Jesus was born so we might be born again. He was born on Earth that we might be born from above.
Let’s look at the announcement of the first Christmas.
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31You will conceive and give birth to a Son, and you are to call Him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, 33and He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His kingdom will never end.” 34“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37For no word from God will ever fail.” 38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. – Luke 1:26-38
Mary wasn’t expecting to become the mother of the Messiah, but she wasn’t going to decline!
Put yourself in Mary’s shoes (sandals!). Upon hearing Gabriel’s news, wouldn’t you assume Joseph would be the father? After all, you’re engaged to him. And the angel didn’t tell you to cancel the wedding and move away. So Joseph will become your husband and Christ’s father.
Makes sense.
Except that’s not what Mary thought. There must have been something in Gabriel’s voice that caught her attention. “You’re not going to be the mother of the Messiah some day. The nine month pregnancy is about to start–before you marry Joseph.”
Jesus is the Son of Father God, not of Joseph. As for an explanation of how this could happen, Gabriel gives enough for Mary to trust God. The Holy Spirit will bring it to pass. He will do what human beings can’t.
Mary accepted the word of the angel.
And we’ve been celebrating ever since.
Thirty years later, Jesus talks to a religious leader about another birth.
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were not with him.” 3Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” 4“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at My saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” – John 3:1-8
Christmas is about the physical birth of Jesus Christ. He was born about 2000 years ago in Bethlehem. But his discussion with Nicodemus referred to a spiritual birth. These two don’t appear to have anything in common.
But they do.
The Holy Spirit.
He brought about the birth of Christ. And He bears people into the kingdom of God.
Jesus came to our world so that we can enter His. He underwent a natural birth so we could experience a supernatural one. Through the Holy Spirit, the Son of God became imminent. Through the same Spirit, we transcend our limitations.
Have a merry Christmas as you contemplate who Jesus is and what the Holy Spirit can do in your life.
Recent Comments