12 FOUNDATION STONES-INTRODUCTORY NOTES 1 (1/3) A LIFE CHANGE-SALVATION Section 1: "To Be Born Again" > John chapter 3: Jesus with Nicodemus John 3:1-8-There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. (2) This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." (3) Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (4) Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" (5) Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' (8) The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." John 3:16-17-For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (17) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. > To be born again "You must be born again" in spirit: first, by believing the Words of God; then, recognizing your own need of a Savior from your sins, by receiving the Spirit of Jesus Himself into your own heart personally in a definite, individual decision. This is what it means to be "born again" in the spirit and become a "new creation" in Christ, where "old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Jesus coming into your life renews and purifies and regenerates your spirit. 2 Corinthians 5:17-Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. > Thoughts on salvation Jesus came for love and lived in love and died for love that we might live and love forever! As an old song tells us, "Out of His ivory palaces into this world of woe, only His great eternal love made my Savior go!"-down to the earth to live here to save us! Jesus not only had to come down amongst us, but He had to temporarily renounce His citizenship in Heaven to become one of us! Philippians 2:6-7-Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. He came as a meek and quiet, weak and helpless baby, and conformed Himself to our human ways of life. He was human. He got tired; He got hungry; He got weary. He was subject to all these things, even as we are, that He might better reach us with His love and communicate with us on the lowly level of our own human understanding! Hebrews 4:15-For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. And in the end, He suffered for us at a terrific price because of His love. He was spat upon, cursed, and condemned as a criminal, despised in death! But as He hung on the cross in disgrace and shame and agony, dying for the sins of the very ones who were crucifying Him, He was showing love to the whole world! "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends" (John 15:13). Jesus is the Friend who loved us enough to lay down His life that we might be saved! His love for YOU personally! God loves all of us as though there were only one of us. Picture this: Jesus on the cross, and one young man standing before Him. It seemed as though there was no one else in the whole world except Jesus and this man. It was a picture of the individual personal love that the Lord has for each of us. As the man looked up to Jesus, He said to him, "You are the reason that I died, and I would have died even if there had only been you, just you." Only two religions-Save yourself or be saved by another While presenting the Gospel on the streets of a California city, we were often interrupted as follows: "Look here, sir! There are hundreds of religions in this country, and the followers of each sect think theirs is the only right one. How can poor plain men like us find out what really is the truth?" We generally replied something like this: "Hundreds of religions, you say? That's strange; I've heard of only two." "Oh, but you surely know there are more than that?" "Not at all, sir. I find, I admit, many shades of difference in the opinions of those comprising the two great schools; but after all there are but two. The one covers all who expect salvation by doing; the other, all who have been saved by something done. So you see the whole question is very simple. Can you save yourself, or must you be saved by another? If you can be your own savior, you do not need my message. If you cannot, you would do well to listen to it." The handle to the door is on the inside Holman Hunt (English painter 1827-1910) painted the picture "Christ the Light of the World." It is a painting of Christ in a garden at midnight, holding a lantern in His left hand. With His right hand He is knocking on a heavily paneled door. When the painting was unveiled, several critics were present. One critic detected what he thought was lacking, namely, a knob on the door. He said, "You haven't finished your work." "It is finished," said the artist. "But there is no knob on the door," protested the critic. "Ah," said the artist, "that is the door to the human heart. It can be opened only from the inside!" > Heaven, our destination! Wouldn't you just love to enjoy all the good things you have right now without any pain, sickness, death, weariness, or curse? Heaven is the place where all your heart's desires will be fulfilled! Revelation 21:4-And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Heaven is a world where everything is a joy and a pleasure and perfect!-Peace and harmony and cooperation and love! Everything is true there-the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth! Everybody's like Jesus-good and honest and loving and kind and helpful and sweet and cheerful and faithful and unselfish and really caring!-The perfect society, in perfect fellowship with each other and the Lord! Heaven is our home! We're headed for the Heavenly City that will come down from God out of Heaven and dwell with men! It's described in the grand finale of the Bible, Revelation, chapters 21 and 22.-A place of such resplendent beauty, beyond the imagination of man!-The Heavenly City of our future happiness, our Eternal Home in Paradise! Hebrews 13:14-For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. The most stupendous things that you have never even dreamed of are already in existence right now, in that wonderful Heavenly City, "whose Builder and Maker is God" (Hebrews 11:10), and which our departed friends and loved ones are already enjoying!-"For God has prepared for them a city!" (Hebrews 11:16). How can we be sure we're headed for Heaven?-By receiving Jesus as our Savior! John 14:6-Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Matthew 18:3-Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. > Salvation prayer If you haven't already prayed to receive Jesus as your Savior, then pray as follows: Dear Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God and that You died for me and arose from the grave. I need Your love to cleanse me from my mistakes and wrongdoing. I need Your light to drive away all darkness. I need Your peace to fill and satisfy my heart. I now open the door of my heart and I ask You, Jesus, to please come into my life and give me Your free gift of eternal life. Thank You for suffering for all of the wrong I have done, and for hearing my prayer and forgiving me. Thank You also for the promise of your Holy Spirit. Please fill me with Your Spirit. Amen.