John 3:16-21 – God, Jesus, and Whoever believes

Jon Beck

My sermon notes from Sunday, May 28th   as we continue our study through The Gospel of John. Remember, these are my study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon.  To see the sermon each week please visit http://www.fbcap.net.

The Greatness of John 3:16

God, Jesus and Whosoever


1.  God and His Love – Why He did what He did.

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. 

 

  • So Loved the World
    • Intense love. (Eternal, Almighty, Absolute, Saving)
    • Ezekiel 18
      • Evil is detestable to Him. Yet, He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.
      • God does love the world, but still is just in his judgment for sin.
    • KEY IS GEN. 18:5. Everything God does is just.

 

  • He gave His only Son
    • Best, unique, beloved.

 

  • That whoever believes

 

  • Should not perish,
    • Suffer death, everlasting death – Rev. 20:10, 15 – torment day and night…thrown into the lake of fire
    • 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
    • 2 Thess 1:9 – eternal destruction away from the Lord

 

  • but have eternal life
    • quantity and quality of life – God’s Spirit within us…growing and revealing the goodness and grace of God upon our life….SEEING and ENTERING THE KINGDOM

 

2.  Jesus – Behold the Lamb of God (1:29)

Jesus mission, ministry, purpose

 

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.

 

  • Jesus Mission -He came to save.
    • Need – Helplessness, depravity/lostness of mankind (world)
    • Motivation – Father’s Love
      • Titus 3:4 – The Kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind.
      • “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.”

 

Luke 4:18-19 (Jesus reading Isaiah 61:1-2)

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

v. 4:21 – Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your presence.

 

 

3.   Whoever Believes – Man’s response

 

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.”

 

Believes/True Saving Faith

  • A fact to consider….a mental understanding
  • I believe the fact is true
  • I embrace this truth as a personal reality

 

  • Basically one has 2 options, 2 directions, 2 people
  • 1:4-5 – In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.
  • 8:12 – I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of

 

  • Those who believe
    • Whoever comes to the light…is saved
  • Those who do not believe
    • Whoever does not come to the light

 

 

The process we can never know.  The distinction between is clear.

 

True Saving Faith is when one:

  • Comes to the light
  • Abides in the light
  • Follows the light
  • Obeys the light
  • LOVES THE LIGHT
  • John 14:6…The Way, Truth, Life

 

WHAT WE BELIEVE DETERMINES HOW WE LIVE.

v. 21 – But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen what his works have been carried out by God.

 

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