God's Love For Humanity

Introduction

Following the Civil War, a dejected confederate soldier was sitting outside the grounds of the White House. A young boy approached him and inquired why he was so sad. The solider related how he had repeatedly tried to see President Lincoln to tell him how he was unjustly deprived of certain lands in the South following the war. On each occasion as he attempted to enter the White House, the guards crossed their bayoneted guns in front of the door and turned him away. The boy motioned to the old soldier to follow him. When they approached the entrance, the guards came to attention, stepped back and opened the door for the boy. He proceeded to the library where the President was resting and introduced the soldier to his father. The boy was Tad Lincoln. The soldier had gained an audience with the President through the President’s son. 

APPLICATION

Just like the confederate soldier, we are wounded by sin and live in misery. No matter how hard we try we are not able to gain access to God on our own merit.  But through the merit of the Son, we are ushered into fellowship with the Father.  

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

DA Carson:

The Gospel according to John 6. Extended Comment I (3:16–21)

More than any New Testament writer, John develops a theology of the love relations between the Father and the Son, and makes it clear that, as applied to human beings, the love of God is not the consequence of their loveliness but of the sublime truth that ‘God is love’

Scripture:

John 3:16–21 ESV

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.”

Key Take Away:

God loves us even though we are a wicked people.

Go so loved the World… (v 16)

COSMOS- World... significance… (DA CARSON)

The Gospel according to John 6. Extended Comment I (3:16–21)

The world is so wicked that John elsewhere forbids Christians to love it or anything in it (1 Jn. 2:15–17). There is no contradiction between this prohibition and the fact that God does love it. Christians are not to love the world with the selfish love of participation; God loves the world with the self-less, costly love of redemption.

God’s love is all encompassing. (vv 16-18)

Cosmos signifies God’s love is for all of his creation. (16)

Condemnation is not the purpose of Jesus coming into the world. (17)

God’s salvific love is for whoever believes in the work of the Son, Jesus. (16, 18)

God’s love is sacrificial. (vv 16-18)

Jesus is the price to redeem us. (16)

“He gave his only Son” (16)

Romans 5:8 ESV

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus provides us eternal life. (vv16-18)

“whoever believes in him should not perish” (16)

“the world might be saved through him” (17)

“whoever believes in him is not condemned” (18)

Ephesians 2:4–5 ESV

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

God’s love brings forth security. (vv 16-18)

Jesus provides Salvation from death. (vv 16-18)

“Whoever believes should not perish” (v 16)

Jesus provides assurance of our salvation (v 16-18, John 10:27-30)

“Whoever believes in him is not condemned” (v 18)

John 10:27–30 ESV

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

Because of God’s love, he mourns the condemned. (vv 18-20)

Condemnation is a product of unbelief.

“Whoever does not believe is condemned already” (v 18)

Mark 16:16 ESV

16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

John 5:24 ESV

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Condemnation is a product of our love for evil.

“people loved the darkness rather than light” (v 19)

“their works were evil” (v 19)

“everyone who does wicked things hates the light” (20)

Yet, the Lord mourns the condemn. (Jeremiah 48:31, Ezekiel 18:10-13, 23)

Jeremiah 48:31 ESV

31 Therefore I wail for Moab; I cry out for all Moab; for the men of Kir-hareseth I mourn.

Ezekiel 18:10–13 ESV

10 “If he fathers a son who is violent, a shedder of blood, who does any of these things 11 (though he himself did none of these things), who even eats upon the mountains, defiles his neighbor’s wife, 12 oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination, 13 lends at interest, and takes profit; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself.

Ezekiel 18:23 ESV

23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?

While God is glorified and rightly destroys the wicked, he also morns having to do so.

Conclusion:

God’s love is selfless towards us, it is sacrificial, it is a powerful love, and is carried out even though we are a wicked, selfish people.

Invitation: