If I may, could I ask that we sing that, not what your hands have done again, at the end.
! Thank you.
I don't, every week, change the order of the service, but I don't think I do, do I?
No, I don't.
I don't.
But I got to tell you, the words to that song just fit perfectly with the text.
I want you to understand that it's the text that drives our music, and it's the text that drives our singing.
So we come to the text.
In John chapter 3, we're going to look at verses 17 through 21.
And as we take up this passage this morning, I would be remiss if I didn't labor for a moment to plead with you to do that,
which is probably my most common request, and that is that you pray as the preaching of the Word of God goes on.
I am fully persuaded that prayer is a vital part of preaching, in that it is the work of the Spirit of God,
both to declare the truth and then to have the truth strike hearts and make a difference.
And I can tell you that Tim Knoyer has, on many occasions, sat through sermons,
the start of which I thought, well, I've got to last for another 40 minutes or whatever,
and then the Spirit of God has tapped me on the shoulder.
How many of you know what the Spirit's tap is like?
It's not a physical tap.
It's just like, hey, Bubba.
And it's like, okay, I got this.
I'm supposed to pray now and ask you to work in my heart.
Yes, and the Spirit does.
So I'm going to ask that you join me as we pray and that as I preach, you pray.
And I don't mind if your eyes are closed.
I won't have any suspicion.
I mean, after all, you didn't have to come to Sunday school, so I know you're bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
And so if your eyes are closed, I'm assuming that you're thinking, oh, Lord, help him.
I'm there.
I buy it.
Let's pray.
Even as it does today, the frailty of mankind.
And you had these words penned for our edification, not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord.
And so this morning, as we take this sacred passage in hand,
we are mindful that we are coming to a text that is for our profit and for the glory of Christ.
And it is our humble desire and our confessed dependence on you that you would be exalted.
We ask this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, as we look at John 3, verse 17 through 21, we are continuing the study of the book of John.
And I want to remind you that John is not like the other synoptic gospels in that it is not a gospel that gives us a great deal of detail about Christ's life here on earth.
It is fundamentally a theological discourse.
And I don't want to use the word theological to cast it in this heavy, gloomy light.
But it is instruction about the nature and character of Christ.
If you were actually looking for one verse that would give you a summary of why the book was written,
you would find it in John chapter 20, verse 31, where the apostle says,
Hey, listen, all these things that I've gathered, and he only tells us about eight different incidents about Christ in the early flow.
He says,
These things are gathered so that you may have the information on which to rest your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
who is the Son of God and the Savior of the world.
And that believing, you might have eternal life.
And so as we work our way through this passage, one of the things that we're going to see is this recurring theme of John's gospel is profoundly evangelistic.
And John's gospel is profoundly edifying for the believer.
And the two pieces come together.
There's another thing that we are going to find in particular today.
And that is that we are going to be challenged by the doctrines of the responsibility of mankind for his rejection of the sweetness of the offer of salvation.
And on the other side, by the reminder that really salvation is a work of God.
And when we try to put these together in a perfect and symmetrical way where we've got it all figured out,
the truth of the matter is that our minds kind of short out.
I'm reminded of Isaiah chapter 55, verse 8.
You probably know it by recitation and not by the text.
It says,
My thoughts are not your thoughts.
My ways are not your ways.
You see, we have a tendency of being rather singular.
We can pick up on,
All right, all right, that's what I'm supposed to do.
Or,
All right, all right, that's what God does.
And being able to put the two together requires a broader scope and grasp of truth than our little pea brain can handle.
And so we kind of have a tendency to get wigged out on one side or the other.
How many of you understand where I'm talking about so far?
Okay?
The truth of the matter is, is that often in Scripture, in order to help our frailty, we find that,
I just don't want to trip on this and embarrass myself,
kick, kick, kick, kick.
There we go.
Okay.
In order to help us with our frailty, remember, we see one thing or the other, right?
Often in Scripture, you find that when God explains something about His sovereign work in a situation,
He also helps us understand the dynamic of our own responsibility.
We're going to see that today.
I want you to look this morning at Christ's mission and the gospel's division.
And in essence, what we are going to do this morning is answer two questions.
Number one, why did God send Jesus?
Why did God send Jesus?
I do love that as my go-to Christmas question.
You know, whenever I'm involved in a conversation with people in the proximity of Christmas,
and we get into this business of salvation, and after all, that's where some of our conversations should go,
I don't think you can force them, but hey, you ought to be praying and looking for opportunities
to talk about why Jesus came.
And in the course of conversation, when I come up with this issue,
I always like to ask that real trick question, why did Jesus come?
I mean, if salvation is just a matter of a little bit of self-improvement,
or, you know, helping at SPCA or something like that,
I mean, hey, Jesus wouldn't have had to come for that.
And the truth of the matter is, is that we're going to answer,
we're going to find the Bible answer to the question, okay, why did God send his son?
The second one is this, and if Christ came to save men, why aren't all men saved?
So we're going to look at those two pieces this morning and put these together
and have a good Bible understanding of it.
So let's begin by looking there in verse 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.
I have to tell you, as I began praying and meditating about this verse,
earlier in the week, and just so you understand,
generally what happens is when I go home on Sunday,
guess what I'm already beginning to do?
I'm beginning to pray and meditate and think about it.
I'm generally about two weeks out,
just a little wiggle at the verse that I'm going to look at next week.
This morning, as I was having devotions in prayer,
I was studying, as a sidebar,
just kind of took a look at the passage in Philippians
that we're going to come to next week.
It's just the way my mind works, okay?
I'm not sure how it works, it just does.
And so here, as I've been meditating
and just chewing on this thing here in verse 17,
why would God tell us that?
I mean, that's an obvious...
How many of you understand that asking the question why,
with a prayerful deliberation,
and also a dependence upon the Holy Spirit,
is an intelligent thing to do
in the process of figuring out what the Bible has to say?
Why is it there?
And so here is John telling us,
hey, God wants you to know why Jesus came.
And I want you to recognize,
as we look at this there in verse 17,
that God's first thought towards mankind is merciful.
Is merciful.
That's the way He is.
Now, it would help us to understand
that that is a challenge for us in some senses
because the truth of the matter is
is that there's an inclination in our heart
to not always be very merciful.
Would you agree with that?
I mean, let's try this.
You're driving,
and the person in front of you
is not driving responsibly,
at least according to your set of rules.
How many of you understand
that our set of rules is very flexible?
And so when you have an opportunity
to exercise mercy or judgment,
what is the first inclination?
Off with their heads.
Thank you, Mark.
It's like, yeah.
What story does that one come from?
That's not a Bible story.
Okay.
I'm teasing, Mark.
But, you know, the truth of the matter is
is that here is God
wanting us to understand something
that's against our flow and our nature.
He wants us to understand
that this business of the reason that Jesus came
is foundational and against the grain of our thinking.
So why is it so important for us to grasp
that Jesus came to save men and not judge them?
Stop and realize that judgment for sin
is actually an understandable expectation
and one that is woven into so much of common sense
and thinking all around the world.
No religion that I can think of
that really has a long history
does not have some thinking
regarding the matter of judgment.
Now, the way in which judgment is accommodated may vary,
but nevertheless,
the idea that consequences flow out of decisions
and actions is woven throughout our thinking.
Even our common vernacular,
the way in which we communicate,
is marked by this.
You know, you've heard the old saying,
what's going around comes around.
Have you ever heard that one?
Or what about that?
What you sow is what you reap.
The idea underlying that
is that you get what's coming to you.
You did bad, you're going to get bad.
And that's the way it is.
And the idea that judgment is out there
in some form or another
kind of lurks on the horizon
in all of our thinking.
The Bible also helps us understand
that this business of understanding judgment
is not just a matter of common vernacular,
but it's also something that the Bible is very clear on.
Romans chapter 1,
very interesting that unbelieving men and women
really do have a sense of judgment.
We may not think so,
but they do.
Romans chapter 1,
verse 32,
it says,
men knowing that those who practice sin
deserve to die,
does that make sense?
They still go on and do those sins.
Another passage would be Luke chapter 23,
and here is Jesus between two thieves
who are hanging there on the cross.
And remember,
one of the thieves is kind of railing at Jesus.
Hey, if you are the man,
the son of God,
come down off the cross
and do something for us too, you know.
And what does the other thief say?
Does anybody remember?
Hey,
we're getting what we have coming to us.
Another illustration would be
in the Jewish culture in that day,
when a lot of people died,
they thought that the death
was the consequence of divine judgment.
Remember when Jesus said,
hey,
all those guys who got squashed
when the tower fell on them,
don't you just think
that they were worse sinners
because you need to repent as well.
All of us stand condemned before a holy God.
Probably one of the most sobering pictures
of men's attitude towards judgment
is over in the book of Revelation.
So I want you to look,
if you would turn in your Bible
to Revelation chapter 6,
verse 16 and 17.
Talk about some of the more sobering
Bible verses regarding the heart of man.
I mean, after all,
the attitude of some is that,
oh, well, men have some problems,
but just with a little bit of tweaking,
a little bit of helping,
they'll get there.
Listen, everybody,
smile at me
because I want you to look at me
just for a second, okay?
The book of Revelation makes it clear
that God will judge sin.
That's what the tribulation will indicate.
And here's the other piece in that.
And in the full face
of the evident judgment of God against sin,
men for the most part will not repent.
Revelation chapter 6,
verse 16 and 17.
And we find that as these horrible things
are happening,
the seals, et cetera,
it says,
calling to the mountains and rocks,
fall on us and hide us
from the face of him
who is seated on the throne.
And now mark this part,
and from the wrath of the lamb.
For the great day of their wrath has come
and who shall stand?
Instead of saying,
I have it coming,
I deserve it,
and your judgment is just and holy,
men will,
instead of coming to grips
with the reality of their sin,
will resist that fact.
Let me have you look at another passage.
Revelation chapter 16.
How many of you ever just thought to yourself,
well, if guys would just make it a little clearer,
or if people could just figure it out,
it would be okay?
Remember I said the book of Revelation
is a very clear indicator
that what men lack
is not more information.
Revelation chapter 16, verse 9.
They were scorched by the fierce heat,
and they cursed the name of God
who had power over these plagues.
They did not repent
and give him glory.
They knew who was causing the heartache.
This was not just the providential,
circumstantial happenings
of accidents that,
whoop, bang, there it is.
Well, is it my fault?
Is it your fault?
No, they knew this was God doing something
and trying to get their attention
and help them understand
the absolute hardness of their heart.
Verse 11.
And they cursed the God of heaven
for their pain and their sores,
and they did not repent
of their deeds.
Verse 21.
And great hailstones,
about 100 pounds.
How many of you have seen a hailstone
the size of a softball?
I never have,
other than on Google.
You know, it's like, whoa.
I mean, can you imagine
hailstones the size of softballs?
Now, this is not a softball-sized hailstone.
This is a 100-pound chunk of ice.
And it says here,
they were falling from heaven on people,
and they cursed God
for the plague of the hail
because the plague was so severe.
Now, why were they cursing God
for his judgment against them?
Because of the hardness
and the darkness of their heart.
So I want you to understand this morning,
as you look,
going back to John chapter 3,
that when John the apostle
opens up here in verse 17
and says, hey, listen,
let me make it clear,
God did not send his son into the world
to judge the world,
but to offer salvation.
He wants the unbelieving world
to understand the heart of God
as merciful and gracious,
tender, long-suffering,
and compassionate,
and God's desire
is that not any should perish,
but all should come to everlasting life.
And so I want you to understand this morning
that the Spirit wants us to marvel
at the mercy and the grace of God
who offers salvation to us.
I trust that that is one of the things
that gives you that buoyant sense
of confidence and hope
that you know for certain
that salvation is of the Lord
and there is no one
that is beyond the shadow,
beyond the pale
of his ability to save.
Earlier in the week,
I had the opportunity
of sharing the gospel
with two men
had come to clean out my drain.
You buy a new house
and you find out
that the drains are plugged.
You know,
there are lots of surprises
in home ownership.
And so I figured
that they needed supervision.
I'm down there,
you know,
just watching and figuring out,
you know,
if I'm going to be a drain cleaner
later in my life,
I need to have
a little bit of experience.
So I'm on the job
watching them,
grinding it out.
And you know what?
I did not wear
my turned-around collar.
I was in blue jeans
and a gruddy-looking old shirt.
But somehow or another,
we got to talking about,
guess who?
First about life.
And I mean,
they were right there.
Tattoos on both arms
and pretty impressive.
And you know,
guy said,
hey, look here.
I mean,
there was so much ink.
I am not a tattoo expert,
so I just want to...
Do you see it?
No.
What is it?
It's a cross.
Okay.
Well,
it was a pretty fantastic cross.
It wasn't one
that was traditional.
It was very unusual.
And they said,
do you see that?
Well,
that I could see.
It was a devil.
And I said,
yeah,
I got that one.
That's a devil.
And then somewhere
in the midst of just
hundreds of other
little dots and things,
he said,
do you see that?
I said,
no.
Those are two eyes.
That's me.
He says,
and the devil's fighting for me
and Jesus is fighting for me.
And I said,
well,
I'll tell you what,
it's better than that.
I want to tell you
the sweetness of the gospel
is this,
is that God sent his son
not to condemn the world,
but that through him
all men might be saved.
And I want you to know
this morning
when you think about
this verse,
the thing that the spirit of God
wants us to understand
is that God sent his son
for our sakes,
to be our savior,
to help us
in the absolute despair
of our life.
And so there's a sense
in which this repetition,
and you have to admit
that it is repetitious,
I mean,
what's it say in verse 16?
For God so loved the world,
right?
And then in verse 17,
God didn't send his son
into the world
to condemn the world.
Connected.
So we understand
that in this repetition
there is a desire
in the heart of God
to make it clear
that men need salvation
and Christ came
to be their savior.
Well,
if Christ came
to be our savior,
why are not more saved?
I mean,
that's a fair question,
isn't it?
I mean,
after all,
who is Jesus?
Let me give you
a couple illustrations
so you have this
fixed in your mind already.
You'll remember
that when the water
into wine deal
pulled off,
remember,
Jesus didn't ask
all the people
who were sitting around,
do you think I can do it?
Do you believe I can do it?
What do you think?
Do you think I can?
No.
Shambang,
what happened?
Just ordinary
Palestinian water
became top shelf wine.
And how did it happen?
It happened
by the power of God.
And so when you think
about this business
of salvation
and you stop
and recognize
God sent his son
to be the savior
of the world,
why are not more saved?
Well,
actually,
I want you to recognize
in the following verses,
beginning there in verse 18,
carrying on down to 21,
we find that Christ
is actually a divider.
The light of the world
draws,
but also repels.
So let me break down
the next few verses
into several
very simple truths.
believers.
First,
we find in verse 18
that God divides mankind
into two separate groups,
believers
and unbelievers.
Look at the verse.
Whoever believes in him,
that's the believers,
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 so,
you may not be thinking
about this this morning,
but here is the absolute
gospel truth.
All mankind
falls into two categories,
one of two different groups.
Those who have trusted in Christ
and those who are rejecting him.
Those who've come to faith
and those who refuse
the call and the work of Christ.
So,
let's think with this,
about this just for a moment
and recognize that a believer
is one who believes
that God sent Jesus
to be your Savior.
That's what is meant
in verse 18.
Believes in him.
It's like,
yeah,
I believe there is Jesus.
I mean,
remember over in James
it says,
you believe there is one God,
you're doing well,
even the demons believe
and that doesn't rescue them.
So,
what is it saying really
when it says
that salvation
is the matter
of believing in Jesus?
It's not just believing
in the historical fact,
but it's coming to grips
that Jesus is real
and he is real to you
and he makes a world
of difference
in your life.
Believing in his name
means believing
that you need a Savior
and that you recognize
you have no hope
apart from his finished work
on the cross.
Why is it
that I have abiding confidence
that the day I draw
my last breath,
I will wake up in eternity
and I will enjoy
the presence of Christ?
Not because I look back
across the record
of my miserable life
and say,
well, you know what,
Tim,
at least you've been
on the uphill journey
and you're getting better
all the time.
Well, that's the work of God,
not me.
And I want you to understand
that when I stop
and think about it,
it's Christ who saved me.
I want you to recognize
something else
as you look at verse 18.
The unbeliever
really rejects the truth
that God sent his Son
to be the Savior of mankind.
Look at the passage.
It says,
whoever does not believe
is condemned already
because he has not believed
in the name
of the only Son of God.
It's stunning
for us to really stop
and ponder
just how arrogant
this rejection is.
It's not just among
jihadis in Iraq
or in Afghanistan
or rebels in Africa.
America,
the depravity of man
abounds everywhere
you turn.
One of the things
that I was really struck by,
just deeply affected by,
was the fact
that I was doing
some research
and came across
the fact that
the state of Ohio
ranks around about fifth
in human trafficking
and sexual slavery.
Can you imagine that?
Let me say that again slowly
so you can appreciate
what's being said.
There are how many states?
This is not
a political question.
The answer is 50, okay?
So some of you
are wondering,
you've been in Washington
too long
and you don't know
what the answer is.
It's 50.
And we are where?
Fifth.
You stop and think,
the depravity of man's hearts
is evident everywhere you go.
Everywhere you go.
It follows then,
given the truth
that God sent His Son
to save men
that we want to know why.
Why is it?
Why would men not believe?
Why would they reject salvation?
The answer that follows
actually is there
very clearly for us
in verses 19 through 21.
And as we follow the verses,
we understand,
for one thing,
that men do not just
wander away
to their own destruction
ignorantly in the dark.
I want you to recognize this.
Men do not just slip away
and fall into eternity
in darkness
with complete oblivion
of their condition.
Just as being a fool,
I want you to follow
very carefully
because this is worth
thinking about.
Just as being a fool.
Now what's the difference
between doing foolish things
and being a fool?
How many of you know
the difference?
Smile at me if you do.
We all on occasion
do foolish things,
okay?
A fool is someone
who's making a career choice
to stay that way.
Got that?
A fool is someone
who's making a career choice
to stay that way.
I mean,
we've all done
boneheaded things.
But then when
the Holy Spirit
and our family
and officers of the court
or whatever else
come aside
and give us
a little gentle tap
to say,
not good,
I got that.
I'll work to change.
A fool is someone
who makes a career choice.
I'm going to keep doing that.
I don't care what you say.
It's what I want to do
and hey.
I want you to understand
rejecting Christ
is a deliberate
and conscious choice.
Listen to the indictment
of Scripture
against man.
You look there
in the passage
going back
just a little bit
to John 1,
verse 4 and 5.
It says,
the light has come
into the world.
There in verse 19
we see the same thing.
It says,
the light has come
into the world
and in essence
what John the apostle
is doing
is reciting
what he's already said.
So I want you to turn back
just for a second
to John 1,
verse 4.
It says,
in him was life
and the life
was the light of men.
The light shines
in the darkness
and the darkness
has not overcome it.
Instead of stepping
into the realm
where truth
and grace operate,
men consciously
and deliberately
choose the dark.
Their deliberate choice
is not an accident
or an act of ignorance.
It is a willful act
to suit their wicked hearts.
I remember many years ago
early on in my ministry
we had a break-in
out in the garage
out here
and this was before
we had a lot of security lights
here on the property
and I remember
that those who were involved
in caring for the property
suggested,
well,
we need to put
a security light up.
I said,
how much does that cost a month?
It was $12 back then.
I thought,
not on your life.
We're not spending
$12 on some light.
Now why,
you look around,
how many do we have?
In fact,
when one of them burns out
we get an email
from somebody saying,
did you know
you got a light turned out?
Put another bulb in.
You know,
it's like,
why is it that light
makes a difference?
It's because men love darkness.
Men love darkness.
Thieves hate the light.
Thieves hate security cameras.
One of the interesting things
is to go into a store
and watch people
who you're wondering
about their intentions.
You know,
those who just are out there
to shop,
they're kind of buzzing around
looking at shelves.
Do you know there are people
that specialize
in loss prevention?
Do you know
what loss prevention is?
Stopping people
from stealing.
Do you know what people
who specialize
in loss prevention watch?
People who are looking up.
Do you know
what people are looking up for?
Not for the coming of Jesus.
They're trying to figure out
where they can get away with it.
Okay?
And so I want you
to understand
as you think about the truth
that the Bible makes it clear
that men love darkness
when the heart is pure
and the conscience is clear,
there's no desire
to hide from the light.
Where sin is,
there's a desire to hide.
Furthermore,
as you look in the passage,
go back to John chapter 3,
let's just mark
what we read there
in verse 20.
It says,
for everyone who does
wicked things
hates the light.
Hates the light.
I'll never forget years ago
when I was in seminary,
I was a paint contractor
and there was a home
that had burned
under suspicious
circumstances.
You've heard the saying
that spontaneous combustion
is where the mortgage papers
and the insurance papers
get too close together.
Have you ever heard that?
Okay?
Well, this home
was an absolute dump.
I mean,
it was the dumpiest dump
that I can remember,
at least at that time.
And for whatever reason,
I was hired to paint
in this house.
And the guy who hired me,
the insurance agent,
said,
listen,
all I want you to do
is put it back
in the shape it was.
Yeah,
I saw that look.
It was a challenge
for my conscience
to do that,
but that's what he did.
I remember going into
one of the rooms
and deciding that,
you know,
I mean,
I had to paint the windows
so I thought I'd lift the window
just to see,
you know,
painters want to know
whether the windows work
before they paint them.
Okay?
And so I remember
the window was
kind of halfway open
so I moved the window up
and there were cockroaches
that were just,
I mean,
they were back to back
and belly to belly
across the window sill.
No,
the sill is on the bottom part.
What is it?
Pardon?
The sash.
I mean,
and when I moved that,
I mean,
there are like about
30 or 40 cockroaches
that suddenly sprinted
for the dark.
I thought to myself,
ah,
I can't believe
I'm going to work here.
And one of the things I did,
I thought,
you know,
if they don't like light
and I don't like them,
I think the idea is what?
More light is better.
Here's the deal.
It's not just cockroaches
that don't like the light.
Sinners don't like the light.
Sinners don't like
to be exposed.
Sinners want to hide.
I kind of chuckle
when I think about politicians.
Isn't it standard
for politicians
to tell you
that their administration
is going to be
the most transparent?
I mean,
it's like,
really?
Men who engage
in lies
hate the light.
Now,
I want you to look
at the closing part.
We can understand
wicked,
disobedient,
rebellious hearts
don't want to hear
the truth.
Turn it off.
I'm out of here.
There's something
very interesting
in verse 21.
But whoever does
what is truth
comes to the light
so that it may be
clearly seen
that his works
have been carried out
in God.
God.
Remember I said
that where you find
the responsibility
of the heart of man
and the sovereignty
of God
in salvation
in close proximity,
they're hard
to put together.
But God puts
both pieces there.
You look
and the answer
to the question,
why are men
not saved?
Well,
because they choose
the darkness.
That's what it says.
They hate the light
and they choose
the darkness.
They don't want
their deeds exposed.
But listen to verse 21.
Give you a summary of it.
It says it this way,
believers come to the light
so that God can be glorified.
The believer does not
prance into the light
to get credit
for being a wonderful person.
Do you understand that?
That's what this verse
is telling us
is that when men
come into the light,
they're coming into the light
so someone else
gets credit.
I think that's pretty
important to understand
and you need to put
your finger on it,
okay?
See,
verse 21
is not saying
that those of us
who were good people,
we kind of march
into the light
and say,
hey,
do you see how good I am?
I'm just the most
wonderful person.
I am the best neighbor.
I'm the kind of person
that you want
to spend time with.
I am just sweet
and lovable
and I'm always going
to think good things
about,
you know,
that's not it.
That's not it.
The believer
walks into the light
and this is what
the passage says.
The believer
walks into the light
so that it can
clearly be seen
that what has happened
is a miracle
of God's doing.
That little part
towards the end
of verse 21
says,
so it can clearly
be seen
that his works
have been carried
out in God.
Turn in your Bibles
to Colossians 1
verse 29.
Colossians 1
verse 29.
And we're going
to come back
to John
so stay with there.
Don't take your finger
out of there
but we're going
to look at Colossians
just for a minute.
I love this text.
Colossians 1
verse 29.
For this I toil,
struggling with all,
what's the next word?
Look at it.
Not my face.
I'm not growing a horn.
I mean,
look in the Bible.
Okay?
For this I toil,
struggling with,
what's the next word?
His.
Energy
that he powerfully
works within me.
How does Tim Kenoyer
know he is saved?
It's because
I see the evidence
of someone else
helping me do things
I couldn't do
myself.
Go back
to John chapter 3.
Let me put it this way
for you
and have it stick
in your mind.
When the believer
tells his story,
the hero is Jesus.
I want to make that clear.
this Tuesday,
I will preach
my father's
memorial service.
I think it's reasonable
for a son
to think highly
of his dad.
But I want you
to hear me say it
this morning.
My dad's not
the hero of his story.
Jesus is.
John chapter 4,
verse 29,
and we'll close
with this.
I love
the story
of the woman
at the well.
I like it
because her life's
a mess.
serialized marriage
and prostitution
are not
radically separate.
Do you follow that?
And here's a woman
who Jesus comes to
and he says,
hey,
you need living water.
And she says,
well,
give it to me.
And he says,
go get your husband.
He says,
I don't have one.
She said,
you're right
because you've been
married five times
and you're shacking up
with somebody now.
And then God
brings salvation
into her life
and she's saved.
And do you know
what she does?
She runs into town.
Now,
what does she say
when she gets into town?
Do you know?
I love this part.
Look at the passage.
Verse 29,
so the woman
left her water jar
and went away
into town
and said to the people,
come,
see a man
who told me
all that I ever did.
How could that broken
and wicked woman
say that
apart from understanding
the complete forgiveness
of Christ in her life?
Do you understand that?
So what should I do?
I want you to understand
the passage is simple.
God sent his son
into this world
not to condemn the world.
There will be a day
of judgment
and Jesus will be
the one who's judging.
But at this time
as you hear
the presentation
of the sweetness
of the gospel,
it is this,
Christ Jesus came
to save you
from your sins
and to take away
the complete burden
and guilt
and shame
that Satan
has afflicted you
and terrified
with you.
Terrified you with.
So I want you
to understand
this morning
the plea
of scripture
is this,
be reconciled
to Christ.
Come to him.
Understand
that Christ
Jesus
came to be
your savior
and it would be
a horrible,
eternally
condemning
choice
to walk away
from the gift
he offers you
this morning.
Let's close
in prayer.
Our Father God
as we
take this passage
in hand
and we just revel
in the sweetness
of Christ,
we who know
the Lord Jesus
stop and recognize
that the hero
of our story
is not us.
we were broken,
ruined
on our
deliberate way
towards hell
and you
in your kindness
found us
and drew us
to the cross.
And this morning
that offer
of salvation
through complete
forgiveness
in the Lord
Jesus Christ
is available
to those
who sit here
this morning
under the hearing
of the word
of God
and sense
the prompting
of the spirit
that says
you don't have
to stay there.
You don't have
to carry
that burden
of sin anymore.
You may have
complete forgiveness
but you have
to humble yourself.
You have to come
as a broken
contrite sinner
that says
I deserve
the judgment
of a holy God
but I hear
the word
that Christ Jesus
died in my place
and I want
his blood
attached to my account.
And that's
our prayer
this morning.
In Jesus' name.
Let's stand together.