Henrietta lived a long life. She grew old and was blessed with a sound mind throughout her life. She got to enjoy having a large family. What that she greatly cherished and sought to spend much time with. Some of us will hopefully get to be as fortunate. Most of us will not. For some death will come suddenly and out of nowhere. We can by no means count on living a long full life as Henrietta did. It is therefore important to make the most out of each day. For we never do know when a day will be our last; or the last of a loved one. God tells us in His Bible that we are to seek Him will it is still the day. If you knew Henrietta you know that she cared most about being a Christian. That all of her loved ones would be Christians and grow as Christians as well. So, let’s seek after God while we still can.
I’d like to read a few short passages for us today.
John 3:16 – 17 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes into him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”
John 10:10 “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it in abundance.”
Romans 8:9 “You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.”
Galatians 5:22-24 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
Many of us have heard John 3:16 hundreds and maybe even thousands of times in our lives. How often do we really think about what that message is? Have we truly meditated upon them and understood what they mean? We’ve included verse 17 today. Often people like to stop after verse 16. I feel that it is important to include verse 17 as well. Verse 17 finishes the thought and message in verse 16. Verse 17 includes a key element, an element that non-Christians often do not understand. So let’s break them down together.
“For God so loved the world” God loved the world. God still loves the world. He created the world and everything in it. So yes, He loves that which he created! He loved the world before Jesus came, at the time of Jesus, and still loves the world today. It may seem simple, but so many people don’t honestly buy it. Many people don’t believe that God loved the world during the time of the Old Testament. Many people see the sin in the broken world that they live in today and question. How can there be a loving God? God created it all. Would he not love His creation? Would He not love His creation then, now, and always? Yes! Yes he would and does! It is in the very nature of who He is!
We will get into that a little bit more. But first let us continue on the verse at hand. “That He gave Gis one and only Son”. God only has one Son. He chose to use His one and only Son to fulfill His plan and promises. All of you parents out there: How important are your children to you? If you have more than one think back to when you only had one. How important was that one and only child to you? Was there anything more important? “His one and only Son”, tells us just how serious God is here.
“That whoever believes into him” I ask that all of you concentrate on two very important words in that line. Two words that are often glanced over and misunderstood. BELIEVE INTO. Not BELIEF OF. Not heard of. Not comprehend. BELIEVE INTO. I believe these two words are two of the most important words in the entire Bible. Most of you probably use a Bible that uses a word other than into. Well, hear is the exact definition of that Greek according to the Strong’s Concordance: “eis (a preposition) – properly, into (unto) – literally, “motion into which” implying penetration (“unto,” “union”) to a particular purpose or result.” There we can see that the proper word is INTO. Satan fights VERY hard to deceive people in this verse. He would love to get you to read “believe into” as if it said something else. We read this in James “You believe that there is one God. That’s fine! Even the demons believe that and tremble with fear.” Demons even have a “belief of” God. Having a “belief of” Jesus Christ isn’t what He is asking of us. Simply hearing about the message of the Bible isn’t cutting it. Being able to figure out what the Bible is saying isn’t cutting it either. Believing of Jesus with a mere head knowledge of what the Bible says, and then doing your best to implement practices based upon what it says, is not cutting it either. This is where the Pharisees were at. Jesus warns us about the Pharisees numerous times in the Bible. He warns us over and over about how they have head knowledge, but don’t have it in their heart.
Now I realize that nobody says that they believe “of” Jesus. It is when you talk to people and hear about what they think “believe in” actually means that you find out. They merely chose to exert mental ascent to facts about God. They have a faith that brings them no life. There is no substance and evidence to their faith. Let’s use a quick real-life example to illustrate the difference between “belief of” and “believe into”. I have a belief of team A. I acknowledge that they exist. I may catch the score of their games. I may watch them play from time to time when it is convenient. I may even desire for them to win from time to time. I might even be fine if they win every game that they don’t play against my favorite team. I don’t attend their games. I don’t buy their merchandise. I don’t truly cheer for them. In summary; I don’t fully buy into team A. I acknowledge their existence. Just as the demons acknowledge God’s existence. I am a well-wisher from time to time. I don’t have a desire for team A in my heart. Meanwhile say I do “believe into” team B. I do buy team B merchandise. I talk about team B to others. I don’t just wish them well from time to time but I desire for them to win every game. In my heart I want to see them win every game. I go to into every game with faith that they can win. I know and support the team. I cheer for them I fully buy in. There is a big difference there; is there not?
Back to our passages at hand. “Shall not perish but have eternal life” All of us are going to physically die from this world. If, however, you believe into Jesus your physical death in this world will not be the end. You will live on. You will spend eternity future with God. Now verse 17 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” This verse tells us why God sent his son into the world. It reminds us that he did so because he loves us. Some people want to view God as being vengeful and hateful. This is just not the case.
Why did Jesus come? So that we may have life and have it abundantly! It says “have” and not “will have”. It is present tense. Oh, how many people that call themselves Christians are hoping that God is going to give them eternal life after they die physically on this earth. That because they have given mental ascent to facts of the Bible, and about Jesus Christ, that God has surely declared them forgiven and will someday give them eternal life. That is not what the Bible actually teaches us. Rather, God gives to his people Life here in the present. The word we translate eternal means eternal in not just time, but also in quality. It is a type of Life to start enjoying as soon as one becomes a Christian. A Life that can be greatly grown into.
Galatians 5:22 – 23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” This is our beautiful definition of the Holy Spirit right here! We have listed the fruit of the Holy Spirit. All trees bear fruits of it’s kind. It only can be of it’s kind. “Against such things there is no law.” This tells us that none of the laws that God has for us go against these things. God’s laws for us can ONLY abide by them. Many people want to believe that God places a bunch of laws and rules on mankind to restrict us? That God is trying to hold people back. That God is being a fun hater. ON THE CONTRARY! Does your earthly father not set rules for you as a child to merely protect you? Rules to keep you safe and help you live a more prosperous life? Is not the same truer of our heavenly father who is perfect?! BUT OF COURSE! Here is what is great.
Today we are not under obligation of the law. No, God ministers His Life INTO His people. The natural outcomes of a such a Life are obedience to God. God’s laws are natural written on the hearts of His people. His Life is obedient to Himself. IF, we have the Holy Spirit inside of us we will be convicted by and guided away from sin; and unto Love. Do any of you see a problem with living your life with the desire to be: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? Can any of you think of a BETTER way to try and live out your life?! All of this can only be truly done by the Holy Spirit. If we don’t have the Holy Spirit and try to manufacture this on our own, we will only show the fruits of the Spirit periodically, and when it’s convenient. It doesn’t overcome trials. If one is living from out of themselves and striving for Holiness their love goes down. If one is living from out of themselves, and striving just to “love” everybody, then righteousness goes out the window. Their (supposed love) gives way to blanket approval of almost anything. They end up with a counterfeit worldly love. The TRUE love of God is first and foremost self-sacrificing. A willful self-sacrificing. It is sacrificially giving of your time, resources, and your very self. We see all this in the Parable of the Good Samaritan.
Now we can bring this full circle and define what it means to “believe into” Jesus Christ. “Believe into” isn’t a mere exercise of giving intellectual ascent. It isn’t having head knowledge of the Bible. It isn’t doing your best to live how the Bible says either. Believing INTO Jesus means that you join in Him in death to self. It means that you die to yourself. That is Biblical repentance. You can’t come to play for team B while you are still playing for team A. Only after there is death to self can one be risen to life with Jesus. Romans 6:3 “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” The believing is one that produces union with Jesus Christ himself! Joined to His Spirit. All of this is for a purpose. The purpose being for Jesus Christ to live out HIS Spiritual LIFE; THROUGH His people! All of this of course being initiated by a work of God; all throughout the journey.
Experiencing the life of Jesus can mean that you end up going on a mission trip. Going on that mission trip may involve many things largely out of your control. You would be going to a country where you don’t speak the language. You will be in a biome you don’t like. Maybe you are afraid of planes. Yet you are trusting God. So, that once the plane takes off, and you are locked into going, you feel the peace of God welling up in your heat. As you press into God during the trip, and all its trials, you feel a love inside you that you don’t naturally possess. A love that you know at least some of the kids you came to minister sense. That one boy tells you that he thinks that God is with you. It means that despite all the sweat, grossness, and poorly developed area that you are in; that you are constantly smiling. You didn’t even realize it, but all the pictures you see later reveal the big smile you couldn’t help but to have.
Friends. That is what it means to have the Eternal Life of Jesus Christ. To experience the Life of Jesus Christ as ministered through the Holy Spirit. That is what Henrietta desires for all of you today. That was her heart and her prayers. That all of you here would be the people of Jesus Christ. Have you ever experienced the life of Jesus Christ? Have you ever truly believed INTO Jesus Christ? Do you have a personal testimony of Jesus Christ? Or have you ever only come to believe OF Jesus Christ? The Bible uses the words believe and faith almost interchangeably. What kind of Faith do you have? Is it the kind that comes from hearing the Living Word of God? The kind that is a gift from God? The kind that is the substance and evidence of things hoped for of things unseen? Or, is it the kind you merely mustered up from within? A faith that is merely giving intellectual ascent to what the Bible says? A faith that does not ever bring about Spiritual Life?
If you do not know Jesus Christ. Don’t come up short. Get some help if you need to. Come up and talk with me later if you need to. I’ll talk with you about genuine salvation, and knowing the Lord for as long as you need help. We can talk together many more times after today. Go talk to somebody else that you sincerely believe to be a Christian. Don’t feel too ashamed to talk with somebody. Don’t tell yourself that everybody things that I’m a Christian already. I can’t admit that I may not be. Friend, if you decide to talk with somebody about this, and that person TRULY is a Christian. They probably already sense that you may not be a Christian. You aren’t likely to surprise them. Furthermore, they would just be glad that you are seeking help on something oh so important. That person would never be-whittle you or anything like that.
Now for those of you that have believed into Jesus Christ already, I ask this. Think about all the people that you know that do not know Jesus Christ; all the ones you suspect don’t truly know Him? Are there some that jump out to you? Is there somebody that really seems to be on your heart?Please reach out to them today, or very soon. For nobody knows when it will be there last day here on this earth. Some will grow old and see death approaching as Henrietta did. Many will not. For many it will be sudden and unexpected.
What do you say? You can start by sharing your personal story. Ask your loved one some very important questions. So, please do what you are called to do. Don’t put off till tomorrow what you are called to do today. Would you like to honor Henrietta? If you need help get it. If you can help, give it. For nobody knows when it will be there last day. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son. So that who so ever shall believe INTO Him shall not perish but HAVE Eternal Life. For God did not come into the world to the world to condemn it, but to save the world through Him.” “You will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with your whole heart.” ……May all of God’s people say…..Amen!