YOU CAN HAVE A NEW LIFE

Dr. Marty Baker | John 3 | November 1, 2009
Good morning. I am Marty Baker and I would like to welcome you to Stevens Creek Church. I would also like to welcome those that are watching on television and on the web.
Have you ever needed a second chance…another opportunity to do something right? Yes, all of us have. I will never forget when I made the transition from college to graduate school. I had a good time in college which meant that when I applied to graduate school, I was accepted in the program on academic probation. I felt pressure out of the gate.
When my first exam rolled around, I thought that I was ready for the next level. The night before the exam I was called into work because of a tragic accident. I was up all night and by the time that I sat down to take the exam, I was nervous and very tired. When I looked at the questions on the exam, it was much worse than I expected. I did not know any of the answers to the questions. I could feel my blood-pressure rising as I wondered what this exam was going to do my career.
I realized that I could not bluff my way through this exam so I humbly walked to the front of the class and explained my situation to the professor. He gave me a second chance and allowed me to take the exam later that week. Not only that, but he gave me the same exam so when I arrived to re-take the test I knew all of the questions. What could have been a rough start to graduate school actually became a second chance opportunity that helped me to gain confidence to do what I was there to do.
Today I want to talk to you about second chances. I believe that you not only turn over a new leaf but you can have a new life. You cannot change your past, but you can start over and change your future.
We are in a series called Amazed. It is a group of messages based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Today’s talk is called “You Can Have a New Life.” It is taken from the most famous conversation in the Bible.
In John 3, we meet an individual named Nicodemus. He met Jesus late one night for a conversation that ultimately changed his life. Nick was a noted and highly respected member of the community. He was well-versed in religion and politics and was a member of the Jewish Ruling Council called the Sanhedrin. This meant that he was one of the 70 leaders in the community that regularly met with the high priest. This was a big deal.
Nick had everything that most guys wanted…respect, position, influence and upward mobility, but there was something missing in his life. He was empty inside. This emptiness drove him to risk his entire career. It drove him to have a conversation with Jesus. Let’s look at John 3.
John 3:2-4
2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
Today I want to talk about the most important question that has ever been asked: “How can I be born again?” Being born again is all about having a new start; it’s about having a second chance. Before we leave today, you will have the answer to that question.
Today we have a special guest with us, Ruby Gettinger. She understands what it means to be born again. She has a new life in Jesus Christ. Her life has been changed on the inside and now she is on a journey to change her life on the outside. She is on a journey to health.

VIDEO Introduction for Ruby:
Later on today we are going to have Ruby share her story, but before she comes, I want to share with you some of the principles that she has used in her own transformation.

INTERVIEW with Ruby

Ruby shared with us that she was addicted to food. When I saw her on Oprah, one of the statements that spoke to me was not “what are you eating, but what is eating you?” That’s my question for you today. What’s eating you?
We all have our struggles. Some of us wrestle with food, some of us with work, video games, self-esteem, alcohol … there are so many things that can lead to unhealthy addictions in our lives. This simply means that we lost our freedom and have become enslaved to something outside of our control.
2 Peter 2:19
…for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
What’s mastered you? What’s the area in your life where there is an imbalance? What is the thing that has become an unhealthy obsession?
For Ruby it was obvious, she had a struggle with food. Your struggle may not be so obvious. It may be something that you can hide. Just because it’s not as visible does not mean that you do not have a problem.
So, what is it? What’s that one thing or that one relationship that you are thinking about right now and justifying in your mind that it is okay?
I know that some of you are getting defensive about it. You rationalizing your behavior and have a list of reasons why you are living the way that you are living. Some of you are saying that it’s not a problem. I can quit at any time.
The truth is that you are in bondage. You are enslaved. Every day you are giving up more and more control. You have given up your freedom.
You don’t have to continue to live like this. Today is the day that you get set free. Today is the day that you let Christ do a divine work in your life. I want to share three Biblical principles that have the power to set you free.
Steps to Freedom
The first step is simple.
1. Take it to God.
The “it” maybe different for all of us, but whatever “it” is to you, whatever the baggage is, whatever that problem is, whatever the addiction is, we are taking “it” to God.
Romans 6:12-14
12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God…
14 For sin shall not be your master…
Some of you may remember the old cartoon Pop-Eye the Sailor Man. The cartoon revolved around a weak-looking sailor who would break open a can of spinach when faced with great adversity and, after the first bite, he was suddenly endowed with incredible strength.
One episode featured Popeye’s girlfriend, Olive Oyl, being mistreated by Brutus and his friends. Popeye took it all in stride hoping the bullies would leave her alone. However, the situation escalated and the bullies just wouldn’t leave Olive Oyl alone.
Popeye reached his breaking point. He grabbed a can of spinach and uttered his famous line. He said: “I’ve had all I can stand. I can’t stands no more.”
Some of you this morning are at your breaking point. Maybe you’ve had all you can stand and you can’t stand it anymore. Something has to give. Something has to change.
Today is the day for you to come clean. You are going to say, “I am not going to live in darkness anymore. I am not going to let the spirit of darkness control my body.” I am not going to go there. I am not going to worry about what’s going to happen to me. I am not going to be in bondage to something that is not the presence of Christ. That’s all I can stand. I am going to take it to God in prayer.
When you get serious and you take it to God like you have never, ever taken it before, you will find deliverance. I am not talking about some sterile Sunday School prayer. I am talking about getting serious with God. I am talking about on your face, crying out to God saying: God if you don’t come through to me I am not going to get out of this. God I am desperate. God take it away. God take it away.
Today is the day that you will take it to God and He will do a work like He has never done before. Cry out: God set me free. Some of you may look at the addiction and say, “I just cannot overcome it, it’s too big.” What’s bigger? Beer or God? Cigarettes or God?
Do you remember the story of David and Goliath? All of the Israelites looked at Goliath and said, “He’s too big.” David heard them say this time and time again. He finally came to the point where he said, “That’s all I can stand.” Who is this guy to come against the armies of the living God? My God is bigger and He will deliver us. Which is bigger? God or your problem? Scripture says it this way:
2 Corinthians 10:4
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
The weapons we use have the explosive, miraculous power of God. So, what has mastered you? The first thing that we are going to do is Take it to God. Next, take it public.
2. Take it Public.
We are going to confess it publicly.
James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
The problem is that so many people are afraid of what other people may say. You’ve got to get passed that. You will not be completely free until you take it public. You don’t need to have a news conference. You just need a few trusted friends like the ones in your small group.
Ask your friends for help. Ask them to help you in three ways.
Ask for Help
• Help me with prayer.
Will you pray for me? I believe that prayer is the key that will unlock the door to spiritual blessings in our lives. We need God to move in our lives. The power of God is released through prayer.
• Help me when I fall.
Chances are that you will fall and you need someone to help pick you up and encourage you. We all make mistakes. You must be willing to ask for help when you fall.
• Help me with accountability.
You need a friend to help hold you accountable. Do you have someone that knows you well enough to confront you when it is evident that things are not right?
There are many of you that need to put these steps into action. You need to go public. You need help. You need to confess. Some of you, however, will be on the receiving end of a confession. Some of you may have a spouse come to you and say, “I am addicted to this or to that.”
Some of you have known it for a long time and you will say, “Finally.” Others of you will be shocked and you will say “What?” You will be tempted to take it personally. You may be offended by it. You will be tempted to be hurt and angry.
If you are receiving a confession today, receive it with grace. Don’t get angry. Don’t take it personally. Understand that your response to that confession is critical in the healing process of the one who is making the confession. Love them. Hold them. Pray for them. Help them. Realize that they really want to be free. Take it to God. Take it public.
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
Today is the day to get free. You are going to take it to God, take it public and finally take it down.
3. Take it down.
How are you going to take it down? It’s time for you to take the first step. Do what you can do. You do the possible. Trust God to do what you cannot do. It’s that simple. You are going to do what you can do and you are going to trust God to do what you cannot do.
If you are addicted to alcohol, then you are going to pour it out because that’s what you can do. In three days when you think that you are going to die without it, God is going to come through for you. If it is cigarettes, today you are going to throw them in the garbage can on your way out. Go straight home … not by a convenience store. That’s what you can do.
If it is Internet pornography, it’s time to take action. Maybe you need to cut your internet subscription and if you cannot do that, then you need some sort of web accountability. Go to www.xxxchurch.com and you can find help.
It’s time for you to walk away from sin. It’s time to say, “That’s all I can stand, I will not stand it anymore.” I will not be in bondage to something. I will not let sin master me.
Today is the day you can be set free. The Bible says:
Philippians 4:13
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
It’s time to take those things that have mastered you and master them. You can have a new life. How? Take it to God; Take it public and take it down. You can do all things through Christ. Today is your day. You can be free.
We started this message with the story of Nicodemus in John chapter 3. As you remember, Nicodemus had a void in his life. He sought to fill that void with education, prestige, and success, but even with all of that, he knew that something was still missing. He needed a new life. He needed to be born again.
He said, “How can a man at my age be born again?” Jesus responded by saying that he could have a new life from the inside out. He’s not talking about a physical birth, but a spiritual birth. He is calling you to the same thing.
How does that happen? Jesus continued the conversation with the most famous words in the Bible.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
If you believe these words, you can be born again today.
You can experience the joy that Ruby has talked about and that so many people in this room have experienced. You can have a new life. It can all begin right now.
A Call to Prayer
Today we are going to close with two prayers. The first one is for those of you who have never said, “Yes to Jesus.” Today is the day that you are set free from your sin. Now is the time. Surrender your life to Him. I want you to pray this prayer with me:
Heavenly Father. I am ready to give you my whole life just as you gave Jesus for me. I believe that Jesus is your son who died for me. I want to live for you. I want to be born again. Save me. Heal me. Deliver me. Make me into the person that you would have me to be. Fill me with your Spirit today. I pray this believing that you have heard my prayer. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Now, the second prayer is for those of you who have struggled with some of the issues that I have mentioned. You need God to break some strongholds in your life. You need a breakthrough.
James 5:14-15
14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
As April leads us in a song, I want you to come down front and there are people here to anoint you with oil and pray over you. We believe that this is your day to be free.