John 3:17

I went to Church last night after an exausting day at work. I did get to sleep a couple of hours before church though. That did help a lot.

Anyway, we got to church and during the worship service, my sweet Pastor asked me if had a message I could preach. He assured me it was o.k. if I couldn't, but I know that he doesn't do that unless the LORD leads him to. So I said, "alright".

Having no message actually "prepared", I began praying. I was still a bit out of sync and sleepy. You know how it is when you're really tired, and only sleep for about 1-2 hours; you are a bit refreshed, but still a little out of it.

Usually when the LORD appoints nights like this, this is the condition I am in. The LORD is faithful to set up a situation where I must rely on HIM alone!

So, as the service progressed, the LORD showed me a few things. Then, right when it came time to start, a visitor walked in. A precious little lady who visits us from time to time.

I knew the LORD was going somewhere. It's one thing to come down and teach on a level that everyone can understand, but another thing entirely to teach a word that the person NEEDS. Only God can do this, because only He knows what we need.

The LORD led me to John 3:16,17. The LORD impressed me to deliver this point, and share this with you today.

We all focus on John 3:16, for it is a powerful verse. But, in my personal experience, I can not recall ever, not even once, hearing someone preach on the next verse, John 3:17. This is equally important.

"For God so loved the world

that he gave His only begotten Son

that whosoever beliveth in Him should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

For God sent not His son into the world to condemn the world,

but that the world might be saved through Him."

John 3:16,17

Isn't that powerful?!

Someone needs to know that, Jesus' job is not to CONDEMN YOU! So many times, when we stumble, we fall, let's be plain - we sin, we have the idea that God is there just waiting to take us out!

THIS IS NOT TRUE!!!! God is waiting to reveal His great name of Salvation to us!

Jesus purposed to save the world, not condemn us. We are born condemned! Jesus didn't have to come to Earth, bleed, suffer and die to condemn us, we already were condemned! No, He came to save us.

We are condemned when we reject His Blood! Jesus is saying to us here, "I didn't come to make you feel worthless, helpless and forsaken! I didn't come to sentence you to judgement- you already are! I came to redeem you!"

What Love divine! We only need to be afraid of the LORD if we are stubbornly refusing to repent! If we are in continual sin, with no desire to change- we have good reason to fear God, for we are maintaining our state of condemnation and rejecting His precious Blood.

But if all we are asking is for fresh blood, so that we may be reconciled back to Him after our choices, that's PRECISELY WHY God sent His son into the world! Come freely, humbly but boldly.

Did He not tell us to Come unto Him, all who labor, and are heavy laden?

Amen, let's keep that in mind as we progress in our walk with Him! He is not come to condemn us, but to save us!

Hallelujah, God bless you!

Lift up His name today!