Sermons
April 10th, 2011 by Pastor Solley041011AM God’s Very Best
Sub. God’s gift of Jesus Christ
Theme: God gave His very best in man’s salvation
Text: John 3:14-17
“God’s Very Best” John 3:14-17
IntroductionThis will be the third message in as many weeks using John 3:16 as a text. There is no clearer presentation of the gospel message found anyplace else in the Bible. John 3 begins with a lost sinner seeking Jesus Christ, gives us the Biblical plan of salvation, and ends with God’s simple statement about everlasting life and eternal judgment for those who refuse to come to Christ.
I. And everything in this chapter is built upon one precious verse: John 3:16 These are perhaps the greatest 25 words in the Bible. Over the past two weeks the Spirit of God has given light concerning the love and salvation of God.
A. We fist looked at the love of God as seen in john 3:16: John 3:16 And we took note of these five things.
1. Here we find the reason God loves: God loves because love is the nature of God. 1 John 4:8 tells us “God is love.”
2. Here we find the designation of God’s love, the world: The Greek word is “KOS-MOS”, all the world from Beginning to end.
3. Here we find the all inclusiveness of God’s love: Every person ever born or who will ever be born into this world God loves. Because the nature of God is love, because God loves the world, God’s love cannot be withheld from anyone.
4. Here we find the purpose of God loving the world: That purpose is salvation in Jesus Christ.
5. And here we find the invitation of God’s love: The invitation given to whosoever will receive.
B. We then looked at the salvation of God as seen in John 3:16: John 3:16 And we took note of these five things.
1. Here we see who needs God’s salvation: Whosoever, it mans all or everyone. Everyone needs God’s salvation.
2. Here we see who can have God’s salvation: Whosoever, it mans all or everyone. Everyone can have God’s salvation.
3. Here we see what man must do to get God’s salvation: Whosoever believeth in Him, believeth in Jesus Christ. But this is more than believing in your head, it is trusting in Jesus and Jesus alone in your heart for forgiveness of your sin and salvation.
4. Here we see what God’s salvation saves us from: That we should not perish. But this is not the end of existence, to perish is to spend an eternity in hell. God’s salvation saves us from hell.
5. And here we see what God’s salvation saves us to: Everlasting life or eternity in heaven with God and Jesus Christ.
II. This morning from john 3:16 I want to look at who or what God gave in salvation: John 3:16 The Bible tells us that God gave His only begotten Son. I would say as we begin that God have His very best for our salvation. God gave His only begotten Son.
PROP: Let us consider this morning God’s gift in salvation. TS. Let us consider God giving His very best.
Body
I. God’s gift in salvation was and is His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ: John 3:16 His only begotten Son does not mean God’s firstborn or only born Son as some of the cults proclaim taking away the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am my father’s first born son as well as my father’s only born son. But when the words “Only begotten Son” are used in the Bible concerning Jesus Christ the meaning is very different. That phrase is used only 5 times in the Bible and four of those times it is used of Jesus Christ. The only other time those words are used is with Isaac being the promised son of Abraham. And Isaac was not the first born or the only born son of Abraham. But Isaac was the promised son just as Jesus Christ was and is the promised redeemer.
A. The words “Only begotten Son” speak of the nature of Jesus Christ and not the beginning of the one that was given: We can say without hesitation this morning that when God gave His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that God gave Himself. This can become confusing to younger people and the reason it can be confusing to younger people is that it can be confusing to older people unless it is accepted by faith in the Word of God.
1. We serve a triune God, one God in three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, one God in three persons. The word trinity is not found in the Bible but the truth of the trinity is clearly seen. – 1 John 5:7 Here we see the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. Notice the bible does NOT say they think as one, or act as one, but that they ARE one. – 1 John 5:7
2.
2. And the Word is identified for us in John 1: John 1:1-18 The Bible is identifying the Word as Jesus Christ, John the Baptist is speaking of Jesus Christ and of that there can be no doubt. Note verse 18. – John 1:18; 3:16 The Word is Jesus Christ.
3. The trinity is seen throughout the Bible: Matt 3:16-17 We believe in a triune God. One God in three distinct persons.
B. His only begotten Son speaks of the nature of the one given and not His beginning: This is important. God gave of Himself in the salvation of man. – John 1:14-18 Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. God gave His very best in Christ and Christ set nothing aside save the brightness of His glory in coming into this world.
1. All the love of God is given in the Lord Jesus Christ for God gave Himself: All the love of God is in Jesus Christ.
2. All the grace of God is given in the Lord Jesus Christ for God gave Himself: All the grace of God is in Jesus Christ.
3. All the truth of God is given in the Lord Jesus Christ for God gave Himself: All the truth of God is in Jesus Christ.
4. All the mercy of God is given in the Lord Jesus Christ for God gave Himself: All the mercy of God is in Jesus Christ.
5. All the holiness and righteousness of God is given in the Lord Jesus Christ for God gave Himself: All the holiness and righteousness of God is in Jesus Christ.
6. And all the wrath of God is given as well in the Lord Jesus Christ for God gave Himself: All the wrath of God is in Christ.
C. The phrase “Only begotten Son” speaks of the nature of the one given, not His beginning: Again, this phrase found 5 times.
1. In John 1 we find the only begotten Son: John 1:18 Jesus Christ is God in the flesh.
2. In John 3 we find the only Begotten Son: John 3:16, 18
3. In 1 John 4 we find the only begotten Son: 1 John 4:9
4. In Heb 11 we find the only begotten son: Hebrews 11:17 This is the only place the word son is not spelled with a capital letter because this is not Jesus. But this in no way takes away from the Lord Jesus Christ.
a. Isaac was not the only or firstborn son of Abraham but he was the promised son.
b. And Jesus Christ is the promised redeemer, the only begotten Son of God.
D. This is not an earthly thing or idea: John 3:12 But it is the truth of the Word of God. In giving His only begotten Son God gave Himself in the salvation of man.
II. But in other times and in other places God gave others to help men in need: Would you say that man lost in sin is man in need? There is no greater need than that of salvation. Man lost in sin is man in need.
A. There were men in need at other times and in other places that God sent others to help: God did send help and that help was sufficient in time of need but God sent less than Himself.
1. When Moses claimed he was unable to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt God gave Him Aaron: Ex 4:12-17 And Aaron was a help to Moses but God sent less than Himself to stand beside Moses.
2. When Elijah needed food God sent the ravens to feed the prophet: 1 Kings 17:1-6 And the ravens did feed Elijah, were a help to him in time of need but God sent less than Himself to feed Elijah.
3. When Daniel was in the lions den God sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions: Dan 6:18-22 And the angel did shut the mouths of the lions and Daniel was spared but God sent less than himself to shut the mouths of the lions.
4. When Peter was about to be put to death God sent an angel to open the cell door: Acts 12:1-7 The angel did come and did open the door and Peter was delivered but God sent less than Himself.
B. My point is that God has used a verity of means and methods to help men in need: God gave Moses another man to help him, Elijah ravens to feed him, Daniel and Peter angels to protect and deliver them. God can use anything anytime.
III. But in the work of salvation God gave His very best, God gave His only begotten Son: The reason being that nothing but the best God has to offer could deliver man from eternal damnation. God gave His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ for you and me because nothing but the very best God had to offer would be acceptable in the work of salvation.
A. As we think along these lines we see why God had to give His only begotten Son: The other means and methods that God used to deliver man in need would not work in salvation.
3.
1. There was and is no mortal man that could make the sacrifice for the sin of man: The reason being that each man is born in sin just like every other. – Rom 3:10-12, 23; 5:12 And so no man could make the sacrifice for sin.
a. In the Bible there is nothing negative said about Enoch, Joseph, or Daniel. As far as I know there is nothing negative said about those three men. But none of them could pay the price and make the sacrifice for the sin of man.
b. The reason being that they were all born in sin in need of a savior just like all men are. So there has been no man able to make the sacrifice and pay the price for the sins of men.
2. An animal would not be enough in the work of salvation: Hebrews 9:13-14; Hebrews 10:3-4 Thousands of sacrifices were brought for hundreds of years but not one of them was able to take away the sin of man.
a. Two perfect lambs were sacrificed at the altar of the tabernacle and the temple everyday. One in the morning and one in the evening but they did not take away the sin of man.
b. The reason being that an animal does not have an eternal spirit. An animal has a body and soul but no spirit and it is the spirit that is dead in sin towards God that needs to be quickened.
c. All of those lambs, bullocks, and goats could never take away the sin of man. They served as a covering in faith but could never take away the sin of man.
3. Not even an angel could pay the price for man’s sin: 1 Pet 1:9-12 The reason the angels desire to look into salvation and not to receive salvation is because salvation is not for the angels.
a. There will be and there are angels in heaven. But not because they have been born again but because they did not leave their first estate, did not follow in the rebellion of Satan but stayed faithful to the God that created them.
b. There will be angels in hell, fallen angels. But not because they refused God’s salvation but because it has never been offered to them. The fallen angels did leave their first estate, did follow Satan, and will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire with Satan.
c. No angel could make the sacrifice for man’s sin because salvation is not for the angels.
4. None of the other ways that God delivered man in need would work in salvation:
B. So God did send His very best, God sent of Himself, God sent the Lord Jesus Christ: John 3:16 And when God the Father sent his only begotten Son into the world everything changed. He is the incorporable Christ.
1. No man has ever been born into this world as Jesus Christ was: An earthly mother but no earthly father. – Isaiah 7:14 Because Jesus is not the son of a man He was born apart from the sin nature. Jesus is sinless.
2. No man ever lived the life that Jesus Christ lived: Not only apart from the sin nature but apart from sin. – 2 Corinthians 5:21 Until He went to the cross and our sin was laid upon him Jesus never experienced sin as we know it.
3. No man ever died the death that Jesus Christ died: John 10:17-18; John 19:10-11, 30
4. And Jesus Christ did it all for you and me:
C. When God the Father sent His only begotten Son into the word He sent his very best: And He did that for you and me.
IV. And God is going to send His best a second time: John 3:16; John 14:1-3 And I make the connection between John 3 and John 14 this way; that Jesus would not die to give us eternal life only to leave us in this world, Jesus is coming again.
A. Much is being said about the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ today: And indeed we are drawing ever closer to our blessed hope. But let me add here that even though the signs of the times indicate the nearness of his Second Coming, no man knows the day or the hour of His sure return. We should never set a date for that is not revealed to us in the Bible.
1. We should not be consumed with trying to set a date for His return: Acts 1:6-7
2. It is enough to know that He is coming again: That is our comfort and our hope.
B. But God is sending again his very best for the Christian in this world:
1. God sent a man to help Moses: But no mortal man is coming to take us out of this world.
2. God sent an animal to help Elijah: But no animal is coming to take us out of this world.
3. God sent an angel to free Peter and protect Daniel: But no angel is coming to take us out of this world.
C. This same Jesus is coming to take the Christian out of this world: Acts 1:9-11 And how we wait with great anticipation for that glorious day. Are you looking for Jesus today? Think of what it will be like to meet Jesus in the air.
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D. God is going to send His very best a second time for you and me:
V. Would it be then too much to ask for you and me to give our best to Him? That is the question that I am going to leave with you this morning; would it be too much to ask for you and me to give our best to him when He has given His best to us?
A. Judging from the condition of the church today the answer must be yes: Rev 3:14-17 Does that sound like a church giving its best to Jesus Christ?
1. Yet that is the church just before the return of the Lord Jesus Christ:
2. It is a church that God cannot possible be pleased with:
B. Judging for the condition of the professing Christian today it must be too much to ask for us to give our best to Jesus Christ: I say that because the church is made up of the Christian. If the church is weak then the Christian must be weak.
1. How much time did you spend in the Bible last week? How much time allowing God to speak to you through His Word? Did you give God your best in spending time in His Word? – Psalm 1:2; 1 Timothy 4:15
2. How much time did you spend in prayer? Not just prayer in passing but real time in heartfelt prayer before God? Did you give God your best in prayer? – Luke 6:12
3. How was your walk in the holiness of the Word of God? Did you give God your best. – Matthew 5:16 – How many were drawn closer to Jesus Christ because of your actions last week? Did you give God your best.
4. How was your witness to the lost? Did you give God your best? – 1 Peter 3:15
C. Are you even giving God your best here this morning? As you come into the house of God are you giving God your best?
1. Our attitude in worship determines what we get out of it and what God gets out of us:
2. Some have no desire to be here at all I fear: The body is here but the mind and heart are somewhere else.
D. Why not give God your best? He has given His best for you.
Conclusion
Having looked at the gift of God in John 3:16 what can we say then this morning?
I. God’s gift in salvation was and is His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ: John 3:16 His only begotten Son does not mean God’s firstborn or only born Son as some of the cults proclaim taking away the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am my father’s first born son as well as my father’s only born son. But when the words “Only begotten Son” are used in the Bible concerning Jesus Christ the meaning is very different. That phrase is used only 5 times in the Bible and four of those times it is used of Jesus Christ. The only other time those words are used is with Isaac being the promised son of Abraham. And Isaac was not the first born or the only born son of Abraham. But Isaac was the promised son just as Jesus Christ was and is the promised redeemer.
II. But in other times and in other places God gave others to help men in need: Would you say that man lost in sin is man in need? There is no greater need than that of salvation. Man lost in sin is man in need.
III. But in the work of salvation God gave His very best, God gave His only begotten Son: The reason being that nothing but the best God has to offer could deliver man from eternal damnation. God gave His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ for you and me because nothing but the very best God had to offer would be acceptable in the work of salvation.
IV. And God is going to send His best a second time: John 3:16; John 14:1-3 And I make the connection between John 3 and John 14 this way; that Jesus would not die to give us eternal life only to leave us in this world, Jesus is coming again.
V. Would it be then too much to ask for you and me to give our best to Him? That is the question that I am going to leave with you this morning; would it be too much to ask for you and me to give our best to him when He has given His best to us?