THINK TOGETHER
Have you ever heard the story of your birth? (Mom and Dad, tell your kids their birth story)
READ TOGETHER
Jesus was known for saying some very strange and hard things. Here's one of those things:
John 3:3. Jesus answered Nicodemus, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Nicodemus, a very smart religious leader in Israel, had heard stories about Jesus and his teaching and miracles and so he wanted to meet Jesus to see what he was all about. Was Jesus going to try to be a king? Was he going to take over the country? Was he going to try to change their religion? Was Jesus a trouble maker?
But when Nicodemus finally met Jesus, Jesus didn't want to talk about being a king on earth or about doing miracles. He wanted to talk about how to have eternal life from God. He wanted to talk about God's kingdom that goes beyond this life. Why? Because that's the most important thing in the world to talk about – being forgiven by God and having God's eternal life, and living forever in his kingdom. Jesus called it being "born again."
Have you ever heard of being "born again?" It sounds strange doesn't it? It did to Nicodemus too. All he could think of was becoming a baby again. But that's not what Jesus meant at all. Actually the phrase "born again" can also mean "born from above." And that is what Jesus meant. He meant that everyone has to be born from above, or from God. We need to have two birthdays – an earthly, physical birthday and a heavenly, spiritual birthday.
Now, I'm very sure that you've already had your first birthday – the day you were born as a baby. Do you remember it? Probably not. But trust me it happened.
But have you had your second birthday – your spiritual birthday?
How does someone have a second birthday? How is someone "born from above?" Simply by trusting in Jesus for forgiveness of their sins and by asking to receive his eternal life as a free gift.
Nicodemus thought he could have eternal life by being a very good person. He thought that because he kept God's law so well that he had eternal life. But Jesus shocked Nicodemus when he told him that even he needed to be born from above. Even Nicodemus needed to receive Jesus and his free gift of eternal life. It can't be earned by being good. Why? Because no one can be good enough to earn God. No one can be perfect. Not Nicodemus and not you or me. We all need to be born from above. And the good news is that we can be by simply trusting in what Jesus has done for us on the cross.
Because of Jesus we can have eternal life.
With Jesus we can tell others about eternal life just like Jesus did with Nicodemus.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Why not have a spiritual birthday party? Celebrate the spiritual births in your house together. Have fun!
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus,
Because of you I have eternal life. Thank you for my spiritual birthday. Help me to let others know about you and your love.
Amen.
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