65 Sermon Illustrations on Regeneration

In a period of religious awakening, Sammy thought himself a subject of the work, and, with others, presented himself for admission to the church. The office-bearers hesitated, on the ground that he might not have sufficient capacity to comprehend the doctrines of the gospel and the evidences of conversion. They concluded, however, to examine him, and began with the subject of regeneration. "Do you think, Sammy," said the pastor, "that you have been born again?"—"I think I have," was the answer. "Well if so, whose work is that?" "Oh! God did a part, and I did a part."— "Ah! what part did you do, Sammy?"— "Why, I opposed God all I could; and he did the rest." The result of the examination was, that, so far as they could judge, the Holy Spirit had been Sammy's theological teacher, and had indeed created him anew in Christ, "not of works, lest any man should boast."

— Christian Treasury

It is that mighty change in man wrought by the Holy Ghost, by which the dominion which sin has over him in his natural state, and which he deplores and struggles against in his present state, is broken and abolished; so that, with full choice of will and the energy of right affection, he serves God freely, and runs in the way of his commandments. R. Watson.

Regeneration is compared to the retuning of an instrument, clothing the body with new garments, grafting a tree, casting metal figures. Bowes.

The wild olive may be rendered fruitful, but it will always bear corrupt fruit. If you take a branch of the wild olive, and ingraft it upon a good olive-tree, it becomes like a new creation. That which was useless, or worse, imbibes the virtuous qualities of the good olive, and produces its fruit. So in regeneration. The sinner may be very fruitful, but it will always be in iniquity. He may lop off some extraneous branches, but can never bring forth the fruits of grace till he is ingrafted into Christ, and becomes a tree of the Lord's planting.

The early Christians have told us, that in the first ages of the gospel, when an adult came to be baptized, he put off his old clothes before he went into the water, and put on new and clean raiment when he came out of it; to signify that he had put off his old and corrupt nature, and his former had principles and corrupt practices, and become a new man. Salter.

Men reformation differs as much from regeneration as whitewashing an old rotten house differ from taking it down and building a new one in its room. Toplady

A sculptor may take a piece of rough marble, and work it into the marvelous figure of a man; yet it remains but lifeless marble. A jeweler may take a watch, the mainspring of which is broken; he may clean every wheel, cog, pin and hand, the face and the cases, but, unless the mainspring is rectified, it will all be useless for time-telling. A painter may decorate the outside of a pest-house with the most beautiful colors, but, if he produce no change within, it remains a pest-house still. A pauper might clothe himself with the garments of a millionaire, but a beggar he would still remain. A leper might cover all the spots of his disease with his garments, but, he would be a leper still. So the sinner may turn over a new leaf, and reform in all the externals of his life, but unless he is born again, born of the Spirit, a sinner he still remains.

When the celebrated Summerfield was a young minister, he once met a distinguished doctor of divinity, who said to him: “Mr. Summerfield, where were you born?” “I was born,” said he, “in Dublin and in Liverpool.” “Ah, how can that be?” asked the great doctor. The boy preacher paused a moment, and then answered: “Art thou a master in Israel and understandest not these things?”

A raw countryman having brought his gun to the gunsmith for repairs, the latter is reported to have examined it, and finding it to be almost too far gone for repairing, said, "Your gun is in a very worn-out, ruinous, good-for-nothing condition, what sort of repairing do you want for it?" "Well," said the countryman, "I don't see as I can do with anything short of a new stock, lock, and barrel; that ought to set it up again." "Why," said the smith, "you had better have a new gun altogether." "Ah!" was the reply, "I never thought of that; and it strikes me that's just what I do want. A new stock, lock, and barrel; why that's about equal to a new gun altogether, and that's what I'll have."

A Chinese general put it this way: "If the world is to be brought to order, my nation must first be changed. If my nation is to be changed, my hometown must be made over. If my hometown is to be reordered, my family must first be set right. If my family is to be regenerated, I myself must first be."

Jack Jones wrote: "Putting a hog in the living room will not change

the hog's nature, but it will damage the living room. A lost man's

nature will not be changed by placing his name on the church roll, but

the church will suffer by his being a member. Every Christian should

be a church member; in fact, there is no place for a true Christian

outside the church. But the church membership has nothing whatever to

do with the salvation of the soul. Billy Sunday was right when he

said, "Joining the church does not any more make one a Christian than

entering a garage will change one into an automobile.'"

- Robert G. Lee, SERMONIC LIBRARY, pp. 9-10.

What can change the human heart?

Make it shed its skin of stone?

What can warm the coldest heart?

Make it feel it's not alone?

What can calm the troubled heart?

Give it peace like it's never known?

Make it yield up all self will?

And, willing, bow before the throne?

What can take a life defiled?

Make it clean and white as snow?

Make it whole and full of joy?

Rest, for you are now God's child.

-- CHRIS CONNELLY

Some years ago a crowd of men and women were gathered on a street

corner, listening to a young orator tell of the blessings of

socialism. He grew eloquent as he told of all that socialism could do

for men and women. In his enthusiasm he cried out, "Socialism can put

a new coat on a man." In the crowd was one who had but recently

experienced the saving power of God in his life. He cried out, in

answer to that challenge of socialism, "Jesus Christ can put a new man

in the coat." Better a new man in an old coat, than the old man in a

new coat. Any tailor can make a new coat, but only God in Christ,

operating in a human heart by the power of the Holy Spirit, can make a

new man.

- J. Clyde Turner, {Soul Winning Doctrines }(Nashville:

Convention Press, 1955) 25-26

It is remarkable how little we give to God, in comparison with what

we waste on self. A pastor spent thirty minutes urging a lady of his

church to give him a contribution for Foreign Missions. Finally, a

check was handed him for two dollars. Looking at it, he glanced up,

and in subdued, but earnest, tones said: "A check from a hand wearing

five hundred dollars worth of diamonds should be larger than this if

the wearer belongs to Christ." The check was made larger, but even

then not large compared with the diamonds. --Topical Illustrations

*She needed, first of all, to be really saved. Then, with the great

Giver Himself living in her heart, it would not have been necessary to

goad her into giving. Also, it is likely that before long, as she

walked in the light, the outward adornment would have been shed in

order to retain the inward ornament of a meek and lowly heart. --Duane

V. Maxey

Human nature is too bad to be improved, too dilapidated to be

repaired. Here is a cracked bell. How again to restore it? By one of

two methods: The first is to repair the bell, to encompass it with

hoops, to surround it with bands. Nevertheless, you can easily discern

the crack of the bell in the crack of the sound. The only effectual

way is to re-melt the bell, recast it, and make it all new. Then it

will ring clear, and sound sonorous. Human nature is a bell suspended

high up in the steeple of creation to ring forth the praises of the

Creator. The fall in Eden cracked the bell. How again to restore it?

By one of two ways: One is to surround it with outward laws and

regulations as with steel hoops. Nevertheless, the crack in the metal

shows itself in the crack of the tone. The best way is to re-melt it,

recast it, remold it. This is God's method in the Gospel. --W. W.

Landrum

While visiting some patients at the Children's Hospital of Orange

County, I met a special young boy named Carlos. Having been treated

for ten years for leukemia, he was now on his death bed, lying on a

pack of ice to try to control his surging fever. Although their

careful treatments of toxic chemicals managed to bring Carlos back

into remission, the doctors decided to perform a bone-marrow

transplant. They knew this was his only hope for survival. The key

to this complex and risky endeavor was to find a donor. The donor had

to be someone in perfect health, someone whose bone marrow was an

exact match of Carlos', and someone who was willing to undergo the

very painful procedure of multiple bone marrow extractions. Carlos

was fortunate to have a brother, Christopher, who was the perfect

match for him. They began the delicate procedure at UCLA Medical

Center. First they placed Carlos under a special machine which

blasted his body with radiation at levels 20 times the normal dose.

The result was exactly what they needed: his bones were practically

dead, parched clean of any cancerous residue. Then, after siphoning

the pure, clean, bone marrow of his brother Christopher, they placed

his marrow in Carlos' I.V., and hoped that his body would not reject

his brother's gift of life. As the new marrow made its way into

Carlos' empty bones, the signs of new life began to emerge. Not only

had he accepted his brother's bone marrow, but now Carlos had in

effect a new body, for his old cancerous blood was now replaced by his

brother's perfect blood. What an amazing picture of Christ's

provision for us! We were the ones with the terminal disease of sin;

He was the one with healthy blood. Only when we were willing to die

to ourselves were we ready to receive His gift of life. When I

inquired about Christopher's willingness to undergo such a painful

experience for his brother, his answer was simple but revealing: "I

love my brother Carlos, and I didn't want him to die!" Submitted by

Chris Crossan, Rosemead, CA.+

Many unregenerate men consider themselves to be God's children, or

"sons of God." But being a product of God's handiwork does not qualify

one for a sonship relationship.

A cabinetmaker constructs a cabinet. But this does not make the

cabinet a "child" of the cabinetmaker. A birth process would be

necessary for this. The unregenerate man who claims sonship with God

"because he made me" is basing his claim merely on the fact that he is

a product of God's handiwork. Like the cabinet, he lacks the new

birth necessary for a sonship relationship.

As a youth in Cartersville, GA. Sam Jones, the great Southern

evangelist, was wild, and reckless, and sinful. His companions were

profane and immoral drunkards. When his father lay dying, the sinful

young man fell on his knees by the bedside and yielded his heart and

life to Christ. God called him to preach, and he went up and down the

land calling on men to forsake their sins and turn to God. In the

course of time he went back to his old home town to hold a meeting.

An old soldier sat in the congregation. He was a wicked and godless

old man. When the service was over, this wicked old man went to the

preacher and said, "Are you the same wicked, daring, godless, drunken

boy that used to curse Cartersville so?" The preacher replied, "Yes,

I am that very boy." "Well," said the old man, "no matter what my

doubts have been about the power of God to save a sinner, I yield them

now, and pray God Almighty to save me just as he saved you."

- J. Clyde Turner, {Soul-Winning Doctrines} (Nashville:

Convention Press, 1955) 25

No article of any confession compares in significance with that concerning salvation. The whole of theology is bound up with it: our understanding God, the world and our very selves. The manner in which we understand salvation decides and reveals the way in which we think about God, and vice versa.

According to the Scriptures, and as formulated by one saint, the true subject of theology is the human being, guilty of sin and condemned before God, the Justifier and Savior of the sinner.

This biblical understanding of salvation is a two-edged sword which must be all-determining for our thought: any theological statement which does not conform to it and cannot trace its way back to it must be severed and discarded as error.

It is of great importance, and entirely biblical, that this article concerning salvation begins with the emphatic statement that "salvation involves the redemption of the whole man." On the one hand, this affirmation guards us against supposing that only our lower, physical desires are in need of remedy.

The Scriptures teach us that our fallenness extends to the whole of our person and infects even our highest religious aspirations (Galatians 2:16; Psalm 143:2). Once we assume that part of us is free from corruption, we necessarily fall into various forms of legalism or asceticism (e.g. Colossians 2:16-23).

The Son of God in his incarnation, death and resurrection took upon himself all that we are in order to redeem us.

This means, on the other hand, that salvation includes the resurrection of the body. The Christian hope is not that of an ethereal, disembodied existence, but the eternal life of the resurrected and transformed body (Romans 8:23).

Jesus Christ is the risen Lord, who has triumphed over sin, death and the devil. To have him as Lord means that we reign with him over all such things in the hope and faith which has already dawned and shall be consummated at his coming again (Hebrews 2:5-9).

As this article makes quite clear, salvation is found in Jesus Christ and in him alone. The good news of salvation in Jesus Christ is to be proclaimed freely to all persons everywhere. In this proclamation the Church shares in God's work in the world and bears great responsibility before him. Nevertheless, salvation is to be found only in Jesus Christ, whom one must know by name and call upon as Lord in order to be saved (Acts 4:12; Rom 10:14-17).

The saints prior to his coming perceived these things only dimly and partially, as they believed in the Christ who was coming (1 Peter 1:10-12). Apart from those such as Abraham, Moses, David and others named in the Scriptures, we shall never know precisely how the Spirit of God imparted faith in God and his promises to them.

Now, however, the promise of God has come to fulfillment in the resurrection of the crucified Christ. It is this gospel of the Christ who has come which God has sent forth to the nations, and nothing else: "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the message of Christ" (Rom 10:17).

The Scriptures speak with varying perspectives on the salvation which God has wrought for us in Christ.

"Regeneration" has to do with God's having made us entirely new creatures in Christ: all that we are in ourselves was put to death with him (2 Corinthians 5:17-21).

"Justification" has to do with the forgiveness of our sins and our acknowledgement of God's just claim against us that we are liars and transgressors (Rom 3:5-8, 21-26).

"Sanctification" has to do with God's possessing us as his own and setting us apart from the world which is condemned and defiled (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

"Glorification" has to do with our instatement as "sons of God" at the resurrection from the dead, when God's triumph in us shall be complete (Rom 8:28-30).

_________________________________

Full text of Article 4: Salvation

Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.

A. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace.

Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Saviour.

B. Justification is God's gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification brings the believer unto a relationship of peace and favor with God.

C. Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God's purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate person's life.

D. Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed.

Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:14-17; 6:2-8; Matthew 1:21; 4:17; 16:21-26; 27:22-28:6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:11-14,29; 3:3-21,36; 5:24; 10:9,28-29; 15:1-16; 17:17; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; 16:30-31; 17:30-31; 20:32; Romans 1:16-18; 2:4; 3:23-25; 4:3ff.; 5:8-10; 6:1-23; 8:1-18,29-39; 10:9-10,13; 13:11-14; 1 Corinthians 1:18,30; 6:19-20; 15:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; 3:13; 5:22-25; 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-22; 4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:9-22; 3:1ff.; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:1-3; 5:8-9; 9:24-28; 11:1-12:8,14; James 2:14-26; 1 Peter 1:2-23; 1 John 1:6-2:11; Revelation 3:20; 21:1-22:5.

_________________

Seifrid is an associate professor of New Testament at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

”Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinth 5:17

If you don’t ‘know’ you are a New Creation you will still act like the old creation. The spiritual nature of man is a fallen nature, it is the nature of Adam, it is a bad nature, which man received when Adam fell, because he got it from Satan. Not one of us can change our nature, no more than a leopard can change it’s spots, we are what we are, but when we come to God through Jesus, then God who becomes our Father can change our nature as we come into Him. When you experience this new birth, something happens on the inside of you in an instant. The old bad nature goes out and the new Nature and likeness of God comes in. God actually created you a brand new person on the inside, a brand new creation. Don’t look at yourself from the old physical, moral and natural standpoint anymore, now begin to ‘know’ you are a New Creation if you have received Christ. Start to look at yourself from the spiritual standpoint, because that’s how God sees you ‘in Christ’. Believe it, know it, live it.

Today’s Scripture — “For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.” 2 Corinthians 2:9-11

Friends, I think it was Saint Augustine who said that Satan is like a mad dog on a long chain. He is powerless to harm us so long as we are outside of his reach (his domain), but once we enter his circle, we expose ourselves to injury and harm. I picture him standing there, at the end of his leash, holding out enticing goodies (like chocolate, and not brussel sprouts) that he knows will interest us and bring us near or into his domain. His offerings will always appear to be good, they might even parallel your walk with the Lord, but in reality they will destroy some greater good, for which the Lord has been grooming you and your walk with the Lord. Stay safe in the Lord, put on your full armor and constantly reply to the enemies attacks with the Word.

As David got close to Mr. Gordon’s house, he saw his Sunday school teacher planting fruit trees in his backyard. “Good morning, David,” said Mr. Gordon. “How are you doing?”

“Okay, I guess,” muttered David. He shuffled his toe in the dirt. “But I’m always getting into trouble at school,” he added with a sigh. “Since I’ve been coming to your Sunday school class, I’ve been trying to change and be good … but I just can’t seem to do it.”

Mr. Gordon leaned on his spade. “Have you trusted the Lord Jesus as your personal Savior, David?” he asked.

“Well … no, I guess not,” he admitted. “I’ve heard you talk about that in class, but I don’t really understand it. I thought if I’d just go to church and read the Bible and start living better, I’d be all right.”

Mr. Gordon picked up a small, dead branch that had fallen from a tree. “I’m planting fruit trees,” he said. “I’m going to water them and put fertilizer around them. One day, they’ll bear juicy peaches and apples for me to eat. Why don’t you help me plant this … it’s a branch that broke off an apple tree.”

David laughed. “You’re kidding,” he said. “That’s a dead stick.”

Mr. Gordon looked at the stick. “But I’ll treat it just like all the other trees, and then when I get fruit from it, I’ll share some with you, David.”

“I still think you’re kidding,” said David. “That stick will never have any fruit. It’s dead.”

“That’s true,” Mr. Gordon agreed. “This stick has no life … it can’t produce fruit. And you know what, David? If you haven’t accepted Jesus as Savior, you’re like this stick … you don’t have True Life. You say you’re trying to change and be good, but even though you read the Bible and go to church and pray, you can’t produce the fruit of a Christian life because you don’t have Christ within you.”

Mr. Gordon smiled at David. “Would you like to hear again how you can receive real life through Christ?” he asked.

Solemnly, David nodded.

How about you? Do you try hard to be good, only to fail? You can’t live the Christian life if you don’t have life … the Lord Jesus … within you. Ask Him to save you now.

Romans 8:2 “for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”

Receive Christ today!

1. God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name,

I’ve been born again in Jesus’ name,

And in Jesus’ name, I come to you

To share His love as He told be to:

Chorus:

He said, "Freely, freely,

you have received—

Freely, freely give;

Go in my name and,

because you believe,

Others will know that I live."

2. All pow’r is giv’n in Jesus’ name,

In earth and heav’n in Jesus’ name,

And in Jesus’ name, I come to you

To share His pow’r as He told me to:

I hate most covers. No, I’m not talking about blankets in the winter, and I don’t leave my Tupperware open in the fridge. I’m talking about remakes of old songs.

Sometimes, the singer on the “cover” improves on the original. For example, did you know that “Respect” was originally written and recorded by Otis Redding? Aretha Franklin’s version is much better. (I know we’re talking about oldies here, but you should check it out!)

On the other hand, too many “covers” sound like exact duplicates of the original. Witness Uncle Cracker’s version of “Drift Away” by Dobie Gray, or “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Sixpence None the Richer, originally recorded by Crowded House. If you’ve heard the original, you’ve heard the cover.

It seems like the best re-creations are made by the best creators. It worked that way with the Holy Spirit. Confused? Follow along:

We know that the Holy Spirit draws Christians to be born again to new life in Jesus. “Born again” means spiritually re-born through the Holy Spirit bringing us to new life. Jesus said, “No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3). It’s a pretty deep process, but if you’re a Christian, you know the power, even if you don’t totally understand it.

The Holy Spirit re-creates well; our new life lasts for eternity. The Bible is full of references to the Spirit’s role in creating all living things, such as, “When you send Your Spirit, they are created, and You renew the face of the earth” (Psalm 104:30).

Our creative skills are not as well developed. When we try to run our own lives, all we create is a mess of self-interest, dishonesty, and bad decisions.

What kind of life have you put together? Does it lack harmony, meaning, integrity? Yield to the Holy Spirit’s leading. He re-creates, and He continues to create and renew. — John Carvalho

DESTINATION POINTS

• Which song would I “cover” as the theme of my life?

• In what area have I created a mess? * How do I need the Holy Spirit to “re-create” and replace that mess?

• The Spirit leads us to repentance and rebirth.

Illustration: One day my friend Steve led a printer friend to a saving relationship with the Lord. The next day he received an excited call from his “baby” brother. “What have you gotten me into? I come in to work and realized I can’t print half the stuff I usually do.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Commentary: Life changes when we are baptized into Christ; we are no longer able to live as we once lived.

Peter Writes to Pilgrims — 1 Peter 1:3b — Blessed of God — « Leader information shown in this fashion »

A. “Blessed be the God and Father of Jesus Christ our Lord…”

1. & 2. Review « using last week’s overheads, etc »

3. Who is the object of Peter’s (and our) blessing in this verse? « – God; which person? … the Father (normal translation, ‘of our Lord Jesus Christ’ – I translated this way to show possessive applies to the word ‘Lord’ and it is a reverse possessive: we belong to Him; He is the one we confess as Lord, Romans 10:9 » “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved;” (NAS)

4. Does this mean the other members of the Trinity are not to receive our worship …

a. … Revelation 5:12–13? “saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.’ And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honour and glory and dominion forever and ever.” (NAS) « – no, the Lamb (the Son) is to receive praise and honour on equal footing with the One sitting upon the throne »

b. … John 4:24, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (NAS) Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” (NAS), 2 Corinthians 13:14 “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.” (NAS) « – this is less clear, but has a strong implication that the Spirit is to receive worship; the divine honour given to the Holy Spirit gives Him the right to be worshipped »

B. “… Who, according to His great mercy, having regenerated us unto a living hope, on account of Jesus Christ’s resurrection out from among the dead…”

C. ‘… according to His great mercy …’

1. The Greek word here (eleos) is pretty well always translated ‘mercy’ in the New Testament, and was used when the Old Testament was translated into Greek to translate the Hebrew word ‘hesedh’ which means mercy, pity, loving-kindness. Let us examine the character of God’s mercy:

a. Titus 3:5 “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (NAS); what can we do to earn this mercy? « – works cannot earn it »

b. Romans 9:15-16 “For He says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” (NAS); who is the sole arbiter of God’s mercy? « – God Himself »

c. Luke 18:13-14 (see Proverbs 28:13, Isaiah 55:7) “But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted.” (NAS); what then is one necessity laid upon us? « – to humble ourselves before God, confessing our sinfulness, pleading for His mercy »

2. How great is God’s mercy? … How available is it?

a. Deuteronomy 7:9 (just one example): “Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments;” (NAS) « – lasting a 1000 generations (figure out how long that is!!!) and, under the law, available to all those loving Him and keeping His commandments »

b. Psalm 36:5 (or 57:10): “Thy lovingkindness, O Lord, extends to the heavens, Thy faithfulness reaches to the skies.” (NAS) « – tremendously extensive in its compass, how far it reaches »

c. Psalm 86:5: “For Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in lovingkindness {mercy} to all who call upon Thee.” (NAS) « – abundant to those who will call upon God (cf. Romans 10: 13 / Joel 2:32) »

d. Psalm 100:5 (or 118:1-4, or 136): “For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness {mercy} is everlasting, And His faithfulness to all generations.” (NAS) « – everlasting »

D. ‘… having regenerated us …’

1. The word « (anagennaw) » that I have translated ‘having regenerated’, can mean either (or both!) of, ‘caused to be born A_______’ or ‘caused to be born from A_______’. What truth is found expressed with related words in

a. John 3:3, 7 « (gennaw anwthen) » ? “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ … Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” (NAS) « – a new birth is a prerequisite to entering God’s kingdom »

b. Titus 3:5 « (from palingennaw) » ? “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,” (NAS) « – the Holy Spirit is the author of this new birth, agreeing with John 3:5 »

E. ‘… unto a living hope …’

1. One result of this new birth, this spiritual birth, is hope; what is the nature of this hope …

a. … from this verse? « – living, alive, lively; it is a hope that is currently active and applicable, affecting our lives in the here and now as well as the future: this contrasts with the sign above the entrance to hell in Dante’s Inferno, ‘All hope abandon, ye who enter here’ »

b. … from Hebrews 6:19? “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,” (NAS) « – sure, steadfast, certain; the word was used of an expectance of an heir (which is also the context of the Hebrews passage) by which he had a credit agreeing with the credit of the source of inheritance »

2. From our studies in Acts (or, check 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.” (NAS) or Titus 3:7 “that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”(NAS)), what is this hope? « – resurrection from the dead to a life eternal, to be forever with the Lord »

3. So, is this a ‘I hope so’ kind of hope? … a wistful wish of ours? « – no, it is firm, well planted, backed up by God Himself, a hope of which we can never be ashamed (Romans 5:5), which expectance will be transformed into an eternal reality; let us look at one more assurance that this is the case … »

F. ‘… on account of Jesus Christ’s resurrection out from among the dead … ‘

1. Psalm 16:9-11 “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. For Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt Thou allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay. Thou wilt make known to me the path of life; In Thy presence is fulness of joy; In Thy right hand there are pleasures forever.” ( NAS), see also the sermons in Acts 2:25-31 and 13:33-39. What makes this living hope so sure? « – because Jesus has risen this proves it can happen; since it fulfilled God’s promise to His Messiah we can rest assured of His faithfulness in fulfilling His promises to us »

2. Hebrews 7:22, 24-25 “so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. … but He {Jesus}, on the other hand, because He abides forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Hence, also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (NAS), in what other sense may we say, therefore, that we have a ‘living hope’? « – it is living because the one guaranteeing it is alive and as our Advocate (1 John 2:1, » “My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;” (NAS) « ) he is pleading our case »

G. Next week “… into an incorruptible, unpolluted and unfading inheritance, having been kept in store for you all in heaven … “