Scripture Passage

John 3:1-17

Sermon Text

God’s Ultimate Plan

Indeed God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. What a beautiful message. What a good message God sent the son not to condemn the world, but to save the world. We should always keep these words in our minds. As Jonathan has shared, we have to continuously remind ourselves that God did not send the Son to condemn it, but to save it, These words, show why Jesus came to this world. These show gospel plan for the world God’s plan is not to condemn it, but god’s ultimate plan is how can I save this world? The famous passage that we all know, John 3:16 expresses very clearly for God. So loved the world that he gave his only son. So that everyone who believes in him may not perish, but have eternal life. God does not want us to perish, but to have eternal life.

Suffering from COVID-19

These days, the world, the whole world is trembling with fear because of coronavirus. Italy closed all their schools last as of last Wednesday until March 15, but no parent believes that the schools can be open again on March 16, though. Not only that as you see in the picture, but all the famous tourist areas in Italy are also like ghost towers. All the restaurants are empty and people who depended on tourism for a living are suffering quite a bit. Not only them but economically, financially. A lot of people are suffering. Some airplanes are bankrupted. One veteran who drives a horse, drawn carriage, says the coronavirus is spreading too much alarm among the tourists and we are suffering. My wife doesn’t work and I have two children. Now we are eating so much of, lot of pasta because pasta doesn’t cost that much. he was saying that, to the reporter of global mail yesterday, New York City, declared a state of emergency.

Fear is running our lives

So the whole world is filled with fear and trembling. Of course, we have to be careful. I don’t know how many times I sing happy birthday every day. About maybe 40 times when I wash it happy birthday to you, happy birthday. You know what? That long you have to wash your hands, right? So I do that every time. And I try to not touch my face as much as possible that people say that we human beings generally Everage touch our face, told two to 3000 times a day. So we have to make a habit of not touching your face. I mean, we have to be careful, not just far, Sally’s special. You guys you’re young. So when you have a coronavirus, probably little, a bit of symptom of flu and all that, you may be okay, but you may spread to other people or sick or vulnerable or old. That’s why we are being very careful. That’s why we have canceled and delayed a few important events because we want to be responsible. We want to responsibly deal with this situation, but it is not, but it is not good to be consumed with fear. Jesus came not to condemn the world, but to save the world. We have to remember that People live with fear. I see so much fear around us, around me or even with me, but around me, I see so much fear. Fear is running their lives. They’re worried about their unknown future.

Road to a victorious life

The fear that they’re well-established life, maybe disrupted. They feel anxious about their unpredictable circumstances. I mean, they try to hide it and try to think that they’re courageous and whatever on the surface, and then religiously, whatever. But deep inside there is tremendous fear. And people live that fear. My friend, overcoming fear, even though it is difficult, overcoming is the road to a victorious life. When we are able to overcome our fear, then we can experience victory in life. Not many people can do that. Many people’s lives are taken hostage to fear among the fear. Probably the biggest fear is a fear of death. Fear spreads faster than the virus.

Power of the Spirit

Can you just shoot us the way to overcome the fear of death through his resurrection? But overcoming fear is not something that I can do by myself, or you cannot make a resolution. Okay. From now on. I’m not gonna, be scared. You can’t do that just because you want to do it just because of your resolve to do it. You made them your mind to do it. Overcoming fear is not something that you can do it on your own. Only the spirit can give us the courage to overcome fear. This is what Saint Paul said for all, who are led by the spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Spirit gives us the courage to overcome our fear. It’s not something that I can do it. We don’t have that kind of strength. That’s what happened to this, person Nicodemus. When Jesus said to Nicodemus, you have to be born again. He meant that you have to go through the fundamental change to overcome your own fear. He said you have to be born of the spirit. Otherwise, you cannot experience that change. That is what it means to be born again, born of the spirit.

Overcoming Fear

This changed, you cannot make it alone. I mean, you could Nicodemus was a very successful man. Cream of the crop, probably not even 1% of that society. Point one percent of society, very high position, very religious person, the elite of the elite. He wasn’t able to make all kinds of changes for himself. He was able to do that successfully in, but Jesus wanted the spirit to take him further, to become courageous, to overcome fear. Nicodemus comes out again in chapter seven, three times in John, he comes out in all our other gospels. He doesn’t appear, but in John three times, he comes out. The second time is chapter seven of John. Let me read a scene for you. And you, you see what kind of change you could Nicodemas when through then the temple police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees who asked them, why did you not arrest him? Meaning Jesus, the police answered. Never has anyone spoken like this. Then the Pharisees replied. Surely you have not been deceived to have you have any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him. But this crowd, which does not know the law, there are cursed and Nicodemus who had gone to Jesus before.

Experience the Power to live

Who was one of them asked our Lord. That’s not judged people with our first, giving them a hearing to find out what they’re doing does it. They replied surely you’re not also from galilee or your search. And you will see the no profit is to re-arise from Galilee. This was what happened at Sanhedrin. Sanhedrin was the highest court, all the religious people, all of the judges, all the famous and intelligent people. They came to the cream of the crop of all came to San Hedron and then they all hated Jesus. They all said that Jesus is cursed. One should be living indoor. Doors should follow him. Very scary environment. They were ready to condemn Jesus. And this Nicodemus only one voice. He stood up and said, our law does not judge people. We doll first, give them, giving them a hearing to find out what they’re doing. Does it, that’s courageous. He couldn’t lose his face, his job, his career, everything. But he stood up and spoke boldly the truth. Then people are attacked him saying, surely you are not also from Galilee. Are you? They ridiculed him when we read this passage when didn’t it, when did Nicodemus come to see Jesus, Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, John three to Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. Why did he come by night? Because he did not want to be seen. Did not want to be seen by who very people have sent Hedron. If they see me meeting Jesus, they will penalize me. So he came by night because he was scared to be seen. And in chapter seven in front of the very people, he stood up and spoke. That’s courage. That’s what it means to be born. Again. He overcame his own fear and spoke the truth. That’s what it means to be born again, overcoming fear. When we overcome, we can overcome our own fear. We can live. Victoriously when we overcome our fear we’ll experience, true peace, joy, and the power to live. Do you know why you don’t have joy? You know why you don’t have peace because there’s fear. Fear is controlling you. That’s why you cannot experience this beautiful emotion that you’re supposed to live with, because of our fear, our life becomes very dark and gloomy. Every moment becomes very dark and gloomy.

Time for Love to shine

John proclaims boldly, everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. We will not perish. We have eternal life as John, not the gospel of John, but Jonathan, as Jonathan shared with us eternal life, we live with the hope of eternal life. And this hope gives us courage. Not because I want to have it not because I decide to have it, but when have this hoop over the tunnel life again, courage comes up from within when we are filled with this hope, our every moment comes alive. When we overcome our fear, somehow the darkness disappears the other day. One of our Congress members, the other week I asked him to meet me and we had, so he had a cough. And then she, she told me, you know, these days, I don’t want to hear the news. He’s so negative. Everything’s so negative. And I concurred with her. We are bombarded with this negative spirit around us, then a loving worm and kind spirit, but very cynical, doubtful, and critical. We are just surrounded by this negativity around. We can’t take it anymore. We need some peace. That’s why she wanted to see me. So we had a talk. We had a good talk. When you keep doing that, your life can be very dark. I told my care, some members, you know what these stairs are. This care, some elderly people, 70, 80 years old, they watch too much YouTube. Oh my goodness. Oh, the false information. They sit down in the, on YouTube, everything. I mean, it’s all in Korean. So they, they can get, and then a lot of it is a negative message about life, about everything. So I, today I told her, don’t watch it, watch it drama. Rather. That’s better or read the Bible. It’s time to think about love. It’s time to think of good things. Not, all the negative things in life For God. So loved the world. That’s what the scripture says to us. For God so loved the world.

Open the Door in your life

We need to hear this kind of message. God loves all of you. Hold onto that. Laugh and live your life. With that love. Fear will not run your life. Fear will go away and hope confidence, joy, peace. These things will fill your heart. Don’t just wait for these things. Discipline yourselves thinking is a discipline. If you just let it be. If freely goes everywhere, you need to discipline your thoughts. Discipline what to think. Every moment, every day, this plan to meditate on. God loves you. The door will open in your life. Your life will become brightened. Your shine and your light will enlighten others. You know, people living with darkness make other people, dark people, living with negative criticism, hurt others. People living with anger, make others angry. People filled with light will make the world. Bright people filled with mercy will make the world warm. People filled with gentleness will make the world peaceful. That’s what we need. Especially in this day and age, especially under the threat of the virus. We need to keep this message within us.