John 3:1-8

“The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” vs. 8

When Jesus told Nicodemus that it was necessary to be born from above in order to see the kingdom of God, Nicodemus had a tough time understanding. He was a literalist, comfortable in the world of black and white, and Jesus was talking about another realm, one that exists beyond the world of space and time. To help Nicodemus understand this plane of existence, Jesus uses the wind as an example. To put it simply, the Spirit is like the wind. It’s free to go wherever it chooses–we can hear its sound, but beyond that it’s a mystery. For people used to being in charge this notion is completely disconcerting. We can’t control God! And we can’t predict how the Spirit is going to work–sometimes we’re going to be blown away by its freshness and vitality. These days there are some who are concerned because their old religious ways aren’t working anymore. Some congregations are dying. Some denominations are losing members by the thousands. People wonder if the church itself is going to disappear. We forget that the Church is the Spirit’s workshop, and change is going to always be part of the picture. There’ll be new forms and new practices, all the work of the Spirit, and through the Spirit people will continue to experience new life.

Thought for the Day: What will the church be like in a hundred years?