Blue Lake Presbyterian | 5-27-2018
Good morning,
Welcome to Blue Presbyterian Church.
Thank you for coming this morning
Today’s message is titled “Boundless Love” and is based on John 3:1-17.
Last Saturday the world witnessed the Royal wedding of Prince Harry and Megan Markle. According to NBC an estimated 1.9 billion people worldwide watched this remarkable and historic event. Did you know that in the last 215 years 38 Americans have married into Royalty?
This was only the second time in history that an American married into the British Royal family. Prince Harry marrying an American actress brought back images of Prince Rainier of Monaco marrying famous actress Grace Kelly in 1956.
Social media went crazy throughout the wedding, there were many memorable moments, but Twitter went into overdrive with 40,000 tweets per minute when Reverend Michael Curry, the presiding bishop of the American Episcopal Church gave the wedding sermon.
It was unusual for anyone other than the Archbishop of Canterbury to deliver this sermon, but the couple had asked Curry to do so, and in retrospect we can see why. Curry delivered a rousing sermon, titled “The Power of Love”.
In his sermon he quoted Martin Luther King, Jr: “We must discover the power of love, the redemptive power of love. And when we discover that, we will be able to make of this old world a new world. Love is the only way.”
Curry said: Ultimately the source of love is God himself, the source of all of our lives.
He quoted an old medieval poem that says: “Where true love is found, God himself is there.”
Curry said: And those who love are born of God and know God. Those who do not love, do not know God. Why? For God is love.”
Jesus began the most revolutionary movement in human history: a movement based on the unconditional “Boundless Love” of God.
You may ask: what does the bible say about love?
Of the 66 books in the bible, 48 talk about love.
Some are particularly notable for describing love, like “The songs of Solomon”, essentially a series of love letters attributed to King Solomon.
Paul makes the case for love as a prerequisite to having a meaningful life in 1 Corinthians 13.
But the epitome of love is found in 4 books. I am talking about the Gospel and the 3 letters of John.
In these four books the word “Love” is mentioned 60 times, more than any other place in the bible.
Years ago someone gave me a Strong’s Concordance based on the King James Bible. In a concordance you can find every word listed in the bible.
When I searched the words Love, Loves, Lovely and Loving, those were mentioned 316 times.
There is significance in that number 316.
In the last few weeks I asked folks what came to mind as most favorite scripture, most answered John 3:16
Bible gateway.com posts a list of most read bible verses, and John 3:16 tops the list. The following story may explain why.
Tim Tebow was quarterback for University of Florida at the BCS championship game on January 8 2009.
Tebow said God led him to write John 3:16 under his eyes for all to see while he played.
During that game: 94 million people googled John 3:16.
Tebow said in an interview: John 3:16 is the essence of our Christianity. It’s the essence of our hope,”
But that’s not where the story ends.
Exactly three years later on the same day in 2012. Tebow now quarterback for the Denver Broncos, played the favored Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs.
The Broncos won this epic game in overtime.
But here are the amazing stats: During the game Tebow threw for 316 yards, his yards per completion were 31.6, yards per rush were 3.16, the ratings for the night peaked at 31.6, and during the game, 91 million people googled John 3:16.
God wanted to make sure his “Boundless Love” is not going unnoticed and in matter of hours, 91 million people got the message, the John 3:16 message.
This “Boundless Love is the essence of the Gospel and that is what brings us to today’s reading in John 3:1-17 on page……………..
3Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, apart from the presence of God.” 3Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” 4Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old?
Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 11“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know, and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12If I have told you about earthly things, and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 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. 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.
Please let’s bow our heads. Guide us, O God, by your Word and Spirit, that in your light we may see light, in your truth find wisdom, and in your will, discover your peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Nicodemus came to see Jesus. But who was Nicodemus? He was a Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin, the legislative body of Israel.
Why did Nicodemus come to see Jesus? Why did he want to talk to him? Nicodemus, in spite of his achievements, in spite of his prominence in education, politics, culture, and religion, Nicodemus had a great need. He had a hunger of the soul. He was searching for God.
In the previous chapter, Jesus had cleansed the temple and performed miracles But Nicodemus had noticed something in Jesus that touched his curiosity, so at night when no one could see him, he goes and visits Jesus and asks these questions.
Jesus doesn’t give him the answers he was expecting. No he stumps him with this seemingly strange proclamation in verse 3: “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.”
Nicodemus is speechless, if you could only see his face, mouth opened, but no words to reply, he is confused, doesn’t know what to do with this, and asks again.
Jesus comes back with a slightly different answer, in verse 5: “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.
Then in verse 14 Jesus hands him the keys to unlock this mystery: 14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
But then in verse 16 comes the ultimate revelation: “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.
The love of God is so pervasive, so “Boundless” that he sends his only son. Jesus unveils a mystery that up till then had captivated the hearts and minds of the Israelites since the days of Moses and still continues to captivate hearts and souls today,
But he said this with so much clarity that it is undeniable in 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.
In other words, through God’s “Boundless Love” he sent a savior for you and me, for all of us.
Today is Trinity Sunday. On the church calendar it the Sunday following Pentecost.
Most churches around the world including The Catholic Church the Eastern Orthodox Church and most Protestant churches recognize the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as recited in the Nicene Creed.
William Paul Young is the author of the book “The Shack” with more than 20 million copies sold; it was also made into a movie last year.
Young was featured in a series “The shack revisited” on cable TV last year. I remember watching an episode where he was explaining the troubles he faced in his live, and how he was struggling with God, and how he perceived God as the God of judgement.
During the program Paul Young was walking by a stream that was plugged up by a beaver dam, and he used it as an analogy of the problems in his life.
He said this logjam was cleared after he encountered Baxter Kruger, a theologian who introduced him to the writings of Athanasius. In 325 AD, Athanasius played a leading role in the council of Nicaea. Athanasius is regarded as one of the pillars of the Church and the concept of the Trinity.
A few weeks ago Paul Young and Baxter Kruger visited the Eureka Presbyterian church for a weekend. I had the great opportunity to listen to one of their lectures.
As an illustration they put three stairs on the stage depicting the Trinity. Then they put a single chair much farther away on the stage, portraying the view of the wrath of God, the God of judgement.
This by the way, is a view that is prevalent in the minds of many Christians, and a mindset that has turned many away from the Church.
Here is front of us is a bouquet in honor of Memorial Day, with red Cotinus, white “Versailles” Freesia and Blue “Telstar” Iris.
These Freesias are grown in Arcata. Our marketing director wanted to do a Freesia promotion video last week.
He filmed a short clip to be posted on social media, but suggested kneeling, so the Freesia would show better in the video.
While doing so, it made me think of a book by Dutch author Jan Sieblink titled “Kneeling in a bed of pansies”, a story of a Dutch flower farmer in the 50’s and 60’s. Last year this book was made into a movie as well.
It depicts the darkness of the wrath of God in the mind of this farmer prompted by a religious sect.
The movie solidifies and underscores the illustration of that distant chair on the stage by Paul Young and Baxter Kruger. That view of the judging, wrathful God.
But both Young and Kruger in their lectures kept pointing to the Trinity, as the manifestation of the “Boundless Love” of God.
We grow Tulips in the greenhouse in Arcata, when they are about 8” inches tall we start irrigating with drip tape so the plants stay dry. Sometimes there is a kink in the drip tape. This results in tulips not getting water, even though the source of the water is still the same. So it is with the “Boundless Love” of God.
Jesus proclaimed these, memorable words in John 3:16 to Nicodemus 2000 years ago, God still loves the world today, like water gushing out of the well into the water line, but with a kink in the drip tape the Tulips are not getting water.
It is like that when the Gospel message of the “Boundless Love” of God gets distorted or misperceived and the message of salvation through Jesus Christ is missed.
God is a God of Grace, a God of “Boundless Love”. He loves every one of us here today, to those listening on line; he loves the people walking in the street this morning, the folks at the logger bar at the corner.
The folks going to the casino a mile away from here, he loves us so much that he sent his son, he sent Jesus not to condemn the world but that the world might be saved through him.
Just before the service this morning, Art rang the church bells, when we hear those church bells ringing; we feel the warmness in our hearts. That right there is the merci, the “Boundless Love” of God.
There are folks that have walked away from God, from the church, but God says you may have let me down, but I am not going to let you down. You lost faith in me, but I am not going to lose faith in you.
Jesus knew Peter would eventually deny him 3 times but he chose Peter anyhow. God’s love is not based on our performance. It is based on our relationship with him. We are his children. Not grandchildren, not great grandchildren, not nieces or nephews, we are children of God.
Peter walked around with guilt after Jesus was put to death on the cross. We all have failed, but imagine what Peter must have felt. Jesus still picked Peter, and told him on this rock I will build my church.
When you make a mistake, God doesn’t turn away from you, no he turns to you.
In John 15:9 “Jesus said: As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.
Jesus gave up his life; he sacrificed his life for the good of others, for the wellbeing of the world, for us. That’s what “Boundless Love” is.
Now it is up to us, to keep our end of the bargain.
You may ask: what do I need to do.
It is simple: Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead and repent of our sins and we will be saved.
In other words we receive a travel voucher that can be redeemed when that inevitable moment arrives; and we will not perish, but travel on the narrow path through the narrow gate to eternal life.
Thank you,
God Bless you,
Amen
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