Alpha - Being "born again"

"This is what is written: The Christ [Messiah] will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."

Jesus (Luke 24:46,47)

To all who received him (Jesus), to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children not born of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13)

Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." (John 3:3-8)

"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life"
Jesus (John 3:14-15)

"I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all you impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."
The Sovereign LORD (Ezekiel 36:25-27)


Central to & foremost in all our thinking must be the fact of God's love for all people, and that He wants us all to be a part of His kingdom when it comes in its fullness at the second coming of Jesus. God wants us to experience abundant life - a life free from oppressive powers and structures, and free from bondage to sin - and though this will only occur totally once the kingdom comes, we can in this age experience the power of the kingdom and live according to its values and thus begin living in the fullness of life which God had always intended for people.

Thus in summarizing the life of Jesus, we can say that He came to announce, teach concerning, model, and make possible entry (through His faithfulness, death, & resurrection) into the Kingdom of God.

Now Jesus said that the only way for us to be able to enter His kingdom is to first be born again (cf John 3:3). This alpha step deals with just how a person comes to new birth.