John, Lesson 7


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John Week 7 - John 3:16-21 [English Standard Version] 16"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God." Last week, John 3:1-15 focused on understanding each person must be born again. As the text illustrated, it does not mean that we crawl back inside our mother’s womb, rather it literally means to be born from above, from God. This week, we transition into one of the most commonly quoted verses in all of scripture - John 3:16. This verse is incredibly powerful as it articulates both the purpose and the consequences of the mission of our Savior. A closer look at verse 16 reveals the purpose of Jesus is to love the world. The consequence on the other hand, is that God gave his only son to be crucified on a cross by the ones he came to love. Notice the sentence structure, God so loved - that He gave. The Greek construction behind so loved that he gave his one and only Son emphasizes the intensity of the love, and insists that the consequence really would occur. The words his one and only Son (1:14) stress the greatness of the gift. The Father gave his best, his unique and beloved son (Romans 8:32) as the wonderful gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23) because our God is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4-5). The fact that God gave his only son is tied to both the Son’s incarnation (v.17) and his death (vv. 14-15). Both the incarnation and his death are necessary for us to experience salvation. More than any New Testament writer, John makes it clear that the love of God is not the result of our loveliness but of the truth that ‘God is love’ (1 John 4:16). 3:17-18 Clarifying the purpose John continues to clarify the purpose of the Son of God, the Jesus was sent to an already lost and condemned world. He did not come into a neutral world in order to save some and condemn others; he came into a condemned world in order to save some. In verse 18, John distinguishes between the one who believes and is therefore not condemned, and the one who simply does not believe. God’s purpose in the mission of Jesus was to bring salvation to the world which He created to be in fellowship with Him, and salvation only comes through the name of His Son, Jesus. 3:19-21 The Verdict of Light and Darkness Light has come into the world; with the incarnation of the Word (John 1:14), the light shone in the darkness(1:4-5) even more brightly than at the creation. Jesus, the revelation of God and the objectification of divine holiness and brilliant purity, is the light of the world. But men loved darkness instead of light: they preferred to live without such knowledge of God because their deeds were evil. Unwilling to live by truth, they valued their pride more than their integrity, their © 2010 Park Community Church. All rights reserved. Download more small group studies online at parkcommunitychurch.org/smallgroupstudies

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prejudice more than contrite faith, and refused to come to the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. The verb used to define ‘exposed’ not only encompasses the act of being found out, but includes shame and conviction. The lover of light does not live with a self-righteous arrogance. Rather, the lover of light comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what the work is seen clearly as from God. Ultimately, these verses do not tell us how a person moves from darkness to light. Rather these verse focus on the fundamental distinction that must be made between those who are at the moment rejecting the ultimate revelation of God in Jesus Christ, and those who are delighting in it. John is stressing each person to turn to the ‘lifted up’ son of Man with the same simple and desperate, unqualified faith as the Israelites displayed who turned to the bronze snake in the desert (13-15). By such faith and such faith alone can anyone experience the new birth (vv. 3-5) and thereby gain eternal life (vv. 15-16). By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

Opening Questions 1. What did you learn and apply from last weeks study of John 3:1-15 emphasizing that “you must be born again?”

2. What challenged you from this weeks message? How will you apply it?

3. This weeks study includes on of the most familiar and beloved verses in the Bible, John 3:16. How did you first become familiar with this passage? How old were you and what were the circumstances?

4. Today, where do you see John 3:16 quoted, sung, posted or used?

Read John 3:16-21 slowly and carefully. It is important to slow down and carefully read a passage that has become familiar to us. 5. How would you explain John 3:16 to a child? How would you explain John 3:16 to an adult?

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6. What is God’s purpose for his Son according to verse 17? Why does John include this in the passage? 7. How would you define belief? What other passages of scripture define belief as it is found in verse 18?

8. Read verses 19-21 and write down what the text says about true light and darkness. Light Darkness

9. What are examples of “wicked things hating the light”? 10. How does light (v.20) expose wicked things? What is our role within small group to expose things to light with our other members? 11. Who is the final judge in verse 21? How are our works “clearly seen that they have been carried out by God”? What are examples of how that works?

Applying the text 12. John 20:31 is the theme verse of John, “…but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. ” Who do you need to share the hope of John 3:16 with this week?

13. As a small group, spend time discussing how light and darkness are described in this passage. Read 1 John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” a. What do we keep in darkness? Why? b. Why do we hesitate to bring evil things to light?

c. What happens when things are brought into the light?

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d. How do we move other people toward the light?

Spend time closing in prayer. Pray for each member of your small group to walk in the light (1 John 1:7). Pray that evil would not stay in darkness. Also, pray John 3:16 for a specific person, “For God so loved ____________ that he save his only son, that (if) ________ believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”

Memory Verse. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

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© 2010 Park Community Church. All rights reserved. Download more small group studies online at parkcommunitychurch.org/smallgroupstudies

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