Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
Most people who know me, understand that I haven’t celebrated my birthday in the last twenty-five years. A lot of people might think this is strange because it is a common practice that is done by almost everyone that you meet in society. But when I placed my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, something completely changed deep inside of my heart. Sitting around a table of lit candles while people sang and honored me felt like some type of religious devotion that is done when people worship their gods. Solomon had offended the Lord when he began burning incense to false gods, so how would the Lord feel if I allowed people to burn candles and sing songs in my name? It all felt extremely weird to me, and from that point on I completely renounced that practice. Another reason why I don’t celebrate my birthday is because when I was baptized into the Christian life, the old person that I once used to be was put to death, and I became a new child of God in Christ Jesus
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
Obviously when we were born into this world, all of us have an Earthly birthday according to the flesh, but when we are born again through the waters of baptism, we go through a Spiritual rebirth, through which we have the start of a brand new life, and a brand new heavenly birthday!
John 3:1-8 (KJB) There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
In my own opinion, I can’t see why a Christian would want to remember their birthday in the flesh when that person is supposed to have been crucified with Christ Jesus. In fact, that’s what happens when we are baptized. Just like being buried in the ground when you pass away, we are buried beneath the water, and then rise up to a brand new life in Christ Jesus. So why look back to what you once were, rather than looking forward to what God wants you to become? Makes no sense to me at all, because the birth of that old sinner that you once were should be forgotten, as you become a new creature in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJB) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Isaiah 43:18 (KJB) Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
In my own mind, to celebrate my birthday is to celebrate the birth of a sinner. Why would anybody who has repented of their sins want to celebrate what they once were? Even the Lord Jesus is creating a new Heaven and a new Earth, and all the things of old are not going to be remembered.
Isaiah 65:17 (KJB) For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
Apparently historians agree that making offerings with cakes and lights goes back to the Greeks, when they would place a round cake with candles on an altar for the goddess Athena to make it glow like the Moon. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? I didn’t even know that tidbit of information when I first became a born again believer, but it was the Holy Spirit that convicted my heart that celebrating birthdays was wrong in my conscience. Because I don’t celebrate my birthday I don’t celebrate others either, which is why when I get an invitation, I just don’t show up.
Please have me excused!
Rather than celebrating the birth of the old sinner that we once were, we should celebrate Christ Jesus for giving us the opportunity to become a new child of God!!!! You must remember that even in the scriptures, Jesus never commanded us to celebrate His own birthday, but rather, we celebrate His new birthday, which is His resurrection from the grave!
Speaking about the observance of days, I think that a lot of people know by now, that Christmas is just a big commercialized money making farse, created to get customers in the door to sell off all of their outdated stuff. Actually it’s not even the day that Jesus was born anyway, and has become filled up with so many heathen practices that anybody who claims to be Christian should keep away from it completely. But that is a topic for another discussion.
Instead of celebrating birthdays, I’ve always liked to give gifts throughout the entire year at unexpected times. It’s kind of fun. There’s nothing wrong with giving gifts to others, because even Kings and foreign leaders present each other with gifts when they get together to meet for a world summit. People brought gifts to Jesus such as an alabaster box of ointment, which He gladly received. So I guess, why wait for a specific day to have an opportunity to give to others? Do good with what you have, whenever you can! Does it really need to be one day of the year that motivates a parent to go buy their son a new pair of socks and underwear? I really hope not, because love for others, and especially God, should certainly not be reserved for just one day of the year.
Can you imagine telling your wife that you will love her on Thursdays, but don’t expect any the rest of the week? That sounds ridiculous doesn’t it, but that’s exactly how people treat God. Just so you understand, that’s called religion, not love for God. Sometimes when our family has a good season out in the woods, we will have our own special day of thanks, complete with turkey, cranberry, stuffing and the works! But oh no, it’s the first week of September! Sometimes we will have it again in mid-october too! (As far as I’m concerned, we could have it every month because I really enjoy that meal anyway!)
The Apostle was very concerned with the church because they were getting caught up observing days, months, times and years. People can get so caught up religiously following a specific day on the calendar rather than seeking God from their heart. It’s always amazed me how people have fought bitterly over Saturday or Sunday worship when you can worship God every day of the week if you want. What if you didn’t have a calendar? Would your whole life fall apart? What utter foolishness. Sometimes I get up and I don’t even know what day of the week it is, and you know what, I don’t even care.
What people should care about is if they got up and spent some time with the Lord this morning. Did they read the scriptures at all? Are they seeking the Lord with a pure and obedient heart? Are they bringing forth works of repentance each day, or are they waiting for a specific day during the weekend to do that? Rather than trying to adjust your schedule to go to a church service, schedule an hour each day to spend some close time with Jesus and I guarantee you that He will bless you because of it. Gathering together to worship is extremely important, but the day nor the hour is not. It’s just a matter of digging out the guitar, grabbing His Holy Word, and singing some hymns just as Jesus did at the last supper. That’s the problem with commercialized Christianity. It’s lost everything that it was meant to be.
Lastly, some people will decide not to work on the Sabbath day, but then they go out the rest of the week and live as complete hypocrites. That is religion in its purest form, something the Pharisees were filled with. A whole lot of religion on the exterior, but a complete lack of love and devotion for Christ deep inside of the heart.
So we have a lot of things to think about for today, but as far as my old birthday is concerned, I don’t think about it at all, because the truth is that after you take a plunge beneath the waters of baptism, and die in the name of Christ Jesus, you rise up as a child of God with a brand new life, and…..
…….A Brand New Birthday
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
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