John 3:16-17
The Love of God
“For
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. 17 For God did not send his Son into
the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
[Introduction]. Imagine living in a world
where there is no God. There would be no qualities, properties, or things
commonly associated with God. There would be no joy, no peace, and no love. The
Bible tells us clearly, “God is love.” We need to understand a very simple
message, “God caused the one who didn’t
know sin to be sin for our sake so that through him we could become the
righteousness of God.” [2 Corinthians 5:21]
I. Why
did God have to send Jesus?
A. If we understand the message the
Bible correctly something is wrong.
1. In John 3:16 we are led to believe
that there are two possible outcomes.
a. The first outcome is found in the
word “parish.”
b. The second outcome is found in the
phrase “eternal life.”
2. In 2nd Corinthians we see
the problem is “sin.”
a. Sin is a technical term, it refers
to the general state of being separated from
God.
b. Sin is also a reference to the
controlling principle of this world.
***Paul often refers to sin has “the law of
sin and death.”***
B. Not only is something wrong but it
is something that we cannot fix ourselves.
1. This was one of the things Jesus
came to accomplish.
a. In John 3:17 we are taught that the
world is condemned.
b. Jesus however intended to do
something that would allow the world to be
saved through him.
2. This plan was instigated by God the
Father.
a. The plan involved in exchange 2nd
Corinthians 5:17 tells us.
b. God made Jesus legally responsible
for our sin so that we could have the legal
standing of Jesus’ righteousness.
II. Why
did God send Jesus?
A. The answer, according to John 3:16,
is both simple and complicated: love
1. God loves us.
a. A sad reality in today’s world is
not everybody wants this love.
b. We have the tendency to do
everything to avoid this love.
2. God’s love is demonstrated by giving
Jesus.
a. John 3:14-15, “Just as Moses lifted
up the snake in the wilderness, so the
Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in
him.”
b. The story comes from one of the
rebellions as the children wandered in the
desert.
“The people
came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against
you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for
the people. 8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it
up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So
Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten
by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.” [Numbers 21 7-9]
B. Here is a vivid image of the power
of sin.
1. God has just delivered them a great
victory.
a. The problem is the people became
impatient and started to complain.
b. The complaint against God and
against Moses. They were unhappy with the
food, they were insecure about their water supply, and they suggested
that they had been brought out of Egypt to die in the wilderness.
2. According to Romans chapter 1, one
of the first symptoms is a lack of gratitude.
a. According to Hebrews 3:19, “So we
see that they were not able to enter,
because of their unbelief.”
b. At the very core of every action
that we call sin is the principle of sin.
III. Why
would God love us?
A. First of all God created us.
1. The word of God declares, “Know that the Lord
is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we
are his people, the sheep of his
pasture.” [Psalm 100:3]
a. Scripture connects the act of God
creating to the act of God’s saving over
90 times.
b. Simply put God’s act of creation
gives them the legal right to claim our love
and earn our love.
c. As one who loves what he is
created, he is determined to free us from this
curse of sin.
2. The word of God declares, “For you created my inmost
being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” [Psalm 136:13]
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” [Psalm 136:13]
a. So not only did God make us in the
universal sense but he also made us in
the very personal sense.
b. The image of knitting is a very
personal hands-on picture. God did not just
throw some clay against the wall. Instead he specifically designed each individual
person.
c. In Scripture we are told that this
design is in the “image of God.” It is one
reason why he takes the destruction of life so personal, why he deplores the
abnormal use of our bodies, and why he hates the exploitation of
others.
B. Second of all God refuses to leave
as hopeless.
1. One of the problems of sin is
selfishness.
a. In our selfishness we are willing to
destroy others and ourselves.
b. By God giving his son we see a
different model for life.
2. God demonstrated his love in the
most amazing selfless act.
a. Following the image of Moses lifting
up a snake in the wilderness, Jesus intended
to be “lifted up” on the cross.
b. Here’s the thing when Moses carried
that snake through the camp people
could be saved if they would only look to it. In other words they could
choose to be.
c. So it is today. Salvation is
offered freely to any who would believe.