“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.” – John 3:16
Jesus Christ is God’s greatest gift to us. It is a really amazing thing to think about, isn’t it? I mean who could possibly love me (you) so much that they would willingly put their one and only Son in harm’s way to protect me (you)? God does. And God does love us that much because that is God’s nature. God so loved because God is love. This great truth is the motivation of God’s plan. 1 John 4:10 says, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” In his book "3:16", Max Lucado writes the following about John 3:16… “If you know nothing about the Bible, start here. If you know plenty about the Bible, return here. John 3:16 is a 26 word parade of hope; beginning with God and ending with life, urging us to do the same.” We must realize our need for such a gift as this. “For God so loved”…because of God’s great love for us, we must realize one very important truth: Sin is not breaking God’s law, it is breaking God’s heart.
Because this very precious gift is free, we are left with the greatest choice. God’s gift…Jesus’ sacrifice…challenges us to a decision. Because God has gone to such great lengths to protect us from ourselves, we must choose to either accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, or reject him. John’s gospel teaches that Jesus does not come to condemn the world or judge the world. Jesus doesn’t need to condemn anyone. If we refuse God’s precious gift, if we refuse to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we call judgment and condemnation on ourselves. We have to choose Jesus for ourselves. Blaise Pascal once said, “If I live my life like there is a God, and find out in the end that there isn’t, I have gained much and lost little. But if I live my life like there is isn’t a God, and find out in the end that there is, I’ve gained little and lost everything.” We choose to believe Jesus is the Christ, and by believing we choose life.
Once we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, our choosing Jesus is God’s greatest glory. God’s power is revealed in those who come into the light and live by truth. Again, we have a choice. Some people choose darkness. Immersed in their own wrong behavior, they have no desire to be disturbed or change. Those enveloped by the darkness avoid the light for fear of having their darkness exposed for what it is, rebuked for what it is…SIN. But those that choose Jesus? Those who choose Jesus are allowed the “shine” so that the power of God may be revealed in their transformed lives. Stepping out of the darkness and into the light is not something that comes naturally for us (see Rom. 7:15, 18b, 21). We can, however, choose to follow Jesus. Jesus says in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
We can choose to follow Jesus and have the darkest corners of our lives illuminated by the light of life. Once that happens, Satan has no power there anymore. That part of our lives he once controlled, he no longer controls anymore. It is under the lordship of Christ! For God so loved…and perfect love drives out fear. Free yourself from the oppression of darkness and evil. Step into the light and let the love of Jesus warm your heart and soul. Darkness does not have to be your lord and master anymore. Where ever you are in life, Jesus loves you right there, and he desperately wants to set you free.
Why would God sacrifice his one and only Son? Two reasons:
(1) God loves you with the greatest love.
Jesus Christ is God’s greatest gift to us. It is a really amazing thing to think about, isn’t it? I mean who could possibly love me (you) so much that they would willingly put their one and only Son in harm’s way to protect me (you)? God does. And God does love us that much because that is God’s nature. God so loved because God is love. This great truth is the motivation of God’s plan. 1 John 4:10 says, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” In his book "3:16", Max Lucado writes the following about John 3:16… “If you know nothing about the Bible, start here. If you know plenty about the Bible, return here. John 3:16 is a 26 word parade of hope; beginning with God and ending with life, urging us to do the same.” We must realize our need for such a gift as this. “For God so loved”…because of God’s great love for us, we must realize one very important truth: Sin is not breaking God’s law, it is breaking God’s heart.
Because this very precious gift is free, we are left with the greatest choice. God’s gift…Jesus’ sacrifice…challenges us to a decision. Because God has gone to such great lengths to protect us from ourselves, we must choose to either accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, or reject him. John’s gospel teaches that Jesus does not come to condemn the world or judge the world. Jesus doesn’t need to condemn anyone. If we refuse God’s precious gift, if we refuse to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we call judgment and condemnation on ourselves. We have to choose Jesus for ourselves. Blaise Pascal once said, “If I live my life like there is a God, and find out in the end that there isn’t, I have gained much and lost little. But if I live my life like there is isn’t a God, and find out in the end that there is, I’ve gained little and lost everything.” We choose to believe Jesus is the Christ, and by believing we choose life.
Once we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, our choosing Jesus is God’s greatest glory. God’s power is revealed in those who come into the light and live by truth. Again, we have a choice. Some people choose darkness. Immersed in their own wrong behavior, they have no desire to be disturbed or change. Those enveloped by the darkness avoid the light for fear of having their darkness exposed for what it is, rebuked for what it is…SIN. But those that choose Jesus? Those who choose Jesus are allowed the “shine” so that the power of God may be revealed in their transformed lives. Stepping out of the darkness and into the light is not something that comes naturally for us (see Rom. 7:15, 18b, 21). We can, however, choose to follow Jesus. Jesus says in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
We can choose to follow Jesus and have the darkest corners of our lives illuminated by the light of life. Once that happens, Satan has no power there anymore. That part of our lives he once controlled, he no longer controls anymore. It is under the lordship of Christ! For God so loved…and perfect love drives out fear. Free yourself from the oppression of darkness and evil. Step into the light and let the love of Jesus warm your heart and soul. Darkness does not have to be your lord and master anymore. Where ever you are in life, Jesus loves you right there, and he desperately wants to set you free.
Why would God sacrifice his one and only Son? Two reasons:
(1) God loves you with the greatest love.
(2) You can’t enter eternal life without God.
2 comments:
Thanks for posting this! It was great to get to read over your lesson. Keep it up! df
Crazy----Crazy---[1]full of cracks or flaws.:unsound [b] crooked or askew [2]mad,insane[b] 1 impractable [2] erradic. Crazy---crazy....Does this sound like the Lord Jesus. Are we not to choose our words carefully? That is such an offensive word that someone could not have gone to the Lord in prayer over this word. Have you ever been to a crazy church?
Post a Comment