God did not send His Son, Jesus, into the world...to condemn us. His words, not mine. (John 3:17)

Let that sink in for a moment, if you would please.

It was quite the opposite, in fact.

God sent Jesus into the world so that through Him, the world might be ‘saved’. (same verse)

Hence, that expression I like to use occasionally where I say: ‘God is not out to get you; God is out...to get you.’ .....[go ahead, give it another minute...I’ll wait]. ;-)

Has it ever occurred to you that sometimes maybe we find ourselves asking the ‘wrong’ question? For example: as much as that term about getting ‘saved’ is tossed around in our church world lingo, do we really address the question as to what it is...we are being ‘saved’ from? I mean, really...we like to debate over our church ‘recipes’ on ‘how to get saved’ and ‘stay saved’ and why we can never be ‘unsaved’, etc. But how do you respond if/when the question comes up as to what we are saved from?

Are we ‘saved’ from...hell? Sin? Or did He come to save us from ourselves”. Maybe it was the liberals He came to save us from...or the communist or the ‘main-stream media’. Perhaps it was ‘drag queens’ He came to save us from or possibly ‘rightwing-religious-extremist’ that we needed saved from? Religion? Democrats? Republicans? Or just our own shadows?

If you are not quite sure just what it is we are being ‘saved from’, then it might help if we take a step back and truly examine the answer to this question so a lot of missing pieces could fall in to place for us. I know it has for me. And I’m not suggesting by any stretch of the imagination that I have this all figured out...but my goodness...if I had only come to understand this early on...what a difference it might have made in my life and walk of faith.

Let’s go back to the passage in John 3. As you probably know, the chapter opens up with Jesus having a private meeting with Nicodemus who was a renowned leader of the Jews, and he was a Pharisee. He openly admits to Jesus saying “We know...We know you are a teacher from God. No one could do these signs you do unless God was with him.” (3:2)

Jesus cuts right to the chase and tells him plainly...”Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (3).

Nicodemus is like, ‘What? Born again? How can this happen?”

Again, Jesus says, (most assuredly)...”unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (vs. 5)

So whatever this idea of being ‘born again’ is all about, it is made clear, this ‘kingdom of God’ Jesus speaks of cannot be entered, let alone seen, unless one is ‘born again’. (John 3:7)

Does it not ever strike you odd when preachers, (TV or even local church leaders) tell us that if you repeat this simple prayer and “ask Jesus into your heart’ that one has now been ‘born again’? That’s it? I mean, that might be a ‘good start’, but is that really ‘new birth’?

I’ve used the example before that a husband and wife can come together to procreate and conception can truly happen shortly afterwards. But...’conception’ is not ‘birth’.

So when Jesus talks of being ‘born again’, it sounds as if some kind of transformation needs to happen if one is to truly see and enter God’s kingdom. Remember, ‘Not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of my Father in heaven.” His words, not mine. (Matt. 7:21)

One thing is clear though...we were/are on the outside of the kingdom until this ‘new birth’ and transformation happens. Jesus goes on explaining the love His Father has for the whole world and that He sent His only begotten Son not wanting anyone...to perish. (John 3:16)

Sounds to me like we were needing to be ‘saved...from perishing’ for some reason or other?

And then He makes that point I opened up with...He did not come to condemn any of us. Do you know why? Look at vs 18 – “he who does not believe (in Him) is already condemned”.

We were already ‘condemned’. That has such an ominous ring to it, does it not? Anyone who is not a believer in Christ (and don’t be too quick to profess you are a true believer yourself) is ‘condemned’ from what Jesus states there.

Now, if you would, take a look at the very last verse in that chapter, John 3:36. “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath ...of God...remains on him.”

Again...more questions we should want to ask: What is...the ‘wrath of God’...and Why...is it ‘on us’?

Two men are sitting on the same park bench. One is a true believer, the other an admitted agnostic or atheist (non-believer). One of them is sitting there with the ‘wrath of God’ abiding on him. How do we know? Says so, right there in John 3:36.

Now it’s okay if we don’t yet really understand what this ‘wrath’ is that is on everyone who is not a true ‘believer’, but I think we would all agree that this is not something good we would want remaining ‘on us’, yes?

Think of it this way: The one man on that bench who is a ‘believer’ is quietly reading to himself and life seemingly is going well for him. Aside from the daily pressures and challenges of life, he knows of no impending ‘doom’ that lies ahead. But the guy next to him who is not a ‘believer’ – let’s imagine for a moment that he left a courtroom that morning where he lost a significant court case and was ‘condemned’ or ‘found guilty’ of whatever the serious charges were. (and for the sake of this illustration, he posted bail and is out until sentencing). To make matters worse, he then went to his doctor’s office and got the results of some blood work done the previous week and is told he is in ‘stage 4 of pancreatic cancer’.

This man has a lot on his mind obviously. And just when you can’t imagine things getting worse, he looks down to see a ‘red dot’ on his chest which can only mean one thing. A hired ‘hit man’ has him in his sights and is about to pull the trigger of his high-powered rifle to take this man’s life out’. How’s that...for a graphic picture describing in a crude manner what it means to have the ‘wrath of God’ on you?

It would seem to me that the answer is clear as to who is in desperate need of being ‘saved’.

Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans explaining how God ‘demonstrated’ His own love toward us by sending Jesus to die for us while we were yet sinners, and how through His shed blood...”we would be saved from the wrath of God”. (Rom. 5:8-9)

Jesus came to save us from God’s ‘wrath’. Again, say that one more time. God sent His Son into the world, not to condemn us, but through Him ...we might be saved...(from the wrath that was on each and every one of us). He did not come to ‘get you’; He came to ‘get you’, as in, to rescue you and save you from this impending doom of ‘wrath’.

If you are following me here, there probably is still a few more lingering questions on your mind, I would hope. Like: “Why...is this wrath on us?” And, ‘what exactly is this wrath’? And ‘how do we ‘get it off’ and keep it off’? We will address that, I promise. But first...let’s revisit the passage I left you with yesterday from the gospel of Matthew. It is a beautiful picture that reveals the heart of Jesus (the Great Shepherd) who “went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing...every sickness and every disease among the people.” (Matt. 9:35)

And get this: “When He saw the multitudes, He was moved...with compassion for them...because they were weary and scattered like sheep, having no shepherd.” (9:36). From what little I know about sheep, I am told that a sheep that strays off won’t stay healthy for very long. Lost sheep can quickly become sickly, afflicted sheep, if not dead sheep. They can easily become prey to ...the wild ‘beasts of the fields’.

Do you remember these statements made by Jesus? – “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10). “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:31-32). And then from Luke 13:1-5...

Addressing some horrific deaths and tragedies that had befallen some people there in that region, Jesus asked those who brought this up: “Do you think these things happened to them because they were ‘worse sinners (lost sheep) than anyone else?” I tell you, ‘No’, but unless you repent...you will all...likewise...perish.”

If I don’t make it back here tomorrow, then see you Friday...Lord willing.