“Everyone who does what is right has been born of him”
“unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God”
The miracle of new life, a time of celebration and joy, when pain and labour are forgotten.
Yet first innocence soon fades, as the unyielding cycle of life and death repeats itself again.
A new miracle, a new birth is needed – a new creation of men and women who put their faith in Jesus and trust him to give them new life.
Helpful Bible references to consider
- The first few pages of the Bible describe the birth of the universe and the beginning of life on earth. They tell us we are here as the result of a deliberate act of creation by an Almighty Creator.
(Gen.1-2) - We are here for a reason, not by accident or a chance evolution.Life is meaningful, not meaningless.
(Is.45:18) - We have a duty, a responsibility towards our creator which will give real purpose to our lives.
(Is. 66:1-2Eccles.12:13) - God has a plan for the world, to fill it with the glory of his character and wisdom.That plan requires a process of rebirth, a new creation, because the world has been corrupted by human evil.
(Hab.2:14; Acts 17:22-31; Is. 65:17-25) - We ourselves need to be reborn, remodelled for our place in the new world of the future.
(1 Peter 1:3; 2Cor.5:17; Eph.4:22-23) - The key to this divine plan is Jesus Christ, whose miraculous birth 2000 years ago is the pivotal point in human history.He is the first of this new creation.
(Luke 1-2; Is.9:6-7; 1Cor.15:20-23) - We can be reborn by our faith in him.Baptism is the essential sign of that change of direction in our lives.
(1 John 5:1; Rom.6:1-4)