22 This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, 'Where I go, you cannot come'?"
23 But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
What’s your name? Who is your Daddy? Where are you now from? All are good questions for each of us to consider. Do we bear the name of Christian? Is God our Father through the redemptive blood of Jesus? Are we born from above - hailing now from heaven - so to speak? In our verses for today Jesus confronts the Pharisees regarding where they were from. The world had consumed their desires, their visions and their longings – their hearts and minds entirely absorbed in the earth and all of its lower objects of nature and practices. Its cares and profits had absorbed their attention and affections. They were living as unredeemed captives of the fallen world – unable to escape its grip. A believer’s life should be quite the contrast. Though we are in the world we are not to be of it – our citizenship is in heaven and our best things are yet to come. Paul tells us in Philippians:
18 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Phil 3:18-21 (NIV)
Dominated by thoughts of heaven - bringing heavenly direction to our earthly duties – Christians are to be setting their hearts and minds on things above not on earthly things. I am reminded of Paul’s words to the Colossians:
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Col 3:1-4 (NIV)
Jesus stood out when He walked on this earth albeit sans fanfare, pomp and splendor even though immensely deserving of them. He neither blended nor subscribed to worldly practices and longings – His Spirit and disposition being directly contrary to that of the worlds. He was and is from a higher place – indeed, He is above all. We find earlier in John:
31 "The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." John 3:31-36 (NIV)
As believers in Jesus we are to follow our Master’s example and live as one who is from above as well. We are to run our life’s race with focus and perseverance. Throwing off sins that hinder and entangle us, things weighing us down with worry and want –we are to fix our eyes on Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith – He always being our Supreme example. The writer of Hebrews tells us
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Heb 12:1-3 (NIV)
The faith walk certainly does not come without ample opposition. We should expect it rather than be surprised by it. In His great Priestly Prayer Jesus both confirms fact this and prays for us as well:
13 "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. John 17:13-16 (NIV)
“Worldly conformity, in any degree, is a snare to the soul, and makes it more and more liable to presumptuous sins...He who yields a point or two to the world is in fearful peril; he who eats the grapes of Sodom will soon drink the wine of Gomorrah...Careful walking may involve much self-denial, but is has pleasures of its own which are more than a sufficient recompense.” Charles H. Spurgeon