The Incomprehensible Love of God

Read

John 3:16–21 (ESV)

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Opening Prayer

Last time, we saw Christ’s declaration that:

He is the ultimate authority on truth.

He is the revealer of heavenly things because He is the only One who has descended from heaven.

He has descended from heaven to bring blessings to the nations.

He has descended from heaven to reveal God to the world in the ultimate sense...

Because in the face of Jesus Christ we see the glory of God.

He has descended from heaven to reveal salvation by reconciling a people unto God.

And, Jesus shares this with Nicodemus by saying that the Son of Man must be lifted up on a pole (cross)...

Much like the serpent was lifted up on a pole by Moses.

But, what is offered in the lifting up of the Son of Man is eternal life.

Why does Jesus prefer the title Son of Man?

#1 – less presuppositions and expectations

#2 – it expresses His humanity as the representative for mankind.

—>The last, true, and better Adam. The Seed.

One who can represent His people before the throne and be victorious in reconciliation.

He took Nicodemus back to Moses and then back to Himself by saying in v.14-15...

John 3:14–15 (ESV)

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

God provided a temporary, physical cure for Israel in the wilderness to preserve a people for the coming of the Messiah, the promised Seed.

Now, God provides the ultimate blessing to the Nations through His Son-King, Jesus Christ.

And, in Christ, mankind’s ultimate need is met perfectly.

Which transitions us into v.16 by answering the question...

Why Must the Son of Man Be Lifted Up?

so must the Son of Man be lifted up...

Why?

Why must the Son of Man be lifted up?

v.16…For/Because…God so loved the world.

The Love of God is:

The reason for Creation.

The purpose of redemption.

The appropriate goal of humanity.

The refuge of sanctification.

The home of glorification.

The true end of salvation.

Life can only be found in the love of God.

Death can only be known outside of it.

How can life without death be restored?

How can the Mankind induced curse of sin be defeated?

Sin & Death must be conquered.

Now, we know, as Christians...

Recipients of the gospel…looking backward...

Death was conquered by Christ, the God-Man.

Death was conquered for the elect of God to dwell in the steadfast love of the Lord.

But as we read the story at this time...

Christ is going towards the Cross.

The love of God is on display through infinitely glorious ways...

First, in the condescension of God to take on flesh...

the willingness of the Son of God to become Man.

And, the mission of the Christ to move closer to the cross each day until...It Is Finished.

The love of God is unexplainable by Man.

The love of God surpasses all understanding.

It can only be comprehended in a small portion.

It is beyond full comprehension to the mind of mankind.

But, let’s understand this about the love of God...

The World is Unworthy of It

John 3:16 (ESV)

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son

This is not a statement about the lovableness of the world...

The world is unworthy of the love of God.

God would be just to leave the world in condemnation and only judge it.

The world is wicked and full of deceit.

The world is repeatedly, incessantly seeking to suppress the truth of God...

In order to enjoy it’s rebellion against Him...

And, escape the wrath to come.

This is not the Bible declaring the lovability of the world.

This is a proclamation regarding the unfathomable love of God.

This is a statement that in spite of the condemnation the world deserves...

In spite of the hatred of the world towards God...

God will move mountains to keep His promises...

Whether the world wants His promises or not.

As the world repeatedly comes up with ideologies, philosophies, false theologies, illogical worldviews to rid themselves of God...

God, in spite of it, is so loving that He breaks through the nature of humanity...

And, provides the means for salvation and reconciliation in His eternal Son become Man.

Why must the Son of Man be lifted up?

Because God’s love is unwaveringly righteous and He keeps His promises.

The promise of redemption through the love of God.

Let’s think about this...

Why should the question, “Why Must the Son of Man be Lifted Up?,” even need to be answered?

Let me lay some ground work...

Paul tells us in Romans 1...

Romans 1:18–20 (ESV)

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Romans 1:32 (ESV)

32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

So, not only does God’s word tell us that mankind knows...

Instinctively and through creation...

That God alone is worthy of worship.

But additionally, we know that God deserves exclusive worship.

No one or nothing else deserves worship, but God.

In the knowledge of God that we have, we know that we should be grateful to Him...

Thankful for His providence...

Thankful to be made in His image...

Yet, rather than thanking Him, we hate Him.

Rom. 8 … the natural man is at enmity with God.

We also, not only know that we have rebelled, but we clearly know that we continue to rebel against God...

Further, we understand that through our willful transgressions against Him we are under just & deserved condemnation.

But our response to all of this is we suppress these truths in unrighteous ways.

I believe there are two ways that we keep ourselves in this state:

#1 – We fix our eyes on other people’s sins in order to forget about our sins.

A clever game we play, aided by the Prince of the Power of the air and his schemes within the Domain of Darkness.

A game in which we fixate upon other people’s sins and failures and how to fix those things outside ourselves...

While ignoring the sins and failures within us.

#2 – We surround ourselves with people of like sins in order to purposefully self-deceive ourselves, momentarily, that our sins are not really bad.

Another clever game we play, aided by the Devil and his strategies within the world.

A game in which we fool ourselves that majority opinion equals righteousness.

A game, like the Fall, in which we convince ourselves through preferred self-deception, that we seek to play the role of declaring what is good and evil.

Beware of self-righteousness in every possible shape and form.

Some people get as much harm from their "virtues" as others do from their sins.

So, answering the question, “Why must the Son of Man be lifted up?”...

Is a gracious offering by God to bring, once again, to the forefront of the mind...

What we instinctively know through the conscience and creation.

A truth about our self that we deeply suppress on a daily basis.

The full gospel preached reminds the conscience of what it already knows, yet seeks to suppress.

And, the full gospel uses the Law that proves condemnation and comes in with the cure for condemnation, which is JC.

The Law reminds us what we failed to do, which brings condemnation...

The Gospel proclaims to us that Christ has done what we failed to do, on our behalf, fully.

v.17-18 tells us this truth of our condemnation...

John 3:17–18 (ESV)

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

The Whole World is Under Condemnation

These verses are not saying that God will not condemn.

This is not a statement that God is nothing but love.

This is a statement of the world’s sinfulness in our united rejection of God...

The world’s rebellion towards God in not seeking Him, not loving Him.

And, the just condemnation that we are already under.

Yet, in spite of our ungodliness...

God still loves enough to save.

What about this condemnation?

Look at v.17…read

Christ coming into the world did not bring condemnation.

Christ coming into the world this first time was not for final judgment.

God sent His Son to the world to provide salvation.

Look at v.18…read

Condemnation is before Christ coming.

If you reject Christ, offered in the gospel...

You remain in your condemnation.

If you receive Christ, offered in the gospel...

You are no longer under condemnation...

Condemnation is removed through and only through Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:1 (ESV)

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

your only solution for the condemnation of sin...

The eternal death you deserve...

Is Jesus Christ.

v.18 points us to the exclusivity of JC

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

The exclusive solution...

The only salvation...

Your only offer of redemption from God...

Is through His only Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the only Son of God.

He is exclusively and specially the only Son of God.

He is exclusively the only way to the Father.

The Solution is Christ, so Believe

The remedy for your condemnation is not...

Do Better.

Clean up.

Be about moralism.

Reform yourself.

The remedy for your condemnation is not...

Attend Church.

Attend Sunday School.

Read your Bible.

Memorize Scripture.

All of those things are good to do...

But, they contribute, not one iota to your justification.

You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.

The remedy for your condemnation is, and only is...

Believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ...

And, you will be saved.

Set free from the bondage of sin, and the condemnation of it.

You will be, once again, allowed into, the friendly, reconciled presence of God.

Holiness is not the way to Christ; Christ is the way to holiness.

Let’s think about this...

Think of how joyful we are when we find out there is a temporal solution to our health issues.

God, in Christ, gives us an eternal solution to all of our problems.

If God’s love is so great the He sent His Son to fulfill all of His promises...

To defeat sin, conquer death...

Provide reconciliation/redemption...

Make true, good news possible for a world under condemnation...

All provided for and offered exclusively in the gospel...

The good news of Jesus Christ as Federal Head of the New Covenant...

Should we not be zealous to share it with unworthy people as unworthy recipients?!

If the love of God that is so great, so unfathomable...

So wonderful…how is the love of God that now abides in you...

Being expressed.

Is the love of God to a dying world...

Being expressed through you to your neighbor?

I’m going to share with you the hope I have in evangelism.

If it were not for the omnipotence of God in salvation...

I would be dreadfully dead to evangelism...

Yet, I know that the gospel preached is the opportunity for the power of God to be displayed in making dead men alive...

And, changing their heart from suppressing the truth of God...

To rejoicing in it and clinging to Him as the life giving Savior of all who will put their trust in Him.

Closing Prayer