Sermon
The Purpose For Christ's Coming
October 7-8, 2000
Pastor Donald Sheley

Let's take our Bibles, and we're in John chapter 3. We have spent a number of Sundays on the great text of the Bible - For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Now today we move to the next set of verses in this beautiful Gospel. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.

The verse we want to concentrate on it is that verse 17; For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. I'd like for you to take your Bible just for a moment because there's a setting, there's an event, that takes place in the ministry of Christ that I think sets the foundation for our thoughts today. And it's found in Luke's Gospel, Luke chapter 9, if you'd like to turn there with me. Luke 9, beginning to read 51, and if you're using the pew Bible it's page 698 in the bread pew Bible. It's an event that takes place in the life and the ministry of Christ, and He really makes it clear that He came not to destroy but He came to save. Verse 51 says, Now it came to pass. I'm in Luke chapter 9. It came to pass when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, and send messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?" But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." And they went to another village.

Now that's an interesting story. You say, why didn't those folks of Samaria welcome Jesus as He was making His journey south? Let me tell you. It's just a little bit of history. Palestine is a little nation 120 miles in length and quite narrow, that some points, 60 to 70 miles. From ancient past that little piece of land, that little piece of real estate, has been divided into three sections. The top section around the Sea of Galilee was known as Galilee. You have the Sea of Galilee and then there's the Jordan River down through the middle, and now here's the Dead Sea, and in the bottom part where Jerusalem and Bethlehem are that was known as Judea. In the center of this little piece of land is what is known as Samaria. And Samaritans did not like Jewish people, and the Jewish people did not like the Samaritans. And I'll tell you why. 720 years before Christ the Assyrians came in from the east, ransacked that part of Palestine, and it was normal in those days they would take all the inhabitants back to their land as slaves. They would bring people from other lands and transplant them into the now occupied land that they've taken over. That way they control that land. Well, immediately, they brought in all of these foreigners and they did leave some people, some Jewish people, there in that part of the land. And those Jewish people intermarried into these other races, and as a result now they're impure people. And that's something Jewish people have highly protected. They want purity in their race so they marry, generation after generation, Jewish people with Jewish people.

Well, now they're impure and so the Jewish people want nothing to do them. Then in about the year of 450 Nehemiah returns from Babylon and he's going to rebuild the Jerusalem walls and the Samaritan people up here in Samaria want to come down and help, but he doesn't want those impure people building on the wall. So he said no, and here again the anger and the hatred increases. 200 years later, a couple hundred years before Christ, someone from Jerusalem goes up and ransacks the temple in Samaria and now hatred is ramped. In fact, Josephus tells us that many people who made their way, in that they wanted to come through Samaria, oft times the Samaritans would kill them as they were making their way to Jerusalem. And the way you went from Judea into Galilee is you left Jerusalem, went down the windy road through Jericho, crossed the Jordan River, went up the east side past Samaria, then crossed over and now you were in Galilee. That route took six days, but if you went straight from Jerusalem through Samaria and into Galilee you could do it into three days. And Jesus chose on His way to Jerusalem to come back through Samaria. That's why they didn't want Him. His heart, and His mind, and His mission was to go to Jerusalem and the Samaritan people said, no, He can't stay here. And this was the anger of the disciples responding and Jesus said, just a minute. You've got to understand this. I didn't come to destroy. I came to save.

Now that takes us to our notes. In the closing words of Jesus to His disciples just before going to the Cross, He said: I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. Peter preached in Acts, Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. John 10, Then Jesus said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture. Paul writes to the Ephesians, But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the entity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were far off, and to them that are nigh. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; In whom ye also are builted together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

So throughout the New Testament it is filled with verses that confirm our text today. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Now always remember that in the Scriptures there is a historic background to reasons why we have certain statements made. This gives us an explanation. As the Jews saw it, the Messiah at His coming would condemn the heathen. The day of Jehovah would mean punishment for the nations which had oppressed Israel, but not for Israel. That is, judgment was not going to before Israel it was going to be for everybody else. Now this misinterpretation of prophecy had been censored most severely by Amos, the prophet, when he wrote: Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! To what end is it for you? The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. If a man flees from a lion, and a bear met him, and he went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? Even very dark, and no brightness and it? And so even though this ancient prophet had warned Israel that the day of the Lord would include them, and it would be a day of darkness and not light, yet, even in the days of Christ, it was still believed by the Jews that judgment was only for non-Jews. That was their concept.

Now you understand why John takes the words of Jesus, He didn't come to condemn, He came to save. Paul made it very clear that all men, Jews and Gentiles alike, were included in God's judgment upon sin. Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest; for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them that do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitence heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, to the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, and honor, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: for there is no respect of persons with God.

Now you understand why frequently Paul and other writers throw in that phrase, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentiles. The inclusion of all, that God deals with every man without impartiality. And so, Verse 17 of John 3, the message is clear. God's redemptive purpose is not confined to the Jews but embraces the world (men and women from every tribe and nation, considered as a unity), and that the primary object of Christ's first coming was not to condemn but to save. Now it's true that the verb which was translated, to condemn from, has a very wide meaning in the original. One word to discriminate. This is an interesting thing, as you watch words over the years develop in meaning. What it's simply saying here is condemn has also grown to mean also judging and deciding, and so now John uses the thought of judgment to bring out God's loving purpose, and once again he employs the device of following a negative statement with the corresponding positive statement. God did not send the Son into the world, he tells us, in order to judge it. Elsewhere however, he tells us that Jesus did come into the world for judgment. Now the resolution of the paradox demands that we see salvation has necessarily implying judgment. The very fact of salvation for all who believe implies judgment for all who do not believe. There is only two places mentioned in Scripture for the eternal habitation of the soul, either heaven or hell. And so let, again, the very fact of salvation for all who believe implies a judgment for all who do not believe. Now this is a solemn reality, and John does not want us to escape it. Judgment is a recognized theme in contemporary Jewish thought. We've gone over that. But it's the judgment of God, and it's thought of as taking place at the Last Day. But John modifies both these thoughts. And he does, it's true, He speaks of judging sometimes in a normal Jewish way. Such as, in John 8:50, I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. It's quite another matter when he says that God has committed all judgment to Christ. John 5:22, Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself. And has given Him authority to judge because He is the Son of man. And he continues in verse 28: Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice, and come out-those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. But myself I can do nothing: I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please Myself but Him who sent Me.

Later John writes: Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in Me, he does not believe in Me only, but in the One who sent Me. When he looks at Me, he sees the One who sent Me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should stay in darkness. As for the person who hears My words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. Now there is a judge for one who rejects Me and does not accept My words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of My own accord, but the Father who sent Me commanded Me to say and how to say it. And I know that His commands lead to eternal life. So whenever I say is just what the Father has told Me to say. The next point in this whole matter of judgment; how men and women will fare in the judgment depends on their relation to Christ.

Back to the front page. And this is the condemnation. Excuse me, the second verse. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already. So what I'm saying is how we fare on judgment's day is what we've done with Jesus. What's been our reaction to Christ. Now back to our notes, page 4. I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned, but he has crossed over from death to life. So how we fare on that judgment day is how we've responded to Jesus Christ. If we've excepted Him, the condemnation is gone. If we've rejected Him, we'll stand there condemned for all of eternity. That's very clear from Scripture. As the cross looms large Jesus can even speak of the world as judged. And Jesus was speaking to His disciples in the closing hours just before going to the cross, He says: Now My heart is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour? No, no, it was for this very reason that I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name. Then a voice came from heaven, I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again. The crowd that was there heard it and said that it had thundered, and others said an angel had spoken to Him. Jesus said, This voice was for your benefit, not Mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself. He said this to show the kind of death He was going to die.

Page 5. Clearly John sees the whole traditional doctrine of judgment as radically modified in the light of the incarnation. It's the life, and especially the death of Jesus which has its effect on judgment. So far we've referred to future judgment, the judgment of the last day. But this is not all of John's teaching. He sees judgment as a present reality. And again, he who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already. John sees judgment and the reality of judgment in the present and in the here and now. Any person who may be sitting in this auditorium and have rejected Jesus Christ, the Bible says you're condemned. And that's a present reality. That's not a future state. It will become a future state, but John moves it into the present. Look at what he says, What men and women are doing now determines what will happen when they stand before Christ on judgment's day. John sees the vision: Then I saw a great white thrown and Him who sat on it. Earth and the sky fled from His presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and the books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. And anyone's name not found written in the Book of Life, was thrown into the lake of fire.

Psalm 62:12, and that you, O Lord, are loving. Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done. Jeremiah 17:10, I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve. Matthew 16:27, For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. 2 Corinthians 5:10, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 1 Peter 1:17, Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. Why? Because the way we live now will determine the reaction that will come from the judgment thrown. Revelation 22:12, Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. 1 Corinthians says that we are God's building and according to the grace of God, which was given to me as a wise builder, I have laid the foundation. And Paul tells us if we build with hay, wood, and stubble, the day of fire will reveal the quality of life we lived. Some of us will only be saved as by fire, but the day of rewards, and the day of reckoning does come. And so again, please let me say, what men and women are doing now determines what will happen when they stand before Christ on judgment's day!

Now John said something, it says that he believed not in the name of the only begotten Son of God. What does that mean? Go with me down to the bottom of page 7 in our notes. I have to hurry, my time is gone. John says that a man stands condemned, or men stand condemned, because they have not believed in name of the Son of God. Now what is the name? The name is Jesus. And what does Jesus mean? The answer to that question is found in the words of the angel to Joseph when the name was originally given to his parents before Jesus' birth. The angel said, "You are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save his people from their sins." I'm at page 8. The first two letters of the name are the first two letters of the great Old Testament name for God. Jehovah. The remaining letters are from the word for "save" or "salvation." Thus, the whole name means "Jehovah saves" or "Jehovah will save." Now it follows then that when John says men are condemned because they have not believed on the name of the one and only Son of God, he means they are condemned because they will not have the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. They reject the atoning work of Christ on the cross for their sins, and they refuse to admit their personal need of a Savior.

I note it in our notes. This is the hardest thing for people to do. You can talk to people about many aspects of religion. Most people say they believe in a God. Most people think that God has a purpose for their life. There's much about religion that most people will agree, but I mean if you want a reaction start talking to them about sin and start talking to them about their need for a Savior, and here's where you get rebellion. Now John writes, and this is the condemnation, but light has come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light. Here's John's thought, the very presence of Christ is a condemning factor. We find that to be true. Isn't it true when you walk into the presence of someone who you know is a man or a person of holiness, just by being in their presence you feel condemned. Old Socrates had a follower and one day his follower said to him, Socrates, I hate you. I hate you because every time I'm in your presence you make me see what I am. And the reason why people do not like Jesus Christ is because when they come into His presence in the light of His glory and His holiness, they see themselves for everything they are. That's what John says. His very presence is the condemnation. And he goes on to say, everyone practicing evil hates light. That's true. Everyone who's cheating on their income taxes don't want ever to see the IRS. That's true. I mean, you don't want your deeds exposed, and what John is simply saying is the reason why we turn against Christ is because in His presence He reveals us for all that we are. We're sinners undone and we need salvation. We're under condemnation without His grace. That's John's whole point. Jesus said, My words will take care of the matter of condemnation at the judgment. So why did He come? He came to save, but in His coming His very glory and His holiness condemns us all. He's perfect. We're imperfect. He's holy. We're not. So the man, John says, who wants to walk in light comes into the light and lets the life of Christ change him and then his deeds become worthy of the light.

Lord Jesus, Your Word never leaves us to equivocate or to question the terms of our relationship to You. We either accept You or we reject You. We either sit in this auditorium this morning justified by faith, or we sit here condemned because we walk in darkness. There's no alternative to those two positions. And my prayer is today that every person here will accept You Lord Jesus as Savior, trust You, and in faith follow You. Every head is bowed and every eye is closed. If you're here today and you question as to what will happen to you on day when you stand in the presence of God for judgment, you need not fear that day. If you put your trust in Christ, you'll be welcomed into His eternal presence. So it's imperative where you stand with Jesus as to how you'll fare in the judgment. Maybe you're here today and you just say, Pastor, or God, I raise my hand to You and I'm saying, God, I want to make sure that on that judgment's day I stand there justified in Your sight. I want Jesus Christ as my Savior. I do not reject Jesus. I accept Him with all of my heart. If that's your decision today, just raise your hand to God. He'll see it. Father in heaven You've observed the scene. You know the hearts. You know our desire. We all want to, on that eternal day, hear Your words, well done. That's our desire, O Jesus, it's in Your name we pray, and everybody said, amen. God bless you.