JOHN 3:14-21

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. [1]

16 “For God so loved the world, [2] that he gave his only Son, that whoever  believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn (Richard Allen Hughes) the world, but in order that (Richard Allen Hughes) the world might be saved through him.

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Do you remember Rollen Stewart?  You may not remember his name but you would recognize him if you saw him. He was on television all the time back in the 70’s and 80’s.  You saw him at the Super Bowl, the World Series and the NCAA basketball tournament.  That’s because Rollen Stewart was the Rainbow Man.  Do you remember him now?  He was the guy who wore that rainbow colored wig and was always holding the sign that said, “John 3:16.”   Ah yes John 3:16.  Because of Rainbow Man just about everyone today knows about John 3:16. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” 

Everyone knows John 3:16 but what about John 3:17?  Do you know the words to that verse?  No peeking in your Bible now.  You could make the theological argument that John 3:17 is just as important as John 3:16 and that the two verses actually go together. So, what the words to John 3:17 again? It goes like this: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

So, Jesus didn’t come to condemn.  He came to save.  Now we’re supposed to be like Jesus right?  If that’s true then it means we shouldn’t condemn people either. Everywhere you look though people today are condemning each other for just about everything under the sun.

It’s like the man who was walking across a bridge one day and saw another man who was about to jump.  “Don’t do it!” he hollered. 

“Why not?” the second man asked. “Nobody loves me.”  

“That’s not true,” the first man said.  “God loves you.  Do you believe in God?” 

“Yes,” the second man said. 

“Are you a Christian?”

“Yes,” the second man said.

“Me too!” the first man said. “Protestant or Catholic?”

“Protestant.”

“Me too!” the first man said.  “What denomination?”

“Baptist.”

“Me too!” the first man said. “Southern Baptist or Northern Baptist?”

“Northern Baptist.”

“Me too!” the first man said.  “Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?”

“Northern Conservative Baptist.”

“Me too!” the first man said.  “Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?”

“Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region.”

“Me too!” the first man said.  “Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879 or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?”

“Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912.”

“Oh you’re a heretic,” the first man said and he pushed him off the bridge.

People are quick to condemn these days. Politicians do it all the time.  Turn the television on and watch Jerry Springer or just about any reality show.  What you’ll see is a lot backstabbing and name calling with people maybe even throwing a few chairs at each other.  Or listen to talk radio. Just a few weeks ago Rush Limbaugh condemned a young woman who had the audacity to disagree with him.  He called her a prostitute and a few other things that you can’t say in a sermon.

You look at all the condemnation that’s flying around these days and then you hear that forgotten verse from John’s Gospel. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

There are lots of problems with condemnation.  For one thing it doesn’t make things better.  It only makes them worse.  Condemnation is also a spiritual disease that can quickly infect your soul.  Before you know it you get tangled up in anger and cynicism, bitterness and negativity.  It may even get to the point where people don’t like you anymore and you don’t even like yourself.

Just look at Rollen Stewart, the John 3:16 Rainbow Man.  Do you know why you don’t see him on television anymore?   It’s because he’s in prison.  Rollen may have been a born again Christian but his condemnation of those who didn’t accept Jesus eventually infected his soul. So much so that he actually tried to choke his fourth wife during the 1986 World Series.  He flew into that rage because she was standing in the wrong spot with her John 3:16 sign.  That’s not why he’s in prison though.  He’s in prison serving three life sentences for kidnapping.

Jesus didn’t come to condemn us.  He came to save us.   Now it’s important to remember that there’s a difference between judging and condemning.  You can see that in the story of the woman who was caught in the act of adultery.  That’s the famous story where Jesus says, “Let him among you who is without sin cast the first stone.”   After everyone drops their stones and walks away Jesus looks up and says, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more.” (John8:10-11)

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”   The world would be a lot better off if people lived by John 3:17.  The best way to do that is by putting yourself into the words to that verse.  When you do that the verse goes like this: “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn Richard Allen Hughes, but in order that Richard Allen Hughes might be saved through him” that you might be saved, that the person sitting next to you in the pew might be saved, and the cranky old man across the street, and your friend at school who thinks she’s better than everyone else, and that person whose political opinions drive you crazy and that obnoxious guy at work.

It’s hard to condemn others when you feel loved and accepted yourself.  So, you are a disciple of the risen Christ.  I am a disciple of the risen Christ.  Together we are disciples of the risen Christ and the question is whether we’re going to curse the darkness or light candles of faith that will scatter the hateful words of condemnation.  God is calling us to scatter the hateful words of condemnation with our deeds of loving kindness.

Missionary James King tells a story about an African woman who came to his church every Sunday morning. She was came with an old mongrel of a dog.  The dog would sit beside her  and after the service was over the dog would walk to the front of the church where the woman would kneel and pray.  Unfortunately, for the woman, her husband wasn’t a Christian and he abused her terribly.  One day the woman died leaving the husband and the dog behind.  After a while the husband noticed that the dog disappeared every Sunday morning. He wondered where the dog went.  So, one day he followed the dog.  It led him to the church.  The man watched as the dog plopped himself down beside the pew where his wife always sat.  He also watched the dog walk to the front of the church after the service was over.  The husband was so moved by the dog’s act of devotion that he also went to the altar and began to pray.  According to the missionary from that day forward the dog came to church every Sunday with its new master.

“For God sent his only begotten son so that they who believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 will lead you to salvation in the life to come.  If you’re looking for salvation right here on earth you’ll find it in John 3:17, that forgotten verse. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn Richard Allen Hughes, but in order that Richard Allen Hughes might be saved through him.”     Try putting your own name in there and then let me know how it works out for you.  Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

March 18, 2012