The Messiah’s Secret – Water and Spirit John 3: 1-17

 The Holy Spirit’s creative power in creation working with the Word of God.

The Spirit of God moved over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:2 Water covered the earth, until the third day when the dry land appeared. The dry land was called earth and the waters were called sea. The earth produced vegetation according to their own kind and produced fruit and in the fruit the seeds. Genesis 1: 9-13.

”When you send forth your Spirit they are created.” Psalm 104:30.

The Holy Spirit bringing forth an abundance of life.

We have the example of water bringing the deserts into bloom. The parched land waiting for the rain to fill the dry river beds and as the rain falls it germinates the seeds on its banks. The water working with the soil and the warmth from the sun bringing forth the vegetation that is needed to sustain life.

Isaiah 32: 15 “Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field." 

Jesus spoke of the rivers of water pouring out from the Holy Spirit watering the garden of our inner being. Water satisfies both body and soul. The soul thirsts because of our longing for God.

The Feast of the First Fruits.

The Israelites looked forward to God’s promise of a land filled with milk and honey.  The Jewish farmer looked for the appearance of the fruit on the crops and on the trees; he selected the best of the unripened fruit for the first fruit offering. He then tied a rush around the stems, setting them apart before the harvest.                                        

After Passover the presentation of the ’Omer’ the first fruit of the barley harvest took place on the 16^th Nisan. Counting from 

that date on the fiftieth day was the feast of Weeks or Pentecost.

On this day two loaves made from the first fruits of the wheat harvest they were presented at the temple.                                                                                                   

On route to Jerusalem the Psalms of Ascent was sung as the families brought their presentation of the first fruits of their land to the temple.

“Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways. You shall eat the fruit of the labour of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.     ”Psalm 126: 1,2.                                                                                                              

 Extracts taken from Alfred Edersheim’s book “The Temple."                

Jesus the first fruit of the resurrection.

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15: 20.

God breathed into Adam, the breath of life. Adam was created in the image of God, so he had the potential to live forever, he should not have died. But as we read in the Bible death came to Adam as a result of sin, he then fell under the influence of the serpent.

The serpent is identified as Satan. “And he seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan.” Revelation 20: 2.

The first man Adam succumbed to the serpent’s deceit leading to sin and death. Blame for his fall is generally taught that it was Eve having tasted the forbidden fruit first, offered it to Adam. But that is no excuse for Adam's fall from grace. Genesis 3: 8-19 The curses placed by God on both Adam and Eve were blotted out by Jesus' death and resurrection, through repentance and faith in Jesus.  Acts 3: 19.

Second man Jesus his victory over sin and death won eternal life.                                                                                                 

Jesus spoke of his victory over the serpent to Nicodemus.

Maybe Nicodemus made the connection when Jesus referred to an incident on the Exodus journey. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” John 3: 14, 15.

Some of the Israelites had been bitten by deadly snakes that had come into the camp. We read that this had happened because of their sin against God. Moses was told by God to make an image of a serpent in bronze and put it onto a pole. Those who had been bitten were told to look up at the serpent and they would live. Numbers 21: 4-9. 
On the first occasion that I preached on this word, a man sitting on the front row facing me. I saw the word drop from his head into his heart, from his mind into his spirit.
A picture of salvation: turning from sin in repentance to be born again.(See Blog Saved by the Blood)

The Two Loaves.
Two nations in the Bible Jew and Gentile. Under grace the two become one through the cross. 

Under grace men and woman are equal in Christ. 
Male and female under law of the flesh, the man is head over the woman in the family. A man is physically stronger and dominant and the woman bears the children.
Under grace, however, there is no marriage in the kingdom of God between men and women and the woman does not give birth to children. We all are the children of God.                                              
Should women become Bishops?
When I heard the debates in the 1980's about women becoming Ministers in the church, I had my reservations. But these were soon overturned when I experienced a woman ministering in church, I discerned that there was no difference between men and women in leading worship and administering the sacraments.                                                                                                   
One experience is worth a thousand arguments.
 In my personal experience about eleven years ago, I was in the process of publishing my book, 'The Messiah's Secret' when a Christian man claimed (under the doctrine of man, women are not teachers of the word), but he believed that he taught through me a woman, the words I was speaking were coming from his mind to me.(channelling which is not of the Holy Spirit) He attributed my book to himself, when I pointed out that I did not know him in 1996, he replied, 'Who was your minister then?' my response, 'We were in an Interregnum,' we had no minister at the time.
I have forgiven this man for what was said, I know that many women have been hurt in responding to the Lord's call on their lives. (see blog Removing the Veil)   

Male and female are liberated into the freedom of God's forgiveness through simple faith in these words below;  
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16 "    

"But to all who receive him, he gave the power to become the children of God: who were born, not of blood nor the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1: 12, 13.                                                                                                                                         
“I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.” Joel  2: 28.
The Gospel swims against the tide of human fallen nature. Men and woman are equal in Christ, and yes, I humbly believe that there should be women Bishops in the church.

(Added to blog)The Church of England's First Woman Bishop                               
 On Monday 26th January 2015 Rev Libby Lane was consecrated Bishop of Stockport, the service was held at York Minster. "When the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare it to you the things that are to come." John 16: 13

The Wind of the Spirit.
On the Evening of the Day of Jesus’ resurrection Jesus appeared in the house at Jerusalem where he breathed on the disciples the Holy Spirit.  John the Baptist spoke of the Messiah baptizing with the Holy Spirit and fire. The disciples were the first to receive the Holy Spirit directly from Jesus and they were commissioned to bear the first fruit of his ministry.

“Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruit of his creatures.” James 1: 18.

“We who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1: 12.

On the Feast of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came in power, like the sound of a rushing mighty wind. The disciples and followers were gathered in the house at Jerusalem, the wind ignited the hearts of the disciples, and they saw tongues of fire on each others’ heads.

That day the fruit of the apostle’s harvest yielded approximately 3,000 people who accepted Jesus as their Messiah.  The wind in them had carried the seeds of the good news of the kingdom onto the streets of Jerusalem where they settled and took root in the hearts of Jews and proselytes.                                                                             

The Holy Spirit gently moves us to respond to the Lord’s calling on our life. Like the wind bends the trees, so we yield our will to follow Jesus Christ. Out of our hearts the Holy Spirit flows out like a river. John 7: 38.

Jesus the living word and the Holy Spirit working together with the love of God. To walk with Jesus in fellowship with the Trinity. God our Father working his purposes out in our lives through our wanting to please the Lord. Trusting that his will, will be done and we can leave it there and let go of doing things in our own strength.                                                                                                                                                                                                   

 Answered prayer: On 14th July 2014 it was passed by the Church of England  for women to become Bishops.