Why God’s Own Son Had to Die - John 3:13-21

Introduction:

Why?

· Moses asked “Lord, why have you brought trouble to this people?”

· Gideon asked, “Why then has all this happened to us?”

· Naomi asked, “I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why?

· Nehemiah asked, “Why have you set me as your target?”

· David asked, “Lord, why do you cast off my soul?”

· Jeremiah asked, “Why is my pain perpetual and my wound incurable?”

The bigger Why ever heard in creation was from God’s own son…

· Jesus asked, “My God, My God why hast thou forsaken me?”

That why swallows up all other whys… and the reason is what I am going to discuss with you today. The why in the death of God’s own son, Jesus.

The answer to this if found in the 3rd chapter of the Gospel of John.

John 3:16 - 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.

To us in this world death is a separation from our loved one and sorrow, and grief that consumes the soul. But is does not have to be that way.

To God death is:

· A promotion

· A release from earthly burdens and sufferings

· A furlough from the riggors of battle

· A relocation to a better place, a safe place, a peaceful place

· A reuniting of our loved one to God – God is a God of the living, not of the dead. Those who are with him are truly alive forever and ever.

This was made possible by the mission of Jesus Christ.

Body:

Reading of John 3:13-21

John 3:13–21 KJV 1900

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 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. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

There are some things that Jesus tells us about himself and his mission in these verses.

· Jesus is the Son of Man who descended from heaven

· He is the only one who can tell us about heaven – no one else has this authoritative insight to heaven or how to get there, but the one who actually came from heaven.

· He came to bear witness of the truth and to open the way to eternal life. –

o eternal life is not gained by our own opinion of what we would like the scriptures to say.

o It is only obtained by the means declared by Jesus.

o No other man is fully qualified to tell us this way, we are not free to make up our own way, ignoring the truth only leads away from the truth.

Christs Mission

· He came to validate and complete the Word of God, to fulfill the promise of the redeemer of the world promised from Genesis to Malachi.

o Matthew 5:17 - Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

· He came to be the greatest servant of God, the one who would be the sacrifice for the many who would believe upon his name.

o Matthew 20:28 - Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

· He came to seek us, the lost, confused, the lied to, the poor, the meek, the ones who no one else loves, he loves us.

o Luke 19:10 - For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

· He came to reveal the truth so that you do not have to live in the darkness. You can know the truth of God.

o John 12:46 - I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

The purpose of Jesus coming to earth as the Son of man

· To give eternal life to those who believe the truth

· That Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection are enough to provide for forgiveness of sin and to provide eternal life.

o Jesus said, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

Jesus gave us an illustration of the serpent being lifted up in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up.

In Numbers 21:4-9, the Israelites were discouraged and began to murmur against the Lord and serpents came into the came and began biting the people and they began to die. The people then began to repent and the Lord showed mercy. The Lord told Moses the make a fiery serpent and lift it high in the camp so that all who were bitten by the snakes could look to the serpent and they would be healed.

This is a symbol that Jesus is making for us to look to the cross. As he was lifted up on the cross as a sacrifice for our rebellion and sin against him, we too can be restored. When we look to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Why did God use a serpent on a staff? In many cultures the serpent on a staff was a symbol of healing. God was showing Israel that he was their healer. Even today this symbol is used to identify medical doctors. In this way God could show both Jew and Gentil that he is the healer of their souls. As the serpent was lifted up on a wooden staff, so Jesus was lifted up on a wooden cross, in his death he provided the sacrifice for our sin, in his resurrection, he provides life for our souls.

o The apostle Paul reminds us, 1 Thessalonians 4:14 – “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”

15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

· God Loved

· God Gave his Son

· As a holy gift

· To save that which is lost, to save me, to save you…

· That you can be with him, and have eternal life… this is only through accepting Jesus Christ.

But why?...

John 3:16 says, "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."

· God is love – 1 John 4:7-10 - Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

· We are the object of God’s love – Jeremiah 31:3 - The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

· God Sacrificed His Son for Us – This was a willing sacrifice accepted by his son, Jesus.

· Jesus said, John 15:13 - Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

· Then he said, “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends;” (John 15:15a)

· We are the Recipients of God’s gift of Love – what is this gift of God’s love?... everlasting life!

What is the key to Eternal Life?

· John 17:3 - And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

I am telling you this… so that you can believe!

Conclusion:

Romans 5:8 - But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

· God chose to love us

· We were undeserving – not seeking

· Christ died for love

· To save us from wrath

The Lord doesn’t care where you come from, or who you are.

He wants to deliver you from your bondage, shame, old way of life

He want so set you free to love and serve him forever, he desires your love. Believe on Him who He Sent, Jesus