John 3_14_21 Vday message

Text: John 3:14-21 (you will need to study Numbers 21)

Title: A love story like no other.

Intro: Valentine’s day is approaching (Thursday) A day set apart for men and women to display their love for each other.

While others may sit down to a nice dinner with the one, they love then go home and watch a romantic movie, Chocolate or Romeo and Juliet.

Some may not have anyone to spend Valentines day with.

The greatest love story ever told is one each of us can experience regardless of our martial statues.

It comes on the heels of a pharisee asking “How can one be born again?”

Jesus is having a discussion with Nicodemus, who acknowledges Jesus being sent from God.

Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Jn 3:3.

Explains, you must be born of the Spirit.

Jesus says, If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? Jn 3:12.

Jesus begins to tell the of the greatest love ever shown. It’s the love of God.

CPS: The Love of God is unlike any love known, it is sacrificial and unconditional. It’s for the lovely and the unlovely, it has no bounds and has no limits. It can’t be bought, it cant be earned, it can only be received because it exist for all humans on earth,

God’s Love illustrated Vs. 14-15

Israel’s predicament:

The Bronze Serpent ( Wilderness Wandering )

Set out from Mt. Hor by way of the Red Sea to bypass Edom. (Num. 21:4)

People became impatient (Num. 21:4)

Grumbled against God’s provisions… no water “Detested the wretched food” (Num. 21:5)

The Lord sent Poisonous snakes…. Many died (Num. 21:6)

People asked Moses to intercede for them (Num. 21:7)

Make a bronze serpent and place it on a poll….. “whoever looks at it will be saved” (Num. 21:8)

Moses intercession

“pray” to intercede = to act on someone’s behalf

The people were entangled in sin (Not trusting God) Despised His provisions and what He did provide they detested “Loath this light bread”

They needed help because they were powerless in regards to God’s wrath on their sin.

This salvation was not man’s plan it was not Moses …. It was God’s

They turned and looked at God in faith knowing one look would save them

Our Predicament

We are in the same boat…. Sin

We are Idolaters…. We want to be God over our lives

We are never satisfied with our Contents or Situations (we always want more, bigger, and better)

Murders (we hate others and we lack love in our words, thoughts, and hearts)

Immoral….

WE ARE CONDEMNED TO DEATH.

Jesus intercession

Son of Man be Lift up = elevated (the Cross)

Who ever looks at Him in faith will be saved

Isaiah 40:6 Turn…

Turn to Jesus …He is God , there is no other…

Look upon Jesus the action of Believing

Faith …. (Define) Assurance of things hoped for….

Faith that you are redeemed (Verb) not perish

God’s love demonstrated Vs. 16

God’s love

Love for a rebellious race

Love – care that surpasses human ability

It says you…. Yes…my creation has spit in my face… it has openly rebelled against my rule

**** In the beginning we were to be a theocracy …. Governed by God and in fellowship with God

1 rule that was established for the eternal well being of mankind… obey Me. “don’t eat of the tree”

When the first sin occurred, it was passed down to every single human being who will ever live

But God provided a remedy because of His love

God’s remedy

Jesus is God’s love Demonstrated (Romans 5:8)

The world…. Not only Jews …. But all people from every nation

God’s love for the world is shown in the fact that He gave His Son

Gave = the idea of granting the world Jesus

The only one who truly pleases God (Hammer)

He did not withhold Jesus from the sinners of the World.

He placed Him in their hands for them to do with Him as they pleased

Paid for the wrath of sin on Calvary’s cross

Illustration: Do you have someone dear to you? A child. Would you hand your child over to evil people to be tortured and condemned to death so that Rebels, Robbers, Murders could be set free?

That’s exactly what God did

Man’s action

Belief

You entrust your Spiritual life to Jesus…. Understand that there is no other outcome besides deliverance.

It’s that simple – Jesus came to save

Illustration: This is what set Christianity apart from all religion. Religion says you must do things to please your god. Christianity says Jesus pleased God on your behalf and all you need to do is accept His gift by faith to enter into eternal life.

God’s love to the uneducatedVs. 17-21

There is a literal hell. Why would a loving God send anyone there?

A. The World is Condemned

1. God does not send people to hell

Unbelief sends you to hell.

It’s not God…. Its you.

Condemned already….. Sin has condemned you….. (Romans 6:23, but the gift of God is?)

God has provided a remedy so you could be saved from your condemnation

The Judgment

The light has come (the sinless One)

Jesus came to guide you into God’s embrace

But mankind is evil

Sinners not only live in darkness, but they love the darkness, and refuse to come to the light where their sins will be exposed and can be forgiven.

Illustration: To examine a diamond it needs light and magnification- to see it’s flaws… many women don’t want to know their diamond has flaws in it, so they don’t have it examined.

People love their life as it is and don’t want to hear of their flaws they might have to change.

Jesus says those who love their life will lose it.

God merely says – thy will be done.

Given over to yourself

Conclusion: The greatest love story ever told…. It has a seemingly tragic ending

The God of glory, The lover of the world would be tortured and killed by those whom He loved.

Yet He did not fight back nor did He call upon Legions of angelic warriors to stop the world from having their way with Him.

Just before His body fell limp into death He proclaimed it is “finished.”

God’s will had been done. His Unique Son sacrificed to pay the ransom for their souls.

Love… for a rebellious race brought Jesus into the world and Love took Him out of this world.

But this ending however tragic due to our sinfulness has an ending like no other… Hope…. Assurance of a new life.

Jesus died for us, but He also defeated death for us.

His love for the world mandated that He would conquer death for us…. He arose from the dead so that the yoke of death could be removed from our necks.

It’s a gift of love… It’s free…. You must only believe to receive it.

YOU ARE LOVED!