1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,800 My name is Kyla, serve as the lead Pastor here, I want to say 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:12,400 thank you for being here. If you're visiting today, have 3 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:14,400 your Bible turn to John chapter 3? 4 00:00:14,500 --> 00:00:20,400 We are nearly through with our series titled, the law and the 5 00:00:20,407 --> 00:00:23,500 gospel. We have this week and next week 6 00:00:23,500 --> 00:00:26,300 left in it. So we're going through versus 21 7 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:28,700 today. We'll be looking at John 3:16 8 00:00:28,700 --> 00:00:32,400 and 17. John 3:16 might be familiar to 9 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:34,600 you, probably it is. You probably heard that. 10 00:00:34,700 --> 00:00:37,100 Verse once or twice in your life, if you've grown up 11 00:00:37,100 --> 00:00:43,800 anywhere near church. So we'll look at John 3:16 and 12 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:46,300 17 today. We'll look at 18 through 21 next 13 00:00:46,300 --> 00:00:50,100 week and that'll be a wrap on this series and then we'll move 14 00:00:50,100 --> 00:00:53,000 into some new things on the summer. 15 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:55,100 We'll be going through the Psalms a little bit. 16 00:00:55,300 --> 00:00:58,900 We've started this a few years ago where we've been doing 10 10 17 00:00:58,900 --> 00:01:04,099 songs per summer and so at that rate it would take 15 years to 18 00:01:04,099 --> 00:01:06,200 get through all of Love them. So it's a good process. 19 00:01:07,300 --> 00:01:10,300 We could immediately start them over after we get through it and 20 00:01:10,300 --> 00:01:11,900 most of you won't even be here anymore. 21 00:01:11,900 --> 00:01:13,900 You know. So just kidding. 22 00:01:13,900 --> 00:01:16,000 Hopefully, you will be, I didn't mean death. 23 00:01:16,100 --> 00:01:20,400 I just meant moving. There's only a few of you that 24 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:22,600 might not be here. Sorry. 25 00:01:22,900 --> 00:01:27,900 All right. My wife says just stopped. 26 00:01:27,900 --> 00:01:29,800 So I will. Yes, ma'am. 27 00:01:35,500 --> 00:01:38,300 I love you, too. John chapter 3, you might be all 28 00:01:38,300 --> 00:01:39,200 that. Love me now. 29 00:01:39,300 --> 00:01:42,600 Um John chapter 3, we're going to look at. 30 00:01:42,700 --> 00:01:44,500 I'm going to go ahead and read one through Seventeen Again, 31 00:01:44,500 --> 00:01:48,100 just to kind of capture where we're at and invite you to stand 32 00:01:48,100 --> 00:01:51,400 as we read that as we capture this conversation going on 33 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:54,900 between Nicodemus, one of the Pharisees and Christ. 34 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:58,200 And, and at the end of the reading, I'll say this is the 35 00:01:58,208 --> 00:02:00,200 word of the Lord, and you will respond. 36 00:02:00,300 --> 00:02:03,200 Thanks be to God. All right, thanks be to God. 37 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:05,900 All right, John 3:1. Through 17. 38 00:02:05,900 --> 00:02:09,000 Now, there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a 39 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,500 ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night 40 00:02:12,500 --> 00:02:16,800 and said to him. Rabbi, we know that you are a 41 00:02:16,808 --> 00:02:18,400 teacher. Come from, God, for no one. 42 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:22,400 Can do these signs that you do unless God is with him, Jesus 43 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:24,000 answered him. Truly, truly, I say to you, 44 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:27,700 unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 45 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,800 Nicodemus said to him, how can a man be born when he is old? 46 00:02:32,100 --> 00:02:35,500 Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be Born. 47 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:38,600 Jesus answered truly. Truly, I say to you, unless one 48 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:43,000 is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of 49 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,000 God, that which is born, of the flesh is flesh. 50 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:50,300 And that, which is born of the spirit is Spirit, do not Marvel. 51 00:02:50,300 --> 00:02:55,200 That I said to you, you must be born again, the wind blows where 52 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:58,700 it wishes and you hear its sound, but you do not know where 53 00:02:58,700 --> 00:03:03,000 it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is 54 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:08,300 born of the It's verse 9 Nicodemus said to him, how can 55 00:03:08,300 --> 00:03:11,200 these things be? Jesus answered him? 56 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,600 Are you the teacher of Israel? And yet you do not understand 57 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,600 these things. Truly, truly, I say to you, we 58 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:21,200 speak of what we know and bear witness to what we have seen. 59 00:03:21,300 --> 00:03:26,200 But you do not receive our testimony, If I have told you 60 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:30,400 Earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if 61 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,300 I tell you Heavenly things, no one has ascended into heaven, 62 00:03:34,300 --> 00:03:39,500 except he who descended from Heaven, the son of man, and as 63 00:03:39,500 --> 00:03:43,100 Moses lifted up, the serpent in the wilderness so must the son 64 00:03:43,100 --> 00:03:48,600 of man be lifted up that whoever believes in him may have eternal 65 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:52,200 life for God. So loved the world that he gave 66 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:56,500 his only son, that whoever believes in, Should not perish, 67 00:03:56,500 --> 00:04:00,500 but have eternal life for God. Did not send his son into the 68 00:04:00,500 --> 00:04:04,300 world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be 69 00:04:04,300 --> 00:04:09,400 saved through him. This is the word of the Lord. 70 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:11,700 Thanks, be to God. Amen. 71 00:04:11,700 --> 00:04:13,900 Let me pray for you. Heavenly Father, we praise you 72 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:15,800 for your word. We thank you for it. 73 00:04:16,100 --> 00:04:18,899 Lord, would you be with us? Now, as we open it, as we hear 74 00:04:18,899 --> 00:04:22,400 from it, father, help us to believe the words of Christ 75 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,400 today. Help us to see See, and to 76 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:31,700 comprehend, at some level, the depths of your love for a sinful 77 00:04:31,700 --> 00:04:35,800 Humanity, that you would send your son to die for our sins, 78 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,300 that whoever would believe in him, might have eternal life. 79 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:43,100 Father, we thank you for the love that Christ preaches today. 80 00:04:43,500 --> 00:04:47,200 We ask Lord that you would help us to know it's, to believe it's 81 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,100 to live it in Christ's name, we pray. 82 00:04:50,500 --> 00:04:51,500 Amen. Man. 83 00:04:51,500 --> 00:04:57,700 You may have a seat. John 3:16 for God. 84 00:04:57,700 --> 00:05:01,200 So loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever 85 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:05,900 believes in him, should not perish, but have eternal life. 86 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:12,600 Jesus is saying it is the deep love of God for perishing. 87 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:18,200 Sinners, that drove him to send his own son into the world to 88 00:05:18,207 --> 00:05:22,500 die, for the sins of all who will believe in Christ Jesus. 89 00:05:23,500 --> 00:05:28,300 What he could have done and what he likely should have done was 90 00:05:28,300 --> 00:05:30,900 to destroy the world in his wrath against sin, but rather 91 00:05:30,900 --> 00:05:34,500 than do that, God chose to commit his own son to death on a 92 00:05:34,500 --> 00:05:36,500 cross. He put his own son under his 93 00:05:36,500 --> 00:05:40,900 wrath where he endured the righteous anger, that you and I 94 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,500 deserved. It's this astounding love of God 95 00:05:44,500 --> 00:05:48,000 that lies at the foundation of the new birth. 96 00:05:48,700 --> 00:05:54,400 Now we've been walking through this series. and and then every 97 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:59,400 now and then there's this quote from Stephen Lawson from his 98 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:01,800 book New Life In Christ which follows along the same 99 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:03,700 conversation. And so I want to share one of 100 00:06:03,700 --> 00:06:05,500 those with you now. He says, the love of God for 101 00:06:05,500 --> 00:06:09,100 Sinners is the Crown Jewel that Sparkles most brightly at the 102 00:06:09,100 --> 00:06:13,200 top, the glittering, diadem of the Gospel here, in the love of 103 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:15,500 the father. For Sinners, is the Priceless 104 00:06:15,500 --> 00:06:19,800 treasure that exceeds all other precious stones and it's 105 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:23,700 incomparable value. What makes this text. 106 00:06:23,700 --> 00:06:27,000 So valuable, he goes on to say is that it was spoken by the 107 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:29,100 greatest teacher. Who ever walked the face of the 108 00:06:29,100 --> 00:06:33,600 Earth, Jesus Christ and identifies, the greatest lover 109 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:36,300 in the universe. God the Father it describes the 110 00:06:36,300 --> 00:06:40,300 greatest sacrifice ever made God, giving his only son to die 111 00:06:40,300 --> 00:06:43,300 for Sinners. It promises the greatest Rescue 112 00:06:43,300 --> 00:06:47,000 of those who believe they will not perish. 113 00:06:47,100 --> 00:06:51,100 And that extends the greatest offer to whoever will believe in 114 00:06:51,100 --> 00:06:54,800 Jesus Christ, which is eternal life. 115 00:06:56,100 --> 00:07:01,500 Man by the name of Martin Luther said, John 3:16 is the Bible in 116 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:04,700 miniature. It's the Bible in miniature. 117 00:07:05,500 --> 00:07:09,100 It describes the story of redemption, it describes what 118 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,400 God is saying throughout the scriptures, what he's putting on 119 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:16,700 display through his self Revelation written down for us 120 00:07:16,700 --> 00:07:20,700 to read a couple of thousand years and more after it was 121 00:07:20,700 --> 00:07:24,100 originally written, God is describing the story of 122 00:07:24,100 --> 00:07:28,900 redemption. And John 3:16 is a most beloved 123 00:07:28,900 --> 00:07:33,000 verse. It's a most memorized verse for 124 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:38,000 a reason, it is the Monumental announcement from the lips of 125 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:42,800 the Son of God that God loves Sinners and saves them, through 126 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:48,900 the Willing sacrifice of his own son, God enters into and The 127 00:07:48,907 --> 00:07:51,300 Trinity, we have God, the Father God, the son, God the Holy 128 00:07:51,300 --> 00:07:55,800 Spirit, God is entering into sin marred. 129 00:07:56,500 --> 00:08:02,200 The sin marred World taking sin on himself as the father places 130 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:06,600 sin on Christ, so that salvation might be possible. 131 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:12,200 So that the Holy Spirit might cause men and women to cry, 132 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:17,700 Abba, Father in the freedom of sins, they might know him as 133 00:08:17,700 --> 00:08:20,900 Lord. If Nicodemus is going to be born 134 00:08:20,900 --> 00:08:25,600 again, as we are hoping for as we are reading the story as we 135 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:27,100 were walking. Walking through this 136 00:08:27,100 --> 00:08:30,600 conversation week after week, if he is going to be born again, he 137 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:34,200 must believe in the gospel message that Jesus Christ is 138 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:40,200 proclaiming to him. In this very moment, he must Now 139 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:46,000 one of the things about this verse that we know so well is it 140 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:49,900 begins with four? I don't even know. 141 00:08:49,900 --> 00:08:53,900 If something begins with for it's a continuation of thought 142 00:08:54,300 --> 00:08:59,400 Christ is building on what he has said, what he said in verses 143 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:03,400 14 was how someone might receive eternal life that it was going 144 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:07,100 to be because the son of man was going to be raised up, he was 145 00:09:07,100 --> 00:09:10,200 going to be crucified on a cross and that whoever Over would 146 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:12,800 believe in him would have eternal life. 147 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:16,900 Jesus says, further developing his thought about the necessity 148 00:09:17,100 --> 00:09:20,800 of believing in. Jesus Christ of receiving 149 00:09:21,100 --> 00:09:24,900 eternal life in him only and Jesus states. 150 00:09:24,900 --> 00:09:29,400 That God, the Father sent him into the world to rescue. 151 00:09:29,700 --> 00:09:33,600 Sinners, Lawson goes on to say everything in God's plan for 152 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:37,000 salvation flows from his own loving heart. 153 00:09:37,500 --> 00:09:40,600 The father loved his chosen ones before The world began. 154 00:09:40,900 --> 00:09:44,600 He authored the gospel and gave his chosen ones to his son to be 155 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:46,900 his chosen. Bride, the father, then 156 00:09:46,900 --> 00:09:50,500 determined to send the son into the world to Die For Those given 157 00:09:50,500 --> 00:09:54,600 to him further, it was the father along with the son, who 158 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:58,600 sent the Holy Spirit into the world to cause their new birth 159 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:02,100 and to Usher them into his kingdom. 160 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:07,500 It is the love of God that initiates this Rescue Mission, 161 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:11,200 the Apostle John author of this. This book, The Gospel of John 162 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:13,800 writes, some letters also 1st 2nd 3rd, John. 163 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:17,100 He's also the author of the book of Revelation but in his letters 164 00:10:17,100 --> 00:10:21,600 that he wrote and first John, Chapter 4 verses, 8 and 16, he 165 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:28,900 describes God this way. He says, God is love God is love 166 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:37,300 the very nature of God is love. It is who he is the love shared 167 00:10:37,300 --> 00:10:43,800 between the godhead burst forth from God, he chooses. 168 00:10:44,500 --> 00:10:48,300 And this passage, we see that he chooses to love the unlovely. 169 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:52,000 He chooses to Love The Sinner and the gospel message, we see 170 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:56,000 that God has chosen to set his love on those. 171 00:10:56,100 --> 00:11:00,300 Who do not deserve it, Sinners do not deserve the love of God. 172 00:11:00,300 --> 00:11:03,400 They have not earned the love of God, they've earned his wrath 173 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:06,800 and so, God did not send his son into the world to die, because 174 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:10,500 the world was lovable. He sent him into the world to 175 00:11:10,500 --> 00:11:13,400 die, because the world is unlovable as they are. 176 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:18,700 God cannot be just and excuse, their sin, Overlook their sin, 177 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:23,500 ignore their sin. The world is full of Sinners who 178 00:11:23,500 --> 00:11:26,000 rebel against God. It always. 179 00:11:26,300 --> 00:11:30,400 Has been, it always will be until Christ returns and 180 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:34,600 establishes a new Earth. God would be just, and right to 181 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:38,300 have sent his wrath and to the world, he would be just and 182 00:11:38,300 --> 00:11:44,300 right to destroy you and I in our sins yet, God chose to love 183 00:11:44,300 --> 00:11:46,100 those who should receive his wrath. 184 00:11:46,500 --> 00:11:49,000 This is why God's love is so amazing. 185 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:53,100 It's his, he loves because he is love. 186 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:57,800 It's who he is and not only is it who he is, but there's a 187 00:11:57,808 --> 00:12:02,100 comprehensiveness to this love, there must be if God is to be 188 00:12:02,100 --> 00:12:07,400 loved, we read for God. So loved it's past tense. 189 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:11,000 There's a comprehension. How comprehensiveness to this 190 00:12:11,300 --> 00:12:15,100 God has loved sinners from eternity past before he ever 191 00:12:15,100 --> 00:12:17,600 created them. He love for God. 192 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:22,700 So loved the eternal love of God, the father came to full 193 00:12:22,700 --> 00:12:27,400 realization at the proper time when he sent his son into the 194 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:29,200 world. The gravy greatest 195 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:31,400 demonstration. We have of the love of God, the 196 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:36,200 father is, and sending God the son to die for our sins on a 197 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:40,500 cross. The Same Love is on display 198 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:46,100 throughout time. From 1st Century to now and into 199 00:12:46,100 --> 00:12:48,100 the future. The Same Love is on display 200 00:12:48,300 --> 00:12:50,500 every time. The gospel message is 201 00:12:50,500 --> 00:12:53,300 proclaimed. Every time we talk about the 202 00:12:53,300 --> 00:12:57,100 cross, every time we Proclaim Christ is Lord. 203 00:12:57,100 --> 00:13:00,200 Every time we say that he came to save Sinners, we are 204 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:05,800 declaring the comprehensive love of God and we see it in this 205 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:09,100 free offer of Salvation that he's extending to Nicodemus, 206 00:13:09,100 --> 00:13:12,800 that whoever believes will receive eternal life. 207 00:13:14,300 --> 00:13:17,200 And as we Proclaim that message, we are recalling. 208 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:23,700 The eternal love of God, yet his love continues in your life. 209 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:28,000 Post salvation, as you've received eternal, life, you come 210 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:30,200 to know what Paul prays for that. 211 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:32,400 You would come to know the riches of his love, that you 212 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,400 would come to know more fully the depth, and the width, and 213 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:37,900 the height, and the length of his love. 214 00:13:39,300 --> 00:13:43,700 His love continues as he cares for and provides for his sons 215 00:13:43,700 --> 00:13:47,100 and daughters. His love will never fail. 216 00:13:47,900 --> 00:13:52,900 His love, will never run out because he is love his love will 217 00:13:52,900 --> 00:13:58,600 continue forever. It's an eternal love because God 218 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:04,300 is an eternal being. And one day, he will bring every 219 00:14:04,300 --> 00:14:09,800 believer into his presence in heaven forever to experience his 220 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:14,800 love fully. The Apostle John writes. 221 00:14:14,900 --> 00:14:18,900 In First John 3, he says see what kind of love the father has 222 00:14:19,100 --> 00:14:23,300 given to us that we should be called children of God. 223 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:29,000 And so we are see what kind of love the words. 224 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:31,300 What kind might be translated in your Bible? 225 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:35,200 How great see how great the love of the father? 226 00:14:38,300 --> 00:14:42,100 But another way to translate this idea of what kind is not 227 00:14:42,100 --> 00:14:46,100 simply just how great. It's also from what country see, 228 00:14:46,100 --> 00:14:50,300 what kind see from what country the love of the father has come 229 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:53,600 to us, the love of the father has given to us. 230 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:55,500 In other words, John is saying that. 231 00:14:55,500 --> 00:15:00,400 God loves us with a great otherworldly. 232 00:15:00,500 --> 00:15:06,600 Love it. Is unlike any other love Now, I 233 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:09,700 know. I know that. 234 00:15:09,700 --> 00:15:13,800 I know that, I know that I love my wife. 235 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:17,300 More than any person in this world. 236 00:15:18,300 --> 00:15:22,500 My love for her is deep. I would call it a comprehensive 237 00:15:22,500 --> 00:15:26,000 love. I won't say it's Eternal. 238 00:15:26,100 --> 00:15:28,100 I haven't loved her an eternity past. 239 00:15:28,100 --> 00:15:30,400 I hope that I will love her and Eternity future. 240 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:36,200 It's not like God's love though. I love her dearly. 241 00:15:36,300 --> 00:15:40,000 I know that I know that, I know that I love my children. 242 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:46,900 Deeply that I would give my life in a second, for any one of 243 00:15:46,900 --> 00:15:51,200 those four babies. That I will sacrifice and move 244 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:55,000 Heaven and Earth if I'm able to provide for them to meet their 245 00:15:55,000 --> 00:16:00,000 needs, to show my love for them, the same for my wife, but my 246 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,000 love for them. Does not compare to the love 247 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:04,600 that. God, the father has bestowed on 248 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:06,300 us. Not even close. 249 00:16:06,900 --> 00:16:09,800 Not even close it is but a flicker. 250 00:16:11,100 --> 00:16:14,700 His but a flicker of the light that is Christ's love. 251 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:18,900 That is God's love toward us. Many of you can say the same 252 00:16:18,900 --> 00:16:21,200 things about your loved ones, you know that, you know that you 253 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:24,500 know, that you love them. But even that love that you have 254 00:16:24,500 --> 00:16:30,700 is, but a flicker of the love that God has shown us It is, 255 00:16:30,700 --> 00:16:35,200 this love from above that makes us children of God in the New 256 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:38,400 Birth. It's this love for Sinners that 257 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:42,600 has caused him to send his own son for us. 258 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:46,800 That we might be born again. It is with this love that. 259 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:52,600 He has so loved the world, the term World refers to all of 260 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:55,600 humanity. And if it's a term that refers 261 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:59,200 to all of humanity, it's a term that refers to all of Fallen 262 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:03,500 Humanity, which is defiled by sin, the love of God, reaches 263 00:17:03,500 --> 00:17:07,200 out, to all people. It includes those from every 264 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:10,200 tribe and tongue and people and Nation. 265 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:13,500 As we read about in Revelation, chapter 5, verse 9 of those, who 266 00:17:13,500 --> 00:17:17,200 will be gathered together in the new Heaven and the new Earth. 267 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:20,599 Every tribe includes every ethnic group in the world. 268 00:17:20,599 --> 00:17:23,300 Every tongue includes every language group in the world, 269 00:17:23,300 --> 00:17:27,800 every People refers to every racial group Every Nation 270 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:33,100 identifies people from every political group God loves 271 00:17:33,300 --> 00:17:37,600 sinners. He loves his people. 272 00:17:38,900 --> 00:17:42,600 The nature of God's love for the world is simply a matter of is 273 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:44,600 not simply a matter of his feelings. 274 00:17:45,700 --> 00:17:49,300 I want you to understand this is his love for you is not like you 275 00:17:49,300 --> 00:17:52,900 love a dum-dum, talking about the sucker, not the person, 276 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:54,900 okay? You might love a dum-dum. 277 00:17:54,900 --> 00:17:58,800 Also, don't look at your spouse right now, please. 278 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:06,500 But his love is not simply a matter of his feelings, you 279 00:18:06,500 --> 00:18:10,100 know? He it's not, you know, the old 280 00:18:10,100 --> 00:18:13,100 picture of the girl who's picking the petals off the 281 00:18:13,100 --> 00:18:14,900 flowers. He Loves Me, He Loves Me, Not, 282 00:18:14,900 --> 00:18:17,400 he loves me, he loves me. Not, this is not the love of 283 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:20,700 God. He doesn't go from a feeling of 284 00:18:20,700 --> 00:18:25,000 love one day to a filling of unloved, the next day and back 285 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:32,600 and forth. His love is not simply, it's not 286 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:35,100 really at all mushy or sentimental. 287 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:41,400 The love of God is laser focused and sharp. 288 00:18:42,900 --> 00:18:46,900 God, Loved by choosing to sacrifice his own son on the 289 00:18:46,908 --> 00:18:52,100 cross to save sinners. Those Sinners are people who 290 00:18:52,100 --> 00:18:57,200 would otherwise be under his wrath and yet he chooses to love 291 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:00,700 them. His love is a rescuing love. 292 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,300 The greatness of God's love is seen in the fact that he gave 293 00:19:05,300 --> 00:19:07,700 his only son as we're reading here in John 3:16. 294 00:19:07,700 --> 00:19:11,300 He gives his only son to die in the place of all who would put 295 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:16,400 their trust in him. Stephen Lawson goes on to 296 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:20,400 describe what this love is he says, true love does not seek to 297 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:23,400 take from others, but rather gives to them. 298 00:19:24,900 --> 00:19:27,900 Doesn't seek to take from others but rather gives to them. 299 00:19:27,900 --> 00:19:31,800 This is true authentic love. He says, sacrificially gives of 300 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:37,400 itself to seek the highest good for the one who is loved genuine 301 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:40,700 love. He says is costly and expensive. 302 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:43,800 True love comes at a great price. 303 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:49,000 By the one who loves this is how God has loved This World by 304 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:52,700 making the highest price sacrifice. 305 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:57,800 He loved by giving his son to die upon the cross. 306 00:20:00,300 --> 00:20:05,000 And so in his love for the world, God gives his only son. 307 00:20:05,700 --> 00:20:08,900 Some translations are only begotten and that's probably a 308 00:20:08,900 --> 00:20:13,900 better way to write this. The world, the word. 309 00:20:13,900 --> 00:20:18,200 Sorry only or only begotten means that he is one of a kind 310 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:22,900 he's unique. There is not another son, like 311 00:20:22,900 --> 00:20:28,300 the Son of God and Jesus is not one of many sons. 312 00:20:28,900 --> 00:20:32,400 He's the only son is eternally begotten by the father. 313 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,400 Which only serves to heighten the display of God's great love. 314 00:20:38,900 --> 00:20:41,700 It serves to make it even greater that he would give up 315 00:20:41,700 --> 00:20:46,700 his only son in this way. Apostle Paul, mentions, got 316 00:20:46,700 --> 00:20:49,300 sacrificial, love and Romans 5:8. 317 00:20:49,300 --> 00:20:52,600 He said, God shows his love for us in that while we were still 318 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:57,900 sinners Christ died for us and so the love of God is a kind and 319 00:20:57,900 --> 00:21:00,500 Selfless. Love that God has demonstrated 320 00:21:00,500 --> 00:21:04,700 but Paul also hammers that point home by saying one will scarcely 321 00:21:04,700 --> 00:21:11,900 die for someone who is good. And yet, God gives his own son 322 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:15,500 for Sinners people who have blasphemed his name, people who 323 00:21:15,500 --> 00:21:19,700 have rebelled against him by both verbally and by their 324 00:21:19,700 --> 00:21:21,900 actions have gone against his commands. 325 00:21:21,900 --> 00:21:27,500 And yet, God loves Enough to give his own son. 326 00:21:30,900 --> 00:21:37,500 Apostle John ads. In first, John four, he says in 327 00:21:37,500 --> 00:21:42,000 this the love of God was made manifest among us but God sent 328 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:47,900 his only son into the world so that we might live through him 329 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,400 in. This is love not that we have 330 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:56,000 loved God, but that he loved us. And sent his son to be the 331 00:21:56,000 --> 00:22:04,300 propitiation for our sins. Sacrifice the payment for our 332 00:22:04,300 --> 00:22:10,000 sins. And so we see the love of God 333 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:15,300 made manifest in the death of Jesus Christ, his own son. 334 00:22:16,300 --> 00:22:20,100 And so, Jesus tells Nicodemus that the only right response to 335 00:22:20,100 --> 00:22:24,000 this love for those who are perishing is to believe in him. 336 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:29,500 He said, whoever believes in him will not perish for God. 337 00:22:29,500 --> 00:22:32,000 So loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever 338 00:22:32,100 --> 00:22:35,200 believes in him, will not perish. 339 00:22:35,500 --> 00:22:38,600 So the right response to the love of God, that is shown In 340 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:41,100 Christ. Jesus is to believe in Christ. 341 00:22:41,100 --> 00:22:43,700 Jesus. There's no other right response 342 00:22:43,700 --> 00:22:49,500 here. Nicodemus must make more than a 343 00:22:49,508 --> 00:22:53,700 mental assent to Christ. He must do more than acknowledge 344 00:22:53,700 --> 00:22:56,100 that. What Christ says might be true. 345 00:22:56,600 --> 00:23:00,100 He must do more than say, I believe what you're saying 346 00:23:00,100 --> 00:23:03,500 Jesus. You must have more than 347 00:23:03,500 --> 00:23:07,700 knowledge. But sentimental feelings won't 348 00:23:07,700 --> 00:23:09,300 do it. Either Nicodemus is going to 349 00:23:09,308 --> 00:23:12,200 need more than Goose Bumps and Ward warm feelings. 350 00:23:12,500 --> 00:23:15,000 If he is going to receive eternal life. 351 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:23,100 Saving Faith runs deep. Because it starts from the Heart 352 00:23:24,100 --> 00:23:29,400 & Poor's outward, you have been regenerated when you exercise 353 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:32,500 saving faith. And so, it will require a lot of 354 00:23:32,500 --> 00:23:35,900 Nicodemus, the love of God, demanded. 355 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:40,200 The commitment of Nicodemus is life, that demands that he will 356 00:23:40,300 --> 00:23:44,000 commit himself to Christ Jesus. It demands that he will fully 357 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:49,000 trust Jesus to be his Lord, and his savior, it means that he is 358 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:53,200 submitting to Him. He's no longer the god of his 359 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:54,900 own life. He's no longer the Lord of his 360 00:23:54,900 --> 00:23:58,500 own life but he's choosing to believe in Jesus in such a way 361 00:23:58,700 --> 00:24:03,300 that he follows him. When Jesus says, whoever 362 00:24:03,300 --> 00:24:07,700 believes, he means that this is a free offer being extended to 363 00:24:07,708 --> 00:24:10,600 Nicodemus, but he must receive it. 364 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:14,800 He must believe it despite his past unbelief, despite his past 365 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:17,100 sins. He is being offered eternal 366 00:24:17,100 --> 00:24:19,300 life. Through this gospel message, 367 00:24:19,300 --> 00:24:21,700 that Jesus is proclaiming where he is. 368 00:24:21,700 --> 00:24:26,400 Now coming to see the love of God on display in Christ. 369 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:30,700 As Christ is telling him. I am going to be lifted up as 370 00:24:30,700 --> 00:24:34,000 the serpent in the wilderness. All who will look to me, will 371 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:40,200 receive life. I was like, great Mother's Day 372 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:46,900 text, we preached last week. I love that rescues forever is 373 00:24:46,900 --> 00:24:49,900 what we see here. Jesus tells Nicodemus that he 374 00:24:49,900 --> 00:24:54,200 must believe so that he does not perish and other words. 375 00:24:54,300 --> 00:24:57,600 Jesus is telling academia's you were already perishing. 376 00:24:59,300 --> 00:25:03,800 You're already perishing. He is already an unbeliever. 377 00:25:04,100 --> 00:25:07,100 He is already in need of the new birth or else. 378 00:25:07,100 --> 00:25:11,300 He will receive God's Wrath and Judgment at the end of his life. 379 00:25:11,900 --> 00:25:14,800 His soul would be destroyed by God if he does not believe the 380 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:17,200 gospel. And Trust Christ for his own 381 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:20,600 salvation. Nicodemus was dying in his sins, 382 00:25:20,900 --> 00:25:22,600 though. He looked up, right? 383 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:27,200 He looked clean on the outside. He is dead on the inside. 384 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:32,400 Such as the danger of relying on your own morality such as the 385 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:34,800 danger of relying on your own. Good works. 386 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:38,100 You deceive yourself into thinking, I'm good. 387 00:25:38,700 --> 00:25:42,300 I'm up, right? Surely, if anybody's getting 388 00:25:42,300 --> 00:25:48,600 into heaven, I'll be there. It's a really arrogant way to 389 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,200 live. You are glorying in yourself, 390 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:55,500 not in God, who created you? However, if Jesus would 391 00:25:56,400 --> 00:26:00,200 Nicodemus, sorry, would act now and receive Christ, then he 392 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:03,100 would be eternally saved from his sins. 393 00:26:03,100 --> 00:26:06,000 He would come to know the rescuing love of God, he would 394 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:11,000 know eternal life. As Jesus promises, eternal life 395 00:26:11,700 --> 00:26:14,300 means that, you know, God in a personal way. 396 00:26:14,900 --> 00:26:20,100 Jesus in John 17:3 he praised this way's the high Priestly 397 00:26:20,100 --> 00:26:22,800 prayer, it's tremendous. If you haven't read it, read, 398 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:27,300 John 17, the This week. This is what Jesus says, he says 399 00:26:27,300 --> 00:26:29,400 this is as he's praying to the father. 400 00:26:29,500 --> 00:26:33,600 He says, this is eternal life that they may know you. 401 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:39,200 The only true God and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 402 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:45,100 And so this is the promise of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that 403 00:26:45,100 --> 00:26:48,800 though, you are separated from God by your sins, you may enter 404 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:53,400 into the personal knowledge of God through faith in Christ and 405 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:58,000 receive eternal life. Promise for you. 406 00:26:58,900 --> 00:27:02,100 And so Jesus, further explains his reason for coming into the 407 00:27:02,100 --> 00:27:03,900 world. What's the reason for his 408 00:27:04,300 --> 00:27:07,900 mission and John 3:17? He says, for God did not send 409 00:27:07,900 --> 00:27:11,300 his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order 410 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:16,000 that the world might be saved through him, Jesus begins with 411 00:27:18,300 --> 00:27:21,700 He begins with explaining why he did not come into the world, 412 00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:23,700 right? He tells Nicodemus, for God, did 413 00:27:23,700 --> 00:27:26,800 not send his son into the world to condemn the world and then he 414 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:29,800 follows that up with why he did come into the world, but the 415 00:27:29,808 --> 00:27:31,700 world might be saved through him. 416 00:27:31,700 --> 00:27:33,300 So let's look at that. First statement, God did not 417 00:27:33,300 --> 00:27:35,200 send his son into the world to condemn. 418 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:39,000 The world was primary purpose for coming into the world, was 419 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:44,200 not a mission of judgments. Though everyone who does not 420 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:47,200 believe in Christ, Jesus is condemned already as we'll see 421 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:51,400 next week in verses 18 and 19. God's purpose though, for 422 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:55,400 sending his son into the world was for their salvation. 423 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:59,200 Not their condemnation, the world is already under his 424 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:02,300 Divine judgment because of their sin, they're not escaping. 425 00:28:02,300 --> 00:28:05,300 That Christ is not having to come and pronounce. 426 00:28:05,300 --> 00:28:08,000 Judgment God has already shown them. 427 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:11,700 That they are judged that they're condemned as they are. 428 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:18,400 And so to receive the Judgment of God means that you receive 429 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:22,900 the execution of divine wrath upon your sin. 430 00:28:25,100 --> 00:28:29,300 But what Jesus says is that God has sent me into the world to 431 00:28:29,300 --> 00:28:33,700 save sinners. This is the direct opposite of 432 00:28:33,700 --> 00:28:37,500 God's judgment. This is his mercy and his love 433 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:42,500 on display as he rescue sinners from their sin by giving them 434 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:47,400 New Life in his son. Jesus primary purpose for coming 435 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:50,700 was to reconcile mankind, to God. 436 00:28:50,700 --> 00:28:54,000 The message of the Gospel is a stumbling block to those who do 437 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:57,000 not know Christ. But to those who do know Christ 438 00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:00,800 by faith, it is the good news of great joy. 439 00:29:02,100 --> 00:29:06,900 It's a blessed message, it brings happiness to our life as 440 00:29:06,900 --> 00:29:08,500 we hide ourselves in Christ, Jesus. 441 00:29:08,500 --> 00:29:11,200 And we realize that we are no longer going to be judged for 442 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:14,200 our sins. But we have received New Life in 443 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:17,200 Christ. Jesus, your judgment has already 444 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:20,200 taken place. It was placed on the Son of God, 445 00:29:20,200 --> 00:29:26,600 it will not be placed on you. And so, Jesus States, his reason 446 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:30,600 for coming that the world might be saved through him. 447 00:29:31,700 --> 00:29:37,100 The word saved means to be or to become delivered or rescued from 448 00:29:37,100 --> 00:29:39,300 sin. And its judgment. 449 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:43,400 The chief purpose of Christ coming into the world is to save 450 00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:50,100 sinners from Eternal punishment. in Matthew 1:21 is Matthews 451 00:29:50,100 --> 00:29:56,100 riding there and and the angel speaking and talking about what 452 00:29:56,100 --> 00:30:00,200 will happen with Mary as the Son of God is to be birth through 453 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:03,100 her. It says there that she will bear 454 00:30:03,100 --> 00:30:05,500 a son and you shall call his name Jesus for. 455 00:30:05,500 --> 00:30:08,600 He will save his people, from their sins. 456 00:30:09,700 --> 00:30:13,900 So, from the very announcement of Christ's birth, we see why he 457 00:30:13,900 --> 00:30:16,500 has come. It was to save people, his 458 00:30:16,500 --> 00:30:20,900 people from their sins. Jesus says elsewhere in Luke 459 00:30:20,900 --> 00:30:24,100 19:10. He says, for the son of man came 460 00:30:24,100 --> 00:30:29,500 to seek and to save the Lost. The mission of God in Christ, 461 00:30:29,500 --> 00:30:35,700 Jesus is to save sinners. Lawson says sin has placed 462 00:30:35,700 --> 00:30:39,500 humankind on a path headed for Eternal damnation but God sent 463 00:30:39,500 --> 00:30:44,200 Christ to the to save those facing his Divine wrath 464 00:30:45,700 --> 00:30:49,900 Nicodemus like the rest of mankind needed to be rescued 465 00:30:49,900 --> 00:30:54,500 from his sins needed to be rescued from God's Divine Wrath. 466 00:30:55,700 --> 00:30:58,400 And so Christ is sent by the father. 467 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:03,000 Jesus is making it clear when he talks about being sent by the 468 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:05,000 father, he's making it clear that he didn't undertake this 469 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:09,700 Mission under his own volition. He's not doing out something 470 00:31:09,700 --> 00:31:14,000 outside of the father's will being lifted up on a cross to 471 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:15,900 redeem. Those who would believe in him 472 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:21,100 is the Eternal purpose of God. It's the Eternal purpose of the 473 00:31:21,100 --> 00:31:25,100 father's sending him. And so, John 3:17, we might read 474 00:31:25,100 --> 00:31:29,000 it like this, for God, sent his son into the world in order that 475 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:31,300 the world might be saved. Through him. 476 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:35,100 So the purpose of Christ, this is Mission. 477 00:31:35,700 --> 00:31:39,200 It was the will of the father to send his son to rescue the Lost 478 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:42,000 in the perishing, by the greatness of God's love. 479 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:46,500 He sent his only son to redeem those who were objects of his 480 00:31:46,500 --> 00:31:47,900 wrath. This is what we read about in 481 00:31:47,900 --> 00:31:49,700 Isaiah 53. As we read there about the 482 00:31:49,700 --> 00:31:52,000 suffering servant, that Isaiah is presenting. 483 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:55,700 He he talks about what this man the suffering servant who we now 484 00:31:55,700 --> 00:31:59,000 know is Christ will endure. And one of the things that we 485 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:02,100 read there at the very end of that So, it's either 53 10 or 486 00:32:02,108 --> 00:32:04,800 11. It says that it was the will of 487 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:09,100 the father to crush him. It was the will of the Lord to 488 00:32:09,100 --> 00:32:12,800 crush him. This man was going to suffer for 489 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:17,900 the sins of many, that many might be saved and it was the 490 00:32:17,900 --> 00:32:24,100 will of the father to do that. So Christ is not acting outside 491 00:32:24,100 --> 00:32:26,700 of the will of the father. He's not usurping. 492 00:32:26,700 --> 00:32:30,800 The father, the Eternal godhead declared that this would happen. 493 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:33,800 The Eternal God had his bringing this to pass. 494 00:32:37,100 --> 00:32:40,700 Lawson add some helpful comments here about how we might see that 495 00:32:40,700 --> 00:32:42,900 Jesus is doing the will of the father. 496 00:32:43,300 --> 00:32:46,300 He says, the sending of Jesus by the father was a major emphasis 497 00:32:46,300 --> 00:32:48,500 made throughout the Gospel of John. 498 00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:53,100 And now he just cites several passages in John. 499 00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:58,000 It was the God, the Father who sent God the son 3:34 God sent 500 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:01,300 Christ to speak. The words of God, chapter 5, 36 501 00:33:01,300 --> 00:33:04,400 and 38. God the Father gave Jesus Works 502 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:09,700 to accomplish to testify to his deity chapter 6, 2938 and 57th. 503 00:33:10,700 --> 00:33:16,000 Jesus was sent by the father to do, his will 7:29 Jesus knows 504 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:20,400 the father who sent him 8:42 Jesus came from the father 505 00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:26,000 because the father sent him 10:36, Jesus is the son of God 506 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:29,700 sent into the World by the father 11:42. 507 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:32,900 Jesus affirms that he has accomplished the work that the 508 00:33:32,900 --> 00:33:38,800 father gave to him chapter 17 verses, 38 18, 21, 23, and 25. 509 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:44,500 Again that high Priestly prayer. Jesus Comforts, his followers 510 00:33:44,500 --> 00:33:47,600 with peace, reminding them that as the father sent him into the 511 00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:53,100 world, so he sends them into the world, John 20:21. 512 00:33:54,700 --> 00:33:57,700 Over. And again, the Apostle John is 513 00:33:57,700 --> 00:34:03,300 showing that Christ has come from the father that he is, God 514 00:34:03,700 --> 00:34:09,199 that he and the father are one and unity the one in Mission, 515 00:34:10,100 --> 00:34:17,300 they're together. therefore, if Nicodemus by showing these 516 00:34:17,300 --> 00:34:22,400 things, if Nicodemus rejects Christ, And he rejects his 517 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:26,000 message that he is rejecting God himself. 518 00:34:29,900 --> 00:34:35,600 It is God who sent Jesus to testify to the truth to Manifest 519 00:34:35,600 --> 00:34:39,699 this love for us and if he is to be rejected, it is a rejection 520 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:43,300 of God. The Father, it's impossible to 521 00:34:43,308 --> 00:34:47,199 be right with God and to reject the one whom he has sent. 522 00:34:48,100 --> 00:34:51,400 And so, once again, Nicodemus finds himself standing at a 523 00:34:51,408 --> 00:34:56,199 Crossroads in this conversation, he is on a road headed for 524 00:34:56,400 --> 00:35:00,500 Destruction currently. And now that has been Illicitly 525 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:07,800 revealed to him through this. And so now he must choose to 526 00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:11,800 travel a new road that leads to life eternal life. 527 00:35:12,900 --> 00:35:17,000 The only way to enter this new path is by faith in the one, 528 00:35:17,300 --> 00:35:20,200 excuse me, and the one who is standing in front of him. 529 00:35:22,100 --> 00:35:24,600 It's by faith in the message that the one who is standing in 530 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:27,800 front of him is proclaiming to him, which is the good news of 531 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:31,800 the Gospel that God rescue Sinners by his great love. 532 00:35:31,900 --> 00:35:36,700 If Nicodemus is to know eternal life, he must believe Christ. 533 00:35:38,500 --> 00:35:43,200 And if you are born again, I ask you can you remember making this 534 00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:47,300 decisive step of Faith? Do you recall the day? 535 00:35:47,300 --> 00:35:50,800 You were confronted with your sin and the free offer of Grace 536 00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:54,600 in Christ and so you responded in faith. 537 00:35:57,200 --> 00:36:01,100 Then I urge you encourage you to praise God for his Mercy. 538 00:36:01,700 --> 00:36:04,400 Praise God for the love that you have received. 539 00:36:04,900 --> 00:36:10,400 Don't become hardened toward it. Don't take it for granted but 540 00:36:10,600 --> 00:36:14,400 no, it grow in it as Paul prays in Ephesians 3. 541 00:36:15,900 --> 00:36:17,700 That you might know the depths of it. 542 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:23,100 No matter how long you have been serving, the lord know how to, 543 00:36:23,300 --> 00:36:25,400 no matter how many years you have under your belt. 544 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:30,700 There was always more to know and to experience about the love 545 00:36:30,700 --> 00:36:35,800 of God, you will not exhaust it. In fact, in eternity, we will 546 00:36:35,800 --> 00:36:39,500 not exhaust God's love, there will never be in a day and 547 00:36:39,500 --> 00:36:45,200 Eternity in heaven, where we wake up and say an there 548 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:46,400 anymore. Or to this. 549 00:36:47,800 --> 00:36:49,600 There's something else we can do today. 550 00:36:51,200 --> 00:36:56,200 You will go on and on and on knowing the fullness of God on 551 00:36:56,200 --> 00:36:59,700 an incredible thing to think about but you don't have to wait 552 00:36:59,700 --> 00:37:01,400 for eternity to begin that Journey. 553 00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:10,000 You can know now eternal life. if you have not believed in 554 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:13,900 Jesus Christ, if you have not placed your faith in him, then 555 00:37:13,900 --> 00:37:16,200 this is an important moment for you. 556 00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:20,800 This is a time where the spirit of God might work in your soul. 557 00:37:22,200 --> 00:37:25,700 and if God has convicted you about the path that you are 558 00:37:25,700 --> 00:37:31,500 currently on at some point, Maybe even during this message 559 00:37:31,900 --> 00:37:34,200 and you know that conviction, you're just kind of hanging on 560 00:37:34,200 --> 00:37:35,600 to it. Not sure what to do with it. 561 00:37:36,300 --> 00:37:40,100 If that's you then I urge you to seek the Lord while he might 562 00:37:40,100 --> 00:37:44,600 still be found. I urge you to call upon him. 563 00:37:44,600 --> 00:37:47,100 While he is near to you through conviction. 564 00:37:47,700 --> 00:37:52,100 I implore you to repent of your sins and to exercise faith in 565 00:37:52,100 --> 00:37:54,200 Christ by submitting your life to him. 566 00:37:56,500 --> 00:37:58,400 Jesus Christ. Is the Son of God. 567 00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:01,900 He is the one sent into the World by the father to save 568 00:38:01,900 --> 00:38:05,900 sinners. Would you turn your heart to 569 00:38:05,900 --> 00:38:08,700 him? Would you believe in him and be 570 00:38:08,700 --> 00:38:12,200 saved today? You stand to your feet and let 571 00:38:12,200 --> 00:38:17,000 me pray for you. Heavenly Father, we praise you 572 00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:19,300 and we thank you for the day that you've given us. 573 00:38:20,200 --> 00:38:25,800 We thank you Lord for these words in John 3:16 and 17. you 574 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:31,100 have so loved the world that you sent your son, your only son, 575 00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:36,700 Into the world. To die on a cross to be lifted 576 00:38:36,700 --> 00:38:41,100 up. So that whoever looks to him in 577 00:38:41,100 --> 00:38:43,800 faith. Might be saved and receive 578 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:48,300 eternal life, but they might not know condemnation any longer 579 00:38:48,300 --> 00:38:53,700 that they might not know perishing any further that they 580 00:38:53,700 --> 00:38:57,100 may have life. And so father today, I pray for 581 00:38:57,100 --> 00:39:00,600 my brothers and sisters in here. The ones who have received you 582 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:05,400 as their lord already. Would you deepen their knowledge 583 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:08,900 of Your Love? Lord, would you help them to 584 00:39:08,900 --> 00:39:13,000 know it? More fully to grow in it to 585 00:39:13,000 --> 00:39:17,800 become students of it? Give them a heart for your word. 586 00:39:19,100 --> 00:39:23,100 A heart to know you a heart to follow you more fully more 587 00:39:23,100 --> 00:39:26,900 Faithfully. Lord and where they've taken it 588 00:39:26,900 --> 00:39:30,100 for granted. And they've turned to other 589 00:39:30,100 --> 00:39:32,600 things in the world to find love. 590 00:39:33,700 --> 00:39:40,100 To find pleasure to find Joy. Would you would you convict them 591 00:39:40,100 --> 00:39:45,200 father, helped them to repent and to exercise faith in Christ 592 00:39:45,200 --> 00:39:52,600 alone. Father, would you help us? 593 00:39:53,900 --> 00:40:02,100 Follow you Faithfully. Lord, I pray for anyone who 594 00:40:02,100 --> 00:40:06,200 hears this message today, he doesn't know you, but you can 595 00:40:06,200 --> 00:40:10,100 victim of their sins. Would you help them Father by 596 00:40:10,100 --> 00:40:15,500 your spirit to have a new heart to exercise faith in Christ? 597 00:40:15,500 --> 00:40:18,700 That they might know, eternal life, help them. 598 00:40:18,700 --> 00:40:23,100 Lord to see the love of God in Christ Jesus. 599 00:40:23,200 --> 00:40:29,700 Today that they might be saved. Lord, we thank you. 600 00:40:31,700 --> 00:40:36,000 That in your goodness and your love and your mercy and your 601 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:42,200 grace. You have shown us rescue 602 00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:47,300 redemption in Christ. You've done. 603 00:40:47,300 --> 00:40:53,700 The unthinkable, God, you've entered into our mess Christ, 604 00:40:53,700 --> 00:41:01,600 became like us born of a woman. That he might shed his blood 605 00:41:01,600 --> 00:41:07,100 have his body broken. For the Forgiveness of our sins. 606 00:41:09,000 --> 00:41:11,900 That whoever believes in him, will be saved, father, help, 607 00:41:12,300 --> 00:41:19,300 help anyone who has lost unsaved unbeliever to exercise faith in 608 00:41:19,300 --> 00:41:22,900 Christ today. We pray these things in the name 609 00:41:22,900 --> 00:41:25,000 of Jesus. Amen.