WHAT TIME IS IT? A TIME TO BE BORN!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

 

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. THE FIRST BIRTH

 

1. The First Birth is a Gift from God [Psalm 127:3]

Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

 

2. The Unborn Are Who They Are, Who They Will Be, Not Part of the Mother

-Genesis 25:21-24 = And Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

-Judges 13:5 = For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

-Judges 16:17 = That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man

-Job 31:15 = Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?

- Ecclesiastes 11:5 = As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.

- Jeremiah 1:4-5 = Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

-Matthew 1:18-25 = Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.

 

3. Murder is Not “A Choice”, Murder is A Sin [Exodus 20:13, 21:22-23]

- Thou shalt not kill.

- If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,

 

II. THE SECOND BIRTH

 

1. The Second Birth is Necessary to Get to Heaven [John 3:1-4]

 

2. The Second Birth is Spiritual Not Physical [John 3:5-6]

 

3. The Second Birth is By the Word of God [1 Peter 1:23]

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

 

III. THE TIME OF BIRTH

 

1. The Time of the First Birth is on the Day of Your Birth [Gn. 40:20]

And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

 

2. The Best Time for the Second Birth is Now [Isaiah 49:8, 2 Cor. 6:1-2]

-Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee:

-We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

 

3. The Second Birth is More Important than the First [Ecclesiastes 7:1]

A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

After all, the first birth begins your life as a sinner in a sin-cursed world, whereas because of the second birth, death begins your new life as a saint in a perfect place.