+ LENT FOUR + 2009 +

LEXEGETE™ | YEAR B | MARK
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FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT
MARCH 22, 2009
NUMBERS 21:4-9
PSALM 107:1-3, 17-22 (19)
EPHESIANS 2:1-10
JOHN 3:14-21

PRAYER OF THE DAY
O GOD, RICH IN MERCY, BY THE HUMILIATION OF YOUR SON YOU LIFTED UP THIS FALLEN WORLD AND RESCUED US FROM THE HOPELESSNESS OF DEATH. LEAD US INTO YOUR LIGHT, THAT ALL OUR DEEDS MAY REFLECT YOUR LOVE, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, OUR SAVIOR AND LORD, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, ONE GOD, NOW AND FOREVER.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS | ONLY SON,
SO THAT EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE E- | TERNAL LIFE. (JOHN 3:16)

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1. CONTEXT: JOHN 3:14-21

MARTIN LUTHER SAID "[IN] JOHN'S GOSPEL ... YOU DO FIND DEPICTED IN MASTERLY
FASHION HOW FAITH IN CHRIST OVERCOMES SIN, DEATH , AND HELL, AND GIVES LIFE, RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND SALVATION. THIS IS THE REAL NATURE OF THE GOSPEL." (LW 35:361-362) LUTHER ALSO WROTE: "THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST GLORIOUS GOSPELS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO INSCRIBE THIS TEXT IN GOLDEN LETTERS UPON YOUR HEART, AND SEE TO IT THAT YOU KNOW THE WORDS BY HEART AND REPEAT THEM AT LEAST ONCE A DAY. FOR HERE ARE WORDS TO MAKE A SAD MAN GLAD, WORDS THAT WOULD EVEN REVIVE A DEAD MAN IF HE BUT HELD THEM FAST." WEAVING FIGURATIVE TERMS THAT ALL HIS READERS WOULD UNDERSTAND (BECAUSE OF THEIR COMMONNESS) WITH CONTRASTING CONCEPTS (EG. LIGHT/DARKNESS ETC.), JOHN SHARES THE PERSON AND WORK OF JESUS TO CHRISTIANS WHO PROBABLY ALREADY KNEW MATTHEW, MARK, AND LUKE. HE ALSO ATTEMPTS TO REFUTE SOME OF THE HERESY FLOATING AROUND IN ASIA MINOR NEAR THE END OF THE FIRST CENTURY. THE SO-CALLED NICODEMUS DISCOURSE AFTER V. 12 BECOMES A STRING OF LOOSELY RELATED SAYINGS LINKED WITH ONE ANOTHER BY KEY WORDS , (EG. JUDGMENT IN VVS. 17 & 18) WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS PASSAGE IS ITS DISPLAY OF THE PROMINENT THEOLOGICAL THEMES IN THE GOSPEL . WE FIND ELEMENTS OF PRE-DESTINATION, DOCTRINE OF SIN, DUALISM (EG. LIGHT & DARKNESS), BAPTISM, SPIRIT LIFE, ESCHATOLOGY, ETERNAL LIFE, RESURRECTION, ASCENSION, AND SIN. IF THERE IS A COMMON THREAD, IT MIGHT BE FOUND IN THE POSSIBILITIES MADE AVAILABLE TO HUMANITY AS A RESULT OF CHRIST. THOSE NEW POSSIBILITIES MEAN THAT GOD HAS PROVIDED A WAY BY WHICH HUMANS CAN BE RESCUED FROM THEIR PLIGHT BECAUSE THEY ARE ALIENATED FROM THEIR CREATOR AND THEIR TRUE IDENTITY (LIGHT). SUCH A RESCUE IS LIKE A NEW BIRTH WHICH CAN ONLY BE AFFECTED BY DIVINE POWER AND COMMENCES NEW AND AUTHENTIC LIFE. IT IS A NEW BIRTH ENTIRELY BEYOND HUMAN CONTROL AND MANIPULATION AND ENTIRELY IN THE HANDS OF GOD. VERSE 16 IS PROBABLY THE BEST KNOWN PASSAGE IN ALL OF SCRIPTURE. LUTHER CALLED IT THE GOSPEL IN MINIATURE, OR IN A NUTSHELL.

1B. TEXT: JOHN 3:14-21

ESV:

14 AND AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS, SO MUST THE SON OF MAN BE LIFTED UP, 15 THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM MAY HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. [1]

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD



16 “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, [2] THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. 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. 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.”
FOOTNOTES

3:15 SOME INTERPRETERS HOLD THAT THE QUOTATION ENDS AT VERSE 15
3:16 OR FOR THIS IS HOW GOD LOVED THE WORLD
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GREEK:

14ΚΑῚ ΚΑΘῺΣ ΜΩΫΣῆΣ ὝΨΩΣΕΝ ΤῸΝ ὌΦΙΝ ἘΝ Τῇ ἘΡΉΜῼ, ΟὝΤΩΣ ὙΨΩΘῆΝΑΙ ΔΕῖ ΤῸΝ ΥἹῸΝ ΤΟῦ ἈΝΘΡΏΠΟΥ, 15ἽΝΑ ΠᾶΣ Ὁ ΠΙΣΤΕΎΩΝ ἘΝ ΑὐΤῷ ἜΧῌ ΖΩῊΝ ΑἸΏΝΙΟΝ. 16ΟὝΤΩΣ ΓᾺΡ ἨΓΆΠΗΣΕΝ Ὁ ΘΕῸΣ ΤῸΝ ΚΌΣΜΟΝ, ὭΣΤΕ ΤῸΝ ΥἹῸΝ ΤῸΝ ΜΟΝΟΓΕΝῆ ἜΔΩΚΕΝ, ἽΝΑ ΠᾶΣ Ὁ ΠΙΣΤΕΎΩΝ ΕἸΣ ΑὐΤῸΝ ΜῊ ἈΠΌΛΗΤΑΙ ἈΛΛ' ἜΧῌ ΖΩῊΝ ΑἸΏΝΙΟΝ. 17Οὐ ΓᾺΡ ἈΠΈΣΤΕΙΛΕΝ Ὁ ΘΕῸΣ ΤῸΝ ΥἹῸΝ ΕἸΣ ΤῸΝ ΚΌΣΜΟΝ ἽΝΑ ΚΡΊΝῌ ΤῸΝ ΚΌΣΜΟΝ, ἈΛΛ' ἽΝΑ ΣΩΘῇ Ὁ ΚΌΣΜΟΣ ΔΙ' ΑὐΤΟῦ. 18Ὁ ΠΙΣΤΕΎΩΝ ΕἸΣ ΑὐΤῸΝ Οὐ ΚΡΊΝΕΤΑΙ: Ὁ ΔῈ ΜῊ ΠΙΣΤΕΎΩΝ ἬΔΗ ΚΈΚΡΙΤΑΙ, ὍΤΙ ΜῊ ΠΕΠΊΣΤΕΥΚΕΝ ΕἸΣ ΤῸ ὌΝΟΜΑ ΤΟῦ ΜΟΝΟΓΕΝΟῦΣ ΥἹΟῦ ΤΟῦ ΘΕΟῦ. 19ΑὝΤΗ ΔΈ ἘΣΤΙΝ Ἡ ΚΡΊΣΙΣ, ὍΤΙ ΤῸ ΦῶΣ ἘΛΉΛΥΘΕΝ ΕἸΣ ΤῸΝ ΚΌΣΜΟΝ ΚΑῚ ἨΓΆΠΗΣΑΝ ΟἹ ἌΝΘΡΩΠΟΙ ΜᾶΛΛΟΝ ΤῸ ΣΚΌΤΟΣ Ἢ ΤῸ ΦῶΣ, ἮΝ ΓᾺΡ ΑὐΤῶΝ ΠΟΝΗΡᾺ ΤᾺ ἜΡΓΑ. 20ΠᾶΣ ΓᾺΡ Ὁ ΦΑῦΛΑ ΠΡΆΣΣΩΝ ΜΙΣΕῖ ΤῸ ΦῶΣ ΚΑῚ ΟὐΚ ἜΡΧΕΤΑΙ ΠΡῸΣ ΤῸ ΦῶΣ, ἽΝΑ ΜῊ ἘΛΕΓΧΘῇ ΤᾺ ἜΡΓΑ ΑὐΤΟῦ: 21Ὁ ΔῈ ΠΟΙῶΝ ΤῊΝ ἈΛΉΘΕΙΑΝ ἜΡΧΕΤΑΙ ΠΡῸΣ ΤῸ ΦῶΣ, ἽΝΑ ΦΑΝΕΡΩΘῇ ΑὐΤΟῦ ΤᾺ ἜΡΓΑ ὍΤΙ ἘΝ ΘΕῷ ἘΣΤΙΝ ΕἸΡΓΑΣΜΈΝΑ.


2. ANALYSIS: JOHN 3:14-21

V. 14-15

IN VSS. 14-15 JESUS PROCEEDS TO THE ACTUAL ANSWER TO NICODEMUS' QUESTION,
"HOW CAN THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN," BEING BORN ANEW THROUGH THE SPIRIT CAN
COME ABOUT ONLY AS A RESULT OF JESUS' CRUCIFIXION, RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION.

NUMBERS 29:1FF TELLS HOW MOSES RAISED UP A BRONZE SERPENT ON A POLE, AND
THE PEOPLE WHO GAZED UPON IT WERE HEALED OF THE BITES OF POISONOUS SNAKES.
THE COMPARISON WITH JESUS' CRUCIFIXION IS THAT THOSE WHO LOOK UPON THE SON OF MAN
... LIFTED UP UPON THE CROSS WITH THE EYES OF FAITH WILL BE GIVEN LIFE.

LIFTED UP (HYPSOO) IS ONE OF JOHN'S SEVERAL EXPRESSIONS FOR THE CRUCIFIXION. THE WORD WAS USED IN DESCRIBING CRUCIFIXIONS BUT ALSO OF THE EXALTATION OF A KING, THE ENTHRONEMENT OF A RULER. JOHN'S PLAY ON THE WORD HINTS AT HIS UNDERSTANDING OF THE CROSS--CHRIST'S CRUCIFIXION IS HIS ENTHRONEMENT AS KING. CHRIST'S EXALTATION ON THE CROSS IS NEVER SEPARATED FROM THE THOUGHT OF HIS EXALTATION TO HEAVEN. THIS SAME WORD "HYPSOUN" IS USED IN ACTS 2:33-34 FOR DESCRIBING THE ASCENSION OF JESUS. SO IN JOHN "BEING LIFTED UP" DESCRIBES ONE CONTINUOUS ACTION OF ASCENT: JESUS BEGINS HIS RETURN TO THE FATHER AS HE APPROACHES DEATH AND COMPLETES IT ONLY WITH HIS ASCENSION. IT IS THE UPWARD SWING OF THE GREAT PENDULUM OF THE INCARNATION CORRESPONDING TO THE DESCENT OF THE WORD WHICH BECAME FLESH. THE FIRST STEP IN THE ASCENT IS WHEN JESUS IS LIFTED UP ON THE CROSS: THE SECOND WHEN HE IS LIFTED UP TO HEAVEN.

MUST (DEI) SUGGESTS THE DETERMINATION OF THE DIVINE PLAN FOR JESUS. ALL OF
THIS IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ETERNAL LIFE (ZOE AIONOIS V. 15). IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE ADJECTIVE (AIWNOIS) IS USED BY JOHN ONLY IN THE EXPRESSION (ZOE AIWNOIS) - LITERALLY "THE LIFE OF THE AGE TO COME." IT REFERS NOT ONLY TO LIFE BEYOND DEATH BUT ALSO TO THE QUALITY OF THE LIFE OF FAITH RIGHT NOW. THAT IS, THAT WHICH IS PROPERLY A FUTURE BLESSING BECOMES A PRESENT FACT IN VIRTUE OF THE REALIZATION OF THE FUTURE IN CHRIST.


V. 15 SHOWS WHY JESUS INTRODUCED INTO THE DISCOURSE THE IMAGERY OF BEING LIFTED UP, NAMELY, THAT HIS BEING LIFTED UP WILL LEAD TO THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE TO ALL WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS. THIS ETERNAL LIFE IS THE LIFE OF THE SONS OF GOD, THE LIFE BEGOTTEN FROM ABOVE, THE LIFE BEGOTTEN OF THE SPIRIT. WHEN JESUS WILL BE LIFTED UP IN CRUCIFIXION AND ASCENSION, HIS COMMUNICATION OF THE SPIRIT WILL CONSTITUTE A FLOWING SOURCE OF LIFE FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIM.


V. 16-18
V. 16 MARKS A DEPARTURE FROM THE ACTUAL DISCOURSE WITH NICODEMUS. IT IS SAFE TO ASSUME THAT NICODEMUS HAS FADED OUT OF THE PICTURE AND JOHN IS PONDERING OVER THE MYSTERY OF GRACE BY WHICH LAW AND JUDGMENT HAVE BEEN SUPERSEDED BY GOSPEL AND FORGIVENESS. THE ROLE OF GOD THE FATHER NOW BECOMES PROMINENT. THE IMAGERY HERE OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC ECHOES CLEARLY THROUGH WITH THE USE OF THE "ONLY" SON WHOM HE "LOVED," AND YET WAS STILL WILLING TO SACRIFICE HIM. NOW THE FATHER STEPS IN AND ACTUALLY DOES WHAT HE HAD ONLY TESTED ABRAHAM TO DO--GIVING HIS "ONLY" SON BECAUSE HE "LOVED" THE WORLD. [REMEMBER THE BLESSING TO ABRAHAM THAT THROUGH HIM ALL NATIONS, IE. "THE WORLD," WOULD BE BLESSED.]


AGAPE, FOUND 7 TIMES IN JOHN, AGAPAN FOUND 37 TIMES--ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT WORDS IN JOHN. THIS CORRESPONDS TO THE FACT THAT WHILE GOD LOVES
THE WORLD (KOSMOS) HIS LOVE ONLY BECOMES EFFECTIVE AMONG THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN CHRIST. FOR THE REST LOVE TURNS AS IT WERE, TO JUDGMENT. LOVE SEEMS TO BE, FOR JOHN, A RECIPROCAL RELATION. THE FATHER LOVES THE SON, AND THE SON LOVES THE FATHER. JESUS LOVES HIS OWN, AND HIS OWN LOVE, OR SHOULD LOVE, ONE ANOTHER. THEY MUST ALSO LOVE HIM. JOHN, ULTIMATELY DEVELOPS THE CONCEPTION OF LOVE AS THE NATURE OF GOD HIMSELF.

SECONDLY, JOHN SHOWS US THE ESSENCE OF THAT LOVE. WE MUST REMEMBER THAT
THE INITIATIVE IN ALL SALVATION LIES WITH GOD. SOME TIMES WE TALK AS IF GOD
HAD TO BE PACIFIED, AS IF HE HAD TO BE PERSUADED TO FORGIVE. SOMETIMES WE
SPEAK AS IF WE WOULD SEE GOD AS A STERN, ANGRY, UNFORGIVING GOD AND SEE JESUS AS GENTLE, LOVING AND FORGIVING. SOMETIMES WE TALK AS IF JESUS DID SOMETHING WHICH CHANGED THE ATTITUDE OF GOD TOWARDS US FROM CONDEMNATION TO FORGIVENESS. BUT THIS VERSE TELLS US THAT IT WAS WITH GOD THAT IT ALL STARTED. IT WAS GOD WHO SENT HIS SON, AND HE SENT HIM BECAUSE HE LOVED US. AT THE BACK OF EVERYTHING IS THE LOVE OF GOD.

VERSE 16 EXPANDS THE MEANING OF THE CROSS FOR JOHN. THE FATHER'S SON IS
GIVEN (EDOKEN) OUT OF LOVE AND TO EXPRESS THE DIVINE CARING. ETERNAL LIFE TIES THIS VERSE WITH THE PREVIOUS ONE. WORLD (KOSMOS) IS OFTEN USED IN A
PEJORATIVE WAY IN JOHN TO SPEAK OF THE REALM OF UNBELIEF AND IS SYNONYMOUS IN SUCH CASES WITH "DARKNESS." IF ITS NEGATIVE SENSE IS INTENDED HERE, IT UNDERSCORES THE QUALITY AND EXTENT OF GOD'S LOVE FOR THE FALLEN WORLD. THE WORD PERISH (APOLETAI) STANDS AS THE OPPOSITE OF ETERNAL LIFE. TO PERISH IS TO LIVE APART FROM GOD AND TO EXPERIENCE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT SEPARATION.

V. 16-17 EMPLOY ANOTHER OF JOHN'S FAVORITE CHRISTOLOGICAL THEMES, NAMELY,
THE SON IS SENT BY THE FATHER. THE PURPOSE OF HIS MISSION IS NOT CONDEMNATION (KRINO) BUT SALVATION. HERE AND AT 12:47 THE PURPOSE OF CHRIST'S MISSION IS NOT JUDGMENT, BUT SALVATION; STILL IN OTHER PLACES (5:30, 8:16 & 26 FOR EXAMPLE) IT IS SAID THAT JESUS DOES JUDGE. THE POINT IS THAT JUDGEMENT IS NOT THE GOAL OF THE REVELATION, ALTHOUGH IT INVARIABLY RESULTS. SAVED (SOTHE) MEANS BROUGHT TO ETERNAL LIFE. V. 18 EXPLAINS THAT JUDGMENT IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF ONE'S DECISION TO BELIEVE OR NOT BELIEVE. TO FAIL TO BELIEVE IS TO BE JUDGED IN THE SENSE OF BEING CONDEMNED; TO BELIEVE IS TO PASS BEYOND JUDGMENT. JOHN ALMOST ALWAYS USES (KRINO) IN ITS NEGATIVE SENSE OF CONDEMNATION, AS THE RSV TRANSLATES IT HERE. THAT IS, THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN CHRIST (THOSE WHO HAVE COME TO THE LIGHT) ESCAPED JUDGMENT (CONDEMNATION) ALTOGETHER, WHILE THOSE WHO DID NOT BELIEVE BY THAT VERY FACT SENTENCED THEMSELVES.



V. 19-21
V. 19 ISSUES THE SOBERING JUDGMENT THAT HUMANITY IS CONDEMNED FOR ITS PREFERENCE FOR THE DARKNESS EVEN WHEN THE LIGHT IS IN THE WORLD. JOHN IS PROFOUNDLY REALISTIC REGARDING THE DEPRAVITY OF HUMANITY. JESUS IS A PENETRATING LIGHT THAT PROVOKES JUDGMENT BY MAKING IT APPARENT WHAT A MAN IS. THE ONE WHO TURNS AWAY IS NOT AN OCCASIONAL SINNER, BUT ONE WHO "PRACTICES WICKEDNESS"; IT IS NOT THAT HE CANNOT SEE THE LIGHT, BUT THAT HE HATES THE LIGHT. SIN IN JOHN IS A QUESTION OF RADICAL SIN. DEEDS (ERGA) GIVE EXPRESSION TO THE TRUE NATURE OF A PERSON; AND WHEN THOSE ACTS CANNOT STAND IN THE LIGHT, IT DEMONSTRATES THE PERSON'S LOVE OF THE DARKNESS. A PERSON OF THE DARKNESS DOES NOT WANT THEIR DEEDS EXPOSED (ELENCHTHE, LITERALLY REPROVED--AS IN V. 20). BEHAVIOR WHICH IS TRUE (ALETHEIA) IS BEHAVIOR CONSISTENT WITH THE TRUTH OF THE REVELATION, AND SUCH BEHAVIOR IS DONE WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE DIVINE. (V. 21). THIS CONCLUSION CONCERNING DARKNESS MAY BE AN IMPLICIT JUDGMENT OF NICODEMUS WHO CAME UNDER THE COVER OF DARKNESS TO SEE JESUS (V. 2). THE DUALISTIC VOCABULARY HAS REMARKABLE RESEMBLANCES IN THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS, ESPECIALLY 1QS III-IV. (EG. LIGHT/DARKNESS; PR PRACTICING WICKEDNESS/DOING TRUTH).



3. STRATEGY: JOHN 3:14-21

THERE WAS A DELIGHTFUL LITTLE SERMON BY ROY HARRISVILLE IN A COLLECTION OF SERMONS CALLED "PICK UP YOUR TRUMPET" (P. 86 - AUGSBURG, MINNEAPOLIS, 1970) ENTITLED "IF I WERE GOD." IT MIGHT STIMULATE YOUR THINKING ABOUT THIS PASSAGE. IAN MACPHERSON IN "BIBLE SERMON OUTLINES" (ABINGDON, 1966), PP. 5,6 DEVELOPED A MASTERFUL OUTLINE FOR THIS TEXT:


1: THE FACT: "GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD..."

2: THE ACT: "THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON..."

3: THE PACT: "THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT
PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE."


ANOTHER APPROACH WOULD BE TO LOOK AT GOD'S LOVE AND TO ASK THREE BASIC QUESTIONS ABOUT IT:


1) HOW BROAD IS GOD'S LOVE?

2)HOW LONG IS GOD'S LOVE?

3) HOW HIGH IS GOD'S LOVE?

(SEE THE OLD HYMN ON THIS THEME "O LOVE, HOW DEEP, HOW BROAD, HOW HIGH!").


THE PREACHER COULD TAKE MANY DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO THIS TEXT. IN FACT, THAT MAY BE THE PROBLEM IT POSES FOR US. THERE IS SO MUCH IN IT, IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO REALLY PREACH A SERMON THAT FULLY MEASURES UP TO IT. IN FACT A RENOWNED SCOTTISH EVANGELIST, ASKED WHY HE NEVER TOOK JOHN 3:16 AS HIS TEXT, REPLIED, "NA,NA! I HAVE THAT IN EVERY SERMON I PREACH." HAVING SAID THAT, THERE ARE SOME DIRECTIONS WE COULD TAKE. ONE APPROACH THAT THE PREACHER COULD TAKE WOULD BE TO GIVE SOME EXAMPLES OF DEEP, ABIDING LOVE, TO CONTRAST THAT WITH GOD'S LOVE. A SECOND STEP WOULD BE TO LOOK AT EVIL IN THE WORLD AND ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF EVIL. FINALLY, CONCLUDING BY LOOKING AT THE WAY GOD'S LOVE IS SUPERIOR BOTH TO OUR LOVE AND THE EVIL IN THE WORLD.

AS WE LOOK AT SOME PEOPLE WHO SHOWED LOVING ACTS, SOME THAT COME TO MIND INCLUDE THE DISCOVERY OF A WAY OF TREATING DIABETES, OR ALBERT SCHWEITZER, OR THE EXAMPLE OF FATHER MAXIMILLIAN KOLBE WHO OFFERED TO TAKE THE PLACE FOR SOMEONE AT AUSCHWITZ. THE POINT IS THAT IN THESE EXAMPLES WE FIND A KIND OF DEEP AND ABIDING LOVE. FOR LOVE IS NEVER WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF SACRIFICE. THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO CONTRAST THAT WITH THE NOBLEST OF ALL SACRIFICES "GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON ..." GOD IS THE EMBODIMENT OF LOVE. GOD PERSONIFIES LOVE. WHATEVER WE CAN KNOW OF LOVE, WE KNOW IT IN THE CONTEXT AND THE SELF-DISCLOSURE OF GOD. HERE IS A HEAVENLY FATHER WHO HAS LOVED HIS ONLY SON FROM ALL ETERNITY. YET, THE FATHER LOVES US SO MUCH HE WOULD SEND HIS ONLY SON TO US. THE SOLE DOUBTFUL ELEMENT IS ONLY OUR RESPONSE TO THIS GIFT. JOHN SAYS, "THE LIGHT CAME INTO THE WORLD, BUT MEN LOVED DARKNESS RATHER THAN LIGHT. BONHOEFFER ONCE SAID, "GOD MADE MAN, AND MAN MADE HIMSELF A SINNER." IT WAS BONHOEFFER WHO ONCE OFFERED HIS OWN FOOD TO A HUNGRY FELLOW INMATE AND THEN WAS FORCED TO LISTEN WHILE THE MAN, AN AVOWED ATHEIST, BITTERLY COMPLAINED ABOUT GOD. "HE NEVER DID ANYTHING FOR ME," THE MAN GRUMBLED. BONHOEFFER REPLIED, "HE JUST GAVE YOU MY BREAKFAST." ANOTHER TIME HE AND A GERMAN ARMY CORPORAL, DURING AN INTENSE ALLIED NIGHT BOMBING OF BERLIN, VIEWED THE HOLOCAUST FROM A PRISON ROOF. "CAN YOU LOOK AT THIS AND BELIEVE IN GOD," THE CORPORAL ASKED? "HOW COULD A LOVING FATHER LET THIS HAPPEN?" BONHOEFFER REPLIED, "HOW COULD WE LET THIS HAPPEN TO A LOVING FATHER?"

ANOTHER APPROACH WOULD BE TO LOOK AT THE IMAGES OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS. WHO OF US, REALLY DOES WANT TO STAND IN THE FULL GLARE OF THE LIGHT THAT COMES FROM GOD? WHO COULD SURVIVE IT? STILL, LIGHT PERFORMS MANY FUNCTIONS. THAT LIGHT CAN TEACH US ABOUT GOD--IT CAN TEACH US ABOUT OURSELVES AND IT CAN EXPOSE US. IN FACT THERE ARE SOME WHO DO NOT WANT THE LIGHT. WHAT THEY HAVE IN MIND IS SOMETHING THAT COULD ONLY BE DONE IN THE DARK. SO MUCH DO THEY DESPISE THE LIGHT THAT THEY WOULD EXTINQUISH IT IF THEY COULD. I SUSPECT THERE WERE SURELY SOME WHO WALKED FROM THE CROSS SAYING, "GOOD RIDDANCE." "WELL, THAT IS THAT." "NOW WE CAN GET ON WITH IT ." THE POINT IS THAT A PERSON WHO SQUARES THEIR HEART AND HAND, WHO LETS THE INTENT OF THEIR HEART SHAPE THE DEEDS OF THEIR LIVES, IS THE PERSON WHO HAS NO FEARS. WANT TO LIVE WITHOUT ANXIETY, WITHOUT GUILT, WITHOUT FEAR? THEN WE NEED TO LIVE AS NOT TO FEAR THE LIGHT.

4. HYMN SUGGESTIONS: JOHN 3:14-21

LBW 88 "O LOVE HOW DEEP, HOW BROAD, HOW HIGH"
LBW 98 "ALAS AND DID MY SAVIOR BLEED"
LBW 448 "AMAZING GRACE"
LBW 292 "GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD"




5. REFERENCES: JOHN 3:14-21

THE ANCHOR BIBLE - THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN R. BROWN N.Y. 1966

THE AUGSBURG COMMENTARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT ROBERT KYSAR
MINNEAPOLIS 1986

THE FOURTH GOSPEL E.C. HOSKYNS ED. F.N. DAVEY LONDON 1947

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN C.K. BARRETT SPCK LONDON 1966

THE INTERPRETER'S BIBLE LUKE-JOHN ABINGDON NASHVILLE, 1952

NEW TESTAMENT WORDS WILLIAM BARCLAY SCM PRESS LONDON 1964




EXEGETE: PASTOR . JAMES STEINBRECHER, PHD, IS A RETIRED ELCA PASTOR LIVING IN NEW LISBON, WI.