God’s Desire
Journey to the manger • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 11 viewsGod’s desire is for all to come into saving faith.
Notes
Transcript
Question: what do you think the most well known Bible verse is?
I did a little Googling this week, and I asked the following question: “What is the most well known Bible verse?”
Here’s what I got from World Vision (stats current for 2022): (https://www.worldvision.org.uk/about/blogs/most-popular-bible-verses-in-every-country/)
John 3:16 is the world’s most popular Bible verse
John 3:16 is the UK’s most popular Bible verse
Central and South American countries favour Genesis
(Current 2022). Dropped now - ps 23 was the most popular on Biblegateway.
Welcome to the last message in our series
Journey to the manger
Explain
Candle of love - John 3:16-21.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
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.
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.
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.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
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.”
God’s desire is for all to come into saving faith.
It’s true, and that’s the main thrust of this passage. We’re going to explore three divisions in this passage that call us to trust in Jesus as Saviour and Lord. John presents the gospel in one verse, showing us the beauty of God’s love. This is followed by an explanation of God’s purpose in sending the Son. Then we are presented with a choice: will we choose the world, or Christ? John explains why some reject Christ and others don’t. Through this, we get this amazing picture of the love of God, and the power of the gospel.
The first division we find in this text shows us:
God’s Love 16a
God’s Love 16a
John 3:16 (ESV)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son,”
This verse is one of the most well-known verse out there. Stitched on pillows, printed on cards, it’s the verse that describes the gospel.
Let’s get some context: The gospel of John was written with one purpose in mind:
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Everything in John is bent upon helping you see and know the Messiah Jesus. Not just a superficial knowledge, but a deep faith (ESV Notes). John’s gospel is probably the last of the gospels to be written. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are what we called “synoptic” gospels. Synoptic means “with the same viewpoint.” These first three gospels share similarity of thought and structure. John’s gospel is a little bit different. John’s gospel was called the “spiritual gospel” by the church father Clement of Alexandria, who recognized this gospel as being written after the other three. It is within this framework that the gospel of John holds some of the most beloved passages. John also employs symbolism, portraying Jesus as bread, light, living water, and the good shepherd.
In chapter 3 of John, we have already met Jesus, seen the start of his ministry, and come to the encounter Jesus had with Nicodemus, a curious Pharisee. Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night and says John 3 2
John 3:2 (ESV)
“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”
Jesus gives a call to Nicodemus: “You need to be born again.” This is a riddle that is hard for Nicodemus to understand, because he’s thinking only literally, not spiritually. Jesus is talking about being saved - being spiritually born again into saving faith. It is in this discourse with Nicodemus that Jesus says these words:
For God so loved…
Let’s stop there. First we need to ask, what is this “love?” This is a great focused love that unites the Trinity and believers to our God. It also drives the mission we have forward (Cornerstone). Love is a huge theme in John. Here, this word for love is a verb - an action. Not just a feeling. Which we see in how God acts out that love.
Almost always when we read this verse, we think so means “so much.” Is that true? The word translated “so” means thus. Jesus says essentially “God loved the world in this manner.” It’s not about quantifying God’s love so much as seeing the demonstration of it. Paul helps us understand this in Romans:
For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
And who is it the Son has come for? the “world.” This should be understood as all the people of the world (LXGNTLEX).
Someone asked me a little while ago, “why does God bother with us.” It’s an interesting question: Why does God bother with us? Humanity is far from perfect - we are riddled with sin. We’re a rebellious lot.
Anyone ever seen that video where the guy halls a sheep out of a ditch. The sheep starts to run free, and guess where it goes? Straight back into that ditch! That’s what humans and sin are like.
Why didn’t God simply say “enough’s enough, goodbye people I’m starting over.” And then snuff out our existence?
He totally could have done that. In fact, God doesn’t need us at all. He is totally complete in and of Himself.
God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”
He is totally independent and needs nothing and no one. But He loves us. God demonstrated that extraordinary love for the world by choosing to save us, even though we didn’t deserve it. It is to His glory alone that He does this!
This first division forces us to consider the extraordinary love of God. God’s desire is for all to come to saving faith, and not perish, and out of His love for the world He sent His Son.
This leads us into a second division of the text: purpose:
God’s Purpose 16b-17
God’s Purpose 16b-17
What was the purpose of Christ’s coming? Jesus gives us the answer:
John 3:16 (ESV)
that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Notice the wording: Jesus doesn’t say “the first 100 people to accept this limited time offer get in free of charge!” No instead he says whoever. Jesus’ sacrifice was enough for the whole world. We need to realize that Christ’s death pays the price for all sin, for all time.
For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
That sacrifice bought us eternal life! Instead of perishing for eternity in the fires of hell, God sent His Son with the express purpose of making a way back to God. That is the purpose, and that is extraordinary love in action.
But the choice is upon each person whether or not to accept that free gift.
There’s this age-old debate: do we have a part in our salvation, or does God simply say “you, but not you.”
John 3:16 holds both sides in tension: Salvation is clearly seen as the work of God - not man. God sent his Son. Salvation doesn’t come from us, but God. Yet the choice is clear, we can accept that free gift and believe, or reject it and walk away to our own peril. Remember our main idea:
God’s desire is for all to come into saving faith.
Will everyone accept Jesus? No. This passage later tells us this. We see also in Revelation 20 15 that not all will enter heaven:
And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
If you do not accept Christ as Lord and Saviour - this free gift of salvation from sin - you will find yourself in hell. But God demonstrated His great love in making a way through the Son: Jesus Christ.
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
The purpose of Christ’s coming was salvation, to the glory of God. This we see most clearly in 3:17:
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.
We can get a skewed perspective on who God is far too easily. Either we take “God is love” to the extreme, believing that love means no consequences for sin. Yet our God is totally just and righteous - He must deal with sin. But we can also go too far the other way, and see the God especially in the OT as angry and vindictive. Neither could be farther from the truth.
John shows us God who is totally righteous and just. Yet in His love He acted to save humanity by satisfying the debt that justice demanded. He sent the Son. Not to condemn the world, but for the purpose of salvation.
Condemn means “to declare guilty” (LXGNTLEX). It’s a legal term, like if someone were convicted of something and sentenced in court. Yet this was not the purpose of Christ’s coming. Rather, His purpose is saving.
How does this work when we know it is Jesus who will judge? In John 5 22 Jesus says:
For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,
Wait! I thought Jesus wasn’t here to judge! Does the Bible contradict itself? Out of context, yes. In context, no. (Cornerstone, p. 57). Jesus did not come to declare us guilty but instead to make us free of the guilt we have. Yet, for any who reject Him, he does become judge. Those who reject Jesus place themselves under God’s direct wrath. It’s not about possibly being on God’s bad side if we don’t accept Jesus. Rather, Jesus came to free us from an existing guilt each of us bear as sinful humans (NAC, p. 185) We will look at this more in a bit.
Luke 19 10 testifies to the same:
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
The purpose of this redemptive act is not to condemn the world but to save it. Jesus’ coming was not about declaring the world guilty but for salvation. That was God’s goal, to save any who will place their faith in Christ.
This is the second division of the text: The purpose that God had had in demonstrating His love was to seek and save the lost - the whole world - as many as would come to Him. This leads to a final division as we consider God’s desire for all to be saved:
Our Response 18-21
Our Response 18-21
We have a choice on how we respond to Jesus. Will we accept Him, or reject Him?
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.
Accepting or rejecting Jesus matters for your eternity. Accepting Jesus means you are saved from eternal death - hell. But…
Realize that denying Jesus is speaking God’s direct judgement over yourself. CONDEMNATION.
Condemnation is a present reality for all humanity. We stand guilty in our sin, but Christ has paid the price. Will we accept and place our faith in Him, or will we reject Him and therefore stand condemned for having not accepted Christ?
This is expanded upon in vv 19-21
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.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
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.”
The whole idea of light makes us think back to John 1, where John introduced the theme of light and darkness:
In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Jesus is the light to this dark world. His light cannot be overcome by darkness. This encounter between light and darkness plays out in John 3:19-21 (Cornerstone). A conscious choice is made, either to go to the light, or run from it.
John 3:19 gives us the verdict: light came into the world, yet the people of this world ran from it. They hate the light, but instead prefer darkness, because their deeds are evil. They won’t come to the light, for fear that their evil deeds might be exposed for what they really are. Evil is the action of darkness (Cornerstone, p. 59). Yet, it is those who do do right that come to the light. Not for their own accolades but to show that living inside God’s will has value. They want to show others that the best option is a God-centered life (Cornerstone).
In 20-21, we encounter something: Our works expose the condition of our hearts. There’s an action side to both light and darkness.
This passage makes it clear - you cannot do evil and remain in the light! And the problem is, for those who do evil and run from the light: that message of salvation also becomes the measuring rod for judgement.
This is the call: Will you give up your evil deeds and come into the light? Will you begin to do that which is right and true, and thereby demonstrate to others the blessing of living in right relationship with God? Or will you contiue to practice evil and remain in the darkness, headed for hell? This call extends to anyone who hears the gospel. Accept the free gift of salvation! But realize:
Belief in Jesus is not just mental ascent, but life commitment. - (Brochert, 1996, p. 186).
This passage shows us that what we do and the condition of our hearts are connected. This should make us - even as believers stop and think: Jesus isn’t just talking to those who have outright rejected Him. If our actions expose our hearts, and show us which way we are running, it is important to evaluate how we as believers act and examine our hearts.
I read this quote this week:
John, 1 John, 2 John, & 3 John (Commentary)
There is no greater sorrow than a Christian living half in darkness, half in light.
We need to live as people of the light! Jesus didn’t show up to condemn us, He came to set us free! We don’t have to live in sin, or be caught up in things that are unhealthy! There’s freedom! The flip side of that coin is that our commitment to Jesus needs to be on the top of the priority list. It should govern the priority list. So, if we are going to be people of the light, can our actions be something that can be used as a testimony to the blessing of living in God’s will for His glory? If not, than perhaps God’s exposing an area in our lives that needs the Spirit’s restoration.
God’s desire is for all to come into saving faith.
His love is evident in that He sent Jesus Christ to be salvation for us: purchasing us at the cost of His own life. The purpose of the Son’s coming was not about condemning, but freedom - eternal life that starts even now in Jesus. Yet rejection of that becomes judgement. To reject the Saviour is to speak judgement upon yourself. Our response to Jesus needs to be one of faith. Faith that is not mere lip service but life-devotion. God loves the world, demonstrating this love in sending the Son. If you will believe in Him as your personal Lord and Saviour, you will not perish, but you will have everlasting life! What will our choice be? That is the third and final division here. Will we run to the light, letting the Spirit work transformation in us? Or will we run from it, back to our evil deeds that have no place in the light? What will our response be?
Conclusion
Conclusion
This is the last in our advent series for 2024. Three days from now it will be Christmas day. That one day a year that holds memory and significance for all of us somehow. Remember:
God’s desire is for all to come into saving faith.
The message of Christmas is all about that Baby in a manger. That Baby who was the demonstration of the love of God for a broken and dark world. He came with a purpose: To die on a cross so that salvation could be given freely to all those who would believe, placing their faith in Christ. The gift is offered to you too, what will your response be?
An invitation is extended to us from the manger: It’s an invitation to come adore, come see as the shepherds did, come worship like the wise men, and accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. God has extended the ultimate gift to you this Christmas. Will you accept it? Maybe you haven’t yet. Christ calls to you with the message of hope. The sure reality is that hope can only be found in Jesus. The good news? He extends that hope for eternal life to any who believe. Remember the point of John’s gospel:
but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Will you believe, and give your life to Jesus? Or will you choose to run to the darkness, and so perish with it in hell’s fire?
Maybe you’ve already accepted it, if so you are with me brothers and sisters, heirs of eternal life! But our faith has to be more than skin-deep. It needs to permeate our lives.
