Whosoever believes - Pt. II
So that you may believe- Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 47:49
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Belief, obedience are essential
Belief, obedience are essential
Weeks, weeks, we have been in John chapter 3 for weeks, and well, we are only part way through as we approach our passage tonight we need to remember a few things so to keep in context.
Open bible, bible app to Jn3!
A Pharisee, the teacher of Jews comes to Jesus at night (3:1-2)
Jesus questions and challenges (3:3-6)
Have someone read (vv.3-6)
Jn3:3-6 “3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
What imperative do we find, are reminded of (v.3, 5)?
(Insert born again picture previously used here)
Jesus explains and marvels him (3:7-13)
You believe in the wind even when you don’t see it or know where it is going. So believe!
I have told you earthly things (examples) now believe so you can understand spiritual things, eternal things, necessary things
Jesus illustrates for him (3:14)
What is the illustration given (v.14)?
Jesus promises Him (3:15)
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
What is the promise given (v.15)?
And we will pick up from there this evening.
As we start to approach the most well known verse in the bible by Christians and even the condemned. We need to remember belief.
(Insert do you believe picture here previously used)
It is not enough to say you believe, there must be proof of your belief - you must be born again
It is not enough to say you believe, you must believe in Jesus (more on that in future teachings
it is not enough to say you believe, but it needs to be a continual belief.
It is important that we know the belief is available to all, not to Jews alone, but whosoever.
I think we can all agree that the purpose, in fact the written purpose for the gospel of John is “belief” right?
31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
This is a belief that continues so to have life in His name and have the assurance of eternal life
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
The the verses surrounding Jn3:16 we see that John recording the words of Jesus classes the world, meaning the people, into two classes
Believers and unbelievers
The condemned and the not condemned.
Let me bring in context then get to our verse tonight
15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
One more thing to bring to our thoughts, This is a conversation with Nicodemus, a teacher, or the teacher of the Jews and the things Jesus is saying has to be totally overwhelming to him and now this passage must about push him off the ledge of what he knew, what he believed.
(Transition) So, the gospel begins with God’s love, love given, love displayed through the cross and ends with eternal life for those who believe.
One commentator (Morris) said “God gave is used in two sentences. God gave the Son by sending him into the world, but God also gave the Son on the cross. That the acceptable atonement proceeds from the loving heart of the Father.”
So, now, tonight with great humility I want us to start to look at this verse, maybe with a deeper understanding, an overwhelming understanding that did not just impact our life one day but everyday!
Here is what I will attempt tonight.
The lover
The love
The loved
The love described
The Lover
The Lover
We know the verse, maybe able to quote it, maybe even from the KJV, but we want to let the words sink in. Look at who the lover is.
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Who is the the lover (v.16)?
The greatest text, starts with the greatest love, God’s love (see 2The3:5)
5 May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.
Or in a paraphrase version
5 May the Lord lead you into a greater understanding of God’s love and the endurance that is given by Christ.
The love of the Father does not just give us the Son it gives us an opportunity for a greater understanding and an endurance so to believe until the end!
When you think about the love of God, outside of Jesus, what do you think of?
Now, without a doubt Nicodemus would have believed that God, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob loved Israel and gave His love to Israel, but this is so much more. This is the covenant breath of the gospel, it is the fulfillment of the covenant with Abraham
1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; 2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; 3 And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
(Transition) this leads us to the next point, and where we will park some for tonight.
The love given
The love given
This love given is more than just a bumper sticker, more than a book mark, it is to bring about the saving faith that gives and assures eternal life.
Commentator Ken Gangel said “The Bible does not allows us merely acknowledge that Christ died for the world; saving faith requires a recognition that He died for each of us individually.”
One more word we should look at before we look at the love given
Perish: to suffer destruction or ruin: His valuable paintings perished in the fire. to suffer spiritual death: Save us, lest we perish.
This is eternal perish, spiritual death in contrast to eternal life. In context (Jn3:15-18) those who do not believe, do not accept through belief the Father’s love will perish vs. those who believe will have eternal life. So, it is not just blasphemy that would keep you out of kingdom, indecision can! You must chose to believe and act on that belief.
Now, I think we are ready to look at:
The love given is agape love.
It is essential (1Jn4:8)
8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
It is eternal (Ps103:17)
17 But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children,
Let that sink in a moment, from everlasting to everlasting! So, in the beginning God who is love had love, gave love and will always give love for all eternity
It is sovereign (1Jn4:10, 4:19)
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Eternal God loved and sent His son because of His great love for us. His sent love became the propitiation satisfying the wrath of God.
19 We love, because He first loved us.
Because of His great love, we learn what love is, what love can do and we can learn to love.
It is generous (Jon4:2)
2 He prayed to the Lord and said, “Please Lord, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.
Some words that come to mind are for me are gracious, steadfast, lavish, excessive, extreme and magnanimous. Sorry, couldn’t help myself. That is how generous His love is!
It is merciful (Rom5:8)
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
When did Christ die for us? While we were yet sinners!
It is sacrificial (1Jn4:9)
9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
The “we” here is the ones receiving this letter, it is the believers, so that the believers may life through the sacrifice, the love given!
It is saving (Tit3:4-5)
4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
How were we saved according to (Tit3:5)?
Because the love of God for mankind was made known. That love was Jesus Christ!
It is special (Rom1:7; 1The1:4)
7 to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
you are beloved, you are saints
You are recipients of God’s grace and peace.
4 knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;
You are chosen!
and it is permanent (Rom8:38-39)
38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The love given is, eternal life given, given to those who believe and who are grounded in His love
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Love that we continue to learn more and root more in, to understand the breadth, length, height and depth of that love that surpasses knowledge.
7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
That love that is given, that you were instructed with, will be overflowing with gratitude.
Other scriptures used/referenced: (Eph3:17-19; Col2:7)
God so loved the world, the world that hated Him
Had no relationship with him (15:18)
That Satan rules (12:31)
That there is the evil one (1Jn5:19)
That rejoice in His death (16:20)
How much love did the Father have? He gave us His Son!
23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.
Oh, let this verse simmer a minute, God loves us as much as He loved Jesus. Is that life changing love, is that love that should impact us every day?
Understanding it is more than “so loved the world” it is personal and it should have a personal response, in fact it must!
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
And then a daily response
The love described
The love described
Love given, love received, love obeyed, will have results in the loved one. Our understanding brings application.
(Insert Gods love changes us picture)
Worship Him (Jn4:24)
In spirit and in truth
Love one another (Jn13:34-35)
If you love me, you will love other and people will know you are mine.
Keep His commandments (1Jn5:3)
Do not love the world (1Jn2:15)
Do not neglect such a great love, your offerings are not enough, don’t neglect his love (Lk11:42)
(Prayer) (Exit)