When we celebrate a birth, we celebrate the truth that we don’t have to be strong, put-together, or self-sufficient to be loved by God. We come to Him just like a newborn—vulnerable, empty-handed, and entirely dependent on His grace. And just like a loving parent, He scoops us up into His arms.
III. The Second Birth: Born of the Spirit
As we celebrate the physical milestone of birth today, we must also lean into the spiritual reality that Jesus spoke about. In John chapter 3, a deeply religious man named Nicodemus came to Jesus in the dark of night, searching for answers. Jesus looked at him and said something radical:
“Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (John 3:3)
Physical birth gives us entry into this world, with all its beauty and all its brokenness. But spiritual birth—the awakening of our hearts to the love of Jesus Christ—gives us entry into eternity.
The beauty of God’s Grace Mission is that the celebration of birth doesn’t stop at infancy. Every time a person says “yes” to Jesus, every time someone steps out of the darkness of shame and into the light of forgiveness, heaven throws a birthday party. A new creation is born. The old is gone; the new has come!
Conclusion: Carrying the Light Forward
Church, as we walk out of these doors on this 17th day of May, let us carry the spirit of this celebration with us.
- If you are celebrating a physical life today: Give thanks for the miracle of existence, and remember that that life is stamped with the very image of God.
- If you are searching for a fresh start: Remember that the God of the manger and the God of the resurrection is the Master of new beginnings. Your story is not over.
Let us live as people of the birth—people of hope, people of innocence, and people who believe that tomorrow can be brighter than today through the matchless grace of Jesus Christ.
Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, Speaker of Life, we thank You for the miracle of birth. Thank You for the ways You remind us of Your goodness through the gift of new life. We ask that You refresh every weary soul here today. Breathe Your breath of life into our dead situations. May we walk out of this place renewed, reborn in Your Spirit, and covered in Your infinite grace. In Jesus’ mighty name we pray, Amen.