Jesus Is Above All

Lesson #59

With this lesson we begin the last section of chapter 3, which includes John 3:31 – 36. In this lesson we will sharpen our focus on the uniqueness of Jesus. We clearly see this in verse 31: “The one who comes from above is superior to all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is superior to all” (NET). In the context of chapter 3, the one who comes from above and who comes from heaven is Jesus. This verse makes it very clear that Jesus is not from the earth as all others are. This makes Jesus unique as he is the only one from heaven above.

The one who is from earth includes everyone else. Those from the earth belong to the earth and speak about earthly things because they don’t know any better. We have learned in previous lessons that each one of us is born of the flesh. It is a natural birth and so we are from the earth. We are born spiritually dead without supernatural life and unless we are born of the Spirit we will enter eternal judgment at physical death.

Paul defines two categories of people in 1 Corinthians 15:47 – 49: ⁴⁷ “The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. ⁴⁸ As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. ⁴⁹ Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly” (NASB). The first man is Adam and the second man is Jesus. Each one of us begins life on earth bearing the image of Adam and enslaved to sin. All who are born spiritually bear the image of Jesus and inherit his righteous condition. Jesus who comes from heaven comes as the head of the new human race called the family of God.

Look again at John3:31: “The one who comes from above is superior to all.” How is this so? “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1, 14 ESV). Jesus is superior because he is the Son of God. Jesus came to provide salvation for those who come to him in belief. Out of the mass of humanity that belongs to the earth, God the Father is selecting out those who he gives as a bride to Jesus. This family of God is indwelt by the Holy Spirit and becomes one in union with Jesus Christ. The more I study this and understand this the greater is my desire to go to heaven and really experience this union with Christ. If you really understand what we are and have in Jesus Christ it will change how you live and what you long to experience in heaven. Most western Christians today don’t have a longing for heaven that affects their life now because they really don’t understand who or what they are in Jesus. Unfortunately western Christianity is becoming more of a religion than it is a vital relationship with the person of Jesus Christ. We are becoming more and more like the group described in Matthew 7: 21 – 23.

In our next lesson we will move on to John 3:32 – 34.

Prayer

Father, it is so clear that without Jesus Christ there is no hope. Humans would continue to produce offspring, suffer through physical life, and die to enter an eternity under the wrath of God because of their sin. Jesus and only Jesus is superior and able to save those who come to him. Father, how can I ever thank you for my salvation?

Humility Is Key

Lesson #58

In our last lesson John 3:29 was introduced, showing us a new image. “The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete” (ESV). Jesus is the bridegroom and the bride is the multitude of people the Father has chosen and given as a gift to his Son Jesus who gives to each one the gift of eternal life at the precise moment the Father causes spiritual birth and we believe. John the Baptist is of course the friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears the voice of the bridegroom and rejoices greatly and exclaims that his joy is now complete. Why does this voice cause such a response from John?

In John 1:23 he said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness.” It was a voice that gathered people together around him, but now there is another voice the people hear and it seems to be a greater and a stronger voice. This voice is spoken of in John 10:3 – 4: “To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice” (ESV). The sheep who follow him is the bride and they follow because the bridegroom has a voice and they know it. The plan has come into focus for John and what he sees completes his joy. Jesus calls and those the Father has prepared will hear his voice and they will come. I think John can only imagine what a wonderful thing it is to be part of the bride.

John cried out and gathered people to himself, but he could not provide them with salvation. John then instructs them to listen for the voice of Jesus, the bridegroom, and turn and go and follow him. John draws to himself but always points them to Jesus who is so much greater. The point John is making is so important for us to see and embrace: “He must become more important while I become less important” (John 3:30 NET). We must never forget this principle of our service of humility to direct people to our loving savior.

Prayer

Father, I have often thought what it might be like when the bride is complete and we are all assembled in heaven and be embraced by our Lord. We as perfect members of the body, children of the Father, all bonded together in unity by the indwelling Holy Spirit, and one with Christ. It seems that we are drawn into the very being of God in the Trinity. Being in and part of the very presence and existence of holiness, righteousness, and glory, is beyond my mind to grasp. Father, forgive me for not living as though I fully believed this.

This Is God’s Plan

Lesson #57

Lesson #56 got us from Jerusalem to the Judean countryside and from conversation with Nicodemus about being born again to who was baptizing more people. This brings us to John 3:27 – 30 and a further discussion of why it is a good thing that John is fading in popularity and that Jesus is now drawing the attention of a growing multitude of people. Of all that Jesus has done that John could write about, why does he come back to John the Baptist? Let us look at the verses and see.

In verse 27, John answers the person who was concerned that Jesus was baptizing more than John was with the response, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven” (ESV). How does this answer relate to the people going to Jesus to be baptized? On the surface it appears that Jesus has more to offer than John. For example, changing water into wine, but there is more in the answer John gives than that. The implication is that the Father gives those of his choosing to Jesus and those he gives will come to Jesus and he will give to them eternal life. You and I “cannot receive even one thing unless it is given [to us] from heaven.” We will see this later when we study John 6:37: “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (NASB). These people are turning away from John and going to Jesus as an illustration that God is doing this and giving them to Jesus, his Son. Coming to Jesus and into the light is only possible with the power of God. John is trying to help us understand that spiritually, people lost in their sin are unable to come to Jesus and into the light without the Father’s intervention.

John continues in verse 28 by saying, “You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but rather, ‘I have been sent before him’” (NET). Again John makes it clear that he was simply a forerunner to Jesus. He is not the Christ but simply one that was sent to prepare the way. It was God’s plan for John to come and gather a people around him and then give them up to Jesus. This is our calling also. We are to reach out to people with God’s love and establish a connection with them to gain a hearing and as we do it is our responsibility to share the whole gospel, not just that part they might be comfortable with. We must make it clear to them that Jesus is the center of the gospel even if this might cause some to turn away or even to result in our persecution. This is not about our popularity or our safety and comfort, but about bringing people to Jesus Christ.

This brings us to verse 29 and to the heart of the section, which is about the bridegroom and the joy that results in being related to him. “The one who has the bride is the bridegroom.” Jesus is the bridegroom and we as believers make up the bride. John refers to himself as “the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him” and “rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice.” As a result of what he hears John says his joy has been made full. We will look at this next in lesson #58.

Prayer

Father, as I worked on this lesson I am reminded of the importance of making connections with people to start conversations about their need for a savior. As they become interested through our growing friendship it is my responsibility to help them establish a relationship with Jesus that will exceed their relationship with me. I pray that the Holy Spirit will help me gather people that I can pass on to Jesus.

On to the Land of Juda

Lesson #56

We are ready to finally move ahead to the next section that we will define to include John 3:22 – 30. Chapter 3 begins with Jesus in Jerusalem having a conversation with a Pharisee, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. Jesus told him that he had to be born again if he was to enter heaven, but Nicodemus could not comprehend what Jesus meant. Since God had not prepared his heart spiritually to understand, Jesus changed the conversation to why he was sent into the world. Jesus came not to judge the world but that the world might be saved through him. “After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing” (John 3:22 ESV). Looking ahead to John 4:1 – 2 we learn that Jesus himself was not baptizing, but his disciples were and they were baptizing more people than John was.

Let us sharpen the picture. We are in the Judean territory, at the Jordan River at Aenon near Salim, because the water was plentiful there and people were coming there to be baptized. On one side of the river John was baptizing and on the other side the disciples of Jesus were baptizing. As expected, people began to notice that John was falling behind Jesus in the number of baptisms. We are no different today. Our pride wants us to be bigger and better than the church down the street or across town. John’s disciples seem to be a little upset because they say to John, “Rabbi, the one who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River, about whom you testified—see, he is baptizing, and everyone is flocking to him!” This is exactly what was supposed to happen and brings us back to consider once again the uniqueness of Jesus. We will pick this up in the next lesson when we look at John 3:27 – 30.

Before we leave this lesson I should point out that I didn’t cover verse 25 about ceremonial washing because no one really understands what this was all about. Anything I might say would be just speculation and I believe there is more important things to cover in the time we have, so we will move on.

Prayer

Father, some of these lessons are hard to draw a personal application because of their informative nature. But as I think about this lesson I have to consider my own feelings. How do I feel about someone else receiving attention and not me. Lord, you know that pride is something we humans always struggle with. Father, continue to conform me into the image of Jesus so that I would continue to see greater evidence of humility and meekness in my life.

Set Free

Lesson #55

In this lesson we will finish up the section described by John 3:16 – 21. Specifically we will look at verse 21: “But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God” (NASB). To become better at something requires practice; to continue to do something over and over to gain greater proficiency at the task. The importance of practice is clear for the one who wants to excel at sports or playing a musical instrument. This idea is expresses in 2 Timothy 2:15: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (NASB). Through practice we gain proficiency in living out the truth.

The one who practices the truth knows how to accurately handle the word of truth in life situations. As one practices the truth that person is drawn closer to the Light and there it can be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God. Those who are proud and seek some form of profit and power turn from the light and unless God intervenes, will continue on into the darkness of eternal punishment. But those who desire humility and meekness will practice the truth and will come into the light and will enjoy the benefits of eternal life in the presence of the living God.

Remember Cain and Abel back in Genesis 4:1 – 7 and the offering that each made. Cain brought the best of the fruit of the ground. It was to impress God with the best of his work. Abel brought the best of the firstborn of his flock and by faith trusted that God would accept him. God was not pleased with Cain’s offering and rejected it, but was pleased with Abel’s offering and accepted it. As a result Cain became angry and allowed sin to grow in his life to where he took the life of Abel. As we practice the truth we come to the Light where it becomes plainly evident that our works have been carried out in God, but if we practice sin we will hate the Light and try to hide in darkness. Jesus did not come to judge the world, but as the truth and light, his presence like a wedge divides people into two groups: those who love the light and those who love darkness.

Prayer

Father, thank you choosing me and causing me to be born again that I would obey Jesus Christ. Thank you for the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life who continues to encourage me in obedience. Thank you for the promise that you will conform me into the image of your Son. Thank you for the living hope that fills my heart and the desire to dwell in the light of eternal life. How awesome and wonderful you are my Father. Thank you Lord Jesus for your love and sacrifice that made this possible.

Already Judged

Lesson #54

John 3:17 tells us that “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him,” but there is something about the name of Jesus that causes division among people. There are some who embrace Jesus and escape judgment and others who oppose Jesus and go away into judgment.  Even though Jesus did not come to judge, judgment is happening and people are gathering into groups of belief and unbelief.

With this in mind let us move on to John 3:19 – 21: ¹⁹ “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. ²¹ But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God” (NASB).

What is this judgment that has come into the world? That judgment is related to “the Light that has come into the world. Jesus is the Word and the Word is God. “God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5 NET). But Jesus is more than light. He is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Jesus comes into the world as truth and light which exposes the hearts of sinful people. Being exposed to this light is like walking out of a dark room into the bright sunlight. The pain is so great that you immediately seek less light. Those who are in their sin and do evil hate the light and do not come to the Light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. This fear of the light and desire to hide in darkness goes all the way back to the sin of Adam and Eve. They covered themselves with fig leaves and hid from God after they ate the forbidden fruit in disobedience. Even believers feel the urge to hide after they sin because shame is painful.

Light always exposes that which is hidden in darkness and when it shines on the evil hidden in the darkness of our sinful hearts it causes pain, resulting in the person withdrawing further into darkness and unless God intervenes that person is not willing to come out of hiding and into the light. If God were to choose to touch a person, like he did Paul on the road to Damascus, then that light will lead that person to repentance and faith. The person who continues to hide in darkness and continues to sin stands condemned and Judged, but those who come forth through the grace of God are set free and embrace the Light. We will consider this further in the next lesson.

Prayer

Father, I confess that even as a believer when I do wrong there is a desire to somehow cover the transgression up, but because of conviction by the Holy Spirit I find the only way to obtain peace is through confession. I can’t imagine what it would be like to desire to withdraw deeper and deeper into the darkness of despair without any hope of peace. Father, I find that unresolved sin causes me to be at war with you, with myself and with others. Thank you for the peace and the living hope you have given me in Christ Jesus.

A Link or Bridge

Lesson #53

Our lesson today will focus on John 3:16 – 18 and then we will be ready to move on to verses 19 – 21. Read John 3:16 – 18 again: ¹⁶ “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. ¹⁸ He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (NASB). First, look at the difference between verse 16 and 18, as shown in the diagram below.

The ESV translation uses the word condemned and the NASB uses judged. The sinner is judged by the law and is declared guilty and condemned to die. Verse 17 forms a bridge between two conditions. In John 3:16 and the second half of John 3:17, Jesus, the Son of God, was sent that the world might be saved through him. The first half of verse 17 links to verse 18 and the idea of judgment and being condemned. John 3:36 helps: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (ESV). Each of us is born into this world with God’s wrath on us. We are already judged and condemned to die. On this basis, Jesus does not come to judge, but to provide a way of belief and salvation.

Everyone is born guilty and condemned to death. Jesus was sent to provide a way to make guilty people non-guilty, condemned people not condemned and to make dead people eternally alive. In the providence of God some will accept God’s provision and the rest will remain in their condemned state. Understanding this I think we are now ready to move on to verses 19 – 21.

Prayer

Father, how marvelous are the Scriptures. It is like a rich mine waiting for one to dig and find the buried treasures. These treasures are like pieces of a magnificent puzzle and as we add pieces the picture becomes more exciting and the desire to keep digging grows. Father, my heart aches for those who just skim the surface and find only the edge pieces. I find that the pleasures and things of the world are a poor substitute for the treasures waiting to be discovered. Thank you for those hidden treasures.

Jesus Not A Judge

Lesson #52

After twelve lessons related to John 3:16, it is time to move on to John 3:17 – 21: ¹⁷ “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. ¹⁸ He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹ This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. ²¹ But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God” (NASB).

From John 3:16 we know that God loves everyone very much. In fact he loved us so much that he sent his only Son to purchase our salvation through his death. “God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” Jesus comes because of our guilt as an expression of grace from the heart of God. Jesus does not come to judge because “he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” If we accept Jesus we are not judged and we receive eternal life and thus magnify the grace of God. But if we refuse his offer of salvation we remained under judgment and we perish eternally and magnify the justice of God.

We will begin our next lesson by comparing John 3:16 with John 3:18. It is an interesting comparison.

Prayer

Father, thank you that I no longer stand guilty before you because of my sin. Lord Jesus, thank you for taking my place and setting me free of guilt. Thank you, Father, for sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in me as assurance of my salvation. 

Love – Greater Love

Lesson #51

In his sovereignty, God can choose those he wants for his sheep, but if these chosen sheep are to come to faith there must first be the death of Jesus Christ to satisfy the justice required of the law. The high priest “prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad” (John 11:51 – 52 NASB).

“My sheep listen to my voice (that is how you know they are sheep), and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from my hand” (John 10:27 – 28 NET). Each one chosen by the Father is provided with a homing instinct that directs them to the Savior. “Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never send away” (John 6:37 NET). “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44 NET). These who come have been granted permission to come. “No one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father” (John 6:65 ESV).

Each one of us is born with a sin nature and as a result “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, there is not even one” (Romans 3:10 – 12 NASB). In John 3:16, “Whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life,” but how does one who has turned aside ever come to belief? On their own it is impossible, but with God there is a greater love than John 3:16. It is a love that chooses the unrighteous one who is not seeking God and has turned aside and takes and changes that person from the inside out. I think of hardened terrorist who enjoys killing Christians who later become Christians and are themselves killed. This is clearly God’s doing out of his great love for them. God had a great love and an assignment for Paul and took a hold of him on the way to Damascus. My Damascus Road experience came as I watched a Christian film at church one night as a teen. I knew what had to be done that night and it was done. In one instant was new birth, eternal life and belief. That night began an amazing adventure which eventually took me into full time ministry and extended time teaching Bible in China. Such a great love he has for me.

Prayer

Father, such love I don’t deserve and in spite of that love I continue to sin. How thankful I am to know that you will continue to forgive me and that I am eternally secure in your love. Thank you for the promise that you will conform me into the image of your Son.

Love – New Birth

Lesson #50

In our last lesson we considered God’s greater love in his choice of Israel as a people he would reveal Himself to. In this lesson we will consider the movement of the Spirit, like the wind as it blows from place to place, as he moves among people choosing one here and another there as he pleases. We as spiritually dead people have no control over where the Spirit goes or who he touches. With his regenerating power he touches those of his choosing.

This choosing is an expression of his great love for us. Consider Ephesians 2:4 – 5: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” (NASB). In 1 Peter 1:3, this “great love” is expressed as “great mercy”. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (NASB).

In John 3:16, God’s love provides salvation to those who believe, but his great love is what conquers our deadness and gives new life. It also brings us to faith and unites us to Christ and does it all in one sovereign instant. It is God’s quickening love that makes us alive. That is why we are able to believe. This causes me to ask the question, “Do we believe and become sheep or does God make us sheep so we can believe?” Consider John 10:16, “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd” (NASB). I am convinced from my study of Scripture that God chooses those who are to be his sheep. They are scattered throughout the world. It is our job as sheep who believe to preach the Gospel in our search of those “lost” sheep. As the Gospel is proclaimed the sheep will hear the Shepherds voice and will become part of the one flock with our one shepherd. Jesus said to the Pharisees, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep” (John 10:25 – 25 ESV). “You do not believe because you are not among my sheep” makes it very clear that you have to be a sheep in order to believe  and those who are chosen as sheep are the ones that are greatly loved by our Father. We will consider this further in the next lesson.

Prayer

Father, like a lonely, hopeless child tucked away in some orphanage you saw me and felt a great love for me and chose me to be your child. You gave me to your Son, who died in my place, and he gave me eternal life. I have been forgiven and cleansed of my sin and clothed in the garment of salvation, the righteousness of Christ. How can I thank you but to give my life completely to you.

Love - Choosing Israel

Lesson #49

This is our second lesson related to the word love. I am still thinking about the last lesson and want to try to focus more clearly. As I ponder on this I see God’s love for us and I see our love for God. There is the general love God has for everyone, both lost and saved, in the world. But I see a special group of people called the elect that I believe God loves more deeply. As believers we are to love all people, even our enemies, but I believe we have a greater love for the one we have chosen to be our spouse. Now consider our love for God. Consider two possibilities of coming to salvation; you choose through John 3:16 or God chooses you to be one of his. In which case do you think you would feel the greatest love for God and the most secure?

Life is made up of choices. We choose people for various reasons or assignments and others choose us. Does God choose people for certain assignments? The scriptures are clear that he does. As an example consider God’s choosing of Israel. Consider what John Piper said in the sermon titled “God So Loved the World, Part 2.” The text of what was said is included below.

Deuteronomy 10:14–15: “Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day.”

The point here is that God did not just offer to be Israel’s covenant God; he chose Israel. He took them from all the people. He didn't negotiate. He freely and sovereignly and unconditionally chose Israel.

The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you. (Deuteronomy 7:6–8)

This does not mean that they all have eternal life. But it does mean that God put them in a special covenant relation to himself. They did not choose him. He chose them. And he calls this love. It is a love that goes beyond an offer.

With this choice of Israel in mind consider what Peter says in 1 Peter 1:1 – 3 about choice: “To those who reside as aliens . . . who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit . . . Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (NASB). Next time we will consider how this love is greater than the general love of John 3:16.

Prayer

Father, today in most sermons and Bible studies we just skim the surface of scripture. We don’t take time and seek out the treasures buried beneath the surface and we walk away lacking the nourishment we so desperately need. Father, I pray for the Spirit’s guidance as I dig into this material. Lord, teach me what I need to know.

Love

We have been looking at eight key words that make up John 3:16. So far we have covered seven of the eight. I decided to set aside the word love until last and devote more time to it. We will begin that study with this lesson.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 ESV). Many call this a free will offer of the gospel. This verse has been used over the centuries to bring a multitude of people to salvation in Jesus Christ, but through misuse I believe it has resulted in many being deceived into thinking they have eternal life. If the heart has been prepared and is ready this verse may be all that is needed to encourage a person to embrace Jesus Christ for salvation. But if the heart is not ready then the verse is used as leverage to persuade the mind to choose to ask Jesus into ones heart. A person may pray and be sent on their way thinking they are now a Christian when they are not and in the days ahead when they see no change in their lives they wonder about the value of the Christian faith.

We know that God loves the people of the world because he sent his Son to die, opening the door of eternal life to anyone who believes on him. But is there a more precious experience of God’s love than this? When a man chooses a woman for his wife, is his love for her more intimate than his love for others? Consider the cultural context and think about the bride being formed for God’s Son. Would not the Father choose those who make up the bride and present her to his Son? “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37 ESV). Is there a different love for those chosen compared to God’s love for the world?

Does God make choices and if he does are those choices fair? In our next lesson we will look at some of those choices.

Prayer

Father, I see John 3:16 as a most wonderful offer of love for which I am thankful, but when I consider you choosing me, who was spiritually dead and a rebellious sinner and being willing to transform my life and adopt me into your family, I experience a much greater love than the general love you have for the world. Your choice of me confirms your overwhelming love for me and brings me to my knees in humble thanks.

Life

Lesson #47

Today our lesson will cover the next word in our collection of eight words, the word life. We are looking at the section made up of John 3:16 – 18, which contain the famous verse “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 ESV). What does it mean to have eternal life? Before we consider that please listen to the audio bite 40:56 – 43:15.

The last part of John 3:16 is “whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Some translations say, “will not perish” in place of “should not perish.” The “will not perish” assumes belief that produces evidence of your belief. Consider James 2:19: “You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that—and tremble with fear” (NET). You may say you believe but still perish.

Those who truly believe will not perish but have eternal life. “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all” (John 6:63a ESV). When God the Father causes spiritual birth (1 Peter 1:3 ESV) the Spirit gives life “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son” (1 John 5:11 ESV). The Father causes, the Spirit gives and the life given by the Spirit at birth is in the Son. Eternal life then implies an eternal connection with the Son. Spiritual birth permanently unites us with Jesus the source of life.

Assurance of eternal life is found in John 11:25 – 26 where Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (ESV). What a living hope we have as believers.

Prayer

Father, you gave your Son to die so that I could live. Lord, Jesus, thank you for dying under the wrath of God in my place as the Lamb of God. Thank you for bearing my sin and my punishment. Thank you for providing forgiveness and removing the fear of death and replacing it with a living hope. Thank you for such love for me.