JOHN 3:14-21| LIVING LIGHT

LIVING LIGHT

JOHN 3:14-21

MARCH 11, 2018

LAST SUNDAY WE MENTIONED HOW THE GOSPEL OF JOHN BEGINS WITH WORDING VERY SIMILAR TO THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK OF GENESIS.

JOHN’S GOSPEL – “IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD…” ETC.

GENESIS – “IN THE BEGINNING, GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH…”

I SAID, I BELIEVED THIS WAS BECAUSE THE AUTHOR OF JOHN SAW THE COMING OF CHRIST AS THE NEW GENESIS – A NEW BEGINNING FOR THE WORLD – IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.

WELL, IN OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING, JOHN HAS MOVED ON TO EXODUS, COMPARING AN EVENT THERE, WITH THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS.

“AND JUST AS MOSES LIFTED UP A SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS, SO MUST THE SON OF MAN BE LIFTED UP.”

WE’LL NOT SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THIS, THIS MORNING, YOU CAN GO BACK AND READ IT FOR YOURSELF, BUT THE REFERENCE HERE IS TO A TIME WHEN THE ISRAELITES ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THE PROMISED LAND;

AND EVIDENTLY, CAMPED IN AN AREA INFESTED WITH SNAKES; AND THE SNAKES ARE BITING PEOPLE; AND PEOPLE ARE DYING; AND MOSES ASKS GOD WHAT TO DO.

“FASHION A SNAKE OUT OF GOLD, AFFIX IT TO A POLE, PLACE THE POLE AT THE CENTER OF THE CAMP, AND ANYONE BITTEN, WHO THEN LOOKS UPON THE GOLDEN SNAKE, WILL NOT DIE.

(EVIDENTLY GOLDEN SNAKES WERE OKAY, GOLDEN CALVES, NOT-SO-MUCH.)

SO, JOHN’S REFERENCE HERE IS TO HOW THOSE “BITTEN BY SIN” IF THEY LOOK UPON CHRIST “LIFTED UP” THAT IS, CRUCIFIED, THOUGH I SUPPOSE IT COULD ALSO REFER TO CHRIST’S BEING RAISED UP IN THE RESURRECTION…

EITHER WAY, THOSE WHO LOOK TO CHRIST, WHO BELIEVE IN HIM, WILL NOT DIE ETERNALLY.  THAT IS THE SHORTHAND OF JOHN’S EXODUS REFERENCE HERE.

IN ANOTHER SORT OF SHORTHAND, THE PASSAGE WE READ THIS MORNING, JOHN 3:14-21 CONTAINS WHAT IS PROBABLY THE BEST KNOWN, YET BRIEFEST SORT OF SHORTHAND FOR THE GOSPEL ITSELF.   JOHN 3:16

WE SEE IT SCRAWLED ON HIGHWAY OVERPASSES; WRITTEN ON SIDEWALKS; POSTED ON BILLBOARDS.

OCCASIONALLY, QUITE OFTEN A FEW YEARS BACK, THERE WAS ALWAYS SOMEONE SITTING BEHIND THE GOALPOSTS AT NFL GAMES WITH A SIGN READING JOHN 3:16.

THE GENIUS OF THIS SHORTHAND IS, OF COURSE, IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE REFERENCE, YOU HAVE TO ASK ABOUT IT, AND THIS GIVES SOMEONE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS WITH YOU.

AND IT IS GOOD NEWS: “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.”

IT IS THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE GOSPEL.  AND IT’S GREAT!

STRANGELY, THOUGH, OVER THE YEARS, SOME CHRISTIANS HAVE SEEN FIT TO TAKE THIS GOOD NEWS, THIS WONDERFULLY GOOD NEWS, AND TURN IT INTO BAD NEWS;

AND RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON GOD’S GIFT OF HIS SON; OR THAT EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES WILL NOT PERISH ETERNALLY; THEY’VE WANTED TO USE IT AS A SORT OF CLUB WITH WHICH TO BEAT OTHERS OVER THE HEAD.

THEY HAVE FOCUSED ON “WHO DOESN’T BELIEVE;” “WHO’S OUT.”

THEY’VE TAKEN THE GOOD NEWS OF CHRIST LIFTED UP, THE “GOLDEN SNAKE OF REDEMPTION,” IF YOU WILL;

AND TURNED HIM INTO SOMETHING OF A “SNAKE IN THE GRASS” THE ONE WHO PURPOSELY LEAVES SOME OUT.

NOW, MANY OF THESE PEOPLE ARE WELL-INTENTIONED, AND AS THEY SEE IT, IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO “WIN SOULS FOR CHRIST” TO “SAVE PEOPLE;”

BUT MANY OF THEIR TACTICS, I WOULD SUGGEST, (AND YOU KNOW THE KINDS OF SITUATIONS ABOUT WHICH I’M TALKING) HAVE BEEN AS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE AS THEY HAVE BEEN PRODUCTIVE OVER THE YEARS, MAYBE MORE SO.

AND, BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO TURN THIS MORNING’S GOOD NEWS INTO BAD NEWS, MYSELF, THAT’S ALL I’VE GOT TO SAY ABOUT THAT.

WELL, EXCEPT FOR ONE MORE THING, AND THAT’S WHY I ALWAYS READ VS. 17 ALONG WITH JOHN 3:16.

JOHN 3:17 SAYS: “INDEED, GOD DID NOT SEND HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD, BUT IN ORDER THAT THE WORLD MIGHT BE SAVED THROUGH HIM.”

BUT EVEN THAT, OR THE COMBINATION OF VERSES 16 AND 17 ISN’T REALLY WHAT I WANT US TO FOCUS ON IN OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING.

BECAUSE AFTER THE GOOD NEWS OF JOHN 3:16 – THAT GOD SENT HIS SON TO SAVE THE WORLD; AND THE EQUALLY GOOD NEWS OF JOHN 3:17 – THAT HE DIDN’T COME TO CONDEMN THE WORLD;

THERE ARE SEVERAL VERSES ABOUT LIGHT AND DARKNESS, AND HOW PEOPLE, INCLUDING US, PREFER THE DARKNESS OVER THE LIGHT WHEN WE DO THINGS WE SHOULDN’T;

IN HOPES THAT THE DARKNESS WILL COVER UP THOSE THINGS WE DO THAT WE SHOULDN’T BE DOING.

BUT WHAT WE KNOW, WHAT WE’VE ALWAYS KNOWN, AND ALMOST ALWAYS EXPERIENCE TO BE TRUE, IS THAT IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, THE DARKNESS NEVER DOES QUITE COVER OUR WRONGDOING;

AND IN THE LIGHT OF DAY, OUR SINFULNESS IS EXPOSED; AND WE FIND WE WEREN’T ALL THAT COVERED UP IN THE FIRST PLACE, ESPECIALLY TO GOD.

BUT NOT EVEN THIS IS REALLY WHAT I WANT US TO FOCUS ON IN OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING.  SO, WHAT’S LEFT?

VERSE 21 – “BUT THOSE WHO DO WHAT IS TRUE COME TO THE LIGHT, SO THAT IT MAY BE CLEARLY SEEN THAT THEIR DEEDS HAVE BEEN DONE IN GOD.”

“THOSE WHO DO WHAT IS TRUE… COME TO THE LIGHT… THEIR DEEDS HAVE BEEN DONE IN GOD.”

A WEEK OR SO AGO I WAS READING AN ARTICLE ON ASTRONOMY; ABOUT HOW ASTRONOMERS HAVE NOW SEEN SIGNS OF THE FIRST LIGHT FROM THE UNIVERSE’S EARLIEST STARS; STARS CREATED SHORTLY AFTER THE BIG BANG.

(BY THE WAY – “SHORTLY AFTER” LIKE MANY THINGS IN ASTRONOMY IS ALL RELATIVE – THESE STARS THEY’VE SEEN WERE LIKELY CREATED 180 MILLION YEARS AFTER THE BIG BANG WHICH ASTRONOMERS BELIEVE HAPPENED 13 – 14 BILLION YEARS AGO.)

IS THAT MIND-BLOWING, OR WHAT?!

BUT, I LOVE THIS QUOTE FROM THE ARTICLE I WAS READING:

“ASTRONOMERS HAVE PICKED UP A RADIO SIGNAL FROM THE MOMENT THE LIGHTS WENT ON IN THE UNIVERSE BILLIONS OF YEARS AGO…”

I LIKE THAT – “THE MOMENT THE LIGHTS WENT ON…”

THE REST OF THE ARTICLE CONTAINED A LOT OF TECHNICAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARK MATTER, AND RADIATION AND HYDROGEN, AND STUFF THAT IS BEYOND MY PAYGRADE.

BUT THE REASON THE ARTICLE CAME TO MIND FOR ME, IN RELATIONSHIP TO THIS MORNING’S PASSAGE, IS THAT IDEA ABOUT “THE MOMENT THE LIGHTS WENT ON;”

AND HOW, IN VERSE 21, JOHN WRITES: “THOSE WHO DO WHAT IS TRUE… COME TO THE LIGHT… THEIR DEEDS HAVE BEEN DONE IN GOD.”

IN OTHER WORDS: DO GOOD… AND THE LIGHT GOES ON… AND WHAT’S DONE IS DONE IN GOD.”

THIS, IT SEEMS TO ME, IS THE OTHER “GOOD NEWS” OF OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING.  YES, JOHN 3:16; AND YES, 3:17; BUT 3:21 ALSO!

BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE MOST OF US LIVE; WHERE WE ARE AS PEOPLE OF FAITH; WHERE FAITH GETS TRANSLATED INTO GOOD WORKS;

AND GOOD WORKS GET SEEN AS BEING – DONE IN GOD.

OR, LIVING LIGHT, AS I’D LIKE TO CALL IT.

NOW LIVING LIGHT, AS I AM TALKING ABOUT IT HERE THIS MORNING, IS NOT A NEW DIET FAD;

NOT SOME SORT OF LOW-CARB, SUGAR FREE, FLOURLESS DIET PLAN.

LIVING LIGHT, THIS MORNING, IS MORE ALONG THE LINES OF THAT EARLIEST OF SUNDAY SCHOOL SONGS WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN:

“THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE, I’M GONNA LET IT SHINE; LET IT SHINE, LET IT SHINE, LET IT SHINE.”

THE SONG, OF COURSE, IS BASED UPON JESUS’ WORDS IN MATTHEW 5:

ABOUT OUR BEING THE “LIGHT OF THE WORLD;” AND HOW A CITY SET ON A HILL CAN’T BE HIDDEN; AND HOW NO ONE LIGHTS A LAMP AND HIDES IT UNDER A BUSHEL BASKET;

AND THEN THIS: “IN THE SAME WAY, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE OTHERS, SO THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS, AND GIVE GLORY TO YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.”

LIVING LIGHT – THAT’S WHAT THIS IS TALKING ABOUT.

AND WHAT I BELIEVE JOHN 3:14-21 IS TALKING ABOUT.

WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD WE WANT TO TAKE GOOD NEWS AND TURN IT INTO BAD?

WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD WE SPEND OUR TIME “CONDEMNING THE WORLD” WHEN CHRIST HIMSELF WOULDN’T EVEN DO IT, RATHER, THAN WORKING, LIKE HIM TO SAVE IT?

WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD WE WASTE EVEN ONE MOMENT ON JUDGEMENT, WHEN WE COULD SPEND THAT MOMENT HELPING?

WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD WE SPEND ANOTHER MINUTE IN DARKNESS, WHEN WE CAN SPEND A LIFETIME IN THE LIGHT?  BEING THE LIGHT!  LIVING LIGHT!

KAREN WAS READING SOMETHING BY MADELEINE L’ENGLE RECENTLY AND SHARED THIS QUOTE WITH ME WHICH IS QUITE APROPOS TO WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING:

“WE DRAW PEOPLE TO CHRIST NOT BY LOUDLY DISCREDITING WHAT THEY BELIEVE… BUT BY SHOWING THEM A LIGHT SO LOVELY THEY WANT WITH ALL THEIR HEARTS TO KNOW THE SOURCE OF IT.”

ROBERT FULGHUM, WHO MOST OF US KNOW AS THE AUTHOR OF ALL I EVER NEEDED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN, VISITED AN INSTITUTE DEDICATED TO RECONCILING TURKS AND GREEKS ON THE ISLAND OF CRETE.

AT THE END OF HIS VISIT, HE ASKED ALEXANDROS PAPANDEROS, A LAY THEOLOGIAN AND LEADER THERE: WHAT THE PURPOSE OF LIFE WAS.

LAUGHTER FOLLOWED, AS THOSE PRESENT THOUGHT THIS WAS A SILLY QUESTION.  PEOPLE STARTED TO GET UP FROM THEIR SEATS TO GO HOME.

PAPANDEROS LOOKED AT FULGHUM FOR A LONG TIME.  HE TOOK THE QUESTION SERIOUSLY AND INDICATED THAT HE WOULD GIVE AN ANSWER.

AFTER A WHILE, PAPANDEROS TOOK FROM HIS WALLET A SMALL ROUND MIRROR, ABOUT THE SIZE OF A QUARTER.

HE SAID, “I WAS A SMALL CHILD DURING THE WAR.  ONE DAY, ON THE ROAD I FOUND A BROKEN MIRROR AND I KEPT THE LARGEST PIECE, THIS ONE.  I BEGAN TO PLAY WITH IT AND I BECAME FASCINATED WITH IT.

I NOTICED THAT IT COULD REFLECT LIGHT INTO DARK PLACES WHERE THE SUN WOULD NEVER SHINE, DEEP HOLES, CREVICES, DARK CLOSETS.

I KEPT THE LITTLE MIRROR, AND AS A MAN, I GREW TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WAS NOT JUST A CHILD’S GAME BUT A METAPHOR FOR WHAT I COULD DO WITH MY LIFE; NAMELY THAT I AM A FRAGMENT OF A MIRROR WHOSE WHOLE DESIGN I DO NOT KNOW.

WITH WHAT I HAVE, I CAN REFLECT LIGHT – TRUTH, UNDERSTANDING, MEANING, KNOWLEDGE – INTO THE BLACK PLACES IN PEOPLE’S HEARTS AND CHANGE SOME THINGS IN SOME PEOPLE.

PERHAPS OTHERS MAY SEE AND DO LIKEWISE.  THIS IS WHAT I DO.” HE SAID.

OUR LIGHT SHINES WHEN WE ARE THE BEST ME WE CAN BE!

I WONDER, HOW MANY TIMES A DAY, A WEEK MAYBE, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT GOD’S LIGHT INTO THE LIVES OF OTHERS?

HOW MANY CHANCES ARE PRESENTED TO US TO “LET THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE SHINE,” SO THAT OTHERS MAY SEE GOD?

HOW OFTEN MIGHT WE BE THAT “MOMENT WHEN THE LIGHTS GO ON” FOR SOMEONE ELSE, THAT SETS THEM ON A NEW PATH; IN A NEW AND BETTER DIRECTION?

YOU SEE, SOMETIMES OUR FAITH (AND GOOD WORKS) IS ABOUT LETTING OUR LIGHTS SHINE;

BUT SOMETIMES, IT IS ABOUT HELPING OTHERS SHINE; AND SEEING GOD IN THEM.

THIS, EXCEEDINGLY GOOD NEWS, IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD FOSTER ALWAYS, IN EVERYONE.

NO MORE WASTING OUR TIME ON THE DARKNESS; IN THE DARKNESS;

NO MORE CONDEMNATION – BUT HELPING;

NO MORE CRITICIZING, COMPLAINING, OR CONTRARINESS;

INSTEAD: LIGHT; AND GOOD NEWS; GREAT NEWS, IN FACT;

AND SHINING; AND SHARING; AND SAVING; AND HELPING;

LIVING LIGHT – THAT’S WHAT WE CAN BE FOR OURSELVES, AND FOR OTHERS, ENABLING THEM TO SHINE TOO!

JUST THINK – WERE WE ALL TO SHINE OUR BRIGHTEST –

THE FUTURE’D BE SO BRIGHT, WE’D HAVE TO WEAR SHADES.