Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

During Lent there are a lot of readings from John’s Gospel.  So for today I figured that I’d stay there and touch on a text that we’d miss.  Last Sunday we heard about Nicodemus, being born from above, God loving the world by sending his Son to it to die and to be raised for it, and next Sunday we’ll be hearing about a certain Samaritan woman who Jesus met (found) at Jacob’s well.  Sandwiched between those two stories in Scripture is this one…where John the Baptizer reads between the lines of a question being posed to him.  Basically some one asked him if he was going to stand for people ignoring him, John, and going right to Jesus to be baptized.  John sees right through this question…perhaps it was an honest one..who knows.  John does something that not very many people do well.  He steps down from prominence, from authority, from respect, from people following him.  There’s nothing worse for someone’s ego than to give up their established position.  I mean think about it…what does every modern president seem to do once they are done serving…they write a book…good ol’ Bill did it, G.W. did it, and I bet Mr. Obama will do it too.  Its almost like they are waving for once last bit of attention to say… “Hey, I’m still here…don’t forget about me.” But John doesn’t do this.  John doesn’t go on to write a guaranteed New York Times best-seller.  He says, “I have heard the bridegroom’s voice.  My joy is complete.” John has hear the voice of his Savior, his role in God’s plan is finished.  He’s done his part.  It’s all about Jesus now…there’s no mistaking that.

Let’s read again what some of John’s last words are: “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.” Where have we heard that before?  Well a few days ago we did. (flip and read Jn 3:16-18)

Pretty similar isn’t it?  Boy this job is getting easier by the minute…just hold on a sec while I get my notes from Sunday!  Again we read of love and eternal life…and wrath and condemnation.

Think about it this way:  Would Bill or GW write a book or host a news conference in order to tell people how good they have it with the next guy coming in office…AND that if they don’t want to follow their successor there will be consequences?  What is this God up to?  Quick…let’s read one of the last passages in this gospel (Read 20:30-31):  “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Everything in this Gospel points to Christ; the miracles, the misunderstandings, the people, etc.

More and more of Him…less and less of us.  Good time to reflect on that in Lent.

Grace and peace to you all from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Today’s reading from John is something that we all remember isn’t it?  Jesus’ discussion with Nicodemus is very important too, but what we’ll be focusing on tonight is many peoples’ favorite passage.  John 3:16.  I’m also going to include verse 17 here because it is just as important.

Here it is again:  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

Isn’t it a beautiful passage?  I certainly think so.  God so loves the world he gives his Son as a gift to it.  And we all like gifts right?  We give gifts to friends to family, we might even give gifts to co-workers or we might even go so far as to give in-laws, if you have them, something nice.  But would you give a gift to someone you didn’t like, to someone who you knew was so set against everything you are and what you stand for…I guess like a Democrat giving a Republican a nice set of golf clubs, or vice versa.

But let’s take a closer look at whats going on here.  Let’s look at this as if we were going to look at these two verses like something out of a movie.  Here’s the camera (using hands):  We’ve got God the Father over here (can’t see Him but is nevertheless present)…sending his Son over to here…and over here is the world.  Now, look at this wonderful world we’ve got here…a motley crew if I’ve ever seen one.  Here’s a pastoral trick to see if you are a part of this world…I want everyone to grab your nose or your ear (everyone grabs their nose or ear).  Good…now that I see you all have done that, let me ask you…do you have an ear or a nose?  Yes…Well then you are a part of this world.  Which is both good and bad for you.  Let me explain.

In John’s gospel we are told about the love-hate relationship between God, His Christ, and His Spirit with the world.  We are told elsewhere in this gospel a couple things about you, the world:  You all are in darkness…you’re spiritually blind like Nicodemus in today’s reading…you were made through Jesus, but you don’t recognize him when you see him…you all are sinners which is why Jesus must be your Lamb that takes your sin away…you hate God’s Son…you cannot accept God’s Son…because you are a part of this world you will have trouble and trials…and you would much rather listen to your prince, the world’s prince, the devil himself, instead God’s Son.

Aren’t you all glad to be associated with this world?  Well you should be.  Martin Luther once wrote, “The word ‘world’ is a sound hateful to God beyond expression; and this is a most strange paradox: God loves the world…” A most strange paradox indeed.

Despite all of your hate, anger, doubts, misconceptions, misgivings, ill-thoughts, or whatever else you may have against God this is what God has chosen to do for you:  God has sent his Son, Jesus Christ, into this world, this very world we live and work in, to breathe the very air we breathe, to show his love for you by by taking all of your hate, sin, animosity and putting it on his Son Jesus.  Because this is how God loves – God comes and gives himself to those who don’t deserve it…He comes and gives his Son to a world that didn’t ask for it.  He comes to give His Son to folks like you, wholly and completely.

God has a thing for sinners.  “sinners are attractive because they are loved…they are not loved because they are attractive (LW 31:57).