God So Loved the World
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John 3:12-21
We are going to start a new four week series today.
I borrowed this series title from another pastor, because I thought it was such a great idea.
This new series is going to be entitled, “Coffee Mug Christianity: Bringing Clarity to Cliches.”
I love coffee mugs.
I love to collect them when we go somewhere new.
I love funny mugs, beautiful mugs, even just plain mugs.
You will see mugs in souvenir shops that show the state, or cities motto.
You will see mugs with sayings, that the makers hope people will identify with so that they will buy their product.
Christians are no different.
We have our quips and sayings, and although we do not always put them on coffee mugs, we repeat them over and over until we lose the meaning of it.
In the next four weeks I would like to look at some verses and put them back into context to see what the Bible is truly saying.
The Bible is filled with passages that can be used to encourage, correct, and challenge.
However, we often struggle to give context to these passages, and that can lead us to confuse the message.
It’s not enough to place a verse on a coffee mug if we don’t understand it or let it affect our lives!
This sermon series could probably go for much longer, but we are just going to look at four.
Today we want to take a look at one of the most famous verses in the whole Bible, John 3:16.
When we misunderstand the context and meaning of this very popular verse, we miss the fullness of the good news that is found in Jesus!
Jesus is meeting with a Pharisee, Nicodemus, a Ruler of the Jews.
Nicodemus confessed that He knew that Jesus was a teacher sent from God, since no one could do the miracles that Jesus did without God’s power.
But he did not understand the point, Why Jesus came.
Jesus told him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
This threw Nicodemus for a loop, he asked how can a man be born when he is old?
Jesus tried to explain that this was a second birth.
He is born to his mother, but there must be a day when he is born of the spirit.
Nicodemus was used to following the law, following the traditions of the Jews and the Pharisees.
He was not used to this idea of faith.
In verse 14, Using the image of Moses raising the serpent in the wilderness as a visual, Jesus foretold of His own death.
Then he makes the statement of faith: “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Jesus then speaks that famous verse, “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.”
Twice in two verses he speaks those same words - “whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
That is the main point of this dialog, for sure!
But there is much to this section of scripture than just the often quoted verse.
I believe it can be seen in three key words:
I. Separation
I. Separation
v. 13
Before we can ever be reunited by God’s love, we must first realize that we are separated from God.
There is a separation between man and God.
Verse 13 says, that no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven.
This shows us the problem!
Every man throughout all the ages, and in every civilization has strived to go to heaven.
They may have called it different things because of lack of knowledge, but inside every man is built something that knows we are not home here among the sin and decay.
But Jesus says here there is a separation - no man can ascend to heaven, except the one who came down from heaven.
Why? First because of...
A. Self-Defilement
A. Self-Defilement
The Bible tells us that we are defiled - we are sinners!
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
The Bible says that sin started with Adam and has passed to every man since.
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
We were born into sin
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me.
Down in verse 19 of this chapter we are told that “men loved the darkness rather than the Light, because their deeds were evil.”
We are sinners from birth ‘til death.
We have alienated ourselves from God.
2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, And your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
The word separated here means to alienate, or separate, or divide.
There is no hope to fix this separation on our part.
There is this separation because of our self-defilement
Secondly, because of our
B. Self-Condemnation
B. Self-Condemnation
We have condemned ourselves because of this willful sin.
Verse 18-20 tells us about our condition of self-condemnation:
18 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.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
God did not condemn us.
I have heard many times, “I can’t believe in a God who would send people to hell.”
God does not send people to hell - we send ourselves there, if we do not receive what He has offered.
We have condemned ourselves.
But God loves us!
He does not want to leave it there!
God is not satisfied with excluding us from Heaven!
So, yes, we there is a Separation spoken of in this passage, but there is also a...
II. Reparation
II. Reparation
God set into motion a plan, from the beginning, to repair the divide between God and man.
God lovingly created a beautiful untainted world, and a garden for man to live where all his needs would be met, and he could walk with God every day.
But man chose to disobey God and chose to sin.
Because sin came into the world, God could no longer be with man.
God is holy, there is no sin or wickedness in Him - He is righteous.
Because He is righteous, he cannot have fellowship with unrighteousness.
Light cannot have fellowship with darkness.
But God was not satisfied with separation.
So he made a plan, at the very beginning, God put into play a plan that would repair our relationship.
Speaking to the Serpent that deceived Eve, He said...
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
The promise was made, that the seed of Adam would bruise the serpent head once and for all.
This began the plan of salvation.
Through the ages a nation was chosen through Abraham, a tribe was chosen through Judah, A man was chosen through David, and a child was born…
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
This same Jesus now is speaking to Nicodemus.
This same Jesus is telling Nicodemus in verse 16...
16 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.
Jesus is telling Nicodemus three things in this one verse - probably more than that, but three we will look at...
This love…this plan…this reparation is first of all is ...
A. Deemed for All
A. Deemed for All
For God so loved the world.
This word is speaking of the earth itself.
It is not the mountains, oceans, and valleys that He loves.
It is the people, it is you and me!
God sent His only begotten Son to give his life on the cross for us, not the earth, not the world system, but for the people.
Then he said, Whosoever…anyone, everyone that will believe, can be saved, can have the separation repaired.
God loved us, a people that he created, but alienated ourselves, separated ourselves, condemned ourselves.
He loved us who loved darkness better than light.
And he sent the light, despite our darkness…because He loves us.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
He waits until the very last one, that will accept his reparation, comes to him.
He is holding off the day of judgment, until all that are willing will come.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
God loves you!
So Jesus was telling Nicodemus that this reparation is Deemed for All, but secondly it is offered...
B. Despite Alienation
B. Despite Alienation
Many times when we look at this verse we see that God so loved the world,” and we think that means He greatly loved the world.
And although that is no doubt true, considering the price that was paid, that is not the meaning of this word “so.”
The word So, translated from the Greek word hootō so means “even so”, or “in this manner”.
In other words - Despite our sin, despite our alienation, despite our self-defilement and self-condemnation He loved us - How? in this manner - he gave his only begotten Son.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
God loves you despite yourself!
I read a story written by a nurse...
She was tending to a man who had a mild heart attack. Through a trembling and emotional voice He urged her to call his daughter for him. She confirmed she would right away. He asked her for a piece of paper and pen. She gave it to him, and left to make the phone call.
"Janie, this is Sue Kidd, a registered nurse at the hospital. I'm calling about your father. He was admitted tonight with a slight heart attack and--" "No!" she screamed into the phone, startling me. "He's not dying is he?" "His condition is stable at the moment," I said, trying hard to sound convincing. Silence. I bit my lip. "You must not let him die!" she said. Her voice was so utterly compelling that my hand trembled on the phone. "He is getting the very best care." "But you don't understand," she pleaded. "My daddy and I haven't spoken in almost a year. We had a terrible argument on my 21st birthday, over my boyfriend. I ran out of the house. I--I haven't been back. All these months I've wanted to go to him for forgiveness. The last thing I said to him was, 'I hate you.'"
Her voice cracked and I heard her heave great agonizing sobs. I sat, listening, tears burning my eyes. A father and a daughter, so lost to each other.
As Janie struggled to control her tears, I breathed a prayer. "Please, God, let this daughter find forgiveness." "I'm coming. Now! I'll be there in 30 minutes," she said. Click. She had hung up. I tried to busy myself with a stack of charts on the desk. I couldn't concentrate. Room 712. I knew I had to get back to 712. I hurried down the hall nearly in a run. I opened the door.
Mr. Williams lay unmoving. I reached for his pulse. There was none.
She called for the doctors and began CPR on him, the doctors came rushing in, inserted a tube through his mouth into an airway, continued chest compression, plunged syringes of medicine into IV’s, connected heart monitors, and attempted to shock his heart. They continued for some time, but to know avail, he was gone.
When she left the room she saw Janie talking to a doctor that had worked on the man. She slumped against the wall as the doctor left to go about his rounds.
When the nurse got to her, Janie asked to see her father. Once int he room, she moved to the bed and buried her head in the sheets. As the nurse backed away from the bed against the bedside table, she felt a scrap of yellow paper, the paper she had found her patient. She read the note, and handed it to Janie.
She read, “My dearest Janie, I forgive you. I pray you will also forgive me. I know that you love me. I love you too. Daddy.”
Her tormented face grew radiant. Peace began to glisten in her eyes. She hugged the note to her chest.
My friends, God loves you, despite your rebellion, despite your alienation.
You may never speak to God again, but that will never change the fact that He loves you.
He has written a note to you to let you know!
This reparation of our divide is for All!
This Reparation of our Separation is available despite our alienation.
Thirdly today, I want you to see that This Reparation is...
C. Derived Easily
C. Derived Easily
Twice in verses 15 and 16 Jesus says, “whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
This repaired relationship is easily obtained!
All you need is to believe.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
It is easy to receive a gift…all you have to do is reach out in faith and take it.
Yes there is a Separation between God and Man, but God’s plan was for a great Reparation to take place!
And yet there is still for many a...
III. Condemnation
III. Condemnation
Not by God, as we have already discussed, but by our own refusal to believe!
The only condemnation we will have is if we reject Jesus.
John 3:17–19
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 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.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
God has sent us the light in multiple ways, because He loves us and wants us to see!
First, Jesus is the light of the world
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
He came and lived a perfect life to show us that we can have that life too, if we yield to Him.
Second, the Word of God is the Light
105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path.
Thirdly, He gave us His Holy Spirit to convict, and enlighten scripture.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
God has done everything he can to make His light seen by all.
The condemnation is not the sin, it is paid for, the condemnation is love of darkness more than light.
The rejection of the light.
The rejection of the Son.
Now we, who are Christians, we are told...
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
But now, we are told, to be that light for the rest of the world.
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
16 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 far more than you can fit on a coffee mug!
Will you accept the gift?
Will you accept the light of God?
Will you accept Jesus?
If you know Him already today, will you walk as children of light?