Trinity Lutheran Church

John 3:16

March 8, 2020

 Second Sunday in Lent 

      

 

John 3:16 - (A popular version.) For God so loved the world he gave his only Son, to die on Calvary’s tree from sin to set us free; some day he’s coming back what glory that will be! Wonderful his love for me. 

John 3:16 - (ELW # 323) God loved the world so that he gave his only Son the lost to save, that all who would in him believe should everlasting life recieve. 

John 3:16 - We sing it, we memorize it, we hold on to it. 

John 3:16 - God’s Word, the Bible is made up of 30,000 verses and this one verse captured the attention of the church, and even the world.

John 3:16 - Martin Luther said this was “the heart of the Bible, the gospel in miniature.” The popularity of this verse did not start with some guy holding up a sign in the end zone of a football game. It has been around for a long time. 

John 3:16 - Yes, it is on signs in the end zones at football games. It is also printed on the rim of the soft drink cups at In and Out Burgers, (it’s mostly a fast food burger place in California.) This verse escaped the Bible and made its way into the world God loves. 

John 3:16 - We know this verse, but John 3:17 really drives home the point! Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 

John 3:16 - Whenever I hear it I remember what I call ‘the other John 3:16,’ the one from the first letter of John at the back end of the New Testament. We know love by this that he laid down his life for us - and we ought to lay our lives down for one another.

Together the John 3:16’s make the point - God did not send only the Son to love the world, but God sent all God’s sons and daughters to love the world. Jesus not only gave his life in love for the world on the cross, but also called followers to take up the cross and live in such a way that our lives also are given in love for the world, laid down for one another. John 3:16 may be comfort to me, 1 John 3:16 sends me to comfort the neighbor whoever that may be, wherever they might be found. 

John 3:16 - It is memorized in heads of many and brings comfort and assurance. When it dwells in the hearts of God’s people and is extended to the lives of others, that is when it really starts to work. 

John 3:16 - What is this ‘world’ God loves? The Gospel of John uses the word “world” 79 times. That’s a lot. World is a lot of things, nature, creation, the reality of life. World in the Gospel of John is often the realm of unbelief. World is humanity that is at odds with God and Jesus. God loves the world that does not believe in God. God loves the world that finds God unnecessary and undesirable. It’s like what the Apostle Paul said, Romans 5 … while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. … God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. … while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, … God loves the world that is weak and ungodly. God loves the world that is sinners. God loves the world that is enemy. God loves the world that is uncertain and not ready for God. That is the world God loves. God also loves those who believe, keep the faith, say their prayers, worship, carry the cross, and have been saved, but not only or exclusively those who are friends, followers and family of God. There is a story about the question whether we will see the people we love in heaven. The given response was, ‘Not only the people we love.’ God loves the people we do not love. God loves the world. Sometimes that is hard to accept. 

John 3:16 - I’m often amazed at how quickly some look for a loophole to exclude or condemn or threaten with perishing and hell by citing  … that everyone who believes… You have to believe don’t you? I understand what they mean and are trying to hold up, but I don’t get it. The words that ring in my ears and my heart are God loves the world, God gave the Son, not to condemn, but to save. Then I listen to the Apostle again, before anyone had a chance to believe, God was already dying for the weak and ungodly. Before anyone had a chance to confess their sin God was already dying for sinners. Before anyone had a chance to accept Jesus as their savior God was already being reconciled with enemies. God loves before we start believing. God gives Jesus to us before we give ourselves to God. Again, 1 John, … this is love, not that we loved God but that God loved us and sent the Son… and again, We love because God first loved us.  That is amazing grace. 

John 3:16 - It has in some ways become a cliche of Christian faith, even American culture, the proverbial sign waved before the cameras during whatever game. A cliche is an expression, idea which has become overused to the point of losing its meaning even to the point of becoming trite, or annoying. I’m sure there are a few eye rolls when someone waves the sign in the end zone, or maybe it’s simply ignored as pointless. I wonder what would happen if someone held up a sign that read Quran 24:20. Would people look it up, or get angry and say that has no place at a football game? The verse is not the John 3:16 of the Quran but this is what it says, ‘But for the grace of God and his mercy (much harm would have been done) yet God is compassionate and kind.’ Amazing Grace. Yet even Amazing Grace has become cliche, the funeral anthem of America, especially when played with bagpipes, it’s so beautiful. 

John 3:16 - It is Amazing Grace. Amazing that God should love the world that does not love God. Grace that God should give Jesus even unto death on a cross for ungodly, sinners, unbelieving enemies. It saved a wretch like me and now I’m free and given by God to love the same world that God loves.