So Loved

So Loved

John 3:16-21

Main Idea: Jesus was lifted up to love us into life and light.

I. Jesus Loves Us To Life (3:16-18)

John 3:16–18: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. 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.

Romans 5:8: ... but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

John 15:13: Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

“Let not conscience make you linger, nor of fitness fondly dream; all the fitness he requireth is to feel your need of him”

~ “Come Ye Sinners”

II. Jesus Loves Us To Light (3:19-21)

John 3:19–21: And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.

Isaiah 25:9: It will be said on that day,
    “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
    This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
    let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

Isaiah 35:10: And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
    and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
    they shall obtain gladness and joy,
    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

“The reason the darkness may be faced and lived is that even in the darkness, there is one to address. The one to address is in the darkness, but not simply a part of the darkness. Because this one has promised to be in the darkness with us, we find the darkness strangely transformed, not by the power of easy light, but by the power of relentless solidarity.”

~ Walter Brueggemann