JOHN 3:16

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Sunday Morning:  June 16, 2004

Text: John 3:13-16  "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 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."

CONTEXT OF JOHN 3:16

1 Corinthians 10:1-11  "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2. And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3. And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4. And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 5. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown (they died) in the wilderness.

EXAMPLES

 6. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand (23,000). 9. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed [apollumi, perished] of serpents. 10. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed [apollumi, perished] of the destroyer. 11. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples [tupov, types]: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."

THEY COMPLAINED

Numbers 21:5-9  "And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. 6. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died [not any of the mixed multitude]. 7. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

WHEN THEY LOOKED UPON IT

8. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

JUDGED SERPENT

 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 [judgment, brass laver], he lived [they did not perish and thus lose his inheritance]."

THE SON OF MAN HAS ASCENDED

John 3:13  "And no man hath ascended up [also translated entered] to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven."

RAISED UP AND EXALTED

Acts 5:30-31  "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 31. Him hath God exalted [lifted, the same word as in John 3:14] with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins."

AS MOSES DID 

John 3:14  "And as Moses lifted [exalted] up the (brass) serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted [exalted] up (Jesus is not the brass serpent):"

NOT THIS LIFTING UP

John 12:32-33  "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33. This he said, signifying what death he should die."

THIS LIFTING UP

Acts 2:33  "Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted [lifted up, same word as in John 3:14], and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear."

MAKING INTERCESSION FOR US

Romans 8:34  "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."

REDUCED THE FEAR OF DEATH

Hebrews 2:14  "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy [make idle] him that had the power of death [thanatos, death of the soul], that is, the devil (that old serpent, Rev. 12:9);"

LOOK AT THE JUDGED SERPENT

Numbers 21:8  "And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live (not perish, and lose their inheritance in the land flowing with milk and honey)."

MOSES BEHELD THE BURNING TREE

Acts 7:31-32  "When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold [consider, same word as in Hebrews 3:1] it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, 32. Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold [consider, same word as in Hebrews 3:1]."

BEHOLD OUR HIGH PRIEST

Hebrews 3:1  "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider [behold, consider] the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;"

LOOKING

Hebrews 12:1-2  "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience [endurance] the race that is set before us, 2. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

BELIEVETH

John 3:15  "That whosoever believeth [present active participle (faith)] in him should [may] not [mh] perish (lose the reward of the inheritance), but [may] have eternal [agelasting] life."

PRESENT ACTIVE OF BELIEVE = FAITH

Romans 4:9-11  ". . . we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe [present active participle (faith)], . ."

 

THE OVERCOMER BELIEVETH

1 John 5:4-5  "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth [present active participle (faith)] that Jesus is the Son of God (our high priest)?"

THE SON OF GOD, OUR HIGH PRIEST

Hebrews 4:14  "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession."

OVERCOMERS INHERIT

Revelation 21:7  "He that overcometh (believeth that Jesus is the Son of God) shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."