John chapter 3 is where we will start. The title of our lesson is The Blessings of Being Born. There are two different births we will look at, one of course is the physical, and the other is spiritual.
John 3:1--4
We're familiar with this particular account of Jesus speaking to Nicodemus by night. There are two different births mentioned, as we did at the outset, one physical and the other is spiritual.
Two Types of Birth Mentioned in Scripture
1) The Blessing of Heritage
When we consider the heritage of the physical family. You have to remember that you are born into a family.
- A physical baby is born into a family
- Genesis 5:3,4
- Each child was born into the family.
- Each family has its own name
- Numbers 1:2
Over and over in the Old Testament, it was important who you were a descendant of, whether you were a king from the tribe of Judah or a priest out of the tribe of Levi. It was important that you knew your heritage.
- With each name comes expectations and reputations
- Jeroboam
- 1 Kings 12:30
- Jeroboam
His reputation was passed down.
- 1 Kings 15:25, 26
- 1 Kings 15:34
- 1 Kings 16:19
There is a reputation that all of these kings shared, and it was passed down from Jeroboam.
- David
- Acts 13:22
- 1 Kings 15:11
- David
Asa was a direct descendant of the lineage of David, so the heritage of David was still there upon Asa.
- A good name is to be desired
- Ecclesiastes 7:1
We have so much potential after we are born to be the people that God wants us to be. It's so important to remember that a good name is to be desired.
I may not be the only one whose mother and father would say to them when they walked out the door. "Remember whose you are." Meaning, don't do anything to tarnish, 'our name,' or the family name.
A Spiritual Child is Born into God’s Family
When we think of being a spiritual child of God, we need to remember that we are adopted children of God, into His Kingdom.
- Ephesians 1:5
The church is what was predestined for salvation before the world began. It's not, as the denominational world would teach, in that, God has already determined who is going to be saved and who is not going to be saved and there's nothing you can do either one way or another to move God's opinion of where you fall in that particular paradigm. That's not the case at all. But, it was the church that was predestined before the world began.
- Romans 8:15, 23
- Galatians 4:4,5
We're adopted into the family of God when we become obedient to His will.
No one is physically born into the family of God.
The Jews in the 1st century were born into the right family, into the right people, before the church was established.
- John 3:1-6
"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." — John 3:6
We as human beings, if are going to enter the kingdom of God, have to be born into the family of God. We have to receive the adoption of sons. And, that only happens through being baptized into His Kingdom.
2) The Blessing of Help
Not only is there a heritage when we're born, but there is also help when you are born. The physical baby is born into a family and needs all the help in the world. They quite literally can't do anything on their own. They can let you know when they are hungry or need a diaper change. But the problem is they can't tell you which is which. They just scream, but it's the same noise regardless of what the issue is. But, they need help and we need to be there to offer help.
- Babies need help!
- Feeding
- Snuggling
- Changing
- Transporting
- General Health
- Clothing
A newborn baby is totally reliant on those taking care of them for every aspect of their growth for a certain number of years. Help is required and when you are born into a loving family help is what you are going to receive.
The spiritual babe is totally reliant on God and His Word.
"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." — 1 Peter 2:2
No matter how old you are, or how many years in the faith that you have behind you, we should always have the same desire for the Word of God that a newborn baby has for their mother's milk. It's that desire that moves us forward. We're going to continue to grow. As long as we have that desire we're always going to be looking for the blessings that come from the Word of God.
- Matthew 5:3
Remember that without God we are nothing. We're totally destitute without God.
- 2 Timothy 3:15
I believe we've brought it out before, the idea is that Timothy was taught to read and write based upon the Old Testament scripture. It wasn't that long ago in our own country, the reading primers in school were religiously based, they were based on the Word of God. Not anymore. But, many have grown up, learning from a child, the very basics of God's Word receiving help.
We need to understand that the church is here to help those in need.
The Church is here to help those in need!
We see this in various passages in the book of Acts.
- Acts 4 - The Church provided for needy saints
- Acts 9 - The Church helped Saul escape
- Acts 12 - The Church prayed for Peter’s release
The church is here to help those in need.
3) The Blessing of Health
There is health for both the physical and the spiritual being.
Children would only eat what they want:
- Donuts and Milk for breakfast
- French Fries & Ketchup for lunch!
- Pizza every day for supper!
Where is the Nutrition?
- Fruit
- Vegetables?
- Vitamins
- Proteins
We need to understand that for physical health we need to consider where our nutrition is coming from.
The Spiritual Child Needs Nourishment!
If we're only basing our spiritual nutrition on what we spiritually want, we're not going to spiritually grow.
"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever." — 2 Peter 3:18
- Hebrews 5:13,14
- 1 Timothy 4:6
- 1 Timothy 4:13, 16
- Acts 13:13
- Acts 15:37,38
- 2 Timothy 4:11
We need to understand that there is a proper diet that we need to have as New Testament Christians if we're going to be able to grow if we're going to be able to produce fruits, as God expects us to as His children.
4) The Blessing of Hope
In the physical family, as parents, we have hopes and dreams and expectations for our children. Long before they really have an idea, or really before we have an idea of what they want, we have dreams and expectations of what we want for them. We have certain hopes for their happiness, health, obedience, faith, and many other things along the way. It's because of those hopes that we strive to raise them in service to God according to His principles. We seek to demonstrate this by our actions. It has to come from us, setting the example. Hopefully, they will do the same.
The babe in Christ is granted hope from the moment they rise out of the waters of baptism.
- Titus 1:2
There's a home in Heaven for those who were faithful on earth. That's a promise that God made before the foundations of the world were ever laid. Paul tells us that God wasn't saying that to give us a false sense of hope. But, it is a confident expectation that we should have because "God cannot lie."
- Romans 6:4
We have an opportunity as New Testament Christians, as fresh Christians, if you will, to grow in a relationship with God, mimicking the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus when we come in obedience. We have this hope given to us.
- Romans 6:23
We could stay in sin, turn a blind eye to God, we could turn away from God. We could even leave Christianity behind and go back into the world. But the only thing that is there is death and punishment. It's only in accepting God's grace through the sacrifice of Jesus that we receive Heaven as our eternal reward.
- 1 Timothy 6:12
We need to live faithfully. It's not enough to say that we've gained entrance into the Kingdom of God. That's not the finish line. The finish line is when we close our eyes in physical death in this world, then, our Christian walk is over. Then we can rest. Now is not the time to rest. Now is the time to be busy fighting the good fight of faith, laying hold of, or striving to get eternal life, professing that good witness to many people.
- 1 John 2:24,25
It doesn't get any plainer. If we abide where Jesus is, in the Word; if we continue to be where the promises of God are, in the church; then we can receive the promise that God has made for us, which is eternal life.
Where Is Your Spiritual Birth Certificate?
When a child is born into a physical family before they leave the hospital, they take all the pertinent information and write it on a birth certificate. You bring it home, put it away, and protect it. You have a birth certificate for your physical birth.
Where is your spiritual birth certificate? Is it with God? Is it with Jesus in His Kingdom? Or, are you going to try to make it into the kingdom of God on your own doing things your way? Hopefully not. Because then you won't make it to the right place. You won't make it into the place of rest. You won't make it into the family of God that's going to be saved when this life is over.
Maybe you're one who as a member of the family of Christ who has stopped following in the name of God. Maybe you're one like we read in Hebrews 5 whose ears are dull of hearing. You don't want to hear the Word of God. Why? Because it convicts you of things that you are doing wrong. You're reproved by the Word of God and you don't want to be reproved. We would admonish you to hear the Word of God, soften your heart, and turn back to God before it's everlastingly too late.
Maybe you are one who has never put on Christ in baptism, maybe you're one who is outside the Kingdom of God but realizes you need to receive the adoption of sons. If we can assist you in finding the blessings of being part of the family of God, please contact us.
