John 3:17-21 Light Exposing a Condemned World

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Light Exposing a Condemned World

John 3:17-21

Introduction: Our text is the conclusion of a narrative that began in 2:23. Therefore, I think it important that we first take a big picture view of how the whole message connects together. The text from 2:23 is a complete section, and we need to see John’s purpose.

1. The Setting of the Text
   1. Let’s keep in mind John’s purpose in the midst of the culture of the day. John 20:30-31 gives the purpose of, “that you may believe,” or “that you may continue to believe.” The book would have been written in a time that persecution was becoming severe, which would cause many to wonder whether Jesus was truly the Son of God, the Messiah and King. In First John, John was writing to Christians and followed the same purpose of “that you may believe.” John is the last of the apostles to write. All of his letters date from about 68–90 AD. This was the period in which both persecution and false teachers were deeply affecting the churches. Therefore, each of John’s writings were faith building and faith affirming, and we need to see his Gospel from that point of view.
   2. When we look at this section of John, we should be aware that John is explaining and defending the crucifixion of Jesus and the reason he came. Verses 14-15 explain his “lifting up” just like the serpent on the pole in the wilderness. John is explaining what the Jews and the world would have understood as the defeat of Jesus on the cross. That is the most natural interpretation of the cross and the reason Paul said that the cross was a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. The world of that day would have had a good laugh when Christians proclaimed a crucified man as the King. But the purpose of the cross was to save a condemned world. The cross was not a defeat, but a victory.
   3. We have examined the details of this text to the point that it is easy to miss the flow of John’s message. Therefore, let’s connect the entire text from 2:23–3:21.
      1. Jesus was “in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast…” When John references a festival of the Jews he expects his readers to see a corresponding “sign” or message that the following text will illustrate. Here, John is presenting a peculiarity. The city is teeming with people who have come to celebrate God’s deliverance of Israel from bondage, but who will not see that the Passover Feast itself was a sign of a greater deliverance. The ultimate Passover Lamb was in their midst. He had come to offer himself for their deliverance. But as they celebrated the nation’s deliverance from Egypt, they will reject the one who has come to give them true deliverance.
         We have often done the same: 
         1. Which of us when we were baptized recognized that the death and burial picture to which we were submitting was illustrating our commitment to die for him from this point on? 
         2. Or when we partake of the Supper, when have we realized that as we visualize our Savior on the cross, we are to commit our lives to that same death every day? 
         3. And when we pray, are we recognizing that these moments of conversation with our Father are looking forward to an eternity of a deep relationship sitting on the throne with our Lord? 
         4. In other words, every “outward work” God has commanded has a deeper significance, a “sign” if you will, of God’s intended transformation and eternal purpose.
      2. “Many believed…but Jesus did not entrust himself to them…” In these words of Jesus, John is reminding us that being amazed at Jesus, even believing that he is from God and is clearly doing great signs, is not a disciple or true believer.
      3. “Now there was a man of the Pharisees…” Note the connection to 2:25. Jesus did not need anyone to “bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. Now there was a man…” Nicodemus is an illustration of a man who believed, but had not yet qualified as a true believer and disciple.
      4. “No one can do these signs unless God is with him.” There is a problem with this conclusion. Yes, you saw the “evidence” of God being with Jesus, but did you see the “signs?” These signs have the greater message of getting a glimpse of the glory of Jesus. Jesus is the source of the transformation foretold by Ezekiel. The power of cleansing and the power of transformation can only come from God, and he is in your midst.
      5. “Born again” (from above)… Truly believing requires transformation, a transformation that must be generated from God.
      6. “How can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” The earthly things refer to the power of cleansing and transformation. The heavenly things refer to the Son of Man (Daniel’s vision) descending from heaven to be lifted up like the serpent in the wilderness that whoever believes will have eternal life.
      7. “For God loved the world in this way…” Just as God loved his people in the wilderness so much that even when they sinned and rebelled, he extended mercy through a bronze serpent on a pole, so now he extends his ultimate love by lifting up his only Son so the world would not perish but have eternal life.
      8. “God did not send his Son to condemn the world…” God’s intent has never been to condemn but to save. Therefore, whoever does not believe, is condemned already.
      9. “Whoever does what is true comes to the light…clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” These are the true believers, the ones to whom Jesus will entrust himself. All others are condemned.
2. The Message of Our Text
   1. The importance of the message of verses 17-18 cannot be overstated. Why did God send his Son into the world? The world at that time and the world of our day has completely misunderstood. To justify themselves we hear them say, “Jesus loves everyone. Jesus wouldn’t condemn his own creation.” Well, okay, but what you do not realize is, you and everyone else are already condemned. 
      1. We must communicate that to every single person who takes a breath is under condemnation. It doesn’t matter how much or how little sin that we have committed, you and I are condemned. We all have the same disease and there is only one cure. You cannot escape condemnation by being a “good” person or doing some good works. You have sinned. I have sinned. And the only way we can escape condemnation from our sin is Jesus.
      2. If you went to the doctor and he gave his diagnosis that you have six weeks to live, can you imagine how foolish it would be to accuse him of condemning you to death? And even when the doctor told you that he had a cure, you stomped out of the office and told everyone how condemning your doctor is and that he is the reason you are going to die. 
      3. But so it is. When we try to explain the cure, people will blame us and God for their own condemnation.
   2. Verse 18: What a wonderful statement: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned.” We were already condemned before Jesus came, but if we will believe in him, we are not condemned. Are you feeling that?
   3. Verse 19: “And this is the judgment…” This is a transition from the word “perish” (16), and implies a day of judgment. But God sending his Son (vs. 19) becomes the definitive justification for judgment. In other words, who other than yourself, can be blamed if you reject the cure? The world was already condemned, but God is justified in the condemnation when man rejects the cure.
   4. Verses 19-20 give us an explanation of why a person would not come to Christ. On the surface, it would seem impossible that condemned people would reject the cure to their sin. No one in their right mind would reject the cure to terminal cancer if it were discovered. So why would a person reject Jesus, the cure to eternal condemnation? Jesus gives two answers: 
      1. People love darkness rather than light because they love the wicked things they do. They love it! There is great pleasure in it. It feels good. It is odd how many times we hear of shootings and other such crimes in which people’s lives are affected, and the response is, “Why did he do that? What is the reason? What caused him to hurt those people? The answer is he loved darkness, he loved doing wicked things. He loves it!
      2. These same people hate the light because it exposes their wicked deeds. Wicked deeds can stand more easily in the presence of a world who believes everyone has a right to make their own decision concerning morality. But the light exposes the depth of darkness in wicked deeds. Light brings shame and guilt. 
      3. However, we need to also see the positive side. God loves people enough to shine the light on their sin. Since the light exposes their sin, God is giving the sinner an opportunity to see themselves as they really are and begin the process of being wooed by God.
      4. Consider also, it is not just Jesus who brings the light and exposes darkness. In Ephesians 5:11, Paul said, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” This is exactly why the Jews killed Jesus and it is why the prophets and the apostles were persecuted and killed. Therefore, our own persecution is a direct result of exposing darkness. If we do not expose wicked deeds, whether morally or religiously, we will escape persecution. Paul made this point in Galatians 6:12, “It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.” 
3. How Should This Text Affect Us?
   1. Verse 18 gives us a significant challenge to making a decision. We are already condemned. Jesus is the cure. If we come to him we are not condemned. If we don’t, we are condemned because we rejected the only cure to our condemnation. That’s it! There is no other discussion that is needed. It is a simple either/or decision. So what is the problem? The problem is making the decision. Decisions are much easier when we are forced to decide. When there is no pressure, when making a decision does not seem to be urgent, we tend to put it out of our minds. If we asked the average person if they feel condemned, I’m sure the answer would be “no.” Thus there is no urgency or even need to make a decision.
   2. Therefore, we first need to understand our own need to made a decision, and we need to understand the urgency of making the decision. You might think that because you have been baptized that you have made a decision. But we must remember the context of this passage. Nicodemus also believed he had made a decision. He was a rabbi in Israel, not only a doer of the Law but a teacher of the Law, and Nicodemus was not saved. He still had to make a decision. What decision? The decision to be born again. Jesus has equated trusting in him as being born again – a complete change in yourself as a person. 
   3. That means you have changed your priorities and passions of what you truly invest yourself in. As Jesus said, “You are losing your life for his sake,” and you are not trying to “save your life.” Remember what Ezekiel 36:27 said about this rebirth? “I will put my Spirit in you and cause you to be careful to obey my rules.” 
   4. Isn’t it sad that we were pressed on being baptized because if we weren’t baptized we would be lost? Of course, it is a true statement to a degree. Peter commanded that we repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. But what we were not taught was that our baptism symbolized the words of Jesus: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matt. 16:24-25). Therefore, that is the decision that must be made, and the question is, have you made that decision and followed through with it?
   5. The challenge of sharing the gospel. There are three primary messages:
      1. Every person is under condemnation, and it cannot be escaped by being a good person. Therefore, we must know that everyone deserves a chance to hear the gospel and escape condemnation. 
      2. We cannot simply acknowledge that we believe in Jesus like Nicodemus did. Nicodemus and many of the Jews believed based on the signs Jesus did. But they were still under condemnation because they would not follow Jesus in the way he required. 
      3. We also have to communicate the urgency in seeking to know what Jesus expects and the urgency of making a decision. You can’t just put it out of your mind or pretend it will just go away. Death is coming and so is Jesus. This has eternal consequences.
   6. Verse 21 As we have mentioned before, one of John’s primary themes has been to differentiate between true and partial believers. This has been the overriding message of this text. Chapter 2:23 began with those who believed. Nicodemus was an example of those who believed. But Jesus did not trust in their belief (2:24) and gave a scathing rebuke to Nicodemus and the Jews in 3:11, “Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony.” 
   7. Now in 2:21, Jesus defines the true believer. The true believer makes a decision and comes to the light. He doesn’t hide on the dark side. He wants it to be clearly seen and known that he is doing what God has asked him to do. He makes a clear and visible stand. Those are interesting words seeing that Nicodemus “came by night.” 
   8. Please consider those final words, “…clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” There are a lot of people in this world who do good things. They are charitable and kind. But those same people are not necessarily doing those works for the purpose that people would know they are honoring God. That is quite evident when in the midst of their charity and kindness they affirm the works of darkness. Paul said, in Romans 1:32, “Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” It has been shocking to see celebrities and other public figures affirm gay marriage, gender identity, and even teaching young children such things that would have been considered child abuse years ago.

Berry Kercheville