Worth vs. Worthy
Notes
Transcript
As many of you know, we have been holding our VBS on Sunday evenings.
We have sought to communicate the same themes to the congregation on Sunday morning that the young folks are hearing on Sunday evening.
We we began with:
The Foundation of Love (wk 1)
The Foundation of Forgiveness (wk 2)
This week those attending VBS will hear about “The Foundation of Worth”.
In Matthew 26:36-46, they will learn about the prayer of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Therefor in our message this morning, we will hear about “Worth” from John’s Gospel.
Let’s read John 3:16-21
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
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.
18 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.
19 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.
20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
21 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.”
Worth = Being Valued
Worth = Being Valued
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Notice the Value
“For God so loved”
“He gave his only Son”
Notice the underlying reason.
“Should not perish”
Death was required
Death was certain
Worthy = Deserving/Having Adequate Merit
Worthy = Deserving/Having Adequate Merit
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.
The first two verses of our pericope do not quantify our deserving or holding adequate merit.
Notice the words “to condemn”
These come from the Greek “κρίνω”
The literal translation is “to judge”
Jesus does not come initially to judge, but to save.
This does not demonstrate that the believer is worthy, but that the believer has worth to God
Notice the words “be saved”
These come from the Greek “σῴζω”
The words mean to save or deliver
He loves and wants to deliver His child from the impending judgment.
19 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.
20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
Not Worthy, but Worth!
Maybe you ask this morning what is significant and necessary about the knowledge of lack of worthiness and yet having worth?
Let’s try to solve that us ...
The Unworthy Made Worthy
The Unworthy Made Worthy
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
We have already read this vs. several times this morning, but the significance rests in the provisive act of God thru God the Son.
18 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.
“WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM IS NOT CONDEMNED"
“WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM IS NOT CONDEMNED"
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
21 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.”
Walking the Talk:
Walking the Talk:
Believe upon Jesus (in a way that vs. 21 is apparent)
Have a humility that gives God the Glory
Give him the praise, vs. 21 says “clearly seen that his works have been carried out.” “His Works”