You Must Be Born Again

This sermon from Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church explores the profound spiritual truth of being 'born again' as taught in John 3:1-17, using the story of the bronze serpent in Numbers 21 as a foundational illustration. The preacher emphasizes that salvation is not achieved through human effort, religious status, or moral performance—no matter how righteous one may appear—but is a divine work of regeneration initiated by God through the Holy Spirit. Drawing on the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus, a respected Pharisee, the sermon highlights the irony that even religious leaders can be spiritually blind, unable to see the kingdom of God without a radical inner transformation. The message unfolds through three key points: being born again is a cleansing work (symbolized by water and the Spirit), a spiritual work (not physical), and a work of God (not human effort). The sermon uses vivid imagery—such as the wind, the bronze serpent, and Charles Spurgeon’s conversion—to illustrate that faith is not about complex understanding but simple trust: 'Look to Jesus and live.' The call to the congregation is clear: salvation comes not by doing, but by receiving—by fixing one’s gaze on Christ alone.