3-18-2023

Good Morning All,

        John 3:6; “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

    It seems like a simple concept to follow.  You are one thing or another.  If your pet is born a dog; it is a dog it isn’t changed into a cat.  If you have red hair; you have red hair.  You can try to hide it or change the color but in the end, this is only a deception because your hair is red.  It is a simple concept but one which many people try to deny and change.

    That which is born of flesh is flesh.  That which is born of a sinful nature has a sinful nature.  There are those who would deny this.  Some think you can stare at your belly button long enough to become God.  Some believe that God exists in us from the beginning and that they can coax him out.  Some will tell you that God exists in the hopes and dreams of little boys and girls and all we have to do is to wish for all to be well.  All the while they are deceiving themselves and others.  This is bad enough but then they are also missing the true free gift which God gives to us.

    By nature, we are sinful, we are flesh.  Yet it is by God’s grace that we are born, that is reborn, of Spirit.  We do this through Baptism.  We receive God’s Spirit by Baptism.  This is a completely unnatural act.  It doesn’t occur because we want it to or because we can make it occur; it occurs because God makes it happen.  As we look at the sacraments we see where God takes everyday things and makes them do extraordinary actions.  It is not because of the everyday thing, like water; it is by God’s Word that this occurs.  This is the free gift of God to us and we can relish it.  We can savor it and we can enjoy it.  God gives it to us so that we can be called his children.  We are heirs to his wondrous kingdom. 

    This change is not manmade, or man found.  While some try to claim that they found Jesus; remember Jesus has never been lost; it is always the other way around.  Jesus comes to you and after you with his Word bidding you to come to him.  He wants to bring you into his kingdom and he chooses to do this through “the washing of regeneration by the Holy Spirit.”  We do not come to God, find God, make ourselves God or any other such thought; we are born of flesh and flesh we are. 

     Yet God, in his unfathomable love, re-creates by Baptism to be his children and heirs.  This gift, this wondrous gift, is given to us.  Then, God empowers us and encourages to go, and bring this gift along and give this gift to others.  So as you give your gifts this Christmas season, remember the greatest gift which is given to you by God.  We receive the washing and the cleansing of our souls and we are re-created into his children to life eternal. 

Dear Father, you give us the gift of spirit by your Holy Spirit.  Help us to see and to trust your grace to save us.  Give us the wisdom to go forth and to boldly speak of your forgiveness.  Strengthen our spirit to serve you only.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret