Hearing and Feeling Without Seeing

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” [John 3.3]

How is your vision of the Kingdom of God? Can you see it? In a world gone chaotic with knowledge and technology, this truth, spoken by Jesus, remains.

It is imperative, through all the 'noise' of life, that we see the Kingdom of God! In this environment, we will not see it unless we look for it,.. No, wait, that is not what Jesus said! He said you cannot see the Kingdom of God unless you are born again! So how does that happen?

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” [John 3.5-8]

The Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So, what do we know about the Holy Spirit?

Jesus said:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” [Luke 4.18-19]

First, we know the Holy Spirit, according here to Jesus (and prophesied by Isaiah), initiates the Good News. So, what is the Good News? The Good News is a message. That message is specifically about Christ. And, that specific message about Christ is this:

It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ [Luke 24.47]

It is the work of the Holy Spirit that the message of forgiveness of sins for all who repent is both preached and understood. But understanding is not enough. Conviction is necessary so that one might repent. Conviction and repentance are the birth pangs of a life reborn! Thus, it is entirely the work of the Holy Spirit that one is birthed into spiritual life.

One who remains in the womb cannot see what is outside the womb - unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God. One being born does not initiate the birth process any more than one is born again of his own will. It is solely the work of the Holy Spirit. And, just like an unborn child may hear and even feel the outside world to some degree but never see it, so one who is spiritually unborn may hear and feel the Kingdom of God, but never see it.

How many in our churches today hear and feel the affect of the Kingdom of God but never see it?

Until God's messengers (through effective preaching of God's Word), associate man's wretched condition with his inherent sin (thus yielding to the Holy Spirit to convict unto repentance), then people will only continue to hear and feel the Kingdom of God but never be born again that they might see it!

Can you see the Kingdom of God?

Father, help us to ask ourselves this question, "Can I see the Kingdom of God?" If we cannot see it, help us to position ourselves where the Holy Spirit can bring conviction that leads to repentance that births us into the Kingdom that we might see it.