Welcome - so glad you are here today! Father, thank you for your light and love this day! Thank you for real truth that flows from your word - help me receive well all you have for me today! Amen
We have a really cool scripture to contemplate today! As we read, it might be good for us to remember the theme for this week at Point of Grace - "The Danger of Missing Jesus!"
John 3:16-21, "16 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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
This section kicks off with one of the most familiar scripture verses of all time. I remember as a child being taught that John 3:16 was "the Gospel in a nutshell!" What I did not read for years and years and years was the verses right after. What catches my attention is Jesus' use of the word "condemnation"! He says He did not come into the world to bring "condemnation" - "condemnation" was already here - "condemnation" is a given in our world. What the world needs is "salvation"!
This is so important for me to remember! One of the ways I will "miss" the sweetness of salvation in Jesus is if I forget that "condemnation" over me and my world is my starting point - the given! "Whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son" I believe one of the most profound evidences in my own life -that Jesus is right in saying that I sit under this "condemnation" by nature - is the reality of self-condemnation in my own life and the lives of everyone - and I mean everyone - I know. I mostly see "self-condemnation" by the ways we attempt to cover it up. I (we) blame, change the subject, puff ourselves up, ignore responsibility, cut others down, hide, escape, argue, get angry, control, experience depression, etc. etc. etc. There is something deep inside of us - no matter how much we try to cover it up - that says in a convincing voice that we are really not "everything we are cracked up to be"! That we are not all right - that we are weak, have failed, not self sufficient! This is evidence of a divine reality - we are under condemnation - a place which is void of life and hope. The GREATEST thing is that "condemnation" does not have to get the last word even though that is our starting point it does not have to be our ending point! "LIFE" can get the final say through Jesus! Forgiveness of our sins can take the full weight off each and everyone of us through Jesus! It is true we are under condemantion apart from Jesus. And there is ample evidence to prove our guilt - BUT - God says that in Jesus we get a new start - a new life - a clean slate of forgiveness. That is why Jesus words are so life giving, "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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned...!
This is ours through the miracle of faith! Jesus gives us a free 100% effective solution for our "condemnation" problem! It is real! Life in Jesus freed of condemnation and self-condemnation is real - to be tapped into everyday!
Jesus, thank you -thank you - thank you - I receive Your clean slate granting forgiveness right now!
Have an awesome - "no condemnation day"!
delton