Welcome to Calvary Church with Skip Heitzik. We're so glad you've joined us. This season invites us to follow Jesus to the cross, where love was poured out and out of the grave where hope was born. In this message from Pastor Skip Heidzik will reflect on what it means to follow Jesus fully. To remember the price he paid, celebrate the life he gives,

and respond to his invitation to walk in forgiveness, freedom, and new life.

Today we're going to be looking at a passage of scripture in the New Testament,

the book of 1st Peter, only three verses I want to look at.

One of the most exciting experiences in life is the birth. verses I want to look at.

One of the most exciting experiences in life is the birth of a baby.

Now I say this as a man, a spectator, and I think moms feel a little bit differently, but

it's pretty exciting to see a baby being

birthed into the world, especially the birth of a grandchild.

Grandparenting is the best, because we have all of the joy and not the responsibility.

In fact, the job of a grandparent, you ready?

The job of a grandparent is to fill them with sugar and send them back to their parents.

Almost as exciting as birth are a child's first steps.

It's a little bit scary because now that independent will is mobile,

but it's pretty exciting because those few steps are going to lead to more steps later on.

They're going to have their first steps to the school bus or to school, or those steps that they're going to be taking at graduation,

and finally the step down the aisle to get married.

The few steps of a child lead to the steps later on, or simply stated,

birth leads to life, and life leads to a destiny.

And that's true in the physical world, but it's also true in the spiritual world,

that birth leads to life.

And that is Peter's thinking in the text that we're about to consider in 1 Peter chapter 1 is that

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