As Christians, we often hear or use the phrase, “born again”, and it always reminds me of Nicodemus in John 3:1-21. He was a respected Jewish leader who was a pharisee. And although he was an intellectual man, he could not understand what Jesus meant when he said one must be born again to see the Kingdom of God. Nicodemus was literally thinking about how it is impossible to re-enter your mother’s womb as a grown man and be born again, but Jesus was trying to explain that humans can only reproduce human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.

So how is someone “born again”? Romans 10:9 explains it this way: “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” This is when we open the doors to the “birth” of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and we become the new creation as seen in today’s key verse. “The old has gone, the new is here!”¹ Friends, if this is not a reason to rejoice, I am not sure what is! God has given us forgiveness and access to Him through Jesus.

While we may not know the author of the song “Good Christian Men Rejoice”, it is clear that they wanted to sing about Christmas and rejoice! Jesus had been born, so that we could be made new.

Good Christian men, rejoice

With heart and soul and voice;

Give ye heed to what we say:

Jesus Christ is born today!²

We all have friends and family who have not yet been “born again”. Maybe this is the Christmas when they will see Jesus for who He really is, and open their hearts to the King that has been born to us. This would be a great reason for all of us to rejoice!

Suggested prayer: Dear God, thank you that, in Christ, I have been made new. Thank you for your Holy Spirit who lives in me. I ask that you use me to be a light to those who don’t yet know you. May this Christmas be the time when they finally say yes to You! Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus name, amen.

1. 2 Corinthians 5:17.

2. “Good Christian Men Rejoice”. Author unknown. Dated back to the 13^th or 14^th Century.

Today’s Encounter was written by: Crystal B.