Football Jesus

"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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him"

JOHN 3:16-17

What does Jesus have to do with football?   There must be a connection because there always seems to be someone in the stadium holding up a JOHN 3:16 sign.   Maybe he's just God's #1 fan?!

written by Nancy Gleeson

Perhaps he is on fire for God so much that he wants to share the gospel rather than cheer for a team.  He probably considers the outcome of the game to be less important than the outcome of each spectator's life.  He wants to shout out to the world that because of Jesus, no one must perish!

For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son.  It is the desires of our heart that only He can fulfill.  With His presence, we experience what is solely from God.  And, He unites us to each other more powerfully than any winning team.  Our victory is in Christ!

God's Riches at Christ's Expense

Leviticus 16:15-22

            Scripture tells us that daily sacrifices and offerings were not enough to satisfy the wrath of God. Atonement for a year’s worth of sin needed a scapegoat to carry the wrongdoing far into the wilderness.  

"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."

John 3:16

            For much of my life, I had a basic understanding of religion and had little trouble believing there was a God.  I just didn’t get the Jesus part.  It was obvious that a divine power was at work and there was, of course, a system of right and wrong.  Christians appeared to be people who shared something, but since my family had stopped attending church, I felt excluded and uninvited.

            As a parent, I resumed church attendance because there needed to be baptisms and confirmations.  I worshiped and served.  I joined bible studies and it wasn’t until I studied scripture that I had my epiphany.  God solved our problem with sin!  That is the importance of Jesus!  But I wondered, "Why did God do that?"  He mustn't realize that the biggest motivator for good behavior is to please Him and avoid damnation. Little did I know that the significance of Jesus and God's grace could make people WANT to behave well.

written by Nancy Gleeson

            Fast forward to Sunday mornings at UALC.  With music and worship, I am uplifted in awestruck emotion filled with God’s love.  Jesus has taken the punishment and God has set me free!  No longer am I burdened by guilt or shame from past or present sin, done or left undone.  I am His to serve this world in ways that only true freedom from sin can inspire.   My spirit has been made new like a butterfly leaving its cocoon.  I now understand what God has done.

Christ is the atonement for all sin

 and our scapegoat.  Amen.

 

Why, God? Why?

 

READ: Ezekiel 20:8-13, 30-36

As a young man, I had great difficulty reconciling the God who sacrificed his only son for the sins of the world with the God who judged his chosen people through exile, slavery, rape, and execution. I much preferred the former and oft asked of the latter, “Why, God? Why?”

Why did you hand the people you created over to such cruelty and suffering? Would you do the same to me or to the people I love?

I thought he would, and perhaps justifiably so. 1 Peter 3:12 says, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 

I have done evil by breaking God’s commandments, as have my loved ones, as had God’s chosen people. In fact, Romans 3:12 says, “All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

Do we then deserve to be spared from the evil of others if we ourselves do not do good?

Perhaps, then, we should question not the God who judges, but the God who shows mercy.

Did God not drown the world in the time of Noah? Burn to ashes the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? Has he not reserved the present heavens and earth for destruction by fire? (2 Peter 2:4-6, 3:10-11)

Why, then, should Jesus come into the world that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life? (John 3:16)

Because we’re sorry? Because we repented? Because we’re going to try harder and do better?

No. The Lord says, “But for the sake of my name …” (Ezekiel 20:9)

The name (or reputation) of God. That’s why the Israelites were delivered from slavery in Egypt, that’s why they were returned from exile in Babylon, and that’s why Christ died for the sins of the world. Because God’s name is synonymous with love, mercy, and grace.

In Ephesians 2:4-5, Paul puts it like this: “Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

It depends!

What would I give to save the life of a family member?  My retirement nest egg?  My house?  My life? 

What if the life needing saving were not a family member, but a friend?  Would I dip into my savings account?  Start a fund to which others could contribute?  Donate bone marrow or a kidney, even? 

So, what would I give if this person were merely an acquaintance?  Maybe I’d spare a little something from my checking account?  Contribute toward their medical bills? 

And if it were a complete stranger, the one who asked for help, what would I give?  Just enough to assuage my conscience, perhaps, in case the request was legit?  Nothing at all? 

But what if the someone in dire straits were that one person who had only showed me disrespect, contempt and antagonism my entire life?  Would my response be anything other than, “It serves him right!” or “She’s getting her due”? 

That’s the way our sinful selves are wired.  If we love and how much we love – they both hinge on others’ closeness to us and their behavior toward us.  So even our mercy is self-centered and conditional!  Sad, but true. 

But that’s not God!  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.¹  His “whosoever” invitation reaches out even to those farthest away from him. And our behavior is no prerequisite to his mercy!  But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.² 

Christ crucified is God’s ultimate expression of love for us, the undeserving.  Now, that is love.  It is the love by which we were saved.  It is the love in which we are called to serve others.  No matter who. 

Today. 

¹ John 3:16
² Romans 5:8

How do we talk about Jesus in a world that does not know him?

John 3: 13-21

John 3:16 is one of the most well-known verses in the bible, even to those who do not claim to be Christ followers. The true meaning and impact of this incredible proclamation however is missed by most, and written off as just a bunch of words. OMG! Just the most significant words ever communicated, EVER!

The “Journey” (Bible for seeking God and understanding life), describes John 3:16; “This one sentence contains the greatest message, from the greatest source, describing the greatest love, demonstrated by the greatest sacrifice ever given. It contains important words for everyone, especially those who think they have to “be religious” go get God’s approval.

How do we get through to the world? In what way do we approach those who do not understand the heart of our God? What can we say or do to make an impact?

         LIVE              LOVE                REACH

Many look to accomplishments to lead them to fulfillment or spiritual security. Jesus says to us, just as he did to Nicodemus in John 6-7; “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, you must be born again.”

When those not of Christ hear the term “born again” it scares them off. They feel as though they must suddenly submit to something foreign and scary, abruptly transforming into some sort of saintly being far beyond their capability. The truth is, it is a journey not a moment. Learning about the Lord, and submitting to His word can take a lifetime. Our faith, love, and trust in God evolves over time. We can help that truth be known through the way we approach our own life and relationships with others.

God looks to His people to be a model of Jesus, to LIVE honestly with passion, and thrive to be all we can be for his kingdom. He directs us to LOVE sincerely as He loves. Patiently walking alongside of and taking baby steps with those in this world who do not know Jesus is how we REACH others, never abandoning or giving up on them just as God has promised never to leave us.

Read/Listen to John 3:13-21