Eternal Life – John 3:1-18
Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.”3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?”5 Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
11 “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.14 And just 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.
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 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 3:16 should be the most well-known scripture. I believe that many heard about it, and might even memorize it.
However, many do not know the context of why Jesus shared this truth.
A Jewish leaders named Nicodemus, came to Jesus in the night. He wanted to avoid an accusation being a follower of Christ, but at the same time, he couldn’t hide the void he had in his life. Jesus acknowledge the spiritual hunger he had. After all, we are all spiritual beings, but Jesus is saying that we cannot understand the spiritual realm unless we are born again. When we are born again and as we enter into the kingdom, we can fill the spiritual void we have in the relationship with God.
This is why we need to believe in the salvation that comes from the name of Jesus Christ. Through sending his one and only son, God prepared us the way for us to build to relation, which is essential for us to fill up this spiritual void.
We need to remember that God did this out of the love that he has for this world. However, many people forget this and think that the verse we know so well, John 3:16, is used to accuse us of our sins.
“God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.” John 3:17-18 The Message.
Jesus is testifying the Love of God, as the purpose of his presence in the world. And we are to testify the same Love, through our celebration of Christmas. Do you truly believe in this promise? Praise the Lord. Now it is a time to share it with others.
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