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Any birth is exciting. The rush of exhilarated emotions, almost transcendent marvel over the bundle of new life squirming in our hands. It's a life-altering event not only for the child being born (that's obvious!), but also for the parents, siblings, family, friends and community both near and far.
The birth of Ecclesia was not much different. It was a life-altering event for 100+ individuals present that day - but it went beyond that, exceeding anything any one of them could see or imagine.
There is a continuity with the past...God appeared to Moses in a burning bush.
John the Baptist spoke of it as he clearly identified himself by who he is and who he is not:
As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Luke 3:16
Jesus Himself spoke of this birth from above. In His conversation with Jewish religious teacher, Nicodemus, Jesus answers Nicodemus unspoken question:
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.
How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and 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. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.. The fire. The water. The wind. The Spirit. Mix it all together as one uncontainable, uncontrollable yet by divine standards, perfectly controlled, perfectly measured Presence and God's new creation is born.
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