NEW BIRTH: A NEW LIFE
Pastor Dennis Clanton
Woodland Church
Sunday, January 12, 2025
(Titus 3:3–8, NLT) “Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But—When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.”
In my new life with Christ, I have learned:
1. GOD TOOK MY BROKEN LIFE
(Matthew 11:28, NLT) “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
“God uses broken things. Broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever.” –Vance Havner
2. GOD SENSITIZED MY RELATIONSHIPS
(Ephesians 4:32, NLT) “Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”
(Matthew 18:15, Message) “If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you. If he listens, you’ve made a friend.”
3. THE POWER OF LANGUAGE
(Ephesians 4:29, NLT) “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”
(Proverbs 10:11, Message) “The mouth of a good person is a deep, life-giving well, but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.”
(Ephesians 1:16–19, NLT) “I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight … that your hearts will be flooded with light … that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him.”
4. HONOR GOD PHYSICALLY
(1 Corinthians 6:20, NLT) “You must honor God with your body.”
5. CHANGED MY UNDERSTANDING OF MONEY
(Malachi 3:10, NLT) “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!”
(Matthew 6:21, Message) “The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.”
“We share our table with all, but we do not share our bed with all.” –Diognetus
6. TREASURE MY WIFE
(Ephesians 5:25, NLT) “For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her.”
7. THE STRENGTH OF HUMILITY
(Ephesians 4:2–3, PT) “With tender humility and quiet patience, always demonstrate gentleness and generous love toward one another, especially toward those who may try your patience. Be faithful to guard the sweet harmony of the Holy Spirit among you in the bonds of peace,”
GROWTHWORK
(Acts 2:42–47, NLT) “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. … They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes … with great joy and generosity—all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.”
- Have I become a passionate follower of CHRIST?
- Have I been baptized since trusting Christ?
- Am I growing in relational health?
- What are the metrics of my generosity?
- Do I pour my heart out in prayer?
- Do I remember Jesus when I receive Communion?
- Am I living to discover, develop, deploy my spiritual gifts for the strength and support of the Church?