Here is this week’s outline & verses in a downloadable PDF format.
2020 Summer Truth Pursuit Week 9
Spend some time this morning to open up to the Lord in prayer regarding what He touched you with during the previous six days. Review your notes and the outline points and verses. Ask the Lord what He would have you share with all the saints. Prepare a prophecy (1-2 minutes long) to share with the saints what you enjoyed this week.
Message 9: Regeneration and Shepherding
Scripture Reading: John 3:6b; 1 Pet. 1:23; John 3:15, 36; Titus 3:5; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15; 1 Pet. 2:2; John 21:15–17; Eph. 4:11; 1 Peter 5:1–4; John 14:6; 10:9–11, 14–16; 1 Pet. 2:25; 5:4; Heb. 13:20; Rev. 7:16–17
I. In the propagation and nourishment of the divine life—John 12:24; 1 Cor. 3:6
John 12:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
1 Cor. 3:6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth.
II. Regeneration
A. Regeneration is the center of God’s entire salvation and is the start of God’s salvation in its organic aspect
1. It being to regenerate and recreate the believers in their spirit through the Spirit of God—John 3:6b
John 3:6b …that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
2. Through God’s word of life—1 Peter 1:23
1 Peter 1:23 Having been regenerated not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, through the living and abiding word of God.
3. For the believers to have the spiritual life of God in addition to their natural life—John 3:15; John 1:12–13
John 3:15 That everyone who believes into Him may have eternal life.
John 1:12–13 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God, to those who believe into His name, 13 Who were begotten not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
4. The spiritual life of God being divine and eternal—John 3:36
John 3:36 He who believes into the Son has eternal life; but he who disobeys the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him.
5. This divine life being the basis and means of the believers’ spiritual life and living
B. Such a regeneration is a washing in God’s salvation—Titus 3:5
Titus 3:5 Not out of works in righteousness which we did but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit.
C. This washing is a great renewing of the believers by God’s salvation to enable them to get rid of all that is of their natural life and the old creation and become God’s new creation—2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15
2 Corinthians 5:17 So then if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold, they have become new.
Galatians 6:15 For neither is circumcision anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation is what matters.
III. Shepherding
A. The second step of the Triune God’s organic salvation
B. Shepherding includes feeding—1 Pet. 2:2; John 21:15–17; Eph. 4:11; 1 Pet. 5:1–4
1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, long for the guileless milk of the word in order that by it you may grow unto salvation.
John 21:15–17 Then when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My lambs. 16 He said to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Shepherd My sheep. 17 He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? Peter was grieved that He said to him the third time, Do you love Me? And he said to Him, Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You. Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep.
Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as shepherds and teachers.
1 Peter 5:1–4 Therefore the elders among you I exhort, who am a fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory to be revealed: 2 Shepherd the flock of God among you, overseeing not under compulsion but willingly, according to God; not by seeking gain through base means but eagerly; 3 Nor as lording it over your allotments but by becoming patterns of the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd is manifested, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
C. The Lord is the life and the good Shepherd—John 14:6; 10:9–11, 14–16
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way and the reality and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 10:9–11 I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved and shall go in and go out and shall find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and may have it abundantly. 11 I am the good Shepherd; the good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
John 10:14–16 I am the good Shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me, 15 Even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must lead them also, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, one Shepherd.
D. The Lord is the Chief Shepherd and the great Shepherd—1 Pet. 2:25; 5:4; Heb. 13:20; Rev. 7:16–17
1 Peter 2:25 For you were like sheep being led astray, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
1 Peter 5:4 And when the Chief Shepherd is manifested, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, He who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, in the blood of an eternal covenant,
Revelation 7:16–17 They will not hunger any more, neither will they thirst any more, neither will the sun beat upon them, nor any heat; 17 For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and guide them to springs of waters of life; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Further reading:
God’s Full Salvation, Lesson 15.