 221 00:10:12,780 --> 00:10:13,280 God. 222 00:10:14,420 --> 00:10:17,180 This is a divine work. 223 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:20,040 When He regenerates, it makes us a new 224 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:21,340 man in Christ Jesus. 225 00:10:22,540 --> 00:10:24,240 That's what it means to be born again. 226 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:26,320 It means that you have life from above, 227 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:29,020 that your sins have been dealt with, that 228 00:10:29,020 --> 00:10:32,300 you have now been given God's divine nature. 229 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:34,660 You belong to the family of God. 230 00:10:35,560 --> 00:10:37,480 And you don't belong to that the way 231 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:38,100 we're born. 232 00:10:38,700 --> 00:10:40,740 We come into the world, we're sinners, and 233 00:10:40,740 --> 00:10:44,420 we're lost sinners, condemned sinners, unworthy of the 234 00:10:44,420 --> 00:10:45,780 least of God's mercies. 235 00:10:46,460 --> 00:10:49,400 And that's the reason, my friends, why we 236 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:50,720 need to be born again. 237 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:55,260 So regeneration, being born again, is a great 238 00:10:55,260 --> 00:10:56,940 work of God. 239 00:10:57,560 --> 00:10:59,400 If we hear the Word of God, it 240 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:02,560 will come and explain to you how we 241 00:11:02,560 --> 00:11:04,740 respond to that, that the Spirit of God 242 00:11:04,740 --> 00:11:05,240 works. 243 00:11:06,020 --> 00:11:08,880 And then we're born again of the Spirit. 244 00:11:09,060 --> 00:11:11,180 But being a born-again believer means it's 245 00:11:11,180 --> 00:11:13,180 a person that knows right here now that 246 00:11:13,180 --> 00:11:15,760 you have eternal life, that God the Spirit 247 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:19,460 dwells in you, and that you have all 248 00:11:19,460 --> 00:11:21,340 your sins flooded out as far as the 249 00:11:21,340 --> 00:11:22,260 east as from the west. 250 00:11:22,900 --> 00:11:25,500 You have that blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. 251 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:28,040 That's what we mean by being born again. 252 00:11:28,140 --> 00:11:29,640 It's not just being a member of a 253 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:32,660 certain church, or being religious or something else. 254 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,100 No, my friend, it's a complete change from 255 00:11:35,100 --> 00:11:36,940 within that works out. 256 00:11:37,680 --> 00:11:40,100 And it's evident that if any man be 257 00:11:40,100 --> 00:11:42,240 in Christ, he's a new creation. 258 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:45,480 All things pass away, all things become new. 259 00:11:48,620 --> 00:11:51,560 Now, this wonderful portion of the Word of 260 00:11:51,560 --> 00:11:54,060 God, Nicodemus, you know, came tonight. 261 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:56,420 We might ask, who needs to be born 262 00:11:56,420 --> 00:11:56,840 again? 263 00:11:57,900 --> 00:11:59,940 Who needs to be born again? 264 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:03,560 Well, Nicodemus was head and shoulders above others 265 00:12:03,560 --> 00:12:08,160 as far as religion went, beautiful character, upright, 266 00:12:08,500 --> 00:12:09,660 wonderful man. 267 00:12:10,740 --> 00:12:13,700 The Lord Jesus, when Nicodemus came and passed 268 00:12:13,700 --> 00:12:16,260 some compliments to him, you remember, we know 269 00:12:16,260 --> 00:12:17,660 you're a teacher come from God. 270 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:20,240 No man can do these miracles unless God 271 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:20,900 be with him. 272 00:12:21,420 --> 00:12:23,700 And the Lord Jesus touched right on that 273 00:12:23,700 --> 00:12:27,240 thought, but Nicodemus, you must be born again. 274 00:12:28,780 --> 00:12:30,740 Nicodemus means the ruler of the people. 275 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:33,440 He was a member of the Sanhedrin. 276 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:37,500 He was a very outstanding personality. 277 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:40,840 And I suggest to you, if Nicodemus had 278 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:43,140 to be born again, then we all have 279 00:12:43,140 --> 00:12:45,080 to be born again, without exception. 280 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:48,900 Everyone has to be born again. 281 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:50,420 We're going to tell you the reason why. 282 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:55,680 A wonderful illustration of that is given down 283 00:12:55,680 --> 00:13:00,540 in verse 14, as Moses lifted up the 284 00:13:00,540 --> 00:13:03,640 serpent in the wilderness, even so must the 285 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:05,660 Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever 286 00:13:05,660 --> 00:13:08,200 believeth in him should not perish, but have 287 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:08,980 eternal life. 288 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:12,840 The Lord was a wonderful illustrator of truth 289 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:13,480 with me. 290 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:16,860 He said, Nicodemus, you know the Old Testament. 291 00:13:17,680 --> 00:13:19,680 You know back then the children of Israel, 292 00:13:19,820 --> 00:13:21,560 they sinned. 293 00:13:21,580 --> 00:13:24,960 And as they murmured and they sinned against 294 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:28,060 God, and God sent fiery serpents among them. 295 00:13:28,420 --> 00:13:29,700 And they were bitten. 296 00:13:29,700 --> 00:13:32,060 And everyone that was bitten by those serpents, 297 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:32,900 they died. 298 00:13:34,740 --> 00:13:37,460 And you remember, Moses suddenly faced before God, 299 00:13:37,540 --> 00:13:39,480 and God said, make a serpent of brass, 300 00:13:39,820 --> 00:13:40,980 put it up on the pole. 301 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:45,040 And then when anyone is bitten, let him 302 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:46,500 look, and he lives. 303 00:13:47,940 --> 00:13:49,760 That doesn't make much sense, does it? 304 00:13:50,260 --> 00:13:50,980 But it worked. 305 00:13:52,970 --> 00:13:54,910 The preaching of the gospels to them that 306 00:13:54,910 --> 00:13:56,110 perished foolishness. 307 00:13:56,910 --> 00:13:58,910 But you try it out, like David said, 308 00:13:58,950 --> 00:14:01,310 taste and see that all is good. 309 00:14:01,410 --> 00:14:03,470 Blessed is the man that trusted in him. 310 00:14:04,030 --> 00:14:06,370 And everyone that was bitten, when they looked, 311 00:14:06,470 --> 00:14:07,090 they lived. 312 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:10,820 And the picture is this. 313 00:14:11,620 --> 00:14:14,240 If you look away from yourself, every one 314 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:16,540 of us, we have been smitten by sin. 315 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:19,640 All have sinned and come short of the 316 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:20,220 glory of God. 317 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:21,500 There is not a man upon the earth 318 00:14:21,500 --> 00:14:22,540 that sinned not. 319 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:24,420 We have all true Adam. 320 00:14:24,540 --> 00:14:26,540 By one man sin entered into the world 321 00:14:26,540 --> 00:14:27,660 and death by thence. 322 00:14:27,700 --> 00:14:29,640 And so death hath passed upon all men. 323 00:14:29,900 --> 00:14:31,680 All have sinned. 324 00:14:31,700 --> 00:14:33,580 And just as they were bitten by the 325 00:14:33,580 --> 00:14:36,060 snakes and they died, so if you die 326 00:14:36,060 --> 00:14:38,260 of sin, Jesus says, where go you cannot 327 00:14:38,260 --> 00:14:38,740 come. 328 00:14:39,260 --> 00:14:41,780 But if you look away to Christ, as 329 00:14:41,780 --> 00:14:44,160 Moses lifted up the serpent, so the Lord 330 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:46,600 Jesus was lifted up on the cross to 331 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:48,460 bear your sin in his own body in 332 00:14:48,460 --> 00:14:48,900 the tree. 333 00:14:49,260 --> 00:14:51,160 If you look away, you'll live. 334 00:14:51,900 --> 00:14:53,460 That's what he says right here. 335 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:58,380 That's a real illustration. 336 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:01,300 All have to be, need to be born 337 00:15:01,300 --> 00:15:01,780 again. 338 00:15:02,380 --> 00:15:05,340 We've all been bitten by the serpent of 339 00:15:05,340 --> 00:15:06,100 sin, Satan. 340 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:09,640 Every one of us are sinned through Adam's 341 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:10,000 fall. 342 00:15:10,860 --> 00:15:12,440 Sin has passed upon all men. 343 00:15:13,220 --> 00:15:16,080 Death, the graveyard, is the evidence of all 344 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:16,520 sin. 345 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:20,940 Everywhere you go, you'll find the graveyard, tomb, 346 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:21,540 death. 347 00:15:22,420 --> 00:15:24,300 For the Lord Jesus said, I've come that 348 00:15:24,300 --> 00:15:26,880 you might have life and that you might 349 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:29,800 have it more abundantly. 350 00:15:30,700 --> 00:15:34,380 Now why do we need to be saved? 351 00:15:34,860 --> 00:15:36,820 Why do we need to be born again? 352 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:39,320 Well, the Lord Jesus, he said, you must 353 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:40,220 be born again. 354 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:41,520 There is no alternative. 355 00:15:42,180 --> 00:15:43,280 That's the first reason. 356 00:15:43,660 --> 00:15:46,240 The word of the Lord says, marvel not 357 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:48,260 that I said unto thee, but to you 358 00:15:48,260 --> 00:15:52,120 individually, each one of us, you must be 359 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:52,800 born again. 360 00:15:53,260 --> 00:15:55,160 Not the one next to you, but you 361 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:56,160 must be born again. 362 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:58,900 That's the word and the command of the 363 00:15:58,900 --> 00:15:59,500 Lord Jesus. 364 00:15:59,820 --> 00:16:00,580 It's a must. 365 00:16:01,860 --> 00:16:05,540 Except a man be born again, he cannot 366 00:16:05,540 --> 00:16:07,840 see the kingdom of God. 367 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:10,180 That's the final word of the Lord Jesus, 368 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:11,360 the word of authority. 369 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:15,200 And the reason that you have to be 370 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:17,620 born again is that we said you are 371 00:16:17,620 --> 00:16:19,140 born a sinner. 372 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:20,180 So was I. 373 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:23,140 We've all sinned and come short of the 374 00:16:23,140 --> 00:16:23,840 glory of God. 375 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:26,980 We are sinners and we need to be 376 00:16:26,980 --> 00:16:27,820 set free. 377 00:16:28,780 --> 00:16:31,420 We need to be redeemed as we sang. 378 00:16:31,420 --> 00:16:34,160 We are under, we are sold unto sin. 379 00:16:35,100 --> 00:16:38,080 And the great kinsman, Redeemer, the Lord Jesus, 380 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:40,920 paid the price of his own precious blood 381 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:43,180 to set us free out of the slave 382 00:16:43,180 --> 00:16:46,280 market and set us free from the power 383 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:48,880 of sin in our lives to deliver us, 384 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:51,340 to set us free so we could go 385 00:16:51,340 --> 00:16:52,080 on to glory. 386 00:16:53,020 --> 00:16:56,460 Yes, the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior 387 00:16:56,460 --> 00:16:57,100 of sinners. 388 00:16:57,320 --> 00:16:59,380 He died to set us free. 389 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,160 Now, I want to go on with this. 390 00:17:05,470 --> 00:17:06,550 Who need to be saved? 391 00:17:06,730 --> 00:17:07,089 Everyone. 392 00:17:07,609 --> 00:17:07,990 Why? 393 00:17:08,609 --> 00:17:12,550 Because we've all sinned and come short of 394 00:17:12,550 --> 00:17:13,710 the glory of God. 395 00:17:13,810 --> 00:17:15,589 There's not a righteous man upon the earth 396 00:17:15,589 --> 00:17:16,589 that sinneth not. 397 00:17:17,569 --> 00:17:20,069 Now, how are we born again? 398 00:17:20,210 --> 00:17:23,410 That's the question How can a man be 399 00:17:23,410 --> 00:17:24,770 born when he's old? 400 00:17:25,130 --> 00:17:26,930 Can he enter the second time into his 401 00:17:26,930 --> 00:17:28,170 mother's womb and be born? 402 00:17:29,650 --> 00:17:32,170 And here's where the wonderful truth comes of 403 00:17:32,170 --> 00:17:33,030 the Holy Spirit. 404 00:17:34,090 --> 00:17:36,150 Now, I believe, friends, that the Word of 405 00:17:36,150 --> 00:17:38,930 God teaches us God, the Holy Spirit, has 406 00:17:38,930 --> 00:17:39,850 to do the work. 407 00:17:41,510 --> 00:17:43,850 Unless the Spirit of God does the work, 408 00:17:43,930 --> 00:17:45,210 you'll never be saved. 409 00:17:46,110 --> 00:17:50,590 We cannot understand a natural man receiving not 410 00:17:50,590 --> 00:17:51,930 the things of the Spirit. 411 00:17:52,950 --> 00:17:55,410 And I believe before we ever save the 412 00:17:55,410 --> 00:17:59,950 Holy Spirit, he sets us apart for salvation. 413 00:18:00,950 --> 00:18:02,830 I want you to turn to a scripture 414 00:18:02,830 --> 00:18:09,530 in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 13. 415 00:18:09,690 --> 00:18:15,600 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. 416 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:18,780 It's a remarkable verse there, and it compares 417 00:18:18,780 --> 00:18:22,120 very, very similar with the scripture in Peter. 418 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:26,400 But we are bound to give thanks always 419 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:28,920 to God for you, brethren, beloved of the 420 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:32,760 Lord, because God from the beginning chosen you, 421 00:18:32,860 --> 00:18:35,720 has from the beginning chosen you to salvation. 422 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:41,360 Notice, true sanctification of the Spirit and belief 423 00:18:41,360 --> 00:18:44,400 of the truth, whereunto he called you by 424 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:48,080 our gospel to the obtaining of the glory 425 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:50,520 of our Lord Jesus Christ. 426 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:55,640 God by his Spirit prepares us and sets 427 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:57,540 us apart for salvation. 428 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:02,160 And this is very, very important. 429 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:04,500 The Spirit of God does his work. 430 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:06,760 And that's what the Lord Jesus meant when 431 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:09,320 he said, except a man be born of 432 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:13,140 water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into 433 00:19:13,140 --> 00:19:14,160 the kingdom of God. 434 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:16,920 These two are the agents that God uses, 435 00:19:17,220 --> 00:19:18,860 the Word and the Spirit. 436 00:19:20,540 --> 00:19:21,780 The Word of God. 437 00:19:22,780 --> 00:19:25,660 It's the Word of God that quickens it, 438 00:19:26,100 --> 00:19:28,520 and the Word of God sets us free. 439 00:19:29,100 --> 00:19:32,260 Peter, 1 Peter 1, verse 2, says this, 440 00:19:32,360 --> 00:19:36,880 elect according to the full knowledge of God 441 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:39,300 the Father, true... 442 00:19:39,300 --> 00:19:41,380 That's the same thing again, sanctification. 443 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:43,780 That means to set apart, the setting apart 444 00:19:43,780 --> 00:19:48,240 of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of 445 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:49,720 the blood of Jesus Christ. 446 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:53,100 Grace unto you, and peace be multiplied. 447 00:19:53,980 --> 00:19:56,680 So the Lord Jesus said to Nicodemus, except 448 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:58,440 a man be born of water and the 449 00:19:58,440 --> 00:19:59,880 Spirit, I believe that's what he means. 450 00:20:00,420 --> 00:20:04,180 It's the Word of God and the Spirit 451 00:20:04,180 --> 00:20:04,820 of God. 452 00:20:05,860 --> 00:20:08,180 The Spirit of God enlightens our mind to 453 00:20:08,180 --> 00:20:09,780 take in the Word of God. 454 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:15,220 James, chapter 1, verse 18 says, of his 455 00:20:15,220 --> 00:20:19,380 own will he begat us with the word 456 00:20:19,380 --> 00:20:21,900 of truth, that we should be the kind 457 00:20:21,900 --> 00:20:23,900 of firstfruits of his creatures. 458 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:27,060 Of his own will he begat us. 459 00:20:27,060 --> 00:20:28,600 It was according to God's will. 460 00:20:28,740 --> 00:20:29,960 He begat us again, how? 461 00:20:30,120 --> 00:20:31,340 With the word of truth. 462 00:20:32,120 --> 00:20:35,080 1 Peter 1, 3 says, being born again, 463 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:42,380 not of incorruptible seed, but incorruptible by the 464 00:20:42,380 --> 00:20:44,720 Word of God which liveth and abideth forever. 465 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:47,040 And then in verse 25 he said, and 466 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:49,480 this is the word which is by the 467 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:51,240 gospel is preached unto you. 468 00:20:52,820 --> 00:20:55,160 He washed us with the washing of water 469 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:56,720 by the Word, says he says. 470 00:20:57,020 --> 00:20:59,680 I believe the water there, some people say 471 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:00,700 it's the natural birth. 472 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:02,080 I don't believe that, friends. 473 00:21:02,100 --> 00:21:03,900 I believe it's the Word of God. 474 00:21:04,540 --> 00:21:06,600 And God takes the Word of God. 475 00:21:06,740 --> 00:21:08,200 It's quick and it's powerful. 476 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:11,380 You search the Scriptures, says the Lord Jesus. 477 00:21:11,460 --> 00:21:13,280 There they would testify of me. 478 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:16,420 And as he ministers the Word, as Moses 479 00:21:16,420 --> 00:21:19,600 lifted up the serpent, so must the Son 480 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:22,200 of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth 481 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:26,600 in him should not perish, but have eternal 482 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:27,040 life. 483 00:21:27,620 --> 00:21:29,720 How can a man be born again? 484 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:34,760 It's through the Word of God, preaching of 485 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:35,860 the simple gospel. 486 00:21:36,340 --> 00:21:38,740 We're saved by the preaching of the gospel. 487 00:21:40,100 --> 00:21:40,860 Aren't you glad? 488 00:21:41,900 --> 00:21:44,740 That Word of God is quick and it's 489 00:21:44,740 --> 00:21:45,240 powerful. 490 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:48,300 I remember hearing that precious word for the 491 00:21:48,300 --> 00:21:50,340 first time as I could understand when I 492 00:21:50,340 --> 00:21:51,580 was 21 years old. 493 00:21:51,620 --> 00:21:54,020 I'd never heard the gospel before that. 494 00:21:54,620 --> 00:21:58,460 But that gospel was applied, was opened up 495 00:21:58,460 --> 00:22:00,600 to me by the Spirit of God. 496 00:22:01,340 --> 00:22:03,420 And that's how I believed. 497 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:06,240 And the Spirit of God made it clear 498 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:06,760 to me. 499 00:22:07,620 --> 00:22:10,840 In Titus chapter 3, it's the very same 500 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:11,260 thing. 501 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:16,240 Verse 5, not a works of righteousness which 502 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:19,120 we have done, but according to his mercy 503 00:22:19,120 --> 00:22:22,620 he saved us by the washing of regeneration 504 00:22:22,620 --> 00:22:27,760 and the renewing of the Holy Spirit which 505 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:30,960 he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ 506 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:31,620 our Lord. 507 00:22:32,980 --> 00:22:35,600 So when you receive the Lord Jesus through 508 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:38,120 the hearing of the Word, the Spirit of 509 00:22:38,120 --> 00:22:41,040 God, it says in 2 Peter chapter 1, 510 00:22:41,260 --> 00:22:44,760 we become partakers of the divine nature. 511 00:22:45,180 --> 00:22:47,160 And that's what makes us fit for heaven. 512 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:49,580 You can't go to heaven the way you 513 00:22:49,580 --> 00:22:49,880 are. 514 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:51,720 You need to have the nature of God 515 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:53,760 put within you, the divine nature. 516 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:57,540 And isn't it tremendous that we earthly people 517 00:22:57,540 --> 00:23:00,420 have the very nature of God implanted in 518 00:23:00,420 --> 00:23:00,760 us? 519 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:03,240 He said, no you're not, that your bodies 520 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:05,720 are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. 521 00:23:05,820 --> 00:23:08,020 I think it's a marvelous and a wonderful 522 00:23:08,020 --> 00:23:08,860 time to live. 523 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:11,660 You know, we might have lived in the 524 00:23:11,660 --> 00:23:14,120 earlier days when the Gentiles were just called 525 00:23:14,120 --> 00:23:14,640 dogs. 526 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:17,280 But we're living in the dispensation of grace 527 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:19,840 when he's taking up for himself a people 528 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:23,120 from every nation and putting us into the 529 00:23:23,120 --> 00:23:23,900 body of Christ. 530 00:23:26,420 --> 00:23:29,220 But that's how we're born again, by the 531 00:23:29,220 --> 00:23:32,600 Word of God and the Spirit of God, 532 00:23:32,940 --> 00:23:35,380 using the Word of God. 533 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:40,300 Born again, not a corruptible seed, but incorruptible 534 00:23:40,300 --> 00:23:42,660 by the Word of God, we live it 535 00:23:42,660 --> 00:23:44,280 and abide it forever. 536 00:23:45,360 --> 00:23:47,960 A good illustration of that, too, is in 537 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:50,920 Genesis chapter 1, where we see the Spirit 538 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:53,160 of God moving upon the face of the 539 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:56,120 deep, when everything was darkness and void and 540 00:23:56,120 --> 00:23:56,580 empty. 541 00:23:57,000 --> 00:23:59,140 Remember God, the Spirit, said, let there be 542 00:23:59,140 --> 00:24:00,900 light and there was light. 543 00:24:01,620 --> 00:24:03,420 And so as the Word of God comes 544 00:24:03,420 --> 00:24:05,520 before us in the preaching of the gospel, 545 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:08,220 and I want to explain that before you. 546 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:10,980 The gospel is simply this, that Christ died 547 00:24:10,980 --> 00:24:13,160 for our sins according to the scriptures. 548 00:24:14,120 --> 00:24:15,920 Every one of us are sinners, but Christ 549 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:16,900 died for us. 550 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:19,020 He shed his blood on our behalf. 551 00:24:19,740 --> 00:24:21,700 He willingly laid down his life. 552 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:24,320 And after that, when he hung upon the 553 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:25,760 cross, he said, it is finished. 554 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:28,940 That was complete, paid in full. 555 00:24:31,130 --> 00:24:34,030 And then the third day he arose again 556 00:24:34,030 --> 00:24:35,490 for our justification. 557 00:24:36,510 --> 00:24:38,630 And this morning we see one who died, 558 00:24:38,790 --> 00:24:40,210 but he's alive evermore. 559 00:24:40,330 --> 00:24:42,310 He's risen, he's at God's right hand. 560 00:24:42,890 --> 00:24:44,410 And if you believe in the Lord Jesus 561 00:24:44,410 --> 00:24:48,290 Christ, the Word says, thou shalt be saved. 562 00:24:53,780 --> 00:24:58,620 John chapter 1 is a good explanation of 563 00:24:58,620 --> 00:24:58,840 it. 564 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:06,790 John chapter 1, verse 11. 565 00:25:06,890 --> 00:25:09,590 He came unto his own, the Lord Jesus, 566 00:25:10,270 --> 00:25:12,530 and his own received him not, his own 567 00:25:12,530 --> 00:25:18,670 people, but as many as received him. 568 00:25:19,330 --> 00:25:21,150 He's receiving a person. 569 00:25:21,310 --> 00:25:22,750 This is the Word of God now. 570 00:25:23,030 --> 00:25:26,390 As many as received him, to them he 571 00:25:26,390 --> 00:25:29,450 gave the authority or the right, the power 572 00:25:29,450 --> 00:25:32,890 to become the sons of God, even to 573 00:25:32,890 --> 00:25:37,750 them that believe in his name, which were 574 00:25:37,750 --> 00:25:40,590 born not of flood, not of blood, doesn't 575 00:25:40,590 --> 00:25:43,770 come by natural descent, nor the will of 576 00:25:43,770 --> 00:25:47,370 the flesh, not by resolutions and so on, 577 00:25:48,030 --> 00:25:49,350 nor the will of man. 578 00:25:49,950 --> 00:25:53,230 Man can't will it, but of God. 579 00:25:54,150 --> 00:25:56,550 We truly receive the Lord Jesus. 580 00:25:56,770 --> 00:25:59,090 We are born by the Spirit through the 581 00:25:59,090 --> 00:25:59,550 Word. 582 00:25:59,870 --> 00:26:02,670 We're born of God, and we have life 583 00:26:02,670 --> 00:26:05,510 from above as we were singing. 584 00:26:05,890 --> 00:26:08,210 So the Spirit of God brooded upon that 585 00:26:08,210 --> 00:26:10,790 deadness, and out of it came light and 586 00:26:10,790 --> 00:26:11,230 life. 587 00:26:12,150 --> 00:26:13,710 And that's one thing the Spirit of God 588 00:26:13,710 --> 00:26:14,130 brings. 589 00:26:14,890 --> 00:26:16,610 He brings light to our souls. 590 00:26:16,850 --> 00:26:17,770 He brings liberty. 591 00:26:18,370 --> 00:26:20,570 He brings love into our hearts. 592 00:26:24,690 --> 00:26:28,390 Love and light and liberty and life, that 593 00:26:28,390 --> 00:26:32,030 we might have it more abundantly. 594 00:26:32,650 --> 00:26:35,830 Born of the Spirit of the living God. 595 00:26:36,370 --> 00:26:38,570 Ezekiel 4, throw that back in. 596 00:26:38,830 --> 00:26:41,630 Ezekiel chapter 36, that he would give us 597 00:26:41,630 --> 00:26:42,990 a new heart. 598 00:26:43,690 --> 00:26:45,850 His Spirit would be put within us. 599 00:26:46,690 --> 00:26:48,770 And this is the time for telling. 600 00:26:49,290 --> 00:26:50,850 We're living in the day when the Spirit 601 00:26:50,850 --> 00:26:52,330 of God dwells in the believer. 602 00:26:53,770 --> 00:26:56,710 And we're born of the Lord. 603 00:26:57,690 --> 00:26:59,690 I want to go back to John chapter 604 00:26:59,690 --> 00:27:04,010 3 again, just for a moment, to finish 605 00:27:04,010 --> 00:27:04,650 this out. 606 00:27:04,830 --> 00:27:05,830 Verse 8. 607 00:27:06,550 --> 00:27:08,990 I think it's a beautiful, wonderful verse. 608 00:27:22,850 --> 00:27:28,710 Now this is the marvelous move in the 609 00:27:28,710 --> 00:27:30,270 sovereignty of the Holy Spirit. 610 00:27:30,510 --> 00:27:31,730 He blowed where he lifted. 611 00:27:33,190 --> 00:27:34,730 God the Spirit works. 612 00:27:35,490 --> 00:27:37,010 Now you can't see it with the naked 613 00:27:37,010 --> 00:27:37,430 eye. 614 00:27:38,410 --> 00:27:41,590 I was saved in November 1942, laying in 615 00:27:41,590 --> 00:27:43,510 another bunk while I was serving in the 616 00:27:43,510 --> 00:27:44,630 Canadian Air Force. 617 00:27:45,650 --> 00:27:48,610 I'd come home from hearing the gospel, and 618 00:27:48,610 --> 00:27:51,010 the preacher had been preaching on the second 619 00:27:51,010 --> 00:27:53,050 coming and also being ready to meet the 620 00:27:53,050 --> 00:27:53,370 Lord. 621 00:27:53,930 --> 00:27:55,570 And he said, now if you die tonight, 622 00:27:55,650 --> 00:27:56,530 where would you go? 623 00:27:57,350 --> 00:27:59,550 If the Lord Jesus came tonight, would you 624 00:27:59,550 --> 00:28:00,910 be ready to go with him? 625 00:28:01,650 --> 00:28:03,030 And I knew I wasn't. 626 00:28:03,950 --> 00:28:06,150 And two verses came back that I'd heard 627 00:28:06,150 --> 00:28:06,810 in the gospel. 628 00:28:07,010 --> 00:28:09,330 Christ Jesus came into the world to save 629 00:28:09,330 --> 00:28:09,690 sinners. 630 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:14,140 The other verse was, him that cometh to 631 00:28:14,140 --> 00:28:16,060 me, I'll in no wise cast out. 632 00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:18,400 Well, I thought if he came to save 633 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:19,900 sinners, he came to save me. 634 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:21,200 I was a sinner. 635 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:21,920 I qualified. 636 00:28:23,100 --> 00:28:24,900 You need to know you're a sinner. 637 00:28:25,980 --> 00:28:27,580 And the other one was him that cometh. 638 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:29,460 So laying there in my bunk, I didn't 639 00:28:29,460 --> 00:28:31,120 know anything about getting up on my knees. 640 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:33,320 I just as a lazy man laid in 641 00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:35,300 my bunk, and I said, Lord, save me 642 00:28:35,300 --> 00:28:35,640 a sinner. 643 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:37,920 I'll tell you, I was so happy after 644 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:38,960 that I couldn't go to sleep. 645 00:28:39,260 --> 00:28:41,220 I'd been laying awake under conviction of sin 646 00:28:41,220 --> 00:28:42,040 for a long while. 647 00:28:42,260 --> 00:28:44,340 But when the Lord Jesus came in, I 648 00:28:44,340 --> 00:28:47,180 was born of the Spirit, and the joy 649 00:28:47,180 --> 00:28:48,660 of the Lord filled my soul. 650 00:28:49,780 --> 00:28:51,960 That very night I pictured myself in the 651 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:53,620 home church in Prince Edward Island. 652 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:56,420 It was a large country church, and I 653 00:28:56,420 --> 00:28:58,480 was given the best gospel message I ever 654 00:28:58,480 --> 00:28:58,960 preached. 655 00:29:00,340 --> 00:29:01,480 Very first night. 656 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:04,780 But there wasn't one soul in that room 657 00:29:04,780 --> 00:29:05,920 that knew a thing about it. 658 00:29:07,990 --> 00:29:09,790 The Spirit, Lord, was lifted. 659 00:29:10,010 --> 00:29:11,310 Now here's the sound of it. 660 00:29:11,350 --> 00:29:12,810 You cannot tell what come, what go. 661 00:29:12,970 --> 00:29:14,370 You'll see what the wind does. 662 00:29:14,610 --> 00:29:15,970 It carries the leaves. 663 00:29:16,110 --> 00:29:17,510 It blows down things. 664 00:29:17,830 --> 00:29:19,070 It has mighty force. 665 00:29:19,810 --> 00:29:21,970 I'll tell you, the evidence of the new 666 00:29:21,970 --> 00:29:23,290 birth is a new life. 667 00:29:24,090 --> 00:29:25,730 If any man be in Christ, it's a 668 00:29:25,730 --> 00:29:26,610 new creation. 669 00:29:27,190 --> 00:29:29,130 You love the things you didn't love before, 670 00:29:29,790 --> 00:29:31,550 and you turn against the things you used 671 00:29:31,550 --> 00:29:31,970 to love. 672 00:29:32,470 --> 00:29:34,390 Before I was saved, you couldn't drag me 673 00:29:34,390 --> 00:29:36,790 to a prayer meeting or anything like that. 674 00:29:36,850 --> 00:29:38,290 And after I got saved, you couldn't keep 675 00:29:38,290 --> 00:29:38,730 me away. 676 00:29:39,870 --> 00:29:42,130 There should be a tremendous change, and there 677 00:29:42,130 --> 00:29:43,650 is a tremendous change. 678 00:29:43,970 --> 00:29:46,530 It works out, you see, from the inside 679 00:29:46,530 --> 00:29:47,030 out. 680 00:29:47,070 --> 00:29:50,330 It comes, and that's what it means to 681 00:29:50,330 --> 00:29:52,970 be born of the Spirit. 682 00:29:53,650 --> 00:29:56,150 Now, when does that take place? 683 00:29:56,970 --> 00:30:00,410 Ephesians 1, 13 says, upon believing. 684 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:03,740 Upon believing. 685 00:30:04,300 --> 00:30:05,460 That very instant. 686 00:30:08,290 --> 00:30:09,730 Where can it take place? 687 00:30:10,630 --> 00:30:12,990 It can take place right here and now. 688 00:30:14,490 --> 00:30:16,550 If you're not saved, the moment you can 689 00:30:16,550 --> 00:30:18,910 sit right there and say, Lord Jesus, I'm 690 00:30:18,910 --> 00:30:20,090 a sinner, save me. 691 00:30:20,570 --> 00:30:23,650 At that moment, you'll receive the Lord Jesus, 692 00:30:23,790 --> 00:30:25,310 and you'll be born of the Spirit. 693 00:30:28,140 --> 00:30:28,660 Anyplace. 694 00:30:32,220 --> 00:30:33,940 Nicodemus saved on the rooftop. 695 00:30:37,110 --> 00:30:38,870 I was saved laying down my bunk. 696 00:30:40,030 --> 00:30:42,470 You can be saved sitting right here in 697 00:30:42,470 --> 00:30:43,130 your seat. 698 00:30:43,590 --> 00:30:45,850 But the point is, God puts the responsibility 699 00:30:45,850 --> 00:30:48,590 on you to believe on the Lord Jesus 700 00:30:48,590 --> 00:30:49,110 Christ. 701 00:30:49,430 --> 00:30:51,650 God has done everything that He could for 702 00:30:51,650 --> 00:30:52,010 you. 703 00:30:54,660 --> 00:30:57,460 Just remember, who needs to be born again? 704 00:30:57,920 --> 00:30:59,520 All need to be born again. 705 00:31:00,560 --> 00:31:04,680 Without exception, every man is a sinner, and 706 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:06,840 needs to be born again because we're sinners. 707 00:31:07,140 --> 00:31:09,020 And Jesus, the Lord Jesus said, so you 708 00:31:09,020 --> 00:31:10,280 must be born again. 709 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:12,820 How can I be born again? 710 00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:15,500 By obeying the Word of God. 711 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:17,580 By putting your trust in the Lord Jesus. 712 00:31:18,700 --> 00:31:20,940 And the Spirit of God, He's brooding all 713 00:31:20,940 --> 00:31:21,580 this meeting. 714 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:23,660 If you're not saved, He wants you to 715 00:31:23,660 --> 00:31:27,680 put your trust in the Lord Jesus so 716 00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:29,340 you can be born of the Spirit. 717 00:31:30,340 --> 00:31:32,020 And I want to close with it in 718 00:31:32,020 --> 00:31:33,300 John chapter 16. 719 00:31:34,660 --> 00:31:36,680 The Spirit of God was sent not only 720 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:40,800 to regenerate, but He's also to reprove. 721 00:31:41,470 --> 00:31:45,360 It tells us in John chapter 16 and 722 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:48,180 in verses 8. 723 00:31:48,980 --> 00:31:54,500 When He's come, He will reprove the world 724 00:31:54,500 --> 00:31:55,120 of sin. 725 00:31:55,500 --> 00:31:57,300 The Spirit of God has been sent here 726 00:31:57,300 --> 00:32:01,220 to reprove of sin, to make you conscious 727 00:32:01,220 --> 00:32:03,200 of your sin, of your needs. 728 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:08,120 He's been sent to point out righteousness. 729 00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:12,800 The Lord Jesus was treated very, very unrighteously. 730 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:16,940 But God has highly exalted Him. 731 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:20,440 And this morning, the Spirit of God would 732 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:22,120 like to point out to you there's a 733 00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:25,640 perfect righteousness found in the Lord Jesus Christ. 734 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:30,140 Ephesians 1 says, we're accepted in the Beloved. 735 00:32:30,820 --> 00:32:33,360 With all the acceptability of the Lord Jesus, 736 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:37,000 you can stand before God accepted in Him. 737 00:32:37,380 --> 00:32:38,280 Isn't that a great truth? 738 00:32:40,710 --> 00:32:44,430 And then He's also been sent to show 739 00:32:44,430 --> 00:32:45,270 judgment. 740 00:32:48,860 --> 00:32:50,480 The Prince of this world said, the Lord 741 00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:52,020 Jesus has been judged. 742 00:32:57,320 --> 00:32:59,540 In the coming day, I tell you, when 743 00:32:59,540 --> 00:33:01,640 the Lord Jesus died upon the cross, He 744 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:03,600 won a great victory over death and sin 745 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:04,140 and hell. 746 00:33:07,710 --> 00:33:10,730 But everyone that's outside of Christ this morning, 747 00:33:11,910 --> 00:33:17,030 if you're not in Christ, you're going to 748 00:33:17,030 --> 00:33:18,230 then come under judgment. 749 00:33:18,390 --> 00:33:20,150 There's no judgment to them that are in 750 00:33:20,150 --> 00:33:20,610 Christ. 751 00:33:21,030 --> 00:33:23,370 Romans 8.1 tells there's no condemnation, no 752 00:33:23,370 --> 00:33:23,830 judgment. 753 00:33:24,330 --> 00:33:27,450 Thank God He bore it all, paid for 754 00:33:27,450 --> 00:33:27,770 it all. 755 00:33:29,250 --> 00:33:32,750 But for those that are not saved, there's 756 00:33:32,750 --> 00:33:33,350 a judgment. 757 00:33:36,220 --> 00:33:37,800 And it's inescapable. 758 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:40,660 There's no escape from this judgment. 759 00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:43,420 God's Word says that very clearly. 760 00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:46,000 I want to close with a story, with 761 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:47,540 a thing that happened to me. 762 00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:52,240 One time I was staying at a place, 763 00:33:52,360 --> 00:33:54,340 the man had about five acres of land, 764 00:33:56,820 --> 00:33:58,860 beautiful trees, grass. 765 00:34:00,060 --> 00:34:04,260 I looked out the window, a big moose. 766 00:34:07,690 --> 00:34:10,429 And without thinking very much, I up, opened 767 00:34:10,429 --> 00:34:12,290 the window a little bit and aimed right 768 00:34:12,290 --> 00:34:14,330 between the eyes and shot him. 769 00:34:15,469 --> 00:34:17,170 And that big moose came down. 770 00:34:18,710 --> 00:34:20,050 And all of a sudden it dawned upon 771 00:34:20,050 --> 00:34:21,429 me, I'm in a different country. 772 00:34:22,790 --> 00:34:29,520 I don't have a license, it's out of 773 00:34:29,520 --> 00:34:29,880 season. 774 00:34:31,100 --> 00:34:32,080 What am I going to do? 775 00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:35,620 This big moose, will I bury it? 776 00:34:35,699 --> 00:34:36,500 What can I do? 777 00:34:36,580 --> 00:34:38,880 How can I cover this terrible thing up? 778 00:34:39,440 --> 00:34:41,780 See, I could just hear the headline, visiting 779 00:34:41,780 --> 00:34:43,880 preacher shot a moose out of season. 780 00:34:50,360 --> 00:34:52,580 I tell you, the perspiration was pouring off 781 00:34:52,580 --> 00:34:53,280 my face. 782 00:34:54,159 --> 00:34:55,159 I didn't know what to do. 783 00:34:56,680 --> 00:34:58,020 But it was a way of escape. 784 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:00,140 It was only a dream. 785 00:35:03,590 --> 00:35:04,630 It was a nightmare. 786 00:35:05,030 --> 00:35:07,970 Oh, what a relief when I woke up. 787 00:35:08,870 --> 00:35:09,830 It wasn't so. 788 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:16,980 I tell you, that was a tremendous thing. 789 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:21,310 But I want to say this, the rich 790 00:35:21,310 --> 00:35:23,570 men that woke up in hell, there was 791 00:35:23,570 --> 00:35:24,370 no dream. 792 00:35:25,910 --> 00:35:27,310 There was no getting out. 793 00:35:28,010 --> 00:35:29,110 There was a great conflict. 794 00:35:31,620 --> 00:35:33,320 You must be born again. 795 00:35:34,380 --> 00:35:36,260 The Lord said, if you're dying, your sin 796 00:35:36,260 --> 00:35:37,820 might go, you cannot come. 797 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:41,180 There's a fearful thing to fall into the 798 00:35:41,180 --> 00:35:42,580 hands of the living God. 799 00:35:43,820 --> 00:35:45,560 The time to be saved is now. 800 00:35:45,700 --> 00:35:47,560 Today you'll hear it boys, hardened at your 801 00:35:47,560 --> 00:35:47,860 heart. 802 00:35:47,980 --> 00:35:50,000 Behold, now is the accepted time. 803 00:35:50,180 --> 00:35:51,640 Behold, now to their salvation. 804 00:35:52,300 --> 00:35:54,500 Come now, said the Lord Jesus, and let 805 00:35:54,500 --> 00:35:55,540 us reason together. 806 00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:58,120 Him that cometh to me, he said, I'll 807 00:35:58,120 --> 00:35:59,460 in no wise cast doubt. 808 00:35:59,720 --> 00:36:01,620 He said, come unto me, all ye that 809 00:36:01,620 --> 00:36:04,140 labor and are heavy laden, and I will 810 00:36:04,140 --> 00:36:05,100 give you rest. 811 00:36:05,580 --> 00:36:08,080 And if you really come to Him, then 812 00:36:08,080 --> 00:36:09,900 you'll be born from above. 813 00:36:10,420 --> 00:36:12,440 You'll be given that divine nature. 814 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:15,020 You'll be given that power within, so you 815 00:36:15,020 --> 00:36:17,300 can live the Christian life and have the 816 00:36:17,300 --> 00:36:19,200 joy of the Lord in your heart and 817 00:36:19,200 --> 00:36:22,380 go on your way rejoicing like the eunuch 818 00:36:22,380 --> 00:36:24,220 did when he was saved. 819 00:36:24,740 --> 00:36:26,580 May that be your portion this morning. 820 00:36:27,220 --> 00:36:28,720 The way to come, the way to be 821 00:36:28,720 --> 00:36:29,380 born again. 822 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:32,440 We're just seeing a verse, maybe just as 823 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:35,700 I am, and I will dismiss the sermon, 824 00:36:35,860 --> 00:36:49,700 just as I am, but at 293, I 825 00:36:49,700 --> 00:36:51,260 believe it was, no, I'm wrong. 826 00:36:52,220 --> 00:36:53,680 I had it all picked up in my 827 00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:54,520 Folster book. 828 00:36:55,160 --> 00:36:58,780 Here we are, 373, 373. 829 00:36:59,980 --> 00:37:03,260 We're just seeing one stanza because the time 830 00:37:03,260 --> 00:37:06,380 is gone, and we're going to sing stanza 831 00:37:06,380 --> 00:37:09,320 number five, just as I am, thou wilt 832 00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:14,980 receive, will welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve, because I 833 00:37:14,980 --> 00:37:17,640 promise, I believe, believe in the word of 834 00:37:17,640 --> 00:37:20,080 God, that's how we're saved. 835 00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:22,460 Number 317. 836 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:25,380 We're just seeing the one stanza, stanza number 837 00:37:25,380 --> 00:37:25,980 five. 838 00:37:32,770 --> 00:37:34,410 That's why I think we should re-sing. 839 00:37:35,110 --> 00:37:45,170 Sure as I am, thou wilt receive, will 840 00:37:45,170 --> 00:38:16,160 welcome, In 841 00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:19,080 the name of the Lord Jesus, shall one 842 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:23,180 may really come, be born again, born from 843 00:38:23,180 --> 00:38:26,620 above, to hear thy word on the operation 844 00:38:26,620 --> 00:38:28,220 of the blessed Holy Spirit. 845 00:38:28,900 --> 00:38:31,540 Take us now to our various places in 846 00:38:31,540 --> 00:38:36,980 safety, commend ourselves truly, bless these days together, 847 00:38:37,200 --> 00:38:40,200 may the Spirit of God himself enlighten and 848 00:38:40,200 --> 00:38:42,660 illuminate our spiritual understanding. 849 00:38:43,240 --> 00:38:45,220 We may come to love the Lord Jesus 850 00:38:45,220 --> 00:38:46,060 even better. 851 00:38:46,820 --> 00:38:48,580 We pray in his precious name. 852 00:38:49,360 --> 00:38:49,720 Amen.