Introduction -- A common term used in Christian, often with
understanding the implications, is the term ‘Born Again.”
Jesus said, “Verily, Verily,
I . . .”
Peter
J. Gomes in his book, The Good Book: Reading the Bible With Mind and Heart
makes this profound statement:
What "born again"
in the gospel means, however, is literally to begin all over again, to be given
a second birth, a second chance. The one who is born again doesn't all of a
sudden get turned into a super-Christian. To be born again is to enter afresh
into the process of spiritual growth. It is to wipe the slate clean. It is to
cancel your old mortgage and start again. In other words, you don't have to be
always what you have now become. Such an offer is too good to be true for many,
confusing for most, but for those who seek to be other than what they are now,
who want to be more than the mere accumulation and sum total of their
experiences, the invitation, "You must be born again," is an offer
you cannot afford to refuse. (New York: William Morrow and Company, 1996, p.
188.)
This parable is perhaps the
best illustration of what it means to be ‘born again.”
Today we hope to clear up
any misunderstand of the term – not only among those that might not know Christ
but also even among the saints.
The Chevy Nova was a
relatively successful American car for many years.
Encouraged by U.S. sales,
Chevrolet began to market the American Nova throughout the world.
Unfortunately, the Nova did not sell well in Mexico and other Latin American
countries. Additional ads were ordered, marketing efforts were stepped up, but
sales remained stagnant. Sales directors were baffled. The car had sold well in
the American market; why wasn't it selling now? When they discovered the
answer, it was rather embarrassing: In Spanish, Nova means "no go."
As God often does, Jesus
chose to explain salvation and the ‘born again’ experience by bring to mind
human relationships. The relationship of a loving earthly father to explain a
loving heavenly father; the relationship of a marred selfish sinful child to
reflect and a sinners life; the relationship of a jealous brother to reveal the
hearts of the Pharisees.
Today, I would like to turn
our attention to the Love of the Father, The Life of the Son, and Liability of
the Saint.
Of
all things that can be said about this text, the one that cannot be overlook or
over-emphasized is the Father’s love.
Even the calloused hearts of the self-righteous Pharisees could relate
the love a father has for his child.
I
have seen it in the hearts of many of you that are here today. (Naming some
examples)
No
doubt love is a motivating factor in the life of a real father. Sociologists
tell us that the love of father is perhaps the one most important factor in the
life of child. Statistics show that children that do not have a loving father
or a substitute roll model are as much as 3 times more likely to have problems.
Love moves hearts.
One
of the best photographs from the WWII era is a photo of King George the VI
inspecting a bombed out section of London. He stops to talk with a little boy,
who is sloppily dressed and has his cap on crooked. The King is bending on one
knee and looking directly into the face of the child, and even though it is a
profile shot of the king you can see that his is a look of compassionate. Tell
me that that child's life was not changed. Tell me that if he lived to be a
hundred he forgot that day? I would suggest that once one truly looks into the
eyes of Jesus, It is difficult to turn away.
Love
cannot be demanded. Love must be given freely to be love.
Of
all of the creation only mankind was given the ability to reason and make
choices. Love is a choice. The Father chose to love us – Roman 5:8 and we must
freely choose to love him.
Love
meet – to go too. Isn’t great! God is a ‘Go to God’!
Allow
me to stick a little note in here. Do you what to be a real example to your
children? Do you really want them to see God in you? Then be a ‘go to parent!’
To
restore as if nothing had happened wound have been one thing – even the jealous
brother could have accept that. But! To be restored to a better position that
the one you forsook? That’s Grace. The Giving Back – Plus
A. Self Absorbed
B. Sadly Only Existing
C. Senseless
Although
some will disagree, I see many saints in the eldest brother. Please do not
mistake, the parable was for the Pharisees but has the church taken on that
mentality?
Within
the boundaries of this subject people being ‘born again’, the saints have a
responsibility – a responsibility that goes beyond sharing the gospel. We have
a responsibility – a liability to:
We
must believe people can be made new.
In
the back of Time Magazine is always a short essay. In the June 5, 2000 there
was an essay was by Mark Leyner (prolific modern writer out of New Jersey) and
he asks a question: "Can a person really, and I mean fundamentally,
change?"
Mark
Leyner says, No. There is no such animal, he says, as a changed man. "I
don't believe in epiphanies, personal growth, midlife crises, or death bed
conversions." He's convinced that the assumptions behind psychiatry,
prison reform, and religion are all false. He believes that we are who we are
through millions of years of Darwinian evolution.
Strangely,
he adds that, in addition to evolution, everything his parents did to mold him
made him who he is. That seems a bit contradictory but ok. Let's give him that.
Evolution and early social influences creates a person. The die is cast. A
personality is formed.
Irrevocable.
How
sad! But if you looked closely at what
‘church people’ really practice, you might see Mark Leyner – you might see the
eldest brother.
The
Saints have a liability to:
If
the father can forgive – then why not the brother? If the God can forgive then
why not the Saint.
Conclusion
Jesus used this parable to
make people, the Pharisees, see things differently.
If you do not know Christ,
we hope to help you see the idea of being ‘born again’ differently.
If you know Christ, we also
hope to give a different idea of what it means to be ‘born again.’