Spirit-Borne
John 3:6, 8
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 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.
Note how it is not just a bunch of hungry cannibals like so many buzzards sitting around the body of Christ. Sure, his body is real food and his blood drink enough. But is that really what Christ meant by that statement. In the words of the Grinch, 'what if it meant just a little bit more.' Could this be then why some were offended and turned back at his words. When he said them, he was looking remarkably well and hale. Indeed, he was even in his prime of life at the ripe old age of about thirty-something if history is to be believed. Thus, nothing should cause them to turn away and walk no more with him. See, he was not the suffering Savior as of yet nor was he the reigning king that some wanted him to be. So, please do me a favor and get that notion out of your heads. If Jesus needed help saying what he meant, he would have asked you. Now I am not trying to be irreverent or simply funny. Rather, it is to a Heavenly purpose even to the saving of your souls. This text came to a man in dire need of being born again. I know we have talked about this before. But notice here his position, his power, and his authority.
He was Nicodemus, a man found creeping round the streets at night, as well as a ruler of the Jews. To most people, he was almost a spiritual leader of sorts. For a man who claimed to know the Lord and walk in his ways, it was clear that nothing had changed. Maybe then he would not repeat the same mistakes the next time around. Maybe then he would not be doing such things that shamed the Lord. Maybe then he would not be on the receiving end of a stiff chat from the Lord himself. Maybe next time things would be different. How many of you know that when you meet Jesus, you will never be the same ever again. He will not allow it. His power changes lives. Whether you like it or not, God is birthing something greater within you and bringing it out.
Nor are we simply meant to take over the world. You can talk about the mafia and illuminati all you please. But at the end of the day, Jesus is very clear. There are only two types, the flesh and the spirit people. Which one are you today?
See how Jesus compares the spirit people to the wind. Such has two primary characteristics. It remains unseen but still is felt. It goes as it will but never unheard. Notice how there are obvious signs left wherever it goes. Maybe this may help some of you try to understand. I once knew a man who took the phrase down in his habits quite literally. For him it meant going from one to the next until the night found him crawling home again having drunk to excess. He wanted to date me in a romantic sort of way. But then I found out he was married. Knowing what I did about his pub habits, I had to decline. It might sound bizarre to some of you. But is this not just how we do the Lord. When he says things like eternal life, born again, and God with us we have no earthly idea what he is talking about. How can that be when it is his name. Yet centuries later we still do not understand much of it having heard it at all.
Why should we, when all we know is living and dying, joy and pain, happiness and sorrow as is our lot in the great human race that we call life. Notice how God never found fault with a man for not understanding. Rather he faulted man on the basis of their own understanding as seen in the text. Herein has he been made understanding for us all. It might as well have said he came unto the local mental health or correctional facility. But Scripture does not say that, does it. It says he came into his own and his own - what is that you say. Received him not. Knowing this ought to comfort some of you and terrify the rest of you. Look if you will at what comes next. To "as many" of John 1:12 "as received him to them gave he power to become" "sons of God even to" all "that believe on his name." Now I have wandered down hippity-hoppity lane for a reason. You might not understand it just yet, but trust me, God has a purpose to which you are heading. Well, there you have it folks. That in essence is eternal life and being born again all at once. See, if starts off with who is your daddy and ends up at the house of some spirit people that are home with the Lord forever.