Amazing Love

John 3:16

INTRO: Good morning church. We will be continuing our look at John’s Gospel and are reading this amazing message that John is teaching concerning salvation. We have reached John 3:16 which I think is probably one of the most recognized verses in scripture. It is frequently quoted, and so is Matthew 7:1, though these days Matthew 7:1 is probably quoted more and sadly, all too often by those who do not understand it.

Our focus today is John 3:16 which we all know well, though I hope not so well that it no longer has any impact. I want to talk about the significance of what is being summarized by John here.

We will start with a review of lessons on the New Birth to recall the context and remind ourselves what is going on in this scene. I’m not going to have a lot of new verses to look at today and mostly refer to what we have already learned in previous lessons.

We're still in Jesus' discussion with Nicodemus, and you will recall that as we ended chapter 2 John pointed out that there is “belief” on the part of the Jews, but it is insufficient belief. They are believing because they see the signs that Jesus is doing, but it is not leading to life transformation, so Jesus does not believe them or entrust Himself to them. Jesus knows their hearts and the shallowness of their belief.

Nicodemus comes to Jesus, and he shows some belief. He recognizes and admits, confesses - that Jesus has come from God. Jesus turns to Nicodemus and tells him, unless you experience the new birth, unless you're born again, born from above, you're by no means in the kingdom of God. This leads into a discussion back and forth about what this new birth is all about.

We looked at the imagery Jesus used in John 3:13 when He says no one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the son of man. We then compared it to what Moses said in Deuteronomy 30 and Paul’s reference to Moses in Romans 10:5-8. We saw this salvation is going to come about by God bringing it to the world.

Next, we read John 3:14-15 and found the parallel in the Book of Numbers where the people of Israel are complaining and rebelling against God. There we see them dying in the wilderness, being bitten by serpents that have been sent to strike them for their error. The people cry out to Moses to do something, and God tells Moses to put a bronze serpent on a pole, and those who would look upon it would be healed of the venom.

Jesus then parallels that to Himself in these verses, “… even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

I. For God Loved The World In This Way – That brings us to John 3:16 and I’m going to read it from the Holman Christian Standard – “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” I think this is useful as it captures a little bit more of what Jesus is saying about salvation and what is being offered.

A. The idea is not merely to describe the intensity of God's love, which is I suspect often how it's portrayed and read, God SO loved the world. Obviously, the intensity is there. God is clearly describing the depths of His love for His people.

1. However, the Greek word for “so” houtos, occurs over 200 times in the NT and almost without exception it is an adverb of manner, not degree. I suggest that intensity is not the full idea but that it is describing that this is the way that God shows His love.

2. If we are looking for any declaration to know that God loves people, that God loves His creation, this is what we are to look to… this magnificent event… that God sent His son.

3. That's the idea of ‘so loved the world’. This is the way that He loved the world. This is how He showed His love. This is the proof, the demonstration, as the Apostle Paul would write about God’s love for us in Romans chapter 5, Romans 5:8, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This is how we know that God's love exists for us. This is how we can see it.

4. We may have experienced this ourselves or seen others wonder: how do I know that God loves me? We look for something contemporary that God is going to do. He is going to keep me alive, give me lots of money, make sure my dog never dies. People can come up with all kinds of things as to why I'm going to know that God cares. It is as if we are saying, God, if you'll just do this, then I'll know you love me.

5. How God shows He loves us though, is this one grand event that we can always point to. This is how you know the love of God. This is how it has been forever displayed… that He gave His only son.

B. I submit that is a statement that should cause us to stop and wonder; how can it be possible for the infinite, all-powerful, Holy God to love finite, weak, sinful humanity? Have you ever thought, how can God do this? How about, why would He do this? We are awful, sinful, rebellious, wicked people who deserve absolutely nothing, and you are a holy, right, just, God. How can you possibly love us? We are a mess.

1. I mean, think about the scene in the wilderness, which is what Jesus connects to in verses 14 and 15. When we read the book of Numbers, I think all of us become a little shocked. The people are wandering in the wilderness and they are complaining at every turn.

2. They are complaining about what they are eating. They are complaining there is no water. They are complaining about the duration, complaining about Moses leadership. Complaining that they are not getting to keep the stuff that they had back in Egypt. They are complaining that Egypt was better than where they were going. They are complaining and complaining.

3. How can God be so good to these people? They are sinning, and then they are compounding their sins. They are essentially saying to God, you are a worthless God, you do not care about us. We would have been better off without you. We should have stayed in Egypt. Life was better there. How dare you be a God to us that would take us out of that place? You are just awful because you are not giving us what we want, your care is terrible.

4. In fact, your leader is terrible. Remember how they rise up and tried to stone Moses and Aaron so they could go back to Egypt. (Numbers 14:10). Why does God not just turn His back on them? Why not do that to us?

5. This is the verse. This is the summary statement of what it is all about. In such staggering words that God would love a wicked world. God. loves. us. He loves people. He loves His creation.

C. It is important that we get to the heart of that. We must get a grasp of that—that kind of depth of love that God has for every single human being.

1. Paul tries to bring that to us in a number of ways when he writes in Ephesians - Ephesians 2:4, “4. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,”. Rich in mercy because of the great love that He has for us.

2. Then in Ephesians 3:17f, “ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

3. What Paul tells us here always strikes me whenever I read it. He says, “I want you to know what cannot be known. I want you to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. You are never going to find the end of the love of God.”

4. That is what John 3:16 does. It gives us this amazing thought that there is no boundary to God's love. His love is so vast, and it is so amazing.

II. God Gave - Throughout the pages of scripture we see God loving and providing… and as we see here in verse 16… giving. He is giving to His people.

A. That is something that should shock us as well. It is easy to read; God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. We kind of blow through that—but think about the concept of what that means.

1. It is the creation that ought to be giving to the creator. It is not the creator who ought to be giving. He is God. We are the ones who are in debt. We are the ones who should be giving everything. What staggering words! He is the one who gave. We are the ones who should be giving back to him.

2. Yet, we read that God gave. God sacrificed. In the face of the rebellion of this world…God gave. While people are sinning, while people are enemies of God, God is giving a means for salvation. God is giving a way to bring people back.

B. I think that again connects us to the imagery of verses 14 and 15. As the people are dying in the wilderness because of the serpent bites, did God have to do anything?

1. I mean I look at it as, Why should God do anything? You are complaining. You don’t like the way I am taking you? You don't want to go to The Promised Land? You think you are better off dying? -- There you go. -- This is what you asked for. You don't want to be with Me, you don't want to have a relationship with Me, then why should I do anything for a rebellious people?

2. We can not just assume God. We must appreciate God. God is by no means needing to do anything on our behalf. He does not need to act in any way. The understanding that God would look at a corrupted, wicked, detestable creation like us and still love and give… should never grow old and fail to stagger our hearts.

3. It should be shocking when we see that in Numbers. The people are openly declaring their rebellion to God. God still gave them a means of salvation. If they looked at the bronze serpent on the pole, they would be healed.

C. God made a promise hundreds of years before His Son's arrival. He would give. Isaiah in a fabulous prophecy wrote, “ For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6). Here is the picture that God, looking down time, is ready to give His only son.

1. That's what we have observed in our study of John. He is one of a kind. He is the unique one. That is the idea of being the only begotten—to be the one and only. He is unique in every way because He is God. He is divine. He has come and died for our sins.

2. That brings us in the middle of verse 16.

III. Everyone Who Believes In Him - It's important not to take this part out of its context of what Jesus is doing with Nicodemus. Nicodemus has expressed belief. He's expressed acknowledgment of who Jesus is. You are come from God. Yet we see that Jesus then turns, tells him, no, you're not getting it. You don't have the belief that I am looking for.

A. As John chapter 2 ended, we see people are believing, but Jesus is not entrusting or believing them because He knows their heart. This isn't the belief that He is looking for. He is not looking for some kind of confession. He's not looking for the recognition that Jesus came from heaven. Even the demons believe, that's basic belief. That does not fit the context of what John has been talking about.

1. What Jesus is teaching Nicodemus is about new birth. I know it's been a while, but remember new birth is about life transformation. That's what He is describing. There is a life transformation that occurs. It's like having a new birth. It's a whole new you. It's not minor modifications.

2. People readily accept reformation, the modification of the whole to remove an error. But restoration, the replacement of the whole? Not so much. (Matthew 18:3)

3. People who have true belief are those who experience this kind of radical, life transformation that's being pictured here. To be joined to Christ means that there is going to be a change.

4. I suggest what John does and what Jesus is driving at, and this is critically important for us to grasp, is that true belief means there is life change… otherwise it's not belief. It's unbelief.

B. This verse has been used to suggest a person can have whatever kind of belief they want to have and it's going to be alright.

1. These words are really quite sharp. They should be very pointed to our hearts. Unless there is a massive life transformation in belonging to Jesus, it's not belief. It is simply unbelief. I think that’s what took Nicodemus back by what Jesus said.

2. Nicodemus is told you're not seeing the kingdom of God. Nicodemus is like you have to be kidding me. Look at me. I'm a religious guy. I'm doing all these things. Here is Jesus saying, you don't understand. It is about a massive change. We will have a transformation to follow Christ.

3. In essence then, Jesus is telling Nicodemus that there is no middle ground. There is no middle ground for us as we stand before God. We either have this life changing belief or it is unbelief altogether. True belief will always lead to this life transformation.

4. It is a critical condition that God then gives to us. I think that's what's important for us to see when we recognize what God has done. How can it not lead to life transformation when we get a handle on God’s love and what God gave?

C. If we truly believe it, if we truly believe that God has given so much to wicked rebellious people like us, if we really hold on to that truth, we have to change our lives.

1. Otherwise, we don't believe it at all. We're simply saying I want to do what I want to do, and I don't care that you gave so much. I don't care that you love us so much. I don't care that you have provided a means of salvation.

2. That's what we are saying. Without life transformation it is a declaration of unbelief. We are saying to God it simply does not matter.

IV. Perish Eternally - What is so fascinating about that, is what it teaches us. Not everybody is going to be saved. That's the implication of what He says in verse 16, “whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” There is a connection which needs to be made to Jesus—a true belief that must occur. We must connect to him… otherwise we're going to perish.

A. Notice how He describes that in verse 16. Whoever believes in Him should not perish. This is the condemnation that we are under. Again tie this to the wilderness episode as we see Jesus does. Everybody in that wilderness is going to die. They're being bitten by poisonous serpents. They're done. There is no hope. They will all perish. Except - God then gives the offer of salvation. If you look at the serpent on the pole, you'll be saved.

B. We usually come at this the wrong way I suspect. We think; I'm a good moral person so I’m going to be ok. I don’t do bad things. Those people over there, they are the really bad ones. They are the ones that are not going to be saved, but me, I’m not that bad.

 1. We are coming at this from a completely wrong angle. We have to understand we have all been bitten by the serpent. Sin is coursing through our veins. The venom of death is over all of us. There is no “it’s going to be ok”, there is no “we are good people”. There is no “I’m not that bad”. — We are dead, it’s over. We are all going to perish.

2. God so loves the world that He gave His Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish. We can not start from the basis I don’t need God, I’m ok. He is trying to get us to understand that we are in big, big, trouble just like those in the wilderness, who were going to die unless God intervened and we are going to die in our sins unless God intervenes. Thank God that He did intervene.

C. In Ezekiel’s prophecy God relates through the prophet the relationship between sin and punishment, like in Ezekiel 18:24, “24. "But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.”

1. We have done abominations. Can we live? We most certainly cannot. Sin has been committed. We shall surely die, and our blood be on us for it. We have nobody to point to but ourselves. The sin and the stain of guilt is resting right on our shoulders.

2. Is that what God wants though? In Ezekiel 18:23, “23. "Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?'' says the Lord God, "and not that he should turn from his ways and live?” Here's God saying I don't want that. That's not what I want to have happen. Do I take pleasure in this condition? No. Do I want people to perish? No. God has done everything to make salvation possible. That's why we see the depths of God's love here. This is how we see what God has done for us. This is what is so magnificent about what has occurred.

3. We are perishing in our sins because of what we have done. We are destined to die because of our sins. We are under His wrath because of our actions. We have violated the holy laws of God. We have separated ourselves from him.

D. God sent His son so that anybody who will believe in Him doesn't have to perish but can have eternal life. Does God want people to perish? If He did, He wouldn't have sent His son.

1. All God had to do was sit back and say, My law is holy, right and good. Do these things and you will live. He would have been right, just and good in every sense of it, to stand back and say there is nothing faulty with His law. Just do it and live.

2. God loves His creation. He knows that every single one of us will fall short. He has created a way for us to be saved. God had to intervene. God steps in. Those who will experience the new birth will have eternal life, will be saved from their sins. I want to leave you then with just one thought.

CONCLUSION: How can Jesus not be everything to us? How can He not be our treasure? Remember the parable of the treasure? That's the heart of what that parable was all about in Matthew 13:44. Jesus said “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”[ESV] Such a simple parable teaching this very idea.

When you understand what God has done through Jesus, you will recognize that He is the treasure. You forsake everything to go get the treasure. You want to be with Him. You want that life transformation. You want to no longer be the sinner who does whatever they want to do. You want to transform into the image of His son. You want to be holy as He is holy. You want to love as He loves, because we see what He has done.

Superficial belief does absolutely nothing. That is what Nicodemus is hearing from Jesus. Life transformation is going to occur when we recognize Jesus as the treasure, because of what He has done for us.

I submit to you that when we sin, what we are saying is we have a greater treasure than Him. That is what idolatry is. We are placing something higher than God. We are saying this is more important to my heart, more important to my desire. Sin is the turning away from God as our treasure. Saying this is better for me. This is what I want to do.

The question is then, what is your treasure? What is keeping you from experiencing the life transformation belief that He is calling you to have? Look at what He has done. There is nothing else for God to do. There is no use to say if you would just do this. We are dead in our sins. We are dying in the wilderness because of our own error.

God has intervened. God said if you will just believe in my Son, have a relationship with Him, come to Him and be changed, you’ll no longer live for self but make Jesus your treasure, serve Him and obey Him passionately.

Understanding what He has done is all about Him being your treasure. May this verse not be something that we easily buzz through, but feel the weight of the summary of what Jesus says. He has intervened. He has saved us from the weight of sin and death.

The message is yours. We are about to sing our invitation song. If anyone here has the need to be baptized into Christ, or needs the prayers of faithful people, the invitation is there for you to come forward while we stand and sing.

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Reference Sermon: Brent Kercheville