What Does It mean to be born again?
Have you ever found yourself staring at your Christmas decorations wondering, "Now what?" Maybe you're one of those people who already packed everything away, or perhaps you're holding onto the holiday magic a little longer. Either way, there's something about taking down the tree that feels like the perfect opportunity to start fresh with a clean house, right?
As I've been thinking about heading into a new year, one question kept coming to my mind: "Jesus was born to be a gift for me, so now what?" It's true—we celebrated this incredible gift of Jesus coming into the world at Christmas. But what does that actually mean for you and me as we move forward?
The Midnight Meeting That Changed Everything
Many years ago, pastor and theologian John Wesley wrote a message called "The Great Privilege of those who are Born of God." When I think about the question of 'Jesus was born, now what?' I think about this great privilege we have—one I'm excited to remind you of as we head into a new year and new season.
The conversation that sparked this understanding is found in John 3:1-2, where we meet a man named Nicodemus: "There was a Jewish leader named Nicodemus, who belonged to the party of the Pharisees. One night he went to Jesus and said to him, 'Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher sent by God. No one could perform the miracles you are doing unless God were with him.'"
A couple of things to know about Nicodemus: he would have been a well-educated man when it came to the Old Testament and understanding of who God was. Many scholars agree that because of that, that would be one of the reasons that he approached Jesus at night. Maybe so that no one else would notice that he actually has some questions and clarifications for Jesus—that he didn't have all the answers.
More Than Physical Birth
Jesus's response in John 3:3 probably caught Nicodemus off guard: "I am telling you the truth: no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again."
Naturally, Nicodemus was confused: "How can a grown man be born again? He certainly cannot enter his mother's womb and be born a second time!" (John 3:4). As a mom, I can tell you trying to get a baby out of the womb, let alone back into the womb, would not be comfortable, and actually impossible.
But this isn't what Jesus is getting at. He's introducing Nicodemus to a new kind of birth—a second, spiritual birth. Jesus explains in John 3:5-7: "I am telling you the truth, that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. A person is born physically of human parents, but is born spiritually of the Spirit. Do not be surprised because I tell you that you must all be born again."
It's About Heart Posture, Not Checkboxes
What I think Jesus is getting at here is an issue of the heart. He's saying, "Nicodemus, it's not just about checking off the boxes and following my commands," or for us, this isn't about checking off the boxes of coming to church each week because it's what "good Christians do"... but this is about the posture of your heart.
As Pastor Megan Fate said it this way, "Grace is not just meant for you to be forgiven, it's originally given. It's a gift. If grace only shows up after sin, it's merely reactive, but it's not, grace is God's initiation."
New Growth After the Fire
Something that my husband and I love to do is visit national parks. We recently visited Yellowstone, America's first national park. During my first visit as an 8-year-old girl, you could still see remnants of the wildfires that took place in 1988. That year, 793,880 acres, about 36% of Yellowstone was affected.
But here's what's fascinating: there's a species of tree that grows in Yellowstone called the lodgepole pine. And the only way for it to regenerate, to experience new growth and new birth... is when a fire comes. Its seeds are found in resin-coated cones that typically open with the intense heat of a wildfire. It's only then the seeds are released to create new growth.
I think this is where Jesus is going with Nicodemus and with us. For us to experience this life with new and fresh eyes, through the lens of the Kingdom of God, we must first be born again.
Your Great Privilege
Wesley talks about this ongoing spiritual growth like this: "And by this new kind of spiritual respiration, spiritual life is not only sustained, but increased day by day..."
As the Psalmist writes in Psalm 139:1-3, "LORD, you have examined me and you know me. You know everything I do; from far away you understand all my thoughts. You see me, whether I am working or resting; you know all my actions."
Putting It Into Practice
I'm not sure how you walked in today. Maybe you're feeling refreshed and ready to hit the ground running in 2026, or maybe life is hard right now. No matter what your situation is right now, can I just encourage you to dream with God in 2026?
Remember these truths:
God knows you
God desires you
God is for you
He's all around you
Today, as we head into a new year, let's lean into the great privilege we have of walking in step with the Spirit of God day by day.