DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE?

April 6       Do You Really Believe?            John 3:16-21

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina…“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”  (John 3:16-21)                                                                                        What was the first memory verse you ever learned? For most of us, it was John 3:16. The whole story of the Bible is told in this one verse. Spurgeon said that it is the essence of the gospel. He called it the good news in brief. That’s why it’s one of the first verses we learn in Sunday School. That’s why it’s one of the few verses that people memorize. That’s why it’s one of the first verses that translators put into other languages. It is in songs. It is inscribed on buildings. One of the most popular Christian books over the past years is called 3:16. For many people, John 3:16 is instantly known and recognized. It’s known and recognized, but is it understood? Do we that know the verse understand what it truly means? Do we understand what it truly means? And if we understand what it truly means… do we understand what that means for our lives? As you read through the Bible, you will notice that you are reading a text with two great themes. All the way from the first pages of Genesis to the last chapters of Revelation… two themes are consistently revealed on every page. On every page, you see something related to the 2 themes of God’s redemption & His righteousness. And nowhere in the Bible are those 2 themes more clearly and concisely revealed than in the 25 words of this verse. But this verse doesn’t stand alone. Remember that Jesus is talking to a very important Jewish scholar and political leader named Nicodemus. He had just finished telling Nicodemus that his complete foundation of understanding and learning was all wrong. He just finished telling him that he needed a fresh start. He needed to be completely and totally born again. When Nicodemus asked Jesus how that was possible, Jesus told him. He told him that he had already been physically born. Now, he needed to be spiritually born. And then Jesus told him how that was possible in v 15. He said, “Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” Jesus showed Nicodemus his need for salvation, and He showed him the means of salvation. But now, over the next 6 verses, Jesus gave Nicodemus the essence of the gospel. He boiled it all down for him. He explained all that needed to be explained for him to make a clear choice. He laid it all out for him and moved on. This verse that we are so familiar with is actually an introduction and an overview of the rest of the passage. In it, Jesus tells us what He’s going to tell us. And what He’s going to tell us is about God’s love. When He says, “For God so loved the world,” God’s love is not affected by quarantine, it is not affected by government regulations. “Nicodemus, let me tell you the way in which God loves the world.” “He loves the world in such a way that it requires Him to send His only Son to provide salvation for people who don’t deserve it.” And that’s how much God loves you this morning. How much does God love you this morning? He loves you enough to send His Son to bring salvation to you.  Are you living in that FACT?  Does your life, your attitude, your very essence express this GREAT TRUTH?  Remember, it is God’s Great Redemption and His Righteousness that provides our Salvation!  It is time to truly “be what we are called to be!”  Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!