How is being born of the Spirit is like the wind. (John 2-4)

2:1-2

I believe that this marriage was a relative of Jesus. "And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage." Not only was he and his mother invited, but also the disciples. In fact, in verse 12, we hear that Christ's brothers traveled with him - suggesting that his entire immediate family was at the wedding. This wasn't an insignificant event in our Savior's family.

Some suggest that it was Christ's own wedding. I don't believe this. As it says in verse 2, Jesus and his disciples were "called...to the marriage." A groom is not invited to a wedding!

2:3-5

"And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come." Mary obviously had some type of responsibility at this wedding - further suggesting that it was a close family member. As many of us know, it would have brought shame to a family to run out of wine at a wedding. It wasn't a small deal. Shame among the Israelites wasn't good.

Jesus' response can sound confusing. The JST of this verse helps. "Woman, what wilt thou have me to do for thee? That will I do; for mine hour is not yet come." What does this mean? Instead of rejecting his mother, Jesus was stating that he was willing to do what she was requesting.

He had time. Many believe that "his hour" was the Garden of Gethsemane and the cross. His hour is the hour of his atonement. He was NOT rebuking his mother and suggesting that his hour for performing miracles hadn't happened yet.

She was not being obstinate and ignoring his rejection when she said to the servants, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." She was acting with the knowledge that he was going to do something.

2:9-11

Jesus turned the water into wine. He asked that it be delivered to the governor of the feast. Not knowing where the wine came from, the governor said, "Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now." Christ didn't just make wine, he made great wine. He turned something that was common and made it beautifully delicious. He made the water more than what it was.

There are parallels about this that relate to what Christ can do for us. The water didn't turn itself into wine. It couldn't elevate itself. It had to be lifted by the power of Christ. We must remember that, when the time comes, we will not lift ourselves.

In verse 11, we read, "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him." What is God's work and glory? It is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Again, I believe that there are parallels to what God and Jesus intend to do for us. In other words, the miracle at Cana showed that Christ could change water into wine - but also illustrated his power to change you and I from mortality to immortality.

2:14-17

“And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.” Christ didn’t have an uncontrolled temper. He didn’t react in a fit of rage.

When he saw that business was occurring in the temple, he took time to make a scourge to drive the money changers and merchants out. In verse 17, we get a type of explanation with the disciples remembering, “the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up (consumed me).” Jesus felt a strong connection with the temple. He was protective of it. He knew what should happen in the temple and what shouldn’t.

He knew that money changing was inappropriate in a sacred structure. It had become a shadow of what it could be for the people. If the temple became a common market, what good could it do? Jesus, of course, knew this.

There were other opportunities for Jesus to react this way in frustration. Why was this event the only time that Jesus demonstrated wrath? I believe that every action that Christ did was perfectly matched for the situation. He would bless or rebuke perfectly to have an effect. If Christ would have quietly had a conversation with each vendor, would the point have been made? Who would have responded? Would the men volunteer to leave because of a conversation? I don’t think so. The situation required Christ’s action. It was the only way to have a meaningful effect.

2:18-19

The Jews didn’t like what Jesus was doing. They were likely upset that their business was being interrupted. But, they all likely knew that what they were doing was inappropriate. They likely felt guilt. Their response to Christ was telling: “Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?” It was like they were asking about Christ’s authority. They wanted proof that he was in authority to call them out on their bad choices.

Our minds are weird. Is it possible that, when someone calls me on something I know I’m doing wrong, I would question the authority of the person making the correction? I may do exactly that. If I truly know what I’m doing is wrong, my only way out of having to change is to question the authority of the person correcting me. It feels like human nature.

2:24-25

These are interesting verses that highlight how Jesus knows us. “But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.” Jesus didn’t need to hear what someone would witness for or against another. He already knew what was in the heart and mind of everyone he met.

He understood that we have biased, often incorrect opinions of each other. This is another way that we should be like Jesus. We shouldn’t rely on what other people say about a person when forming our own opinion. We should get any information directly from the source. We should make our own opinion of those we meet.

Having said that, we truly can’t fully judge any person. Even when we know someone intimately, we cannot see inside his or her heart. Jesus Christ was the only one could understood everyone completely.

3:1–2

Nicodemus is a great example of a teachable man. Consider that he was a Pharisee. He had studied the scriptures since he was young. He had a position of authority. He was a “ruler” of the Jews. “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” He had a lot to lose by talking to Jesus. He might lose his position of authority. He might lose the respect that the community and his peers had for him. He “came to Jesus by night” to mitigate that risk a little I’m sure.

But, he used his eyes and his common sense. He realized that no one could perform miracles like Jesus was doing unless he had God with him. All of his biases and social pressures couldn’t keep him from seeing the truth.

This may sound simple and easy but it isn’t. Put yourself in Nicodemus’s shoes. He’s a wise and respected Pharisee. It would be very hard to put your livelihood and social position at risk! Even harder is to look past the mental blocks to realizing that you may be wrong. Accepting that we are incorrect or misled is almost impossible for most of us!

3:3-8

This conversation with Nicodemus is very important and hard to understand. I have to believe that this was an exceptional discussion for Jesus. He hadn't met too many Pharisees who would listen - let alone drop their predetermined biases. The uniqueness of this situation makes me think that Jesus said some truly remarkable things. Let's first review the first half of their conversation. "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of 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. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 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." There are three key points here:

1. We must be born again.

2. There is a different between being born of flesh vs. of the Spirit.

3. Wind illustrates being born of the Spirit.

I can easily grasp the concept of being born again of the Spirit. For example:

• Set aside worldly things and begin to follow after heavenly things.

• Leave our natural man behind and allow our spirit to conquer our flesh. Instead of following what our flesh wants, we are allowing our spirit to control us.

• Be teachable and impressionable to promptings of the Spirit. We must realize that we have a lot to learn.

• When we are converted, we must begin a new path as a disciple of Christ. We leave our old self behind.

It's a little tougher for me to wrap my brain around the wind metaphor. I think it's about seeing the results of being born of the Spirit. None of us would have an easy time describing what wind is. I think it has to do with atmospheric pressure or something. This is interesting because we all have almost daily interaction with wind we don't know what it actually is.

I can explain what it feels like. I can mainly point out the effect it has on other things. I can easily show you how wind moves trees or can blow a house down. I can show you how sand moves from wind. I can show how wind can shape a tree or build a snow drift. I can point to something moving and say, "that's the wind doing that."

I think being born of the Spirit is a little like that. Unless you feel it, it's hard to describe what it is. Some good examples of people describing the Spirit are found in the scriptures:

• King Benjamin said, "For behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name."

• Enos said, “My guilt was swept away."

• Alma explained to his son, "I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more."

• Alma said, “And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.”

• King Lamoni's wife declared, “O blessed Jesus, who has saved me from an awful hell! ... And when she had said this, she clasped her hands, being filled with joy."

• Nephi said, “He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.”

These are examples of what being born of the Spirit feels like.

3:9-12

"Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?" I think Jesus was perhaps disappointed that Nicodemus didn't recognize the symbolism here. He perhaps should have recognized the metaphor from Ezekiel. "Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord." In fact, the word "wind" could have been translated as "breath."

Jesus spoke in metaphors with the challenge of "he who hath ears to hear, let him hear." Jesus knew that some people weren't going to understand what he was saying and others were. In a way, it protects those without faith so that they don't understand and aren't held accountable for principles they can't live by. If the Sprit didn't illuminate Nicodemus's mind, it was a way for Jesus to know that he wasn't ready to understand that principle.

3:16-17

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." This is perhaps the most known scripture in the Bible - for good reason.

It illustrates how God loves us. He loves everyone of us, regardless of how we treat each other or how wicked we have become. He loves all of the people who drive in the left lane or cut us off in traffic. He loves those who are rude to us. He loves all of us unconditionally.

It's one thing to say that but to allow your only Begotten Son to experience every heartache and pain in the Garden of Gesthemane and then be tortured and crucified - that's truly demonstrating an infinite love. God allowed that to happen for billions of perfectly average people who don't pause to thank Him.

He didn't give his son for only the near-perfect among us. He didn't give his son for those who repent quickly after they sin. He didn't give his son for members of the Church only. He gave his son for WHOSOEVER believes in Christ.

He further explains the plan of salvation in verse 17. "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." God didn't send Jesus to be some measuring stick against which we would be condemned. He was sent simply to make it possible for all of us to be saved. Jesus was about saving, not condemning. The key principle is to believe in Christ. Which means to have faith and repent and be baptized and be sanctified by the Holy Ghost and going through the cycle of faith and repentance until the end. Again, it all starts with belief in Christ.

But for those who just won't believe, there is a problem. "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Those who will never believe will never begin the process of being sanctified. Those who choose not to believe, ever, are condemned to be damned. Their progress will assuredly stop - in this life and the next.

3:19-20

The real problem is when we rebel. We know better and have the strength to stop or start something but we rebel. "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." If we know light and truth but choose evil because we prefer it, we are condemned to a future of misery. Some love wickedness so much, they'll actually turn from the light so they won't be corrected. I can see this in the world.

3:34

What gifts of the Spirit did Jesus have? "For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him." Short answer: ALL of the gifts.

4:9-26

I love the story of the Samaritan woman. It starts out simply enough with Christ asking her for a drink. She immediately questions why she is speaking to him "Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans." She knew that Jews looked down on Samaritans.

Christ changes the subject. "Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." Jesus was explaining who he was and what he had to offer.

She didn't catch his meaning. She thinks he's speaking literally. "The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?"

Jesus turns the subject back to what he had to offer. "Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." The living water is clearly the gospel of Jesus Christ. How it shall quench our spiritual thirst permanently. It is not like physical thirst that is satisfied and then we are left yearning. It is a spring that continually produces everlasting life. We all should want this water. We should yearn for it just like we physically yearn for literal water.

It appears she is still missing the point. "The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw."

Jesus demonstrates that he wasn't just a man at a well. "Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly." She immediately discerns that he is something more than a man. "The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet."

Seeing that he is an important man, she begins to complain about how the Jews say that real worship must happen in Jerusalem - where Samaritans aren't welcome. "Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship."

Jesus gives her comforting words. "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." He is essentially saying that any man or woman who wants to worship may worship anywhere at any time. It isn't about the temple rites, it is simply about truth and what is inside of us. Our true motives and our ability to put aside the natural man and live in the Spirit is what matters. It is the Spirit, not a building that sanctifies her and us. The JST of verse 24 is more clear, "For unto such hath God promised his Spirit. And they who worship him, must worship in spirit and in truth."

The woman begins to see who he is. "The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things." Christ doesn't hold her in suspense and clearly states, "Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he."

3:28-29, 39, 41-42

Her conversion was quick and deep. "The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?" She had developed a testimony from this simple interaction. What faith she had. It did not matter if she was a Samaritan or Jew - it was her faith that mattered.

She provides a good example for us in demonstrating what should happen after we receive a testimony, we should share it with others. If what we know truly is the purpose of life and we can help people progress and be happy in this life, she should feel an extreme pull to share it.

Her efforts bore fruit, "And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did." We can all bear testimony and extend an invitation to learn more. The spiritually prepared will accept that invitation and will build their own testimony firsthand. Many did come to hear what Jesus had to say. "And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world."

3:48-50, 53

Jesus heals the son of a nobleman at Capernaum. The nobleman sought him out when he heard that he was in Galilee. His son was "at the point of death." Jesus responds to his request interestingly. "Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." This must have been true. Jesus knew him and knew that he was not spiritually prepared to believe without a miracle.

For some, that works. Alma the younger needed to be struck down by an angel. I think it's much more common, and frankly better, if we can become converted by a thousand small acts, not a huge event. Because it's continuing the thousand small acts that will allow us to maintain our testimonies.

But, he obviously demonstrated some faith. "The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die." So, Christ performed a miracle based on this man's seed of faith. "Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way." He had to have had a degree of faith before he had confirmation of the miracle. Otherwise, I don't think the miracle would have happened.

What's awesome is what happened when the father found out that his boy was healed in the very hour that Christ spoke with him. "So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house." This miracle provided enough faith for him and his entire house. Sometimes, a miracle plants the seed of faith. I hope that he and his household continued to nurture that faith so it wasn't a temporary conversion.