I ask those of you who are here on Wednesday to pray for me because I thought the week was not going that well.
! Last night when John called I knew it was going worse than I thought. So I really need you to pray for me now.
But you know what? The passage that we're going to look at this morning...
It's the best.
Perfect. A couple of months ago, Pastor asked me to speak this morning so he could go hunting.
We talked about my topic and decided that I would just simply do the next passage in John.
And looking at the schedule, he told me that would be John 3.16.
At first I thought that would be fine.
Then I spent the last...
Since then...
Turning it over and over in my mind and struggling with this message.
In the last week I came across a commentary by A.W. Tozer on the book of John and I turned to 3.16.
And I want to read what he said there.
It's from A.W. Tozer's book and he dwelled amongst us.
As far as I can remember, I've never preached a sermon on John 3.16.
Nor have I devoted an entire article or essay to it.
It's not that I do not like the text, for I do.
It is simply that the text has been too big for me.
I've instinctively quoted this, often in times of prayer and testimony and writing and preaching.
I was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable about this and confused as to why I could not get a handle on this text.
Then I was reading one of Charles Ellicott's noble old commentaries of a hundred or more years ago.
When the wise old saint of God came to John 3.16, he said something to this effect.
I don't tend to say much about this text.
It's a favorite of young preachers.
But older preachers feel that it's better felt than talked about.
So I'm going to confine my comments on this text to the minimum.
And he did.
I knew exactly what he meant and began understanding my reluctance in tackling this text.
I believe that more than ever, anyone attempting to deal with John 3.16 undertakes an almost insurmountable task.
Requiring a great deal of sympathy and generous love for God and men.
No person should do this hastily.
This text should be approached as Moses approached the burning bush in his day.
It's a sacred confrontation with God.
As you recall, Moses was required to remove his sandals as he approached this burning bush.
Whatever that act meant, like Moses, we must approach this text with unhurried solicitude.
So I approached this text as one filled with a great fear, great fascination, and an overwhelming sense of inadequacy.
Almost a despair.
The thought of the presence of God before me.
Let's pray.
Almighty God, the message of this text is the comfort and encouragement to all of our souls.
It's the challenge to the unbeliever.
Lord, it's the most wonderful words that we could hear.
It's the words of the children's song.
Jesus loves me.
This I know.
For the Bible tells me so.
That's the passage we look at this morning.
Lord, help us to grow in our appreciation for your holy, wonderful love for us.
And let that be the comfort that we need today.
The view of the events of last week.
And what we do not know comes this week.
We ask it in Christ's name.
Amen.
Turn with me, please, to John 3.16.
It's hardly a place in the world to which the gospel of Jesus Christ has gone that this verse has not become almost instantly known.
It's the first verse that translators translate into a new language.
And it's been translated into over 1,100 different languages.
Millions of people have been taught to recite it.
It's inscribed in books and buildings.
It's reflected in songs.
It's been held up on posters at nearly every significant sporting event in recent days.
But is it simply the cover child of Christianity?
Is it just a verse to be printed on coffee cups, poster boards?
I almost asked some people to hold up poster boards that said John 3.16 on it.
And after I read Tozers, I decided I wasn't going to do that.
Is it a verse that we throw at unbelievers like a Christian hand grenade?
Or is it more?
Follow along as I read beginning in verse 14.
The demonstration, the extent, and the result of God's love.
First, the demonstration.
It says,
As Moses lift up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.
For God so loved the world.
This passage could have been translated,
For this is how God loved the world, or in this way God loved the world.
You see, so often we think about, well, this is the extent of it.
But I included the two previous verses because while the word so here is used frequently in the New Testament,
and in fact it's used frequently in the Gospel of John,
it always, it never refers to the degree or how much,
but rather always into the manner or in this way.
If we look at what comes right before then,
which it always, this word always refers to what came right before it,
we see that pointed back to verse 14,
which tells us that the Son of Man must be lifted up.
It speaks of the cross.
In other words, the picture,
or the demonstration,
of God's love is always
wrapped up in the cross.
It's the same idea or connotation was in another one of the books of John,
and I won't ask you to turn to it this morning,
but in 1 John 4, 9 and 10,
it says,
In this the love of God was made manifest among us,
that God sent his only Son into the world
so that we might live through him.
And this is love, not that we have loved God,
but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Propitiation is an old word, but it's a really good one.
It speaks of the fact that Christ took the wrath of God on himself,
and by doing so,
he became a sin offering
that satisfied that wrath of God
that should have been poured out on you and me.
In the dictionary, it's cross-referenced with the word atonement,
which speaks of the fact that because of Christ's payment,
we can be at one with the Father.
It's a solid and comforting support to rely on the death of Christ
as the only pledge of God's love.
The motivation for this is that he so loved the world.
God never saved the world by his love.
He provided the offer of salvation to the world
by pouring out all the divine wrath on the Son.
Back in my day, there was a song called,
All We Need Is Love.
It was a lie.
What we need is grace.
And grace comes to us through the cross,
through the work of God that is the picture
or the illustration of the love he had for us.
God so loved the world that he provided the cross.
The object of the love is the world.
But just what does he mean by this?
Well, first of all, it says whoever believes.
So it must be that it has to be people.
It can't be rocks and trees
and the other things that we would consider part of the world.
It also suggests that it refers to man who is sin-laden,
exposed to the judgment,
and in need of salvation,
but still the objects of his care.
By reason of the context and other passages
with a similar thought,
it is probable that the term indicates fallen man.
And it refers to all men, all nations, all peoples,
both Jews and Gentiles, men and women, boys and girls.
But it can't be teaching universal salvation
because in that same context,
it says that the unbelievers will perish
in eternal divine judgment.
All this being said,
it's important to recognize
that during his earthly ministry,
Jesus always dealt with individuals.
And the Christian message reflects that.
God does not love the masses.
He loves every individual in the masses.
He gave his only begotten son
that whosoever,
and with that we can put our name in that.
I can put my name in that.
It's whoever believes in him
should not perish but have everlasting life.
The word believe has the little preposition in.
In.
Which means to believe in Christ.
That is, we put trust in him
as the one who bore the penalty for our sin.
It's a personal thing.
We must each believe that he died in our place
and in our stead.
You must believe that he died for you.
The greatest application
that comes from this verse
is that God loves me.
God loves even me.
Would you indulge me this morning?
Would you say that with me?
God loves even me.
That's why this verse is one of the first ones
that's translated into a language.
Because at some moment in each of our lives
comes the feeling deep down inside us
of loneliness,
of lostness.
It's a thought that can plague our heart and our soul.
The thought that nobody really cares
about us.
That I matter to absolutely nobody.
Nobody cares about me.
And people search all over
for an answer for that.
That lostness.
They look to booze.
They look to drugs.
They look to sex.
They look to success.
But all of those things wear off.
They all fade away.
And when they do,
the lostness simply returns.
It's only softened by the truth
that God loves us.
Even so,
God's love is to be admired
not because the world is so big,
includes so many lost people,
but it's to be admired
because the world is so bad.
And that's the customary idea
of the word cosmos,
the Greek word here.
The world is so wicked
that John elsewhere in his writings
forbids Christians to love it
or have anything to do with it.
This brings forth the depth of the truth
that we find in Romans 5.8.
But God shows his love for us
that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.
The proof or the picture
of Christ lifted up on the cross
is also a picture of our need.
It makes perfectly clear
that I'm a sinner.
Remember Jesus' answer to Nicodemus?
What must he do?
Unless you are born again.
And Pastor pointed out
very clearly last week
that what Jesus was doing
was he was ripping apart
the works of man
and replacing them
with the grace of God
found in his love
demonstrated on the cross.
If there had been
any other possible way
for us to have obtained heaven
other than the cross
then the cross
is not something glorious
it's something
that is ridiculous.
Why would God do that
if we could have made it
on our own?
The fact that God
provided the cross
the fact that Jesus said
he must
suggests that there's nothing else
no other options
no other way.
You know I read something
several years ago
written by the Jehovah Witness
and they were making the point
that they thought
it was terrible
for people to have crosses
because for you
to have a cross
would be just like
carrying an image
of a gun
that your best friend
was shot with.
They missed the point.
the point is not
that my best friend
died on the cross
the point is
that my sin
was paid for
on the cross.
It's a reminder
that the cross
is the picture
of how much
God loves me.
So we turn to the extent
that he gave
his only son
we've already addressed
the fact that
when it speaks
of God giving his son
it's not speaking
like you give away
your daughter
at her wedding
but rather
it's pointing back
to the lifting up
of Jesus
which speaks
of the cross.
Some of the older
translations
you'll find
it says
the only begotten
and in fact
it's a term
that we use often
and with the understanding
it can be helpful
can also be
very misleading
because the idea
is not
begottenness
but the idea
is uniqueness
and so some
of the newer
translations
have the one
and only
and the point
is that Jesus Christ
is absolutely
unique
Jesus is unique
the unique
son of God
there's no one
like him
there's no others
there's no equals
there's no one
that's even close
he's absolutely
unique
in more ways
than I can
possibly share
this morning
but I'm going
to point out
four
and have you
turn to the passages
with me
the first one
is in John
you're in John
three
it's in John
one
chapter
chapter one
verse one
Christ
was the unique
in his eternality
in the beginning
was the word
and the word
was with God
and the word
was God
verse 14
and the word
became flesh
and dwelt
among us
and we've seen
his glory
glory is of the only
son from the father
full of grace
and truth
I still remember
the first time
I held my son
in my arms
but to say
that I understand
how God
felt
when he gave
his son
because I held
my son
is blasphemy
you see
there was never
a time
when Jesus
Christ
was not
one of the
famous
and most
significant
errors
heresies
of all time
that is continually
followed
by both
Jehovah
Witnesses
and the Mormons
is that
there was
a time
before
Christ
was created
and that's a lie
he is the eternal
son of God
there was
no time
when he was not
he's eternal
second person
of the trinity
and so the wrath
he endured
on the cross
was sufficient
for all
all people
can come to him
why
because he paid
a price
that was sufficient
for all mankind
second one
second Corinthians
chapter 5
verse 21
Christ was
absolutely
unique
in his
sinlessness
second Corinthians
5 21
he made him
who knew
no sin
to be sin
on our behalf
that we might
become
the righteousness
of God
in him
to say
that Christ
well maybe
he sinned
a little bit
you know
not a lot
but maybe
just a little
is to say
that God
has sinned
which is both
a lie
and nonsensical
but by his
very nature
and definition
God can have
no part
in sin
and Jesus
being fully
God
is the
absolute
opposite
of sin
just as an
aside
since the
passage
said
that we
have
become
the
righteousness
of God
in him
if there
was in
any sense
a flaw
in that
righteousness
where are we
same place
we would have
been before
lost
third
Philippians
chapter 2
verses 6
and 7
Christ
was unique
in his
equality
with the
father
who
though he
was in the
form of
God
did not
count
equality
with God
a thing
to be
grasped
but emptied
himself
by taking
the form
of a
servant
being born
in the
likeness
of man
Jesus
Christ
in his
deity
is not
at all
a creature
made in
the image
of God
as the
rest of
us are
he is
God
incarnate
and
consequently
there is
a sense
in which
when God
gave Jesus
for us
he gave
himself
for us
fourth
back to
John
chapter 1
and verse
18
Christ
was unique
in his
revelation
of the
father
John
1
18
no one
has ever
seen
God
the only
God
who is
at the
father's
right hand
speaking of
Jesus
Christ
he
has made
him known
he was
absolutely
unique
in his
revelation
of the
father
how do
we know
what the
father's
like
how do
we
picture
what the
father is
like
Jesus
said
you've
seen
me
you've
seen
the
father
we look
to Jesus
Christ
in the
words of
the
scriptures
and we
know
what God
is like
and we
know how
much he
loves us
what that
text what
these texts
are saying
then
is that
God had
only one
son
and because
of his
love for
humanity
he gave
him
to
punishment
and wrath
in order
to make
eternal
life
available
to the
whole
world
there is
not one
answer
for
Christians
and another
for
Muslims
there is
not one
answer
for
Christians
and another
one
for
Buddhists
there's
not one
answer
for
Christians
and another
one
for
Mormons
or even
for Roman
Catholics
there is
one
Jesus
Christ
and no
one
no one
comes to
the Father
except
by him
there is
no other
name given
under heaven
by which
men may
be saved
there's
only one
son given
by the
Father
as a
picture of
his love
and his
uniqueness
shows the
extent
of God's
love for
us
from here
we turn
to the
result
of his
love
that
whosoever
believes
in him
should not
perish
but have
ever
have eternal
life
do you
remember the
purpose of
the book
of John
pastor's
been reminding
us of it
several times
in fact
I think
one of the
kids even
told him
what passage
it was
in John
chapter 20
and verse
30 and
31
right
Ethan
was mouthing
as I was
saying it
John chapter
20 verses
30 and
31
as Perry
Harding
used to
say
used to
teach in
our school
taught at
Madison
long time
member here
very good
teacher
he used
to say
John
always
leaves
his
purpose
at the
back
door
in other
words
if you go
to the
end of
the book
of John
and start
backward
you'll find
the purpose
that John
has for
his writing
almost every
time
and it
says there
these things
have been
written
that you
might
believe
John
had a
purpose
in telling
us
how much
God
loves
us
that you
may
believe
the phrase
believe
or the word
believe
means more
than simply
recognizing
and accepting
the claims
of the gospel
oh yeah
I know
all that
stuff
it means
more than
just attending
a church
on a regular
basis
since you
were a
child
it means
more than
going forward
it means
more than
being baptized
the language
of the
scripture
is
it's really
interesting
it's not
actually
believes
in
the word
is
believes
into
think about
that
believes
into
so
believe
includes
trust
and commitment
to Christ
as Lord
and Savior
which results
in receiving
a new
nature
and that
produces
a change
in heart
a change
in obedience
to the Lord
a change
in our
very
person
says
we
have
eternal
life
Jesus
defined
eternal
life
for us
turn with
me
to
John
chapter
17
in
his
high
priestly
prayer
the
Lord's
prayer
if you
will
Jesus
says
this
is
eternal
life
that
they
may
know
you
the
only
true
God
and
Jesus
Christ
whom
you
have
sent
it
is
the
life
of
the
age
to
come
and
believers
will
more
fully
experience
it
in
perfect
unending
glory
and joy
when we
get to
heaven
but
also
since
to have
eternal
life
is to
know
God
that
is to
have
a
personal
individual
relationship
with
him
and
then
we
experience
all the
blessings
which
flow
from
that
personal
relationship
it
points
both
to
the
present
age
and
to
the
age
to
come
and
one
of
the
things
that
we
hope
in
that
we
trust
in
is
not
only
not
only
will
someday
John
and
Kristen
have a
better
picture
of
why
all
this
stuff
happened
not
only
will
pastor
have
a
better
understanding
of
the
process
that
his
dad
has
been
through
but
more
importantly
today
the
personal
relationship
with
Jesus
Christ
gives
comfort
gives
encouragement
where
there
is
nothing
worldly
comfort
there
gives
us
a
hope
because
life
doesn't
start
when we
get
to
heaven
it
starts
the
moment
we
put
our
trust
in
Jesus
Christ
the
idea
of
eternal
refers
not
solely
to
the
duration
of
existence
but
to
the
quality
of
life
as
contrasted
with
the
futility
that
the
rest
of
the
world
faces
it's
a
deepening
growing
experience
it's
never
exhausted
in
any
measurable
span
of
time
that's
why
it
takes
all
eternity
to
come
to
that
full
recognition
full
realization
of
what
that
relationship
with
Christ
really
means
it'll
take
us
all
eternity
to
figure
that
out
it
introduces
a
totally
new
quality
of
life
the
believer
becomes
imperishable
he's
free
from
all
condemnation
he's
absolutely
approved
by
God
the
word
perish
is the
opposite
of
salvation
it's
used
of
death
as
opposed
to
life
it's
used
to
destroy
as
opposed
to
preserve
to
loss
as
opposed
to
win
or
gain
and
it's
used
here
implies
that
those
without
God
are
hopelessly
confused
in their
purpose
they're
alienated
from him
in their
affections
and
they're
futile
in their
efforts
positive
belief
in
Christ
is
necessary
all
one
has to
do
to
perish
is
nothing
to
perish
is to
fail
completely
of
fulfilling
God's
purpose
and
consequently
to be
excluded
forever
from his
fellowship
one
final
aspect
especially
significant
today
as I
said
eternal
refers
to
both
quality
as
well
as
quantity
that
God
gave
his
own
son
to
wrath
as a
result
of
his
love
means
that
God
has
already
done
the
greatest
deed
and
the
natural
argument
from
there
is
that
if
he
loved
us
that
much
then
the
cares
the
concerns
the
troubles
of
this
day
or
this
coming
week
are not
too
much
for
him
Romans
8
32
pastor
referred
to it
in his
prayer
earlier
he
who
did
not
spare
his
own
son
but
gave
him
up
for
us
all
how
will
he
not
also
with
him
graciously
give
us
all
things
where
can
I
turn
for
the
difficulties
of
this
coming
week
where
can
I
turn
from
the
heartaches
of
this
past
week
only
one
place
that
God
so
loved
the
world
that
he
gave
his
only
begotten
son
that
whosoever
believeth
on
him
shall
have
eternal
life
the
presentation
of the
good
news
offers
people
only
two
options
to
believe
or to
perish
eternal
life
or
eternal
lostness
eternal
life
which is
accepted
by
believing
is the
gift
of
God
and
it
brings
with
us
the
fullest
blessings
that
God
can
bestow
on
us
unlike
many
today
the
Bible
does
not
teach
and
I
do
not
believe
that
to
perish
means
to
cease
to
exist
means
to
experience
torment
utter
failure
futility
and
loss
of
everything
that
makes
existence
worthwhile
Jesus
said in
John
10
I
come
that
they
may
have
life
and
have
it
abundantly
John
3
16
it's
a picture
of my
sin
picture
of God's
love
image
in the
cross
the
extent
of God's
love
in that
provision
of a
unique
son
for the
purpose
of life
rather
than
ruin
much
more
than a
Christian
slogan
much
more
than a
Christian
grenade
to be
thrown
at
unbelievers
rather
it is
the very
truth
of the
truth
of God
it's
the very
foundation
of the
gospel
it's
the thing
that encourages
and helps
us through
not only
the challenges
but provides
us
with
everlasting
life
for those
of us
who know
God
who love
him
it makes
Romans
8 32
answer
the needs
that we
have
for the
non-believer
it provides
a clear
explanation
of what
God's love
did for
them
and what
he expects
of them
let's pray
without anyone
looking around
with all of
our eyes
closed
if you're here
this morning
and you do
not know
Jesus Christ
as your
Lord and
Savior
you've not
come to
that personal
relationship
with him
have not
come to
the place
of understanding
fully
that God
so loved
you
that he
gave his
only begotten
son
that whosoever
believes in
him
has eternal
life
if you've not
come to that
place before
I would
encourage you
to come
before God
to say
I understand
I believe
that I'm
a sinner
and the only
possible
option for
me
was the
provision
of the
cross
and today
I accept
the truth
of Jesus
Christ
the eternal
son of the
father
that all
my sins
may be
cared for
may be
paid for
and that
I may
receive
today
is the
day that
I believe
you do
not need
to raise
your hand
God
does not
see a
raised
hand
any more
than he
sees a
raised
heart
but in a
little while
I'm going to
give an
invitation
for you
to come
forward
and if
you've
done that
today
it would
be
appropriate
and an
encouragement
to us
that you
would
acknowledge
that
it will
also put
you on
record
that something
has changed
something has
taken place
maybe today
you're here
and you
know the
truths of
Christ
you've
accepted
them
you've
prayed
the
prayer
you've
been
baptized
maybe
you've
even
been
a
church
member
but the
truth
is
that you
don't
really
act
much
like
God
loves
you
if that's
the case
I pray
that you
would cry
out to
God
that you
would ask
him to
melt
your heart
of stone
to give
you a
heart
of flesh
when I
give the
invitation
if you
would like
prayer for
that or
you would
simply like
to say
I am
today
rededicating
my life
to Christ
it will be
an opportunity
for you
to do
that
our
father
we thank
you so
much
that you
loved us
and that
you love
us
still
the fact
that you
loved us
and gave
your son
not simply
to give him
to serve
us
but rather
you gave him
to die
for us
gracious
God
we thank you
for your
gift of
love
we accept
it
with joyful
hearts
Lord help
us
this week
to often
remember the
words
Jesus loves
me
this I know
for the
Bible tells
me so
in Christ's
name we pray
Amen