Love God (God Loves You)

Intro (Get them connected me, we)

We all have an experience with church.

When you think church you think of…

Music style

Preaching style

Building style

How many of you, without showing hands, think of these phrases…

Mean

Judgemental

Rude

Unloving

Uncaring

That was what I thought of. We were allowed to have fun and they always gave their opinions and everything else, no one cared about people.

Spiritual Journey → everyone is on it and it’s a theme we see throughout the Bible and particularly throughout the life of Jesus.

Let me show you what it looks like.

God

Recap last week. Jesus taught us last week

People

Then Jesus takes it a step further and says that having a vertical relationship with God is not enough. In fact, relationship with people are par

So, over the next few weeks, we are going to explore these concepts as the church and ensure that we are locked and laser-focused on the path Jesus has set before us.

Body (Scripture)

The first and most important step on this path is that you and I can have a relationship with God.

Believe it or not, this is found all over the Gospels and the OT.

God makes himself known…

In the beginning

to Abraham

Genesis

Moses and the Exodus

Israel during the Exodus and thereafter…

God isn’t trying to hide, he’s available and believe it or not He desires a personal relationship with you.

This is part of the good news brought by Jesus.

If you’ve wondered about a relationship with God you aren’t the only one. If it’s been difficult for you to grasp or maybe you’re skeptical of it you aren’t the only one.

John 3:1–2 (NIV)

1Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.

Nic heard of this Jesus character and didn’t know what to make of him.

Nicodemus

Religious man

Had a version of church or synagogue that he ascribed to

In his version God was not personal, God didn’t care for you, He wanted only obedience.

Nic is struggling with some things and you can see that in this passage…

2He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

I‘m not sure of a lot of things Jesus but I am sure that you couldn’t do what you do (signs and wonders) without God. Those signs point to something.

Like some of us, he notices there is something different about Jesus, but he doesn’t know what to do with Him. Maybe you’ve been there.

The ways of the world aren’t working and you’ve noticed something about Jesus, about people who interacted with him.

Jesus knows what is in Nic’s heart, he knows the question he is coming with. In fact, he is probably coming with multiple questions, but Jesus takes over the conversation.

John 3:3-6 (NIV)

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

Wait a second Jesus, how can that happen? This doesn’t make any sense.

Jesus looks and says of course it does. You think following the Law gives you access to the kingdom of God. You think it’s all about what you can do, and how you behave so God does His part.

Jesus makes the point that fresh gives birth to flesh, meaning behavior can never get you into the kingdom. Nic, I have something so much more planned.

John 3:6-9 (NIV)

You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

Here we go again Jesus, you start off on these illustrations in fact, it’s all you teach with. Just tell me plainly Jesus how can this be?

Jesus does a little wordplay because the same word for wind is used for spirit.

John 3:10–15 (NIV)

10“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?

11Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.

The signs and wonders point to something, me. That’s what they point to, and Nic you and Israel have missed it.

12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe;

how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?

13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.

Wait, Son of Man, that’s code for Messiah. Jesus, are you saying that you are the Son of Man? Then Jesus hit him with the punchline.

14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,

15that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

Image of the snake in the wilderness from Numbers.

The snake was lifted to heal the people who had been poisoned by snakes.

Just like that the Son of Man, must be lifted up heal the world from the poison of sin.

Wait, Jesus, someone who is lifted up on a pole is considered cursed by God.

Now, this is the end of Jesus's words. Some scholars say his words continue to the next section but that doesn’t jive with the way Jesus normally speaks and the way this section is written.

It seems like this is John pulling out of the story reflecting on what Jesus just said. Remember they didn't understand what he meant when he said this type of thing. They really didn’t know what to make of it until after the crucifixion. This next section until V. 22 reads like it’s added to the story for clarification. Whichever way you interpret it doesn’t change the weight of the words.

So John pulls back looking back over this interaction as an old man says these famous words…

John 3:16 (NIV)

16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

This is it. This is why we’re here. Why do you do what you do Brandon, why do we have DM come in early and set up and prep the space and teach kids about Jesus? This verse right here is why. B/c God loved the world. And they need to know that…you need to know that.

Application (What should I do?)

IDK what kind of background you came from and maybe you’ve heard this before, but here’s the truth God loves you. He gave his son for you. Like when he sent Jesus he had you in mind. Nothing you can do to earn this relationship with God, nope, He just gave it. Meaning, He wants it.

Here’s an exercise, put your name in the blank.

John 3:16 (NIV)

16For God so loved _______ that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

God's love for you is boundless and unconditional. He desires a deep, personal relationship with you. Imagine the peace, joy, and fulfillment that can come from knowing and loving Him.

This is why we do what we do, b/c God loved you.

Now, God loves you, the next step is for you to love him.

Would you take that step today? That step of doing what Nic eventually did and placing your faith in Jesus begin to have a relationship with God not b/c of anything you’ve done but b/c he simply loves you.

Invitation.