WHO SAID THAT? The Easter Offering

The John 3:16 scripture is one of if not THE best known scripture in all the world.  Almost everyone can quote it if you just give them the first word or two.

Do you know who said these world famous words quoted in the Gospel of John?

If you or I were the one's who uttered these words, they might not carry much authority.  If they'd been spoken by someone who wasn't well known or well respected but spoke these exact words, no matter how true they might be, they still wouldn't carry a lot of authority either.

But these words do have authority.  GREAT AUTHORITY.

The reason?  They were spoken by the ONE PERSON who is well known, is well respected and was in the absolute best position to speak them with all authority.

JESUS spoke these words in John chapter three; and He was talking to one of the religious leaders of His time, Nicodemus.

Jesus was sharing with Nicodemus the Prophetic Truths that were already revealed in the Scriptures, that He knew that Nicodemus, as a religious man and especially as one in authority over others, should have known.

That Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah promised by God back in Genesis 3, when Adam sinned by disobeying Gods command not to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.  The serpent, satan, deceived Eve into believing she could eat that fruit and instead of the bad consequence God had told Adam would occur, she would experience good consequence.  

Adam, knowing exactly what God had commanded, joined Eve in disobedience and SIN entered the heart and lives of the man and woman God had created in His own image.

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”

Our journey, each of our individual journeys from birth BACK to being in perfect harmony and agreement with God our Creator, started right there, right then, with Adam and Eve.

Jesus knew EXACTLY why He left His Heavenly Home and came to earth as a babe, born of a woman.  He knew EXACTLY what the entire purpose of His life was about.  He knew EXACTLY what was required to redeem His Creation, Mankind, and He was willing to do what it would take - DEATH - to accomplish that redemption.  He and the Father were one, they have always been one and they will always be one.

One in purpose and One in Spirit.  

"For God (the whole Godhead; Father, Son and Spirit) so LOVED the world (this world that They created, the earth and EVERYTHING in it - every blade of grass, every leaf on every tree every fish in the ocean, every micro-organism, every human being, every animal and bird) that He gave His Only Begotten Son (His very self in human form as Jesus) that whoever believes in Him (all of Him, Father, Son and Spirit; any person in any walk of life or any country anywhere at any time) should not perish but have everlasting life (what He originally intended for His Creation right from the beginning)."

Jesus spoke those words with complete AUTHORITY, because He was the author of those words.  Though fully man, He remained fully God, a spiritual mystery you and I can only accept even if we cannot comprehend the fullness of it.

The wages of sin are death.  The temporary redemption available through animal sacrifice was not enough to accomplish what God wanted to accomplish.  The redemption of all His created sons and daughters.

So He came Himself to accomplish redemption once and for all time for ALL PEOPLE.

The gift God gave the world He loves is ETERNAL LIFE.  What He intended from the beginning, what satan tried to destroy; what Jesus accomplished on the Cross at Calvary.

Your and my redemption from darkness, sin and eternal death.  This flesh is corrupt and will someday die.  On the Cross, Jesus restored the Eternal Spirit which lives forever.  When you receive the gift of salvation, you are "born again" as Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3.  Listen in on this conversation and discover the Way to Salvation:

1There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 

2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” (Nicodemus acknowledges that Jesus came from God!)

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (this is why we use the phrase "born again")

4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (This is the rebirth, a spiritual, eternal life!)

7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (We can know we are born of the Spirit even though it cannot be physically explained)

9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”  

We continue to ask that exact same question today.  How can these things be?  Man wants to control his environment and what happens in his life.

While we are blessed by God with free will, ultimately, God is Sovereign and this is His world, His Creation to rule and reign over. 

I'll say it again,  Jesus knew EXACTLY what His life was about.  Would you like to know what YOURS was created to be?

When we acknowledge that we have sinned (separated ourselves from God by disobedience to His commandments) and ask, God forgives our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.  We become NEW CREATIONS at that moment, born again of His Spirit as He originally intended.  (Take a look at II Corinthians 5:17).

Jesus comes into our hearts (Colossians 1:27) and transforms us from dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1) to ALIVE ETERNALLY once more according to Gods perfect will.

This Easter season, take a break from the bunnies and chicks and spend time contemplating a lamb.

Gods perfect LAMB, whose blood was shed for YOU.  

Like all gifts should be, it is only expected that you will RECEIVE it, smile and say THANK YOU and then make the most of it :O)

Happy Easter everyone, have a joy filled holiday, from Turn the Tide Ministries.