Focus on the Cross of Christ!

4th Sunday in Lent, 3/14/21 John 3:14-21 Focus on the Cross of Christ! I. The supreme evidence of God’s love for all people II. The critical judgment for all people Even if you’re convinced that Christianity is on the decline in our country, you still see the most recognized symbol of Christianity almost everywhere you go. Whether you’re driving on city streets or country roads, you don’t have to travel far before you see a Christian church and it will almost always display a cross. That cross by design is also front and center inside most of those churches, just as it is here. What’s more, I’m going to guess you have crosses displayed on the walls of your home. And you might possess and wear a cross as jewelry. Crosses are often the unfortunate markers of fatal accidents on our nation’s highways. As I stated, you see crosses almost everywhere you go. In fact, we “see” them so often that we might hardly notice them. It’s only when they are displayed in a place you wouldn’t expect or in a way that’s new and creative that they catch our eyes and attention. But rather than pondering how often and where you see crosses on a daily basis, today I’d like you to consider what that cross means to you. When you see a cross, what’s your reaction, if there’s any reaction at all? Is it merely a momentary visual? Is there any mental process that accompanies it? If the cross is the greatest symbol of your faith, do you internalize anything when you see one? I hope those questions have caused you to think about the cross of Jesus and what it means to you, because that cross is the subject of our Lord’s words to us this morning in John 3. He spoke these words to a man named Nicodemus who wanted to know more about Jesus. And even though Jesus never used the word “cross” in this conversation, his cross is really at the heart and center of it. And, again this morning, Jesus points your attention to it. So, let’s focus on it. Focus on the cross of Christ. Jesus will draw your attention to two aspects of it—aspects which might at first seem to be at odds with each other. Part I. It’s a common teaching method, especially with children, to move from the known to the unknown. The skilled teacher uses what her student already knows about a particular subject in order to build on it. That method of learning engages the child, motivating her to follow her teacher on this mental journey. Being the master teacher that he was, Jesus used that very method with this man, Nicodemus. He referred to the incident we heard about moments ago in today’s first lesson from Numbers 21. Imagine Nicodemus making the mental journey back about 1400 years to the time when his ancestors were bitten by poisonous snakes and would have died in the desert if God had not intervened using a bronze snake attached to a pole. Nicodemus would recall that his ancestors had rebelled against God. They failed to recall how good and gracious he had been to them. He literally had provided for them miraculously every day. And here they were rebelling against him. He had every right to crush them, but instead, he saved them. Listen as Jesus moves from the known to the unknown. “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” He doesn’t use the word “cross,” but all of us know that’s what he’s pointing Nicodemus to. Jesus would be lifted up on a cross. What do you see in that cross? I see God’s mercy. As Jesus would go on to explain, God gave his one and only Son. He gave that Son in place of a world full of sinners. The astounding truth of our salvation is that God did not punish sinners for their countless acts of rebellion against him; and that’s what every sin is—rebellion. Instead, he punished his Son. He did that so that we could live with him. Now what would cause God not to punish us as we deserve? His mercy. The cross is a symbol of God’s mercy. Do you realize how astounding that is? Think about it. To whom do you tend to give presents to? People who love you and treat you well, right? The co-worker who is prone to making your life at work harder doesn’t even receive a birthday card from you, right? Of course not! We are loving and generous to people who treat us with love and generosity. We wouldn’t consider doing anything beneficial for a person who treats us like dirt. But God did. God does! How astounding! But that still leaves us asking what would motivate God to do such a thing. And Jesus lets us know in one of the most familiar passages in the Bible. “God so loved the world.” God’s love for others didn’t leave a single person out. The circle of God’s love encompasses every single human being. As sinful as some people are, as sinful as we are, as sinful as every person is, they are and will always be objects of God’s love. That’s what caused God to send his Son to this world. That’s what caused God to sacrifice his Son for all sinners, every one of whom is guilty of rebelling against him. That love is incomprehensible love. But that’s God’s love for you, his love for the world of sinful humanity. That love centers on the cross of Christ. Focus on the cross of Christ—the supreme evidence of God’s love for all people. When you think of your God, what’s your dominant impression of him? Is it that he demands more of you than you can give him? That you can’t live up to his standards so you try not to think about them? Or, that he’s OK, but not all that special? That he’s important in your life, but he has to realize that you only have so much time or energy to give him? Or, that at times you resent the fact that he demands first place in your heart and life? If any of those are even remotely true about you, then you’re looking at your relationship with your God from the wrong perspective; backwards, even. Jesus didn’t tell Nicodemus, “God so loved to see what he could get out of the world.” Jesus stated, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son.” God’s not in this relationship with you to see what he can get out of you. He’s in it to see what he can give you. And what he wants you to have are forgiveness of sins, life right now as his child by faith in Jesus, and eternal life in heaven. And those three amazing gifts which we can’t buy with all the money in the world cost him everything—his Son. He sacrificed him for you. Now tell me, does anyone love you like your God does? Every time you see a cross, that’s the symbol of God’s love for you. Part II. Perhaps you’re aware that Jesus is noted for saying some difficult things. For instance, he stated, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother…he cannot be my disciple” (Lk. 14:25). That’s a difficult saying of Jesus. He stated something difficult here in his discussion with Nicodemus. Did you catch it? Listen again to these words, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” Whoever does not believe stands condemned already. Really? Indeed. But how can Jesus say that? Because sin condemns us…to hell. The punishment for a single sin is death in hell. That sounds harsh, but that’s the fact. Jesus states here that the person who lives without faith in Jesus as their Savior from sin lives under God’s condemnation. Only by faith in Jesus is that condemnation removed. By faith in Jesus, you live under God’s gracious acquittal, not condemnation. Jesus has freed you from the condemnation for your sins. And in doing so, he has also set you free for something. Listen to Jesus explain it, “But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” He has set you free for living by the truth of God’s word. Not only that, but he gives you the power and motivation to do it. It’s his astounding love for sinners that caused him to sacrifice himself. That’s a love that is simply out of this world. If only we could witness people living in that love every day of our lives! But that doesn’t happen. Not even close. Instead, this is what we see far too often, “Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.” People love their self-imposed spiritual darkness. The corollary to that truth—and this is going to sound harsh—is that they hate Christ. There’s no middle ground when it comes to Christ. It’s either salvation or condemnation. Jesus urges us to focus on his cross because his cross is the critical judgment for all people. We rejoice over the cross of Christ. But, as Jesus stated, some don’t. Too many don’t. But don’t let your reaction be a simple shrug of the shoulders. It’s one of the main reasons we’ve gathered together as a congregation of Christian people—to share the love of Christ with people who don’t know it. Yes, God so loved the world. But the majority of people in it don’t know it. It’s up to us to share that love. Focus on the cross of Christ. As you do, draw others to do the same! Amen.