God Sent His Son that the World might be Saved through Him

For God so loved the world…What precious words these are! Precious indeed! They are our true hope and consolation, for by them, we are certain of God’s love towards us, because God the Father has indeed sent His Son. God the Father has indeed sent His Son, that by His blood your sin not be debted against you.

Take these words to heart. Let them sink down, for only in God sending His Son and the Son being sent and lifted up on the tree of death in crucifixion is your salvation. God did so love the world. And God’s love is unconditional. God’s love is not conditioned on the response, on the belief or unbelief, of that love with which God so loves the world. If it was, then all who do not love Him still would never know the God of love. Even we, before coming to know the love of God in Jesus Christ for ourselves, would never know, for if God loves only those who love Him, very few indeed would ever know of His love.

But God’s love is not only for the believer and they who will believe. For the worst of sinners and for ungodly people God sent His Son into the world. This doesn’t make sense. It seems utter nonsense. Who in our day would give something for nothing in return. Who would freely bestow a gift to someone only to have it rejected? This is ludicrous. Who would give their very life for someone when that life would not be wanted? Who would spend their all to help someone without even a thanks or without a nod of appreciation?…

Jn03.1-17, Lent 2, 2011A.pdf