For God so loved the world

This week, Reverend Claire reflected on the Gospel of John, Chapter 3 verses 1-17:

I wonder if we ever hear a nagging voice in the back of our heads that says: “Am I good enough for God to listen? Have I done enough this week to earn this favour? Does my history disqualify me?” 

We live in a world that is obsessed with who we are and what we do. 

Our CVs, our social standing, our “likes”, our successes. But the Gospel - and our readings today - turn that entirely on its head. It’s a move away from the “Self-Project” and toward the “Jesus-Person”. 

In a period of Lent where we reflect and often focus on just what Jesus is to do for us it is a good thing to realise actually it’s not about how good we are, how many ticks we might have in the virtuous column, it’s all about Who Jesus is and why he came. 

Our readings in many ways get us looking at the fact that human effort or credentials are not what is important. 

We start with Abram. Even in the bible he is often put on a pedestal as the “Father of Faith”, but when we look at the start of the story. God doesn’t choose Abram because he was already a spiritual giant. In fact, he was a 75-year-old man living in a pagan land. 

God says: “Go... and I will make you a great nation.” Notice the “I Will." God doesn’t say, “If you prove yourself, I might help you.” He starts with a promise. Abram’s part wasn’t to build the kingdom; it was simply to step out because of who the Caller was. 

Sometimes we don’t pray or we don’t serve because we think our “history” isn’t religious enough. But God isn’t looking for a polished resume; He’s looking for a friend who is willing to walk with him. 

In our epistle Paul who elsewhere talks about how he has every right to boast if it was purely about one’s religious resume takes, in his typical “wrestling” style, Abram’s story and applies it to us. He asks a blunt question: How did Abraham get right with God? Was it by working hard? 

He uses the language of wages. If you work a 40-hour week, your paycheck isn’t a gift - it’s what you’re owed. But Paul says God doesn’t work on a payroll system. 

“To the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.” (v. 5) 

This is mindblowing! It means that when we approach God, we don’t bring our “to-do” list as evidence of why He should love us. We bring our need of his presence - his justification - given through his death and resurrection. 

Our “righteousness,” our “right-standing,” is a gift given because of who Jesus is, not because of how well we’ve performed the Christian life this week. 

And then we meet Nicodemus in our gospel reading. Nicodemus is the ultimate insider. He’s got the credentials, the PhD in Religion, just like Paul, Nicodemus has the seat on the council. He’s done everything right. 

But he comes to Jesus at night—perhaps because he’s wrestling, perhaps because he’s confused. He tries to start a theological debate: 

“Rabbi, we know you are a teacher...” 

And Jesus essentially says, “Nicodemus, stop. It’s not about what you know or how high you’ve climbed the religious ladder. You need to be born of the spirit.” 

To be born is the most passive thing a human can do. You didn’t “do” your first birth. You didn’t “earn” it. It happened to you. 

 Jesus is telling this “expert” that he needs to start over as a dependent child. 

In the middle of this chat, Jesus refers to a strange story from the desert. He mentions the bronze snake being lifted up. 

In that story, the people were dying of snake bites. They didn’t get better by working harder, or by trying to suck out the venom, or by promising to be better people. They got better by looking at the provision God had made. 

And then we get a verse that is probably one of the most quoted verses…. 

“For God so loved the world...”  

We know this verse so well we sometimes miss the shock of it. God didn’t send Jesus because the world finally got its act together. He sent Jesus because we couldn’t. 

In this season of Lent we can take time to sit with God. 

To yes recognise our sin and our shortcomings but to gaze in wonder at his mercy. Jesus didn’t come to condemn. 

We don’t need to impress God. Yes we fall short. If you feel like a failure this week, that is actually a great place to start a conversation. 

Say, “Lord, here I am” 

When people ask why we follow Jesus, we don’t have to say, “Because I’m a good person.” We can say with 100% certainty, “because He is a good Saviour.” And that we hope and believe that by hanging out with Jesus His nature rubs off on us. 

Let’s be a people who stop looking at our own earthly credentials, worried about our steps, and start looking at the One who is leading the way. 

In a world that often judges on status, job titles, job ability, we can be reassured that journeying with Jesus in a life of faith is not about what I do, or even who I am. It’s about who He is. He is the God who calls, the God who credits, and the God who saves.