What if you had two birthdays?

All photographs are used by permission of Unsplash 

For many, birthdays are a reason for a party and a time of celebration. These occasions are anticipated eagerly and children especially, await the day with glee, hoping that lots of cards will pour through the letterbox and many presents will be received. They proudly wear a badge displaying their age and are keen to remind family and friends weeks beforehand of the imminence of the all-important date.

The joy of a newborn!

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

There is great joy when a baby is born. I remember the birth of our two boys very well. Our eldest was born six weeks early, and number two was born on his agreed due date. I have got to admit that I shed tears of joy at both births. 

We chose not to find out the gender of our boys, so we waited patiently for their birth. In recent years, many people decide to say “Yes, please”, in response to the question, “Would you like to know if you are having a boy or a girl?” They then may have gone on to hold a gender reveal party. 

News from an expectant couple is good news. It is usually shared after the 12 weeks scan. Good news spreads fast with family and friends being told via text, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp or a good, old-fashioned phone call. A birthday is a happy day with a great deal of shared celebration. Names would have been discussed, and a nursery made ready. 

The prophet Isaiah foretold the birth of Jesus some 700 years before His actual birth: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.“ Fast forward to the New Testament where Luke tells us of a young teen, Mary, who was visited by an angel who told her, “…you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest…”

There was no scan and no need to discuss names. Both were shared with Mary. She then spoke with Joseph, to whom she was betrothed. To be betrothed meant engaged to be married. Joseph wanted to end this arrangement privately to not embarrass her because the baby was not his, but enter another angel to reassure him that God was at work. In due course, the baby boy was born, and He was given the name Jesus. So, what is so special about this birth? It is His name, Jesus, Saviour.  

Having spoken about birth, Jesus introduced the phrase ‘born again’ as he chatted with a ruler of the Jews called Nicodemus one night. Jesus said: “…unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ ” 

He was thinking physically, but Jesus was emphasizing the spiritual side of life. Have you experienced this second birth? Do you have a day in your life’s experience when you were born into God’s family? For me, it was on Tuesday, August 10th, 1982, in a farmer’s field in Llangennith. 

Please remember that God has always promoted family life. Adam and Eve were encouraged to multiply. Paul told the early church that mums, dads and children were to respect each other and live in line with God’s values. Today’s message has been about birth and, more importantly, new birth, which is having a relationship with God. I have two birthdays: a natural birth-day and a second spiritual birthday. I hope you do too!

Messages with Meaning (05/03/21), Written by Nigel Binding for Your542Day 

The Conception and Birth of Jesus

The Conception and Birth of Jesus

I heard a discussion today on the radio about the conception and birth of Jesus. I will not relate to you what was said but very little credence was given to the record of the Bible. I don't know what you think? Read what the Bible says about the conception and birth of Jesus - it looks pretty clear to me that the claim is that Jesus was born of a virgin, Mary. IN a later blog we will discuss the significant of this.

Matthew 1:18-25

¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been ^[j]betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by [the power of] the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ And Joseph her [promised] husband, being a just and righteous man and not wanting to expose her publicly to shame, planned to send her away and divorce her quietly. ²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the Child who has been ^[k]conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus (The Lord is salvation), for He will ^[l]save His people from their sins.” ²² All this happened in order to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the ^[m]prophet [Isaiah]: ²³ “Behold, the ^[n]virgin shall be with child and give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel”—which, when translated, means, “God with us.” ²⁴ Then Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and he took Mary [to his home] as his wife, ²⁵ but he kept her a virgin until she had given birth to a Son [her firstborn child]; and he named Him Jesus (The Lord is salvation).

Jesus’ Birth Foretold

26 Now in the sixth month [of Elizabeth’s pregnancy] the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin [j]betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming to her, the angel said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly perplexed at what he said, and kept carefully considering what kind of greeting this was. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Listen carefully: you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.32 He will be great and eminent and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob (Israel) forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end.”34 Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin and have no intimacy with any man?” 35 Then the angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [like a cloud]; for that reason the holy (pure, sinless) Child shall be called the Son of God.36 And listen, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 For with God nothing [is or ever] shall be impossible.” 38 Then Mary said, “[k]Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel left her.

Luke 1:26-66

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 Now at this time Mary arose and hurried to the hill country, to a city of Judah (Judea), 40 and she entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, her baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered by Him. 42 And she exclaimed loudly, “Blessed [worthy to be praised] are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed [spiritually fortunate and favored by God] is she who believed and confidently trusted that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her [by the angel sent] from the Lord.”

The Magnificat

46 And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies and exalts the Lord,
47 
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 
“For He has looked [with loving care] on the humble state of His maidservant;
For behold, from now on all generations will count me blessed and happyand favored by God!
49 
“For He who is mighty has done great things for me;
And holy is His name [to be worshiped in His purity, majesty, and glory].
50 
“And His mercy is upon generation after generation
Toward those who [stand in great awe of God and] fear Him.
from generation to generation.
51 
“He has done mighty deeds with His [powerful] arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.
52 
“He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And exalted those who were humble.
53 
“He has filled the hungry with good things;
And sent the rich away empty-handed.
54 
“He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,
55 
Just as He promised to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

56 And Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months, and then returned to her home.

John Is Born

57 Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown His great mercy toward her, and they were rejoicing with her.

59 It happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child [as required by the Law], and they intended to name him Zacharias, after his father;60 but his mother answered, “No indeed; instead he will be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by that name.” 62 Then they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished.64 At once Zacharias’ mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began speaking, praising and blessing and thanking God. 65 Then fear came on all their neighbors; and all these things were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard these things kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this little boy turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him [to bring about his birth].

To access podcasts and videos explaining the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk

This site will give you access to Bible Teaching Audio's and Video's as well.