Let’s look at the first time the incorruptible seed of God conceived life. …The story of the birth of Christ is not given to us to make a celebration or a day of giving gifts. It is given as a glimpse of the marvelous work of God as He joins us, in this life. It is a picture of the birth that is to occur in all of us.

Emmanuel – meaning God with US!

When the angel appeared and made his salutation to Mary, his greeting contained a declaration of favor: “…Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” The awareness of being favored accorded to those who are visited by the Holy Spirit, is nearly absent today.

Somewhere among the dialogue of “whosoever will” and indiscriminate “Jesus Loves You” bumper stickers, we have laid aside the glorious doctrine of election and adulterated the sovereignty of our God.

We have come to expect our God to promptly answer when we call, but when the Creator of the universe visits you, it is a wonderful day, and you are highly favored “…for thou hast found favour with God.” (Luke 1) “[We] were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:13)

“Christmas” Has Hidden the Story of the New Birth

Then the angel explained to Mary what was about to happen: “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35)

We see here that the “holy thing” is Christ. After questioning the impossibility of such a proposal and being assured that it would be as God said, Mary submitted to the will of God and surrendered herself totally to Him. “And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” (Luke 1:38)

In this story we can begin to see a parallel to the experience we call being born again. We see the overshadowing or visitation, the expectation of an impossibility, the questioning within, and finally the submission to the higher One. When we reach this point of submission we have the seed of God implanted in us.

This seed has within it the DNA structure of a new you in Christ. As Mary was to carry Christ within her for the next nine months and then give birth, it is our responsibility to care for and nurture that seed to birth and finally, maturity.

Paul spoke of this mystery. “To whom God would make known … this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you…” (Colossians 1:27) In Ephesians 4:15, Paul spoke also of our growing up into Christ, “But speaking the truth in love, [we] may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.”

As you submit to God in this process of the new birth, He places His seed within you. The new birth is not an instantaneous one that takes place the second you pray a “sinner’s prayer” as is commonly taught today. First, there is a visitation, a yielding, and then a pregnancy, which you are expected to nurture and care for, till it comes to the time of birth. If you do not cherish the new Seed of Christ you could miscarry, and lose this “holy thing” within.

The doctrine of instantaneous “new birth on demand” is faulty and misleading.

There are scores of people still struggling with sin and trying to reconcile their present wretched lives with their past experience of being “born again.” When, in reality, their visitation only planted a seed that they must bring to the birth by responsible and caring behavior.

Remember that the Scripture says, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God.” (John 1:12) We have been given the “power to become” just as a woman impregnated has been given the potential to bring forth life.

The care and nurture necessary to bring about this new birth successfully is to be guided by Christ, to be a disciple, and carrying ones own “cross” – to do the will of the Father. In fact, being a disciple is living under the discipline that creates the proper environment for the new birth.  No one can successfully bring new life into an environment hostile to the nature of the life conceived in them. You cannot force the lips of Christ in us, to tell lies, nor force His hands to strike, His mouth to curse or His heart to worship idols and yet expect this holy Seed to thrive.

You must first learn to obey His Commandments and do His will to successfully bring about a live birth of the Seed within. Luke 14:27, “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” You must DO the will of God to care for, and not miscarry, the seed within. After you have been “mother” to this holy life within you, it is then that you are born into the family of Christ, and have become brothers and sisters of His.

Second, after prenatal development, comes the birth, and “mothering” of this new “Christ in you” and is a matter of feeding, protecting and maturing. As Peter says, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby…” (1 Peter 2:2) Being born again consists of the Spirit and Life of Christ being born in you. “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” (John 3:7) “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” (1 Peter 1:23)

On this particular day when Jesus was teaching and ministering to His followers, His mother Mary and His brothers were standing outside the place and were calling to Him. For what cause He was ignoring them, is unknown. Whether it was for this lesson alone or for other reasons, we don’t know. The crowd told him that His mother and brothers were outside and wanted to see Him, and Jesus asked a profound thing. “Who is my mother?”

As you consider the holy child that you are carrying and birthing as raising the seed of God, “Christ in you,” you may now see new depth to the question of Christ, “Who is my Mother?” 

This is a question you need not answer, as the answer is given quickly afterward,

“And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples said, “Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God my Father the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.”

Do your utmost, dear friends, to achieve this worthy life “Christ in you.”

*Excerpt “Who is my mother?” taken from “The Questions of Jesus” by Don C Harris