When the Teacher Goes Back to School: The Love of the Father
The Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 2 viewsJesus was sent, by the love of the Father, to be the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world, especially for those that would believe.
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Introduction
Jesus was sent, by the love of the Father, to be the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world, especially for those that would believe.
Focus Passage
14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes will have eternal life in Him. 16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. 18 The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, so that his deeds will not be exposed. 21 But the one who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds will be revealed as having been performed in God.”
Outline
Jesus, speaking within our text, draws back as the teach of Galilee and uses an illustration that the teacher of the Jews would understand. He uses the story of the serpent being lifted up in the wilderness to bring life out of a deadly situation. The Jews had been handed victory over the Canaanites by God, and were continuing their journey in the wilderness from Mount Hor, and they began to bring accusations against God and Moses out of their impatience.
4 Then they set out from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient because of the journey. 5 So the people spoke against God and Moses: “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we are disgusted with this miserable food.”
When they began their grumbling, God judgment them. We find recorded in Numbers 21:7-8, that God sent fiery serpents among them that would bite and kills the people of God. It would only be after their confession of their sin and crying out for forgiveness that they would be spared. God commanded to Moses to build a bronze serpent and lift up in the wilderness. When they would look up to the raised serpent, they would live.
9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and put it on the flag pole; and it came about, that if a serpent bit someone, and he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.
This raised, bronze serpent was a foreshadowing of the cross of Christ. Which is why we read Jesus stating to Nicodemus...
Truths Revealed to the Teacher of the Jews (vv. 14-15)
In this picture there are three truths that the Teacher from Galilee is revealing to the teacher of the Jews:
Truth #1: Nicodemus had a sin problem just like the Israelites
Truth #2: Nicodemus was going to die just like the Israelites
Truth #3: Nicodemus was afforded a way to live just like the Israelites
Jesus was not going to stop teaching the teacher of the Jews just yet. He wanted Nicodemus to know the summation of the whole. He wanted him to know once and for all the answer to the original question that was never asked, just answered, “How does one find eternal life?”
When you think of love, what are some images that come to your mind?
Do you see love as a noun, verb, or both?
How would you describe the love of a parent?
The Love of the Father (v. 16-18)
The Love of the Father (v. 16-18)
How many of us are parents within this room?
How many of us are willing to give up our child for someone else to live?
As out of this world as that sounds, that is exactly what God does. This would make since, because, truly, God is out of this world. As we look at our text, we see the love of a father, but not just any father, the heavenly Father, our Creator, God.
1. We see that the love of the Father is a sacrificial love - ‘…He gave His only Son...’
1. We see that the love of the Father is a sacrificial love - ‘…He gave His only Son...’
Man, from the beginning has been trying to cover up our sin and find a way to hide it.
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves waist coverings.
Just as Adam and Eve were helpless in covering their sin or hiding from God, we are too. We are helpless in our sin state and cannot atone for our sin. God knowing this, sent His Son to atone for our sins.
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we also have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we celebrate in hope of the glory of God.
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous person; though perhaps for the good person someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Christ had to die for our sin. God knowing this, sent His Son to die for us. For there is no remission for sin outside of the shedding of blood.
22 And almost all things are cleansed with blood, according to the Law, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
We see that the love of the Father is not only a sacrificial love, but...
2. We see that the love of the Father is a provisional love
2. We see that the love of the Father is a provisional love
God’s sacrifice of His son was not aimless. It was necessary, prudent, it was provisional. He was providing eternal life to a lost and dying world, will not perish, but have eternal life. This provision was afforded to all, but would only be extended to those who believe. As John records Jesus stating, so that everyone who believes in Him will not. The question begs, how many within the sound of my voice have truly placed their faith in the Lord? Are we truly accepting the provisional sacrifice of Jesus our Lord or are we staring at it but not taking it. As I was preparing this message I was reminded of a story that an evangelist told First Baptist Beebe, when I was just a college student.
The dad who let his son drown to save the lost friend…How that friend became an evangelist
The love of God is both sacrificial and provisional, but...
3. We see that the love of the Father is purposeful (v. 17)
3. We see that the love of the Father is purposeful (v. 17)
When God sent His Son to die on the cross, it was not for judgement sake, For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world. God sent Jesus, His only Son, to be the Savior of a lost and dying world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.
Just as the that father allowed his son to drown that day to save his son’s lost friend, God allowed Jesus to die on the cross, a criminal’s death, to give us life.
As we have seen, the Father’s love is sacrificial, provisional, and purposeful. But there’s another characteristic of God’s love shown within our text.
4. We see that the love of the Father is optional (v. 18)
4. We see that the love of the Father is optional (v. 18)
Before stoning me, let me explain. God is a gentleman and will not force Himself on you. He gives us an option. As I was scrolling through Facebook the other evening, I came across a meme that said,
God does not send anyone to hell. He gives us an option out of hell. That option is through His Son.
God does not send anyone to hell. He gives us an option out of hell. That option is through His Son.
That is what this verse states. As we break it down, we see two glaring truths about choices that have been made. Two options are given, and the option one chooses has eternal consequences.
Two options provided
Options #1 — Heaven - ‘...The one who believes in Him is not judged...’
Option #2 — Hell - ‘…the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed...’
The love of the Father is optional, but is squarely presented in the vicarious death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. In Christ alone, we find salvation, in the name of the only Son of God.
As we read in the book of Acts...
12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.”
4. We see that the love of the Father is optional (v. 18)
4. We see that the love of the Father is optional (v. 18)
The Father’s Divine Judgment (vv. 19-21)
The Father’s Divine Judgment (vv. 19-21)
How many are scared of the dark?
Is it the dark you are scared of, or what’s in the dark?
Why do we find ourselves looking for candles and flashlights when the lights go out?
When we are all alone, by ourselves, with no one around us, in the dark, are we same the person as we are within the light, around others, where everything that we say and do is exposed for public view?
God has made a judgment about the condition of man
God has made a judgment about the condition of man
“Judgment” within our text defines itself as a “decision,” accusation,” or “condemnation” made from a tribunal. Within our text, the tribunal is a divine tribunal made of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. So, what is this divine accusation/condemnation that is presented from the Father toward His creation, man?
1. His creation loved their sin more than the Savior (v. 19)
1. His creation loved their sin more than the Savior (v. 19)
This loved their sin more than the Savior because their deeds were evil, contrary to God. This has been the state of the heart of mankind since the fall. This was the very reason God sent the flood.
5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually.
2. Those that actively live in sin, hate the Savior (v. 20a)
2. Those that actively live in sin, hate the Savior (v. 20a)
There is no way to be friends with world and have a right relationship with God. The world is at odds with God. God and the world are enemies of one another.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God continues to live forever.
3. Those that refuse to repent do so because of the guilt and shame it brings (v. 20b)
3. Those that refuse to repent do so because of the guilt and shame it brings (v. 20b)
4. Those embrace who Jesus, repent of their sin, and are obedient to the Lord, will gravitate toward the light and bring honor to God (v. 21)
4. Those embrace who Jesus, repent of their sin, and are obedient to the Lord, will gravitate toward the light and bring honor to God (v. 21)
Conclusion
Are you attracted to the light or the darkness? Are you living in willful sin or obedience to the call of Christ on your life? Have you accepted Christ and his atoning sacrifice for your sins? Do you truly believe in the Lord? Do you know that you have eternal life in Him? For He is the Savior of the world. He’s not a way to heave. He is the Way to haven.
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.