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Weekly Message | December 9th, 2007
Passage: John 3:16-21
Key Verse(s): John 3:16
Merry Christmas! This message is from John 3:16. In a sense, this one verse is the summary of the whole Bible. Today, let's think about this great truth and the promise of God. Here, we see three outstanding truths worthy to meditate in any life experiences.
First, "For God so loved the world" (16a). The first truth that John 3:16 presents is this: God exists. God is here in this universe. God is concerned about this world. What is God’s disposition toward the world? Look at verse 16a: "For God so loved the world". The world is not the perfect world he created, but the fallen world. It is the world that suffers. The world is ignorant of God. The world is not friendly to God. The people in this world are lonely and sick. People in this world feel pains and express their angers to one another—certainly to their Creator God.
As we read the Old Testament particularly focusing all the references of God’s wrath on sinners, it is not easy for us to believe that. We feel that God is not a loving God at all seeing how he completely punished Noah’s generation with flood. The whole world was gone. Where is the love of God? Even so, God loves the world. How? God did not give up on this world. God tries again. God never fails. The Bible is in a sense of God’s persistent effort toward this world. God tries all because he loves the world. God seems so contradictory. This is the major theme of the Bible. For example, Psalm 118 and 136 affirm one important truth: "God's love endures forever." Whatever God did, it is out of enduring love of God. How God does love the world? God loves this world again and again with the respect and affection he gives to us.
We appreciate God’s loving attitude toward this world as we honestly examine our own attitude toward others. Do you know what is most damaging in human relationships? It is showing contempt. We stop trying to help others. Just consider what our common attitude toward the fellow weak, incompetent and helpless people? It is contempt. We are easily disgusted at seeing poor and low quality of behaviors of others. We show contempt in our hearts. We may try to hide but show our disgust in one way or another. People inflict pains on the weak and helpless people. See what people do in Dafur, Africa toward defenseless people—all forms of exploitations, tortures and murder. What would people do toward the defenseless and weak people on the nights of the streets? What do people do toward weak people in general? Contempt! Therefore, we treat others as we please with such recklessness!
From God’s point of view, this world—the people in this world—is contemptible. Why? God is excellent. He is holy. He is perfect. From God’s eyes we have all fallen short of the glory of God. We all failed in God’s tests. What is God’s final grade for us: F. This world is not worthy of his respect and honor. The world is broken and sick. People in their silly and ignorant states, they try to manage the world. In this political season people who aspire in power promise others more than what they can ever deliver. The world is in such a big mess that no one can really fix it.
How does God love this world? God gives respect and affection to the people in this fallen world. God does not despise us. He does not show contempt. He does not give us dirty look at us. God may just give up on the poor creatures on this planet and move on. He may start somewhere else. But God does not do that. Just observe what Jesus did to the sinners. Jesus gave respect to all people—sinners, demon-possessed people, sick and defenseless and useless. This gift of respect and affection! This God’s disposition and his attitude toward us. Do we love God? If so, respect and affection are two most powerful things we can do for helping people in this world. This is God’s way.
God loves us and embraces our disappointment and anger even toward him. Read the book of Psalms. Many of Psalms are written by angry people. They express their disappointment and anger toward God. They express their sheer frustration toward God. They sincerely pray that God may punish others who inflict pains on their souls and sufferings in their lives. What is God’s attitude toward these angry people? God is not angry with them. Instead God embraces our angers. God listens to our disappointing cries.
Job was a righteous man. But series of disasters in his life took away all the good things in his life—properties, houses, sons and daughters and even his own happiness and health. He was dying in pains. In fact he rather wanted to die. He was in dilemma. He could not curse God. But he did not know what to do with the bitterness that grows each moment. He was even more agitated by the well-meaning friends who were torturing his souls with their non-sense theology quoting all the Bible verses they knew. So in bitterness of his soul he was crying out to God.
Again, consider our attitude toward those who are disappointed at and angry with us. Do we embrace others’ anger? Do we handle their disappointment with listening ears? In my early years of marriage, when my wife showed her frustration for increasing burdens with life, I responded very poorly. When others are angry at me, I became angry, too. I responded very poorly. But now I examine my attitude toward others in view of God’s love that embraces our anger and disappointments. In this world so many people are rightly disappointed. They are angry at the things that happen in their lives.
What is God’s response toward this world? It is love. However, John 3:16 gives us a proper perspective even in tragic events. Even the most tragic event in life, the love of God is still dominant. This is about the victory of God's love. History is filled with many tragic events. Even now, the world is so familiar with evils. But God's love endures forever. What finally remains is God's love; so God's love wins against all odds.
Second, God gave his one and only Son (16b). Love is more than disposition. Love involves in action. To love is to respond to the needs of others. God has responded to our needs—certainly not always in ways we fully understand. But God has always at his work (Jn 5:17). God has shown enough evidences of his love. God created this universe. The stars in this universe do not fall. This universe behaves in an orderly fashion. God sustains and upholds it. God provides good things in this world. God cared for this world. This world, in spite of numerous wars, earthquakes and senseless events, is still functioning. It is not totally broken. God sent his prophets and his servants. God made this world operating with his natural laws. If necessary, God intervenes with his miracles.
Look at verse 16b: "that he gave his one and only Son" This life is God’s love in action. God did not just meditate on loving people. God took actions in love. Look at people, especially children. They have the image of God in them. Children display enormous capacity to receive and respond to love.
Study the Bible from the viewpoint of God's love. God put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Why? It is out of the love of God. God drove out Adam and Eve from the Garden? Why? It is out of love? God counseled Cain out of love. God dispersed people from the tower of Babel. It was out of love. God called Abraham out of love. God led the Israelites through the desert. It was out of love. God struck down mighty kings. God let the Babylonians destroy the temple in Jerusalem. God sent His people far away as prisoners of war. Why? It was by His enduring love. Why are we here in Toledo, Ohio? It is out of love of God. But the most obvious evidence of God's love is this: God gave His one and only Son.
In this world, there are many dysfunctional people. So some parents would be willing to give up their sons and daughters with some money. For a little money for their drug habits, some mothers might willingly give up their children for whatever reasons. It is unthinkable, but such things can happen. But if I ask loving parents and offer them some money for their sons or daughters, they will not do it. Suppose I talk to Jeff and Laurie Lewis who love their two cute daughters, Samantha and Hannah, very much. Suppose I say to them, "Well, I will give you ten dollars. Will you give me one of your daughters?" Of course, they will say no. So I keep adding more money, saying, "How about twenty, hundred, thousands, or ten thousands." They will not budge because they love their daughters. Love relationship is more precious than any material benefits. This is infinitely true with God. God, the Father's relationship with Jesus, the Son of God is intimate and eternal. Because of intimately great relationship with God, there is no reason for God to give up His Son for people who rebel against Him. Unimaginable! Unfathomable! But that's what God did. God valued sinners to that extent. This is God's message.
Sending his One and Only Son is not the only thing God did for us. It is not final act of love, either. It is simply climax of his love for us. After the death on the cross, Jesus was raised from the dead. He was ascended into heaven. He is on the throne of his glory. Even now, God is still at work in displaying his love in numerous little ways. In this way he wants to connect to us. He wants us to open our hearts to him. Prior to sending his Son into this world, God has done so many little things for us so that we may open our hearts to him. God made his effort to connect to us. Love builds us up with these small moments of connection. God in his mercy demonstrates these moments of connection to the people.
Does God still love the world? God is with us in times of our deepest needs through his people. In 1991 I returned from Russia. I had food poisoning there which resulted in kidney failures. On Sunday I was admitted to the hospital because I collapsed after delivering Sunday message. For the first time in my life I was feeling quite suicidal with extreme pains. In that period of struggle two people visited me almost every day—Jim Paul and Isaac Kim. On Friday evening Dr. Samuel Lee and other elders came from Chicago. Dr. Samuel Lee gave one word, “But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed”(1Peter 4:13). The next day I was recovering—very fast. I never forgot their visits. Last Monday my wife and I went down to Cincinnati to pray with Mark and Martha Ohashi. They were there for two weeks with their daughter Faith. In times of their needs, what else could we do? God gave his Son to be with us. God cares our needs by being with us. God satisfies our needs by reminding his love through his people.
Third, “Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (16C). Look at verse 16c: "that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Here, God speaks of the greatest needs of all—eternal life. Our greatest needs are not all the temporal needs in this world—all the conditions of happiness and success. Our real needs are eternal life. The condition of eternal life is clear and simple. It is to welcome his Son. This is what it means to believe in him. Those who do not welcome his Son do not have eternal life. They perish. Some people speculate that "perish" means "annihilation" including some prominent Christians like John R. W. Stott. However, based on the whole teachings of the Bible, "perish" refers to life outside of the kingdom of God. Where would that be? It is to live there in a sinful state forever (Rev. 21:8).
Look at verses 17, 18: "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." Some people might wonder, "Why could God not merely give away eternal life?” Eternal life is not just living a long life. Eternal life is quality life with God forever. It is to live with God because we want to be with God. If anyone does not want to be with him, then he will not be with him. God’s motive is clear. God wants to save the world. God wants people to respect his Son. Therefore, our attitude toward his Son matters to God. Believing in the Son is respecting and honoring him. In addition, God also respects us. Even the most precious gift—eternal life—is not be forced upon us. Eternal life is ours as we receive it. It is not ours if we don’t receive it. God respects us so much that he does not make decisions without our involvement and consent.
God’s disposition toward the world is love. God treats us with respect and affection. God embraces our anger and disappointment. God’s love never fails. God sent his Son to be with us and to attend our needs in this world and the world to come. Beyond all the temporal needs, our greatest need of all is eternal life. This eternal life is God’s gift through his Son. As we welcome him and exercise our right to choose, we have quality life with God forever--eternal life. Christians approach and interpret all events in life from God’s love. May God help us to believe the great truths expressed in John 3:16.
December 9, 2007. Toledo UBF
Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
