Journey Through JohnSample

Scripture:

John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

Observation:

The heart of God is to love and to give and to save people. His desire is that all people come to Him and experience the life He gives. He does not desire to condemn people. Instead, He is a generous, merciful God who is willing to go to great lengths to save people. 

Application: 

We Christians often prefer to condemn people, rather than to love them, as God would do. We seek to make laws about a handful of sins that we don’t have much problem with; and we rail against people whom we believe that God does not love as much as He loves us. But this Scripture says that this kind of attitude does not reflect the heart of our God. He loves everyone and pursues everyone. He is never eager to condemn anyone. 

Prayer: 

Lord, help me to have your heart towards everyone around me. Even when I see a sin in someone’s life that makes me uncomfortable, help me not to have a condemning attitude towards them, but rather to simply love them as you do. Forgive me for thinking there are certain sins that make people outside of your love, while assuming that my own sins aren’t so bad. Give me your compassion for every person, regardless of their behavior. Amen.

Truths to notice:

3:3-7 In addition to our physical birth, we need a spiritual birth.

3:8 The Holy Spirit is like wind: you can’t see Him, but you can feel Him and see His effects.

3:13 Though Jesus was a genuine man, He had lived in Heaven previous to his birth.

3:14 When Jesus was lifted up to die on the cross, it enabled any who believe to have eternal life.

3:16 God loves the world – both the good and the bad people – so much that He gave His only Son’s life to make it possible for anyone who believes in Him to have eternal life. 

3:17 God’s desire is to save people, not condemn people. 

3:18 People condemn themselves if they choose not to believe in Jesus as God’s Son.