January 7, 2018
Evening Service

This morning we saw Nicodemus, one of the Jewish leaders, come to Jesus by night seeking some answers.  He humbly came truly seeking the truth as he recognized that Jesus was a teacher from God.  Jesus gladly received him and began to explain to him the difference between the physical world and the spiritual one.  Nicodemus’ confusion came because he tried to understand spiritual things from a physical perspective.  To be “born again” doesn’t mean to reenter his mother’s womb, but to be spiritually reborn in the waters of baptism and become a new creation in Christ.  We finished up reading verse 14-17 and putting a more personal touch on it by placing our own names into verse 16.  God so loved Greg that He gave His only begotten Son…  It is difficult to place our minds around what it means for our Creator to love us that much that He would offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins.  I want to actually pick up there is verse 14 again and finish the rest of this chapter.

 John 3:14-17 But even as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  (15)  so that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting 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 so that the world might be saved through Him.

·        I can’t hear those verses too many times.  I love the message He is sending us; a message of hope and a message of salvation.  God loved us enough to send Jesus as our Savior; to pay a debt we could never pay.  He was sent to save us not to condemn us.  By simply believing in Him we have been given eternal life.  Sounds too good to be true; but that is how the God we serve operates.  He gives us much more than we deserve.  Jesus even goes deeper in His teaching as we continue.

 

John 3:18-21 He who believes on 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.  (19)  And this is the condemnation, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the Light, because their deeds were evil.  (20)  For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, lest his deeds should be exposed.  (21)  But he who practices truth comes to the Light so that his works may be revealed, that they exist, having been worked in God.

·        Jesus reveals to us here that our eternal destiny is determined on this earth, not in heaven.  Upon our death we have either have believed in Christ and secured heaven as our eternal home, or denied Him and will face the second death in the Lake of Fire. 

·        He uses the comparison of light and darkness here to help us understand the choice that is made by us all.  Light is the place of openness, exposure and honesty.  We have confessed our sin and brought them out into the light with nothing to hide. We are by admission sinners saved by grace.  There is no condemnation here.  Darkness is a place of hidden secrets, evil, shame and regret.  Those who abide there hate the light because it exposes their sins.  Those who live in darkness are condemned already because they love the darkness (life of sin) more than the Light (Christ).

·        It is not revealed to us what Nicodemus’ reaction to this is, but we know that he comes to the side of those who seek the body of Jesus after He was taken from the cross. (John 19)

This chapter now closes with a bold witness from John the Baptist as his ministry begins to end.

 

John 3:22-30 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea. And He stayed there with them and baptized.  (23)  And John was also baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized.  (24)  For John had not yet been cast into prison.  (25)  Then a question from John's disciples arose with the Jews about purification.  (26)  And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond Jordan, to whom you bore witness, behold, He baptizes, and all come to Him!”  (27)  And John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it is given to him from Heaven.  (28)  You yourselves bear witness to me that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before Him.  (29)  He who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Then my joy is fulfilled.  (30) He must increase, but I must decrease.”

·        John’s disciples’ question certainly may seem harmless, but the enticement to compare the two ministries was there.  Comparing ministries was something Paul spoke of to the Corinthian Church in his second letter (10:12).  He told them that such comparisons are unwise to do.  We are all on the same team; it is not a competition to see who fills their church first.  It is God who gives the increase.

·        In this case there was no problem because John the Baptist knew the role he was to play and was content in doing so.  His ministry was given to him by God.  He compared himself to the “best man” at a wedding.  He is an important part of the wedding, but the day is not about him it is about the Groom.  The best man rejoices as the Groom receives his bride.  His humble remarks in verse 30 should be a goal for all of us.  “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

·        We all have God-given roles to fulfill in this life and we should be doing our best to do them well instead of comparing ourselves to others.  Walk the path God has placed you on with joy and contentment as John did.  It is not about us, but it is all about Him.  As John’s testimony continues he too stresses this point.

 

John 3:31-36 He who comes from above is above all; he who is from the earth is earthly and speaks from the earth. He who comes from Heaven is above all, (32) and what He has seen and heard, that He testifies, and no one receives His testimony.  (33)  He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.  (34)  For He whom God has sent speaks the Words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.  (35)  The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.  (36)  He who believes on the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him.

·        John had the proper perspective.  He was always quick to say that he was not the Messiah.  He recognized Jesus as the being “from above” and fully believed that He spoke the truth. 

·        In verse 34 he mentions that Jesus possessed God’s Spirit without measure.  He was God incarnate.  We possess the Spirit of God, but only a portion of it.  Jesus was given total control from His Heavenly Father.  He has the power to give eternal life to those who believe on His Name.

 

 

·        Verse 36 (read) reveals to us what is the single most important decision we will ever make is.  We must decide who we believe this Jesus of Nazareth really is.  If we believe Him to be the Son of God, then we will receive the gift of eternal life.  If we choose not to believe then we will receive the wrath of God upon our lives.  The choice rests on each of us to make for ourselves.

·        John, the writer, often mentions the contrast and the consequences of believing in Christ and not believing in Him.   His goal in writing is that the reader “would believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and by believing you may have life in His name.”

 

What did we learn about Jesus?

·        Those who believe on Him (live in the light) will not face condemnation.

o   Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

·        Those who do not believe (live in darkness) will face condemnation.

o   No choice is a choice.

·        He was sent by God and given full control of all things.

o   He is God and we are not.

·        He was given the Spirit without measure.

o   He had no limits, and we are limited.

·        He is pleased with an attitude like the one John displayed as he said, “He must increase and I must decrease.”

o   Jesus stated that there was no man greater than John the Baptist.

 

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Son the Author and Finisher of our faith and may we truly choose to believe on Him as our Lord and Savior.