John 3 Addendum Prepared by Kristen Maloney

John 3:16 is one of the most familiar verses in the . Many of us learned it as children and can recite it from memory. The question for us today is: has it become so familiar that we take it for granted? Has it lost its impact? This is the in a nutshell. It is breathtaking; it is transformative. If we’ve lost sight of that, if the truth of it no longer thrills us daily, if it’s become a little ‘been- there-done-that’ in our minds and heart, then perhaps we are suffering from Gospel Amnesia. We need to refresh our memories and experience the Good News afresh.

Nicodemus: Inquiring Minds Want to Know It’s stunning that this wealthy Pharisee would seek out . was a leader among the Jews, a man of high social standing. As a Pharisee, he belonged to a high ranking group within the Jewish order: men who were teachers and self- appointed keepers of the law. They believed that keeping to the letter of the law was the ticket to obtaining ’s favor. In the zeal for strict obedience to the law, many of them had become highly legalistic, rigid, and hypocritical in that they were more focused on outward behaviors than on heart attitude toward God. As we know, the became Jesus’ chief opposition and frequently challenged him in public.

But now, here is one of the Pharisees coming to see Jesus in the dark of night. Why at night? Was he trying to keep his visit secret? Was he hoping for alone time with Jesus? Surely he was “in the dark” when it came to his understanding of Jesus, but he was an earnest seeker, an eager listener. “He came so that somehow in the darkness of the night he might find light.” (Barclay’s )

As a Jewish scholar, Nicodemus must have been knocked out by what Jesus told him: “To enter the kingdom of God, you must be , born of water and Spirit…. The Son of Man must be lifted up [speaking of being lifted up on the cross and lifted up into ] so that everyone who in him may have eternal life.” (John 3: 3, 5, 14-15). This can’t be what Nicodemus expected to hear! What was Jesus saying? What did He mean?

Jesus Announces the Gospel in a Nutshell: John 3:16, et seq. The heart of Jesus’ message is in this oh-so-familiar verse. Let’s try to see it afresh.

God so loved the world: He created us to be in a loving relationship with Him. He loves his creation, all of us, even those who don’t know Him yet. We rebelled against Him, turning away from Him and devoting ourselves to created things instead of to our Creator. We separated ourselves from our Loving Father and in so doing, we condemned ourselves to death (eternal separation from God.) But because He loves us, because He is Love, God had a rescue plan!

He gave his one and only Son: Jesus, God in human flesh, came to earth to live among us. He lived a perfect life and was the perfect Lamb of God to be sacrificed for the forgiveness of our sins. “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (:8) His resurrection conquered death and declared victory over sin. “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:54) What does Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection mean for us?

Whoever believes in Him: What does it mean to believe in him? Believe Jesus is who he says he is—the Son of a loving God, your Savior who died on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins. He is Lord of your life. Trust him and obey his teachings.

Shall not perish: “Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:18) To understand this, consider: if I’m drowning in the ocean (the ocean of my own sin), and someone reaches out a hand to pull me on to a life raft, and I refuse to accept what’s offered, I’ve condemned myself to certain death. For those who have not yet accepted the hand of Jesus’ salvation, don’t despair. God is not condemning that person; he’s always reaching out, offering rescue. “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish….” (2 Peter 3:9)

But have eternal life: This includes the promise of life with God in eternity after our time here on earth comes to an end. But even more, this is the gift of the Holy Spirit who comes to reside in our hearts when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. We can begin to understand Jesus’ words about being ‘born again.’ The indwelling of his Holy Spirit in our hearts is our rebirth. We are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), and the Spirit works in us to transform us into the image of Jesus over the course of our lifetime. (See 2 Cor. 3:18) This ongoing supernatural transformation (‘sanctification’ is the theological term) allows us to experience the kingdom of heaven – eternal life-- in the here and now; it’s not just something that awaits us later. This is the miraculous “now and not yet” of eternal life with God!

How will you respond to this Good News?

Contemplate your sin, your desperate need for a Savior. “We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way.” (Isaiah 53:6) Communicate (confess) your sins to your loving Father God and receive his forgiveness. “Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) Celebrate the love story! Praise God with a grateful heart! Consecrate (devote) yourself to living a life that says ‘thank you’ to God “Offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.” (Romans 6:13)