John 3:14-21 (NRSV)
Read John 3:14-21 on biblegateway.com
Verse 14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, Verse 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. Verse 16"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Verse 17"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. Verse 18Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. Verse 19And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. Verse 20For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. Verse 21But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God."
Devotion
The gospel reading for this week can be divided into
two key parts, verses 14-16 and verses 17-21—the first
with its familiar "John 3:16" often overshadowing and
stealing our attention away from the equally important
second. Today, in part one, Jesus tells Nicodemus that
the surprising irony of the serpent lifted up in the
wilderness—that through an agent and sign of death
God's salvation is being worked—is a prelude to the
story of Jesus' journey to the cross. And then comes
this amazing answer to the perennial human question
"Why?"— answered in John 3:16! Because God "so loved,"
that's why.
Furthermore, this way of the John 3:16 love, which
inspires faith in us, is no accident. "So must the Son
of Man be lifted up" (14). It is about a divine necessity.
Because of God's deep love it had to be this way. Two
times this love is repeated (15, 16)—so as to inspire that
faith and trust that has the power to snatch us out of
death into life.
Prayer
God of love and mercy, may the power of your love for
us in Christ Jesus inspire us to believe and trust that you
desire nothing more than your children being rescued
from death, and walking in the new life that is ours in
Jesus our Risen Lord. Amen.