Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-04-05
JOHN 3-l5
TOPIC FOR
THE SERMON
AT REVIVAL HERE YESTERDAY
"ThG Way Into the Kingdom
of God"

Increasing interest is being show
in the revival services being conducted
this week at Furlow Lawn Baptis
chur,h by Rev. w. P. Price, of Way
cross and each afternoon and even
ing large congregations are presen
and enjoy the able discourses of this
gifted preacher. His sermon on 9TH.
Way Into The Kingdom of God" was
one of particular Interest, and a syn.
opsis of it is givenl below.
The well known and profound pas,
sage of scripture sets before us the
way by which, and by which alone
lost souls get into the kingdom OF
God-we get into lit by birth, the
second birth.
The necessity of birth. When Christ
says to so good man as Nicodemus
was that "ye must be born again be-
fore you can see the kingdom o.
God" it is time for all of us to sit up
and take notice. We are to go into
Gods great family just like we came
into the earthly family, by birth. The
only way, really, by which you and
can be of blood relationship physical =
ly is by birth; and so the only way
We can become brother and sister
spiritually is by birth.
2-The nature of this birth. 1t il
such a change as to be called a new
creation, being made over again, on
the part of the sinner, by which he is
given new nature, the chief charac-
teristic of which is seen in this: The
sinner now hates sin and loves right
cousness; quits the service of the
devil and begins the service of God
This new born soul loves God and
holy things now as materially as il
once loved the devil and unholv
things.
3-How is this change wrought in
the heart of the sinner? AS it is 4
spiritual change, it can only be eff
fected by the spirit of God coming iu
contact with our spirit or SOUL No
physical act, suchsas baptism. for ex-
ample, could produce physica!
change. 1t is of God and not man
in the sense that God, the Holy Spirit,
is the worker and the soul is the OBJ
ject upon which he works. Just as the
sculptor chisels the angelic form out
of rock before him, SO God makes
saint out of the sinner But if you
want the most perfect human illus
tration of this great spiritual fact, go
down to the photographer and watch
him make picture. The first thing
he does is to prepare the glass, "sensi-
tizing the plate" they call it, in the
dark room, then he poses" you In
front of the camera, but there Is no
picture until he takes the cap or COW
ering from the camera, and lets the
light in on the prepared plate, then he
has something that he can touch ur
to look like your beautiful SELF
God, the Holy Spirit, fixes the plate
that is. he prepares the heart and
turns on the light of his truth, AMI
the result is new man. AS you CO
operated with the photographer, thai
is to say, you did what he said, sal
still and looked this way or that, ST
won't you do with God--do what he
says?
4-What does he say for you to do
Turn to the passage and read wha
he said to Nicodemus for your an
| swer AS this earnest seeker was los
in amazement to know how he was tC
be born again, Jesus gave him som,
additional teaching by way of illus
tration, that must have fired his sou
with unmistakable delight, as 1t doe
our own, or he say daylight all th'
way through the human side of thi
marvellous teaching about the me-
birth. Jesus said to him; LAS Nose
lifted up the serpent in the wilderness
even so must the Son of Man be lifte,
I'D that whosoeyer believeth on hir
may not perish, but have eyerlastin
life" Now revert to that scene J
he wilderness as the Israelites wer
iourneying from Egypt. Having con-
blamed because of the difficulties :
: the way, God sent serpents that bI
them unto death. In their distress
Moses asked God what to do, and wa
told to make serpent of brass an
, put it upon a pole in the midst )
the camp, so that any one bitten an
: looking at the brass serpent lived. S
t it is with the sinner; Christ is hi
' great hope and when in his sins, b
: looks to Christ he is saved, or Dor
t again. Will you do that toda.
Won't you do 1t right now?