“Not to condemn” (John 3:1-17)

John 3:1-17

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Pastor Tom Johnson, March 5, 2023

“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.” You will see John 3:16 on billboards and held up by fans at football games and marathon races. As much as I love this Scripture. I love the next verse, John 3:17, even more: “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.” 

Remember who Jesus is talking to: Nicodemus. Nicodemus is a Pharisee. The Pharisees acted as religious police officers—Mosaic law enforcement. If they heard someone was breaking the law—the 10 commandments or any religious tradition—they would investigate and condemn that person for their actions. They believed God’s purpose for their lives was to find fault, condemn, and judge others. They became so fixated on finding the negative in others that they accused Jesus of being a sinner, a law-breaker, and even demon-possessed. It is no surprise then that Nicodemus, great Pharisee and teacher of the Law, had a hard time understanding Jesus—especially the good news he preached. Being a Pharisee, he was up to his eyeballs in negativity, judgment, and condemnation. 

Neuroscientist Rick Hanson says the human brain has a natural negativity bias. We  internalize negative experiences more deeply than positive ones. Hanson says the brain is like Velcro with negativity. It only takes one one negative thought—one negative word—one negative image to stick to our brains like Velcro. Hanson says the brain is like Teflon with positive experiences. As soon as we experience a positive thought—a positive word—or a positive image—it passes through and slips off our brains like Teflon—like water beading up and rolling off the back of a duck. It’s why we can receive 50 positive emails but it is the one negative one that we can’t stop thinking about and keeps us up at night. Hanson says we must savor a positive experience for at least 30 seconds to make a lasting impact on our brains. 

Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world. He comes because he loves the world. He comes to save the world. He comes to embrace us with his love and the deliver us from evil. So why is it that so much of the world thinks that Jesus is against them? Dare I say because of us, the church? Because we judge others. Because we see the culture around us as the enemy. Jesus tells us, “Judge not lest you be judged. Judge not.” People in Jesus’ day did not need a Pharisee to tell them they were sinners. That’s Satan’s job. The name Satan means “accuser.” Our own conscience and the devil condemn us enough. The devil wants all of us to wallow in our shame and guilt. Jesus did not come to condemn us. He came to save us. Jesus comes to deliver us from self-loathing, to save us from despair, to deliver us from hopelessness, to save us from evil, to deliver us from sin, and save us from death. It is 100% good news.

Jesus reminds Nicodemus of the story of Moses and the bronze serpent. The people of God had sinned so egregiously that fiery serpents broke out in the camp. Their venomous bites were fatal. God told Moses to make a bronze serpent, put it on a pole, and lift it up in the camp for all to see. All you had to do is take your eyes off the serpents and fix your eyes on God’s promise of healing. All you had to do is take their focus off the noise and negativity—the pain, poison, guilt, and shame—and focus on God’s sign of forgiveness, life, and salvation. Those who trusted God, gazed on what Moses lifted up, and were healed. God did not send Moses with the bronze serpent to condemn. God sent Moses and the bronze serpent to heal, forgive, and preserve life. This was God’s medicine. This was God’s antidote to the poison. You will still see medical professionals use the image of the serpent on the pole. I just saw it yesterday on an ambulance.

So, Jesus says, God will lift him up just as Moses lifted up the bronze serpent —not just for one camp to see—but for the whole world to see. He will be lifted up on the pole of the Cross of Calvary. Jesus heals, forgives, triumphs over death, and promises eternal life while he is lifted up high on that Cross. He is God’s healing balm for the nations. Christ is the antidote for the toxic sin, evil, and death we see around us. All we need to do is take our focus off the noise and negativity—the hurt, the toxicity, the guilt, and the shame—and focus on Christ’s love placarded on the Cross. We look to Jesus and his Word of salvation. We savor the love of Christ lifted up for the whole world to see and be healed.

“For God loved the world in this way: he sent his only Son, that whoever trusts in him should not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

That is our message. That is the good news: God’s love for us through Jesus Christ.

May thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire;
As thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!
                    (“My Faith Looks up to Thee” LBW 479 v. 2)