A Mission Statement

All of Jesus’ mission statement is found here in John.  Most people, whether they’re Christians or not, have heard or seen (at sporting events) John 3:16.  The next verse, which I think is equally important, is lesser known.

16 “For God so loved the world, 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.”

So many people think God is waiting to squash them like bugs when they do wrong.  They think God is angry at everyone and would not waste His sympathy to care for them in their difficulties.  But Jesus shows God’s nature, His character, to be very different from that image.

“He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His power”       -Hebrews 1:3

At Jesus’ birth, the angels announced that God wasn’t angry anymore.  “Peace on earth, Good Will toward men” Luke says.  Where before there was no intercessor between God and mankind, now we have a mediator (1 Timothy 2:5.)  Jesus told Nathaniel He was the ladder seen in Jacob’s dream—a connection to heaven itself! 

God took the time to make the relationship right between us.  Man had made his choice (in the garden,) took the side he wanted, and suffered the consequences—death.  But God said, “no, the price is too high for them.  I will pay it.”  He made a way for us.  That’s who God really is—a loving Father who longs to have relationships with His creation.

Jesus didn’t come into the world to condemn the world, He told Nicodemus.  He came that the world through Him might be saved. 

Jesus repeated this often—He came to “seek and to save that which was lost” Luke 19:10. 

"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins" Matt. 1:21

"For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them" Luke 9:56

"And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world” John 12:47

John 3:18-21 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.

If you choose not to believe in God, you’ve chosen to be condemned.  Another word: judged.  There is going to be a judgment one day.  If you “make your reservation now” your name will be written in the Lamb’s book of Life spoken of in Revelations.  But if you choose to disregard all of nature (Romans 1) and the nudges of the Holy Spirit that are drawing you gently and lovingly toward God, then you’ve made your choice, and God won’t force you to believe.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

When I tell people they need to believe in Jesus and His substitutionary death on the cross, they will agree it all sounds logical, and they don’t mind going to a service once in a while, but they’re just not ready to settle down yet.  They want to “have fun” for a while. 

For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

“I want to have fun…I don’t want to stop doing the things I know aren’t pleasing to God.  I want to stay here, in the darkness, where God can’t see me, and no one will say anything about it, because everyone in here is doing dark things too.”  That’s basically what this is saying. 

People who say they’re having fun are actually sowing a lifestyle that isn’t going to be good for themselves or the people they love.  But they want to keep doing it, because they think it fulfills them.  It doesn’t, but the enemy has them coerced into thinking it does.  They’re going to stay in the darkness where their deeds can’t be seen.  The NLT puts it this way:

“They hate the light because they want to sin in the darkness. They stay away from the light for fear their sins will be exposed and they will be punished” NLT.

Unfortunately, everything hidden will one day be exposed, so they’re really wasting their time.   

… nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known (Matthew 10:26.)

“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."

Those who come to Christ have no condemnation on them!  Romans 8:1 says so:

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

Jesus tells His disciples:

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16.)

Proverbs says: The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions.

We all get to choose where we will spend eternity.  God didn’t create robots who do whatever He wills, He gave us free will to choose to love Him or not. 

What sends people to hell is that they choose to stay in their sin rather than believe that God is in control and loves them more than they could ever imagine.  Jesus isn’t going to send anyone to hell. 

Joshua told the Israelites:

And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.

What is your choice?

I think I’ve told myself I choose the Lord, but sometimes I choose to sin even though I know it’s wrong.  I think I make myself an idol of my own “choices.”  As if I could ask for better than what He gives me! 

We’re all on a journey to know Him, and to know that He is good.  In Jesus we see that He is on our side, here to save, not condemn. 

I love that He shows God’s generous nature—not condemning, but loving.  He has a plan for my life, for good and not for evil.

Dear Abba,

Help me to choose You every time.  Let me see that making some of these choices that aren’t good for me are really turning to idols.  Help me to love You and honor You in all things.

Your Daughter,

Donna