JOHN LESSON 8
We will begin this lesson in John 3:13.
V-13, "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came
down from heaven, even the son of man which is in heaven."
In the last lesson, Jesus was telling Nicodemus how to receive
the kingdom of God. Jesus had just finished telling Nicodemus that he
did not understand things of the earth, and how could he then
understand things of the heavenly. Jesus is telling Nicodemus, you
haven't been up in heaven, so you can't understand. Jesus is speaking
of Himself in verse 13. He was in heaven with God and came to earth
to save us. Jesus is the only one who truly understands the heavenly.
V-14, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even
so must the Son of man be lifted up:"
V-15, "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but
have eternal life."
In Numbers 21:9, it tells the provision that God made for the
sins of the people to be forgiven. Numbers 21:9, "And Moses made a
serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if
a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he
lived." This serpent was made of brass. Brass means judgement. This
serpent and the brass is what you see on a doctor's papers. This
serpent lifted up on a pole is the very thing that happens to us with
Jesus. Jesus was raised up, and we must look to Him to be saved. In
II Kings 18:4, you can read of the destruction of the brazen serpent
on the pole. It was just a shadow of what wonderful thing would
happen when Jesus should be raised and save us. If we look to Jesus,
we will find deliverance. Notice salvation is for whosoever will.
Believeth means continues to believe. The Him is Jesus Christ our
Lord. Romans 10:9 goes into a little more detail about this belief;
if we truly believe in our heart and confess with our mouth, we shall
be saved and not perish. Believing in Jesus as Saviour and Lord
brings everlasting life.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life."
This is the most quoted Scripture in all the Bible. You can
easily see why; because it is full of so much hope. We need to take a
very good look at it. God so loved this is a love so far above
anything man knows that we really do not understand. The word loved
here is translated from Agape which means to love much in a moral
sense. This love goes way beyond the human ability to love. This
type of love is not because, but in spite of. He loved us with this
love so much, that while we were yet in sin, He sent His Son to die on
the cross to save us: not because we deserved it, but because we
didn't deserve it. Jesus came to save the lost. It is so simple and
yet so hard. Believeth here, again, means continues to believe. You
see, salvation is a way of life. Everyday when we get up we must
remember all over again and believe. This is not something we do
causally. This belief means to believe in God and love Him more than
anything or anyone else. Matthew 22:37 tells us what this love and
belief is, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God,
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."
You see, if you really believe, you will practice the verse above.
God will be first in your life, or He will not be in your life at all.
There is no way to perish if you are in this right standing with God.
He has prepared for us a place to spend all of eternity with Him.
V-17, "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the
world; but that the world through him might be saved."
This send here shows that Jesus is on a mission to accomplish for
forever. The name Jesus, as we have said before, means Saviour or
Jehovah Saviour. The Word took on the name of Jesus Christ for His
work of salvation. There is a time, at the e nd of the age, when
Jesus will be Judge and will determine each of our destination,
whether heaven or hell. His mission to the earth, however, was to
save all mankind who would accept it. The name of Jesus is very
powerful. The only way to get to heaven is through belief in Him. So
through Him we receive eternal life.
V-18, "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that
believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in
the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Salvation is so simple. So many do not receive God, because they
have pre-conceived ideas of how it is so hard to be saved. Faith in
the name of Jesus Christ, speaking of this belief to others, and a
love for God that surpasses all others is so intertwined that they are
inseparable. To believe in Him truly and completely changes our life.
To believe on the name of Jesus, too, causes us to keep His
commandments. To believe on His name brings, peace, joy, and hope.
If we believe, we are assured of the resurrection. We are not like
those who have refused Him and have no hope. When Thomas asked Jesus
how he could know the way, Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, the
Life."
V-19, "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the
world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds
were evil."
We have spoken so much about the Light. This Light is Jesus.
This Light gives everything the power to live. The best thing this
Light does is do away with darkness. The great thing about this
Light is that it shines into all the corners of life and makes
manifest (visible) the works. People who have rejected the Light of
Jesus, want their deeds to be hidden by darkness. They are ashamed to
have them out in the open. I have said it before, but notice, most
crimes are done under c over of darkness. Where there is absence of
light, darkness prevails. Everything pertaining to darkness pertains
to Satan and his crowd. Come to the Light and let this Light do away
with all the darkness in your life.
V-20, "For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither
cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved."
We see here a contrast. The evil doer will hate the Light
because it would reveal his evil conduct. This could have to do with
the followers of Jesus (Light) and the followers of Satan (darkness).
Those who are drinking, swearing, doing all sorts of bad things hate
those who are doing good. It gives the evil children of darkness a
terrible guilt complex to be around those of truth and life.
Comparisons are bound to come up, and those who walk in darkness fall
way short. Those who are living evil lives hate those who are
following Jesus. Their sins make them feel guilty, and that causes
them to hate.
V-21, "But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his
deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."
Truth, love, joy, peace, honesty, and happiness need no darkness
to hide in. They are products of the Light. Those who live in the
Light are eager to have any small things in their life that are not
pleasing to God shown up, so they can get rid of them. They are
growing constantly in honesty, peace, and truth. The Light reveals
what is there. If they are good deeds, you do not want them hidden.
Notes
JOHN 8 QUESTIONS
1. What man hath ascended up to heaven in verse 13?
2. Why can't Nicodemus understand?
3. Even as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, who must be
lifted up?
4. What was the serpent made of in Numbers?
5. What does that metal mean?
6. What do we see in doctor's offices today that is taken from the
Old Testament and points to healing?
7. If we look to Jesus we will find ________________________.
8. Who is salvation for?
9. What is the most memorized Scripture in all the Bible?
10. What kind of love is spoken of in John 3:16?
11. What is the difference between God's love and man's love?
12. ________________________________ is a way of life.
13. How are we to love God?
14. God sent not his Son into the world to ____________________
it but to ________________________ it.
15. What does the word send in verse 17 show about Jesus?
16. When will Jesus be Judge?
17. In verse 18, what does anyone need to do not to be condemned?
18. Why do men love darkness rather than light?
19. What is the very best thing Light does?
20. "For every one that doeth evil hateth the ____________________"
21. Why does he that doeth truth come to the Light?
22. Name six things that need no cover of darkness.
Notes
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