Love, Faith, Light
Scripture Reading: John 3: 16 - 21 (NIV)
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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
Message: Love, Faith, Light
The story of God’s intervention
John 3:16 is one of the best known Bible verses
But it is only the start of an explanation of how God intervened to save us from ourselves
Going a bit further than just verse 16 gives an insight of how God intervenes in the lives of the human race that lost their way
And this is an ongoing story of intervention, although it started with God’s great love for us that resulted in Him sending his only Son
Celebrating Communion today is also an opportunity for us to immerse ourselves in the story of God’s intervention into our lives
Perhaps it would help me to acknowledge the fact that I need saving in my life - I don’t have it all together and I don’t have it all figured out in life
I need God - the more I think I am ok without God, the more I really need Him in my life
These three words describe the process or flow of how God saves (present tense, not past tense) - Love, Faith, Light
Love
God is a loving God not an angry God
God does not want to condemn people, He wants to save people
The actions of Christians and religion sometimes paints another picture
Christians are angry because of differences and the way we respond to what is going on in the world is not true to God’s character
In John 3:16 there is a parental metaphor used to describe God’s love
God’s love is so great for us that He is a parent willing to sacrifice his only child for us
Surely any parent can understand how impactful a sacrifice this is just by imagining it ourselves
That what God asked Abraham to do, by asking him to sacrifice is only son Isaac (but did not allow Abraham to through with is), God was willing to do for us
There’s another parental aspect to God’s love
God is our Father that never gives up on us - surely we can understand some that as parents ourselves
He is the Father waiting for his prodigal son to return - waiting to welcome his child back into his arms
Faith
Jesus said: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
Condemnation comes from the response to God’s love
God’s love is out there, but He never forces Himself onto anyone
Faith is a choice to accept the gift of God’s grace
Faith is a response to God’s love
Through our faith we open up the possibilities that God’s love brings into our lives
I’ve recently started as a spare bus driver
As kids enter my bus, I take special care to make eye contact with them and to greet them properly - you only have that one second or so…
I am intrigued by the responses I get…
Some are happy and greet me back…
Others are supprised to be greeted and are flustered by my greeting…
and other are just dead in their response - nothing… no eye contact, no word, no facial reaction, just nothing… I wonder about those kids - what might be going in their lives?
This just illustrates something about the responses there is to God’s love…
He is a loving God that is offering his love to us all the time - this great parental love
And we either respond or we don’t respond
I’m God is saddened by the lack of response to his great love…
Light
Jesus also said: “But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light”
Through His love and when we choose to believe, we step into the light and out of the darkness
In the light there is growth
In the light there is more clarity to life
The light gives life
In the light we can really start to live
There is blessing in responding to God’s love
The opportunity to come out of the darkness
Sadly we live in a world where people have grown contempt with darkness
But God’s love is all about showing us what life can be in his light
In his light there is the possibility of peace and joy to be discovered
In his light there is the possibility of a purpose for living
Love, Faith, Light story
This is the Love, Faith, Light story…
God is there, He is always there for you - greatly loving you!
You have an opportunity to respond to his love through your faith
And when you do, a whole new world of opportunity will open up for you when you step into the Light
May you respond to God’s great love today!
And may God bless you with peace, joy and purpose when you step into the light!
Amen
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