1. The Riches of Our Redemption (v. 16-17)
2. The Reason for Our Redemption (v. 18-20)
3. The Responsibility of Our Redemption (v. 21)
Sermon Text:
John 3:6-21
For God So Loved the World
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 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. 18 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. 19 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. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 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.”
Sermon Notes
Suffering and Exaltation: “I must be lifted up…”
Seven things the Israelites were not commanded to do as Moses lifted up the brazen serpent upon on the pole:
1. They were not told to manufacture some ointment as the means of healing their wounds.
2. They were not told to minister to others who were wounded, in order to get relief for themselves.
3. They were not told to fight the serpents. If some of our moderns had been present that day they would have urged Moses to organize a Society for the Extermination of Serpents.
4. They were not told to make an offering to the serpent on the pole.
5. They were not told to pray to the serpent.
6. They were told not to look at Moses.
7. They were not told to look at their wounds.
John 3:16: The Word of His Love
1. The security of His love – “God… loved.” It is not God loves, but He “loved.”
2. The significance of His love – “God so loved.”
3. The scope of God’s love – “God so loved the world.”
4. The sign of God’s love – “God so loved the world that He gave.”
5. The sacrifice of God’s love – “He gave His only begotten Son.”
6. The Sovereignty of His love – “that whosoever believes on Him should not perish.”
7. The sufficiency of God’s love – “But have everlasting life.”
The Nature of Saving Faith:
1. Notitia – knowledge of or understanding the facts of something
2. Assensus – believing those facts as being true
3. Fiducia – submission and surrender to those truths
“Amazing love how can it be…” the hymn writer has said. When we consider the depth, width, height and breadth of our sin – may we not forget to remember breadth and length and height and depth, of God’s love in Christ for us shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 3:14-21; Romans. 5:5). Brand this upon your hearts beloved; Jesus is a far greater Savior than you are a sinner!
