God's love your choice Jn 3:16-18

Introduction

On Remembrance Sunday we remember all those who gave their lives for the freedoms we enjoy today particularly those who died in WWI & WWII. We remember those who gave their lives for our liberty.

We remember because the sacrifice was immense. I drove through a small village in Derbyshire the other day and there was a war memorial next to the road with a long list of names of young lads that had died. What a cost to such a small community.

Remembrance Sunday provides an opportunity to remember and acknowledge this great sacrifice that was made for our benefit. Yet it is important that we take this opportunity this morning to remember another sacrifice that was made for us. This is the greatest sacrifice that was ever made at the greatest cost and for the greatest good.

God giving his own Son so that people who had rebelled against him and turned away from him could be changed and forgiven and be brought to enjoy his goodness forever in this life and in the next.

The words I want us to look at are the words of the Lord Jesus himself. He was the one who was going to lay his life down for others. Here he explains the reason why he was going to sacrifice his own life for our sake.

In our passage the Lord Jesus is speaking with a man called Nicodemus. He has just used a story from the Old testament to explain what he was going to accomplish when he died on the cross.

Jesus follows this by explaining the reason that God the Father had planned did all of this. Why was God willing to give his one and only Son.

God’s love was the cause of Jesus sacrifice. God’s plan to save people was the purpose of Jesus sacrifice. There must be a response to Jesus sacrifice.

God’s love. God’s purpose. Your choice.

I. God’s love V.16

a) The intensity of God’s love

For-shows Jesus is giving the reason for what was just said.

God so loved- intensifies how great God’s love is.

The world- Not the planet. Not just those in the world who believe. The fallen world.

The rebellious world.

The love of God is greater far   Than tongue or pen can ever tell. It goes beyond the highest star   And reaches to the lowest hell. The guilty pair, bowed down with care,   God gave His Son to win; His erring child He reconciled   And pardoned from his sin.

b) The depth of God’s love

Gave his only begotten Son

Only begotten Son- Same nature- eternal Son of God. Emphasis on the value of the one given. His ONLY Son.

Incarnation

Suffering

Crucifixion

Gave him to be our mediator

Gave him to make atonement for us

c) The concern of God’s love

-That whoever believes in him- Jesus Christ.

True faith.

- will not perish

Perish in hell

-But have everlasting life

God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9.

Application

Does God’s love amaze you? If not you probably don’t realise how bad you are and how unworthy you are of his love.

Neither do you understand how holy God is and how just he is.

We must never lose our wonder at the love of God.

Have you responded to God’s love by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ?

II. God’s purpose v.17

This sentence further explains what was just said. God’s love is shown by his purpose for sending his Son. Why this great sacrifice?

a) Not to condemn

Not to bring the world to judgement. Not to judge the world for its wickedness and evil.

The world deserves judgement. One day it will be condemned. Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,”

But Jesus wan’t sent for this task. But he was sent on a rescue mission.

b) But to save

Save from sins penalty-

Save from sins power-

Save from sins presence

He did this by his life, death and resurrection.

To reconcile people back to himself. Sin separates. Sin must be judged. Christ was sent to bear that justice for us.

Application

Here we see God’s love for bad and unworthy people. God is a gracious God.

Have you come to him through Jesus Christ? Or are you still in rebellion against this God?

III. Your choice v.18

a) The one who believes is not condemned v.18a

The one who believes in him-

True faith

Object of faith

Not condemned-

Positively - forgiven

Romans 8:1.

From whence this fear and unbelief? Hast thou, O Father, put to grief Thy spotless Son for me? And will the righteous Judge of men Condemn me for that debt of sin Which, Lord, was charged on thee?

Application

How good it is to know there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.

Do you believe in him?

You do not need to fear being condemned. It will not happen.

Often our past sins seem to appear before our minds and we feel the guilt and weight of them. How wonderful it is to know they will not appear before us when we meet God face to face!!

b) The one who does not believe is condemned already v.18b

-Without true faith

They may- attend a place of worship, be baptised, do many good works.

But they do not trust only in the blood and righteousness of Christ. They are not relying upon God’s grace alone.

-Condemned already

God is love. He is also just.

Because of sin

John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.””

God’s wrath abides on you.

If a person dies in that state they will be cut off from the mercy of God forever in hell.

Application

What a fearful place to be in. To live life knowing any moment you could be cut off and put in to hell forever.

Why would you choose to be in that situation when God offers you mercy? He has given his Son. He calls you to believe.

Won’t you come as a sinner to Jesus?

Conclusion

God’s love, God’s purpose, Your choice

Maybe you have put off responding to God’s love for many years. I urge you to come humbly to him today. You are a great sinner, but he is a great Saviour. Call out to him he will save you and give you eternal life.

This is what Sergeant John Meikle did during WW1.

He was a railwayman at Nits hill station near Glasgow died on 20 July in the Second Battle of the Marne, aged twenty in an action which earned him the Victoria Cross. Four months earlier he had written a poem to his mother:

I fought in a battle today, mother,

The enemy’s fire was strong.

The shrapnel screamed overhead, mother,

And shrill was the bullet’s song.

And after the battle was over, mother,

And I had time to rest,

I felt so sick and sad, mother,

My heart was so depressed.

I longed to be safe, in the fold, mother,

So I fell on my knees in the mud,

And I prayed to God above, mother.

‘Oh wash me in Jesus’ blood’.

Just as I said these words, mother,

Sweet peace pervaded my soul,

I knew God answered my prayer, mother,

That he’d cleansed and made me whole.

So rejoice with your wayward lad, mother,

Who has found his God at last;

Who after your loving prayers, mother,

Into Light and Life has passed.

John was a wayward lad. But he came to his senses, he knew of his sin but also of God’s love. So in his words he prayed to God above, O wash me in Jesus blood.

Do you need to do this? If yes, then do it now. God gave his Son so you might be saved. Don’t refuse him any longer.

Prayer