FOR GOD SO LOVED

 

Jesus said, “Just 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.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

 

1.      Today we are looking at the most well known portion of scripture in the Bible.  The background is that Nicodemus a well connected leader came to Jesus by night to learn truths that would set him and the religious world on their ear.  They would learn that good works, tradition, law and manmade ideas were irrelevant to God. 

2.      Jesus told Nicodemus here that like the serpent in the wilderness so the Son of man must be lifted up.  Now this encounter was in the first year of Jesus’ ministry.  So Jesus is revealing the method here of his death which would be crucifixion.  Then Jesus reveals that whoever believes the word here has two meaning believe on Him as the object of believe and believe in Him which means you put your trust in Him.  You put your past, present future in His hands.  This is an act of saving faith.  You believe, trust, embrace and receive Him.  You believe that only through Jesus Christ you can have eternal life.   You reject all other ways.  You are no longer a universalist but put your whole life in the hands of Jesus Christ.  You believe he is the bridge between you and God.  You accept that Jesus is the way, truth and life and that no one comes to the father but by Him.

3.      John 3:16, For God so loved the world.  God is love.  It is His character, nature and essence.  He is the beginning and end of love.  Jesus is saying, “God proved he loved the world by giving his Son.”  Jesus is the proof of love.  God gave His best.  He knew we could not save ourselves.  Our best effort still falls short.  God’s agape no strings attached love was proven by Jesus Christ.  Important truth Jesus is the only Son of God.  There has never been and never will be anyone who can claim this title.  Jesus also proved it by His resurrection. 

4.      Jesus then says everyone.  This is the universality of the call.  It is also the free choice of the call.  Race, creed, color, social standing, riches or poverty has no bearing.  It is whoever and wherever and everyone.  I love this.  No matter what people may say.  This is a everyone message.

5.      Who believe the Greek word is pistis which means salvation and regeneration comes by faith.  Your heart is literally made new.  A heart of stone becomes a heart of flesh.  It is a spiritual heart transplant.  A scholar wrote,  “True faith contains a number of components: acceptance, embracing something (someone) as truth, union with God and his Word, and an inner confidence that God alone is enough. “

6.      You believe in Jesus Christ.  You do not perish, go to eternal damnation, separation or to hell.  You do not perish.  You have eternal life.  You pass from death to life.  You go into heaven.  You are with the Lord forever.  We all have a beginning but no end and where we spend that is up to us.  The ticket to heaven is Jesus Christ.  There are two trains in eternity.  You can determine which ticket you get and what train you take by the choice you make to believe in Jesus or not.  The writer of Hebrews says you have one life and then you face judgment.   Quoting Mike Warnke, He said. “that if you end up in hell that is because you paddle your own canoe.”

 

“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”

 

1.       Jesus says God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world.  God does not want to judge, or pronounce sentence on mankind.  Condemn is a legal term.  It is justice.  It means to bring a form of punishment for crimes committed.  Remember God is complex.  He has a justice, righteous and holy nature.  He also is love, mercy and grace.  Jesus was the balance between the both.  Jesus is salvation and redemption.  Jesus bought us back with His broken body, shed blood, death burial and resurrection.  Through Christ we have had our freedom paid.  The sentence was pronounced on Him.  He became our substitute.  Talk about the judge and his son.

2.      Now here are two truths.  Those who believe put their faith and trust in Jesus are not condemned.  They have escaped, been freed by another.  The payment has made.  So belief  or faith is the release.   Those who do not believe are condemned already.  They have been marked, judged and sentenced already.  The simple truth when you hear the gospel or truth immediately you become accountable to the truth.  Whatever form it comes.  This is why I do constant evangelism.  I do not want any to perish or be condemned. 

3.      Now the reason is because they did not and would not believe in the name of the only Son of God.  Jesus is the only Son of God.  He is the only Messiah.  There is no other name given under heaven in which people can be saved.  There are multitudes of reason why people do not believe but with this choice come eternal consequences.  This is an act of the will.  They heard, they reasoned and they refused.  It was a choice and it brought their an eternal consequence. 

4.      Jesus said judgment came because light has come into the world.  Jesus called Himself a light.  Now Jesus exposes why people hate light.  First they deeds are evil.  Their thoughts, words, motives, attitudes and deeds are evil.  It comes from having an evil heart.  It comes from  in alliance with the prince of evil. You only have two Kingdoms in this world.  God’s or satan’s .  Those who do not know Christ live in satan’s kingdom.  It’s MO is rob, kill and destroy.  Man heart and nature is sinful.  We inherited from Adam and only Christ can save us and only the Holy Spirit can change it.  Secondly those who love darkness and hate light is because they do not want their deeds sot be exposed by the light.  Light reveals truth of things.  Exposure demands change, consequences and humiliation.  The irony is we know we are doing wrong but we do not want to or cannot change.  The first step to change is admitting we have a problem.  The second is doing what is necessary to change it and be free.  Jesus brings that freedom.  Jesus brings to light why people won’t or will not change.  They see others as the problem not themselves.  So sad.

5.      Jesus says those who come and accept the light.  It becomes clear that their deeds are done or directed by God.  We show our faith by what we do.  People of the light have consistent, faithful, moment by moment fruit.  Jesus said by their fruits you will know them.  The evidence is in the walk.  Gary Paxton said, “If you were arrested for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convicted you.”  I pray that there would be.