The Ultimate Act of Love

John 3:14-18

Theme: Jesus’s death reveals His ultimate love for mankind.

Welcome to Mountain View Baptist Church. We are thrilled to have you in our services today. If you are first time guest, thank you for attending today. Please be sure to stop by the welcome center so we can better connect with you. We have special prayer times and would be happy to pray for you.

Our theme this year is Engage in the Cause. There are many good social causes; however, the cause of Christ is eternal. Within the cause overarching cause of Christ , there are key parts that make up the cause. This quarter of the year, we will focus on the cross and this month the ultimate act of love is found on the cross.

O my sweet Savior Christ, who in your undeserved love towards humankind so kindly suffered the painful death of the cross, do not allow me to be cold or lukewarm in love again towards you.

Thomas Moore

Summary: In these verses, Jesus explains the necessity of His crucifixion, comparing it to the serpent lifted in the wilderness, highlighting God's profound love for humanity through the gift of His son for salvation.

Application: This message emphasizes that God's love is offered unconditionally and available to everyone who believes. For Christians struggling with feelings of unworthiness or shame, John's message affirms that they are loved and accepted by God, prompting us to share that love with others.

Teaching: The sermon teaches that love is not merely a feeling but an action demonstrated through sacrifice. Understanding God’s love in sending His Son can transform our relationships and inspire us to love others in difficult circumstances.

How this passage could point to Christ: The passage points to Christ as the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan, showcasing His sacrificial love. Just as the serpent was lifted to bring healing, Christ’s crucifixion is the ultimate expression of love that invites us to eternal life.

Big Idea: God’s love, demonstrated through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, offers us eternal life and a model for how we should love others.

Recommended Study: You may find it beneficial to explore the historical context of the Numbers 21 reference regarding the bronze serpent in Logos. Consider studying the theological implications of 'lifting up' in Johannine literature, and examine different translations of the text to understand how subtle nuances might affect your interpretation of God's love in this passage.

1. Lifted for Life

John 3:14–15

The story of Numbers 21:4-9 points to the story of sin and rebellion by the nation of Israel. Nicodemus was familiar with this passage since He was Jewish leader who came to Jesus by night.

It is a story of sin, for the nation rebelled against God and had to be punished. God sent fiery serpents that bit the people so that many died. It is also a story of grace, for Moses interceded for the people and God provided a remedy. He told Moses to make a brass serpent and lift it up on a pole for all to see. Any stricken person who looked at the serpent would immediately be healed. So, it is also a story of faith: when the people looked by faith, they were saved.[2]

In verse 14, lifting up has a double meaning. It means to be crucified and glorification. In John’s gospel, the cross was the means to glorification.

John 12:23–24 “And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”

This act conveys that just as the serpent was a means of physical healing, Jesus being 'lifted up' becomes the spiritual salvation for all who believe.

Perhaps you are here today and have never received Jesus as your Savior. Would you look away from your self, your religion, and look unto Jesus. We must look to Him by faith. Ephesians 2:8-9 point us to the truth that salvation is by grace. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent on the pole for all to see, Jesus is to be lifted up so that all who will look to Him in faith, will be saved.

If you know Jesus today as your personal Savior, His love is actively working in our lives to point us to Him. We have the assurance that our home is in heaven because of what He did for us.

Philippians 1:6 KJV 1900

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

2. Love's Ultimate Gift

John 3:16

Every word in this verse is rich with God’s love and grace in salvation. The profound and magnificent love God is found in that He gave His only Son to die for mankind. John tells us that God is love .

1 John 3:16 KJV 1900

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

1 John 4:8 KJV 1900

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

Hist love was so great and so immense that this love moved Him to action. God loved the world: the people in the world that He was willing to pay for their sin on the cross. When we see the love of Christ spelled out for us on the cross, this love transforms our lives and show us how to have right relationships. His love is enduring and remains uncondition.

By the cross we know the gravity of sin and the greatness of God’s love towards us.

John Chrysostom

No man can love like Christ does because the nature of man is sin and the nature of God is love. The word love is agape which we are most familiar with in Scriptures. It is an unconditional act of the will that God chooses to love us regardless of our response to Him. You cannot get God to not love you because His love is God’s nature.

The cross is proof of both the immense love of God and the profound wickedness of sin.

John F. MacArthur

He that is in love with the world will be out of love with the cross.

Thomas Watson

When we look at the cross and see Jesus dying for your sins, you cannot help but realize the powerful greatness of His love for you. Have you accepted Him as your Savior? He had done everything He can to show you He loves you, will you accept Him today as your Savior? Will you turn to Him before you leave today? We will have someone in the back or here in the front that can you show you how to receive Christ as your Savior? Will you take a few minutes and let someone show you today how to receive Him?

3. Love’s complete forgiveness

John 3:17–18

Jesus did not come to die on the cross in order to condemn mankind. He did not need to to come to condemn mankind because we are already condemned.

A man was arrested and taken to jail. At his court trial, he was very angry when he spoke to the judge during the trial. He said, “Judge, I cannot believe I am here and the officer standing over there just wants to make my life miserable. He just wants to hurt me and condemn me.” The judge replied, “Sir, you are already condemned by the law. The officer is not condemning you, he simply applied the law. You are already guilty.” The officer spoke up and said, “Your honor, indeed the man is guilty. However, I will pay for his crime.” This is the love of Christ. The cross reveals the love of Christ for all of mankind. Jesus’s mission in the incarnation shows us He did not come to condemn but to save us.

The difference between perishing and living, and between condemnation and salvation, is faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus could well have come to this world as a Judge and destroyed every rebellious sinner; but in love, He came to this world as our Saviour, and He died for us on the cross! 1

These verses assure us that faith shifts us from judgment o grace. Will accept His free offer of love and salvation? You may feel undeserving of His grace, as we are all undeserving. This is why we come to Him by grace. The only place we can find true and satisfying love is in Jesus Christ.

Christian, should you love Him more than you are? What is your love barometer telling you today? When we love Him, we will engage in the cause. We will get saved, baptized, join the church. What is God speaking to you about today? Will you get involved? Will you find a place to serve today/