We are continuing are study today in the book of John, the third chapter. Before we talk at all, I would like us to read that now. John 3:5-15. As I read this portion of scripture, two things jumped out at me that I would like to share with you today. As I sat writing my sermon and preparing for today, I was really excited because I see thing things in this passage that are big issues in my life today.
I don’t know if these things are close to your heart at all but I hope this somehow help your walk today and in the future.
The first thing I would like to share with you is…
Jesus is here explaining to Nicodemus that God wants him to have eternal life. He wants Nicodemus to know that there is a way to the Father and that the way is available to him.
As we all know, this is not a new concept to see in the bible. The story is spelled out for us from the first chapter of Genesis to the last chapter of Revelation. From the creation of man to the coming of our Lord, God’s beautiful plan is what this chapter in John is all about. The salvation of sinful man!
1 Timothy 2 says, God wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
It is a happy thought that He (GOD) wants us with Him forever! What I see as a nice added bonus about all of this is that it is no longer a mystery. If we look, we can see the plan of God spelled out for us in His word.
Ephesians 1:3-10
I look at this as such a blessing, to be informed! God wants more for us then just a mouse maze existents. We could have only known there was cheese if we take a curtain route and if we start going to wrong way, we get shocked. It kind of fits with some peoples image of God as someone who will throw down bolts of lightning if we mess up to much. But this is not how it is at all. We have been giving the map of the area and now we just need to choose. One thing I think this illustrates very nicely in my next thing I saw in these verses.
God’s spiritual plan involved a very important part that we could miss if we don’t pay attention. The physical man in his physical life!
The plan or map is not meant to be used in salvation, but it is directions leading unto salvation.
Sometimes, we get so caught up thinking about the different aspects of the cheese that we take our eyes off the road, we turn down a wrong trail or we don’t even look at the map anymore.
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
I have physical eyes! If I cannot stop my physical eyes looking at women and lusting after them, I will never see the beauty of God’s creation in each and every one of them.
Satins Tool – Distraction! We get ahead of ourselves thinking about spiritual things and getting into deep spiritual debates when we, like babies, cannot physically stand on our own. I know none of us like to think of ourselves like babies but we need to ask ourselves objectively if we need to be moving on to bigger and better things. Have we gotten down the concept of walking or are we trying to jump ahead of ourselves by explaining philosophy?
Not saying the debated issues are not important, but if we cannot stand unwaveringly on what we know to be undeniable truth, we will never understand the complexities of God’s wonderful plan.
I do not know about you all, but I, for one, need to get back to the basic Christianity of living for God each and every single day. As it says in Matthew, I need to get back to loving my God with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind! I need to get back to loving my God for who He is, I need to love Him with who I am, and I need to love Him in what I do!
For who He is, with who I am, in what I do! Let us love God today, tomorrow and forever!