John 3:16

 

“God so loved the world.”     (Bible -John 3.16)

This profound statement goes beyond God loving the creation – it was created very good and I often wonder at the detail of nature.

     God loves the people of this world ( not their systems of government or religion). He loves each one as a person made by Himself for connection with Himself.

     His great love motivated Him to send from heaven His own Son into the world to become the Saviour, - by sacrifice. Born as a son of Mary, His name on earth was Jesus (Yeshua – which means – The LORD the Saviour).

 

God’s caring love seeks to change all people into believers in His Son (His divine representative).

 

God’s foreseeing love changes the destination of believers from perishing to eternal life in heaven. Eternal life is much more than duration. Jesus explained it as knowing, in relationship, God the Father. To be born from above into the family of God. To have joyful worship, not to gain acceptance, but because of acceptance with God  through grace (undeserved favour).

 

This is the kind of love that comes from the LORD God!

 

We all are unworthy of God’s love, but God’s purpose of love has overcome the impasse of our guilt – Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again.

We are unable to rise to the call of God’s holiness, but He sees the believer as ‘in Christ’, born again, clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ .

We can never be good enough to enter the gate of paradise, but God has made a way – Redemption by the blood of the Lamb of God.

This is true love.

 

Not family love that depends on genetics.

Not unconditional love that leaves me unchanged.

Not lustful love that seeks personal pleasure.

 

This is divine love. which is seen in actions of grace.

How should I respond:

Repentance of sin and thankfulness for forgiveness from the risen Lord Jesus.

Surrender to the purposes of love changing me

Live in the confidence of God’s unfailing love.

Rejoice to be connected to God, as to a very loving Father.

 

“Keep yourselves in the love of God”     (Jude 21)

 

“Nothing can separate us from God’s love……….”.  (Romans 8)

 

“If you will confess with your mouth Jesus as LORD, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”  ( Romans 10.9 )

 

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him, will not perish but have eternal life. “  (John 3:16)

Goals

 

The goal of people without Christ:

Success – achievement by self effort

Silver and gold  - riches beyond necessity

Supremacy – power over others

Satisfaction  - personal pleasure

 

The goal of believers in Jesus Christ as Lord:

Surrender – choosing to yield to God’s will

Service – helping others in focus

Sympathy – stooping down to lift others in need

Sacrifice – personal abdication for the glory of God

Sovereignty – all things for the honour of Jesus Christ

 

For those claiming to follow Jesus Christ, the first list is the flesh in control. The second is when the Holy Spirit is in control.

johnmckee@internode.on.net

Rich?

 

Opportunity

 

The greatest opportunity of the year 2026

 

‘To know God, and to know Him more’

 

    “We know the Son of God has come

      And HE has given us understanding,

       So that we can know the true God”

                1 John 5:20

 

In nature we perceive an intelligent creator

 In Torah we learn about a relational YHWH (LORD)

   In Psalms we experience the mercies of God

    In Prophecies God unveils His providential care and         judgements.

But in Jesus we know the true God

-      Father relationship

-      Character of holiness and love

-      Love overflowing in grace to the unworthy

 

As we are in Jesus Christ the Lord by faith, so we continue to learn the unveilings of God the Father – in relationship, His sovereign interactions and interruptions, His eternal purpose to gather all things together in Christ.

A God who knows all, yet chooses to love.

A God who gives, pre-eminently in the sacrifice of His Son.

A God who destines believers to eternal glory.

 

So in 2026, the believer in the LORD Jesus Christ has security, identity, and value .

 

“We are in His Son, Jesus Christ.

He is the only true God

And He is eternal life”

1 John 5:20

Conversion experience

 

Title of Jesus

 

Prince of peace

What a beautiful title for our glorious LORD

Yesterday I was listening in person to Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, Christians, groping around for peace at a rally here. Jesus Christ as the true source of peace was largely left out- definitely not honoured as He should be.

True peace begins with, peace with God, which then enables peace with others.

Peace with God is only possible through God’s Son, Jesus Christ the LORD. God stepped  into time and spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all. Jesus a sacrifice sufficient to take away the offence of our sin, so that we can now know we have we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 3-5)

 

Primarily, the Holy Spirit is converting  hearts to trust and obey the Prince of peace (Jesus).

Secondly by the cross of Christ He is achieving peace between Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2)..

The nations have some peace when Jesus is given His rightful place – usually by godly leaders (like Queen Elizabeth11). Real peace upon the earth will happen when Jesus returns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Revelation 19). Before Jesus left earth, He promised many times that He would return in power and great glory.

His coming will incur final judgement on all unbelievers.

His coming will vindicate Himself and all who trust and love Him.

His coming will bring peace that will endure .

 

Peace was lost by the disobedience of Adam.

Peace can only be restored by the obedience of Christ

 ( see Romans 5)

And so as we focus on the shame of a ‘cross’, we can discover God at work, so that ‘He is our peace’

 

By the blood of the Lamb, He achieves our peace with God.

By the strength of the Lamb strife will be removed from the earth and true peace will reign.

Until He is given His true honour, peace will elude the sons of Adam.

 

Peace perfect peace

in this  dark world of sin

The blood of Jesus

 whispers peace within.

Father

 

Everlasting Father – Father of Eternity

A father is the origin and provider and protector.

Hebrews 1 puts it very clearly:

“The Son, He is appointed heir of all things, through whom He made the worlds – the ages.

Who being the brightness of God’s glory, the exact expression of God’s person , now upholds all things by the word of His power……”

 

………..enough to inspire worship, but there is more…..

“when He had by Himself made purification for our sins,

He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High.

 

Past eternity – He was foreordained as the Lamb of redemption (1 Peter 1:20)

Present era – He is the way back to the Father (John 14.6)

Future eternity – He will be the forever object of praise (Revelation 5)

Does this title conflict with “God the Father”?   - No   - It rather confirms the words of the Lord Jesus himself:

“He that hath seen Me, has seen the Father.”

”I and my father are one”  -- the character of the Father is so completely expressed in the teaching, words and actions of the Son, Jesus, well He could say “I and My Father are ONE”

 

I am so glad that the ages of the ages are in HIS care – when He will gather together in one , all things in Christ  (Ephesians 1.10)