Light in the Darkness

John 3:16–21 ESV

“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.”

John

5-10 - Introduction: start the message, show some hidden camera pictures of people reacting to a haunted house (as always, check the appropriateness of each photo before showing to your group): https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/02/haunted-house-reactions_n_5921790.html.

The first fear to overcoming is....

17 - Fearing God’s condemnation.

O be careful little eyes what you see O be careful little eyes what you see For the Father up above is looking down in love

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep; If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.

Nicodemus Coming in darkness - represents what Jesus says that people prefer the darkness. - What does Nicodemus fear?

The person who says they will burn if they set foot in church, or the church will fall on them.

18 - Video of Dogs who hide from doing something wrong.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkf6dRSFH9U

19 - Jesus says people prefer the darkness

Jesus says, we are already condemned. In reality the baseline position for humans is that we are condemned. - The Wages of Sin is Death. - It’s not negativity, it is reality.

Bible Project - Focus on our inability to know the difference between good and evil. People in the Bible thinking they are doing good, but it is actually evil - Like Pharoah wanting to build the economy and building national security was justification for enslaving the Israelites, or Saul chasing to kill David, he thinks he is bringing a criminal to justice, but then realizes he is the corrupt one.

Bible Project - Focus on our inability to know the difference between good and evil. People in the Bible thinking they are doing good, but it is actually evil

So

God’s motivation towards us is way different then the world thinks.

20 - God wants to save not condemn.

Bruce Almighty - Bruce meets God for a job interview. God is fixing a light bulb, and when it is fixed the dialogue goes this way....

God: Tell me if it's working.

Bruce: Seems to be, A little bright though.

God: Yeah, It is for most people. Spend their lives in the dark, trying to hide from me.

Prodigal Son Story: Story of a kid who decides to do things on their own and make poor decisions that traps them in a life. What is a parent to do? They do not enable the child, they allow that child to experience the consequences of their actions "Wrath of God." Is allowing humanity to experience the full consequences of their rebellion - "Death." God's condemnation is really allowing us to have what we want out of our evil desires. God's love is his rescue plan to save us from that condemned reality that we have put ourselves in.

God gave his one and only child to save humanity from condemnation

Stories of my Dad:

Watching my friends get confronted by some angry motorists.

Watching my Dad save haley...

So we have it backwards, We often fear God, because we think he will condemn us for our sin so we hide from him, and we don’t fear a life apart from God. Jesus is saying that we should actually fear a life apart from God because that leads to death, it is actually God who wants to save us from condemnation.

So the way to deal with fears of condemnation are...

21 - Trusting Jesus overcomes the fear of Condemnation.

Done by the Holy Spirit - Being Born from above...

Contrast:

All people are already condemned/Perish vs. Those who trust Jesus will have eternal life.

The Wicked hate the light vs. those who do what is true come to the light.

No contradiction in these two statements.

John defines the Light in Chapter 1:4, “In him was life, and the life was the light of humanity.

So those who John describes here as evil is the default position, and they hate the Life Jesus offers so they perish.

Jesus is echoing a Jewish saying from Jewish literature of his day called “Tobit” which says, “for those who act in accordance with truth will prosper in all their activities. To all those who practice righteousness.” But he changes it, for those who do what is true or act in accordance with the truth will what? come into the light which is the Life of Jesus or eternal life.” So it is not that those who believe in Jesus are going to be perfect it is not based on moralism, but it is based on the truth of the Gospel, it is a belief that Jesus is the one who saves us from the fate of eternal spiritual and physical death.

Conclusion: What is the Holy Spirit telling you today? Will you Trust Jesus? It is the only way to overcome the fear of condemnation.

Conclusion:

The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. (1989). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Reference the Reformed Confessions: The Reformed Confessions are statements of faith written to clarify the Gospel at times when the Church was in crisis. Heidelberg Catechism: Q&A 1, 20-23, 37-39, 45, 53, 56, 61, 84, 126 Belgic Confession: Articles 21-23, 26 Canons of Dort: Head I, Articles 2-6: Head II, Article 3