Come Back to Jesus – John 21

Posted on May 5, 2026 by dkoop

Have you ever promised God something and then couldn’t keep your promise? Have you ever “back slidden” or been a “prodigal?”

21:1 This chapter tells how Jesus commissioned Peter. Perhaps Peter needed special encouragement after his denial—he may have felt completely worthless. Verses 1–14 set the scene for Jesus’ conversation with Peter.

Prior to his resurrection, the Lord had told his disciples that he would meet them at an appointed place in Galilee after he arose (Matthew 28:10; Mark 14:28). But due to the disciples’ unbelief and fear, they had remained in Jerusalem. After Jesus appeared to them behind locked doors, they did as they had been told and returned to Galilee. But as they waited there, they remained unsure, confused. So they did what they knew how to do best—they went fishing. Seven disciples were together at this time:

  1. Simon Peter (mentioned first because he was the leader)
  2. Thomas (mentioned specifically at the end of chapter 20)
  3. Nathanael (first introduced in chapter 1 and not mentioned again until now)
  4. and 5. The sons of Zebedee (John, the author, and James)
  5. and 7. Two other disciples (unnamed).

Having returned to Galilee, the disciples did not know what to do next, so it was natural for some of them to return to their occupation. Simon, Andrew, and James and John (the sons of Zebedee) had been fishermen (see Mark 1:16-20). Peter took the lead, and the other six disciples went with him. Although fishing was often good during the night while the fish were active and feeding closer to the surface, the disciples caught nothing. When daybreak arrived, they were tired, hungry, and probably more than a little frustrated.

*LIFE APPLICATION: EMPTY NETS: Jesus never criticized the disciples for going fishing. Whatever their motives, fishing was a familiar activity that gave them a sense of normalcy and comfort. It gave them something to do and time to sort out their thoughts. But their efforts yielded nothing. Many times our efforts at work, parenting, or ministry leave us with only “empty nets.” The Lord allows us to experience lack of productivity, frustrations, and failure to bring us closer to him and to help us rely on him, not on our own resourcefulness. When you feel tired and empty, listen for Jesus’ words to you.

21:4-6 Jesus had come to make another appearance to the disciples, especially to Peter. Perhaps because of the distance, haze over the water, or lack of light at dawn, the men in the boat did not recognize the man on the shore. He called out, “Friends, have you caught any fish?” They were only about a hundred yards out (21:8) and called back, “No.”

The man then said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get plenty of fish!” The disciples, tired as they were, responded to the obvious authority in the voice, and cast their nets to starboard—and a miracle occurred!

This recalls Luke 5:1-11, another occasion where Peter and the other disciples were fishing, catching nothing. Jesus gave a command to go out into the deep water. Peter, though doubtful, followed Jesus’ orders. When they obeyed, a miracle occurred! When Peter saw the first miracle, he recognized beyond Jesus’ power a holiness that was not part of his own life.

On this occasion, Peter is again a central character. Jesus identified himself by his unexpected and seemingly useless request. The fishermen’s actions involved them in another miracle. If the request did not give them a clue, the results unmistakably pointed to the power of their Lord: They couldn’t draw in the net because there were so many fish in it. Both John and Peter recognized that Jesus was behind the overwhelming catch of fish.

*LIFE APPLICATION: SURPRISED BY JESUS

Once again the disciples failed to recognize Jesus. This time the poor light gave them a good reason not to realize who he was. Perhaps they were preoccupied with fishing; surely they weren’t expecting him; maybe they were avoiding the issue of what to do next. Are you involved in some area or activity where you think a visit from Christ would be unlikely? Guard against being so preoccupied with your own work that you miss seeing Christ. Expect that he can do the miraculous in ordinary events. Look for him throughout each day.

21:7 John (the disciple whom Jesus loved) may have immediately recognized the repeated miracle, for he was part of the incident recorded in Luke 5. As John peered through the morning mist, he recognized that the man on the shore was the Lord. Peter immediately jumped into the water to swim to Jesus. Though his love for Jesus was very great, Peter may have thought a barrier still existed bet ween the Lord and him because of his denial.

21:8-9 We can only guess what Peter did when he came out of the water, dripping wet, facing the one he had denied. He may have been at a loss for words. Peter must have appreciated the fire that Jesus had burning; there he dried off while he felt the inward chill of remembering what he had done the last time he had stood by a fire warming himself. If any words were said, they were kept between Jesus and Peter, since the others were still too far away to hear.

*LIFE APPLICATION: DISCOURAGED WORKERS

Tired, hungry, and frustrated, these discouraged disciples needed a lift. They lacked direction and they were uncertain of the Lord’s presence and help. Jesus came to them, made his presence known, and gave them direction. Are you discouraged in your work for the Lord? Jesus is prepared for you; he has a gracious welcome waiting. He offered the disciples a warm fire and breakfast. He also wants to give you sustenance, comfort, and fellowship.

21:10-11 The miraculous catch of fish must have affected Peter profoundly. Peter did not say a word as he dragged the heavy net full of 153 large fish to shore and then, with the other disciples, ate the breakfast of bread and fish the Lord had prepared even before they caught the fish.

The number of fish probably has no other significance than that it was a very large amount of large fish—especially after having caught nothing all night. And the exact number is recorded simply as a matter of historical fact. It was the usual procedure for a group of fishermen to count the day’s catch and then divide it among themselves. Once again, John observed that when Christ takes action, the results bring overabundance.

LIFE APPLICATION: JESUS KNOWS

The fact that the net was not torn attested not only to the miracle, but to the attention of the miracle worker. Jesus would supply their catch of fish and would take care that their nets were not torn. Such attention to detail is characteristic of the Holy Spirit’s work in circumstances in every believer’s life—from these disciples who would soon begin to carry out the great commission, to us, today, as we struggle through the confusion in our daily lives.

21:12-13 Any question or any comment seemed trite at that moment. They stood around in awed silence before this one who, as always, was doing the serving, inviting them to have some breakfast. This special meal with the risen Jesus had a profound effect on these seven disciples. Peter would later make claim to his reliability as a witness of Jesus (see Acts 10:41).

21:14 This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples; the first two times had been behind locked doors in Jerusalem. Jesus had come to them to encourage these disciples, especially Peter, concerning their future work. The text seems to imply that Jesus had come to remind them that they were not to return to their old life of fishing. He had called them to be fishers of people (Luke 5:10) and to start the church (Matthew 16:19). Peter, the leader among them, needed to be ready for the responsibilities he soon would assume. He would lead and feed the flock—not with physical food (which Jesus would provide) but with spiritual food.

After the meal, Jesus and Peter had a talk. During their conversation, Jesus led Peter through an experience that would remove the cloud of guilt that came from Peter’s denial. The Master-Teacher conveyed both forgiveness and usefulness to this disciple who must have concluded he was beyond being useful to Jesus.

21:15-17  Simon son of John was the name Jesus had said when he first met this man who would become his disciple (1:42). But Peter had not yet proven himself to live up to that name—Peter, “the rock.” According to Luke 24:34, Jesus had probably met with Peter previously.

Jesus’ first question to Peter, “Do you love me more than these?” could be translated in three ways: (1) “Do you love me more than these men love me?” (2) “Do you love me more than you love these men?” (3) “Do you love me more than these things?” (that is, the fishing boat, nets, and gear). Of the three options, the first seems the most appropriate because Peter had boasted that he would never forsake Jesus, even if all the other disciples did (see Matthew 26:33; Mark 14:29; John 13:37). This was the same as saying that he had more love for Jesus than the others did.

Peter did just the opposite of what he boasted: He denied Jesus three times. As a consequence, Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” to affirm Peter’s love and commitment. Each time Peter told Jesus, “I love you,” Jesus exhorted Peter to care for his flock: “Feed my lambs” (21:15); “Take care of my sheep” (21:16); “Feed my sheep” (21:17). Lambs and sheep can be taken as words of endearment. Jesus’ love and concern is for all believers—the entire “flock” that would grow as a result of the apostles’ ministry.

21:15–17 In this beach scene, Jesus led Peter through an experience that would remove the cloud of his denial. Peter had denied Jesus three times. Three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved him. When Peter answered yes, Jesus told him to feed his sheep. It is one thing to say you love Jesus, but the real test is willingness to serve him. Peter had repented, and here Jesus was asking him to commit his life. Peter’s life changed when he finally realized who Jesus was. His occupation changed from fisherman to evangelist; his identity changed from impetuous to “rock”; and his relationship to Jesus changed—he was forgiven, and he finally understood the significance of Jesus’ words about his death and resurrection.

21:15–17 Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him. The first time Jesus said, “Do you love (Greek agape: volitional, self-sacrificial love) me more than these?” The second time, Jesus focused on Peter alone and still used the word translated into Greek, agape. The third time, Jesus used the word translated into Greek, phileo (signifying affection, affinity, or brotherly love) and asked, in effect, “Are you even my friend?” Each time Peter responded with the word translated into Greek as phileo. Jesus doesn’t settle for quick, superficial answers. He has a way of getting to the heart of the matter. Peter had to face his true feelings and motives when Jesus confronted him. How would you respond if Jesus asked you, “Do you love me? Do you really love me? Are you even my friend?”

www.Upwards.Church

Message Audio/Video and Outline: https://upwards.church/leander-campus/watch-now-message-videos

Watch Messages: YouTube-Upwards Church

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Read Along Daily Bible Reading: You Version

Sources:

— Life Application Bible Commentary

— Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary

Life Application Bible Notes (Tyndale, 2007), 1801–1802.

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Come with Your Grief – Part 2 – John 11: 20-36

Posted on April 29, 2026 by dkoop

In today’s passage out of John 11, we will see two ladies, Mary and Martha who felt deep grief, some confusion and a little anger.  Their brother Lazarus was sick and dying, but Jesus did not go to help.  Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus but did not help them when they expected it. This is an interesting picture of Jesus, someone who doesn’t immediately take us out of our situations. Maybe you’re a little uncomfortable with that image. But there was a reason, which we will see.  Jesus eventually came through for Mary, Martha and Lazarus and He will come through for you.  Like Mary, Martha and Lazarus we too need to know that life and faith will be difficult.  They needed Jesus to help them through difficult times and we will too.

Also, I hope we can see how Jesus deals with each of our needs in very specific ways.  According to our personalities and needs Jesus meets us differently.  In our passage we see Jesus enter the scene and Martha, the same Martha that we read about in Luke 10 that was too busy to sit down and listen to Jesus rushes out to meet Jesus first.  She is a go-getter she goes out to meet Jesus and has questions, she raises theological issues, she needs to vent, and she needs some answers.  With Mary it was a different story, she was more emotional, she feels deeply and was a crier.

Jesus arrived in Bethany four days after they’d buried Lazarus. Martha greeted him first, and told him, “Lord, if only you had been here YOU could have saved him. And Jesus said: “Lazarus will rise again.” Martha knew enough about Jewish theology to know that one day, all the graves will open and the dead will rise from them. She said: “I know he will rise again in the resurrection of the dead.”
Martha wouldn’t be comforted, I know about the resurrection — but that’s so far off. Jesus then uttered the basis for all history’s hope and direction – “I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE!”

What a claim! Jesus claimed to be in charge of everything: life, death, the afterlife and everything between.

 Death is the great equalizer in life. We may all have different lives, come from different backgrounds, experience different joys and sorrows, but the one thing that links all mankind together is death. We are all going to die.

Some of the questions that mankind has tried to answer about death are:
Is death the end? Is there life after death? Why is there death?  Will we live again?

With Jesus, Even Death Is Not The End

25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.

What did Jesus mean? How could His words help Martha in her time of loss? How can the words of Jesus help you in your time of loss? What comfort can Jesus’ words give you, even today, as we say goodbye to loved ones?

Martha knew that things would be better someday. The resurrection, that sweet by-and-by, that hope of seeing her loved one again someday. She had a hope that things would be OK someday. Jesus said, “I am that hope. You’re waiting for the resurrection to give you hope? Well, I am the resurrection. I can give you hope now.

Jesus is our hope. He is our only hope of surviving death, because He is in control over it. He is the resurrection. That word means “alive again.” That is, even when life hits us hard, when the scariest thing in the world attacks us, the thing we have no control over, we can trust in Jesus, because He has the power to make us alive again.
And Jesus went on. He said He was the resurrection. Then He said He was the life. What did He mean? By saying that He was the resurrection He meant He is our only hope of surviving death. So, by saying He was the life, He meant that He is our only hope of getting through our days now. He is the hope for tomorrow and the strength for today. He will help us survive death, and He will help us survive life as well. Sometimes life is hard. But Jesus said, “I will help you if you ask.” There is nothing that life throws at you that you and Jesus can’t handle.

To comfort the grieving, hurting Martha, Jesus reminded her that He is the lord of the living and the dead. He is master of death and life. You can commit to Him your eternity and your today’s. He is in control of whatever happens to us.  And He also wants to remind you that He can give you strength and hope until the day your name appears in the obituaries.

26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”     Jesus is asking her to make a decision, to make a statement of faith.  Jesus asks us to make the same decision.  “Do you believe in me?”

Martha is best known for being too busy to sit down and talk with Jesus (Luke 10:38-42), but here we see her as a woman of deep faith. When asked if she believed his words about resurrection, she replied, “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” Her statement of faith is exactly the response that Jesus wants from us.  In recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, she saw him to be God’s envoy appointed to deliver God’s people; in recognizing Jesus as the Son of God, she saw his divinity.

Now Jesus will interact with Mary.

Jesus Cries With Me And For Me

 32 When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell down at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, he was moved with indignation and was deeply troubled. 34 “Where have you put him?” he asked them.
They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Then Jesus wept.

Mary fell at the feet of the One she knew held the future and wept! She poured out her heart to the One who could make the difference and moved Jesus to work in her circumstances.

Tears are a language that Jesus understands! Tears speak more about what our hearts feel than any words could ever express. Those tiny drops of humanity that tumble from our eyes, creep down our cheeks and splash on the floor carry the message that our hearts ache and hurt. Tears are the messengers that sometimes substitute for our crippled words.  They spill out carrying with them our deepest emotions. A tearstain on a cheek speaks more than words ever could. A tear falling on a casket says what a spoken farewell never could.  What gives more support than the tears on the face of a friend as we pour out our troubles to them? What do we do when the words just won’t come out right as all the nouns and verbs and adverbs and adjectives lay deflated at our feet?

The scripture says that Jesus was moved by the heartbreak of their souls and that His Spirit groaned inside him and He was troubled.

How many of us are moved by the heartbreak of our children or some disappointment that crushes their little souls?   Won’t we also move to do all within our power to help them and ease the pain?  As parents we do all within our power to make it all right.

Why do we think that Jesus doesn’t care about our troubles or the things that trouble us?

John 11: 35, the shortest verse in the entire bible; but man is it powerful!  “ JESUS WEPT!”  Those two words let us know that God is concerned about the things that break our hearts! God wants so much to be a part of our everyday lives.  Did you know that? God is moved by the tears of his children

Jesus not only cries with us, he also cries for us.  His heart breaks when we don’t recognize our need for him.  His heart breaks from our unbelief.  His heart breaks when we don’t live the lives we could.  I love the compassion in Jesus in Luke 19:41-42 “ As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it  and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace”

Think of all the tears that must be shed in heaven as Jesus who died on the cross NONE might perish but all have everlasting life with him, sees each and every moment some lost soul dies and is separated from Him for all eternity.  God created us to fellowship with him and live with him.

You might think that you don’t deserve this kind of love, that you’re unworthy. No one has ever loved me before or I’ve lived such a bad life, surely God only wants to punish me. Jesus loves you just the way you are and he’ll accept you and write your name in His Book of Life if you’ll only respond to Him right now. You may have been abused, mistreated, unloved, made fun of your whole life for the way you look, where you live, the clothes you wear or the things you’ve done but Jesus still died for you that you might have life and have it more abundantly – John 10:10.

You were worth so much, that it took the blood of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the one at whose name every knee will bow and every tongue confess, to purchase your salvation.  You’re worth so much Jesus died for you!

Some of you may even at this moment be crying on the inside wondering if all this is really true.  God will reach out a nail scarred hand to lift you up and put peace in your heart and joy down deep in your soul if you’ll only let him. Don’t resist Jesus today. Tears are a language that Jesus understands.  Jesus called back a man four days dead in the grave, bloated and stinking, and He does the same today for you.  Jesus meets us where we are at, answers our questions, cries with us and offers us new life and eternal life.  Come to Jesus and see!

Darrell

www.Upwards.Church

Message Audio/Video and Outline: https://upwards.church/leander-campus/watch-now-message-videos

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Come with Your Grief – John 11: 1-19

Posted on April 28, 2026 by dkoop

Grief is an emotional response to loss that every person experiences.  We grieve because we are made in the “image of God”  and God grieves.

Examples of God’s Grief in Scripture: 

  • Grief Over Humanity’s Wickedness (Genesis 6:5-8): Before the flood, God’s heart felt deep sorrow and regret for making humankind due to rampant wickedness.
  • Grief Over Israel’s Rebellion (Psalm 78:39-42): God is portrayed as being grieved when his people rebelled against him in the wilderness.
  • Jesus Weeping at Lazarus’ Tomb (John 11:33-35): Jesus experiences personal, emotional grief at the death of his friend and the sorrow of Mary and Martha, demonstrating that God is not distant from our pain.
  • Grief Over Stubbornness (Mark 3:5): Jesus felt anger and sadness regarding the hard hearts of those who opposed him.

While grief is usually thought of as the emotional response to this loss, there are also physical, mental, behavioral, social, cultural, and other aspects involved.  In grief, we may feel lost, hopeless, alone and question God.

Where is God in our grief?

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

The temptation to doubt God’s presence and love in the wake of tragedy is strong. You may be wondering if God has forgotten you or if his love for you has failed in some way. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. The Bible characterizes Jesus, as a despised and rejected man of sorrows who is familiar with grief (Isaiah 53:3). Just when God seems most distant and unloving, Scripture reminds us that Jesus was “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” before his arrest, trial, and crucifixion (Matthew 26:38). He asked his disciples to keep watch with him as he prayed, but they abandoned him to catch some sleep instead. However, Jesus is not like his disciples. He will not abandon you when you are overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of despair. Jesus, who knows what it is to be abandoned in the face of suffering, will never leave you alone.

Rather than leaving us to suffer in solitude, God comes to meet us. Jesus entered into creation and experienced suffering just like you and me so that we would never suffer alone. We now have the opportunity to approach God with confidence because we know he is not distant and aloof. Instead Jesus knows exactly what we are going through because he voluntarily went through the same trials, temptations, sufferings, and worse. Jesus, by entering into our world and our suffering, is uniquely qualified to offer help and hope when we need it most. Therefore, rather than grieving alone, in Christ we “receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Today’s passage has a great deal of insight into how we deal with grief — and a perfect model in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

11:1-3 Though John only introduces us to the family of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus at the end of Jesus’ ministry, Jesus and the disciples often visited their home. Jesus enjoyed their close friendship and hospitality on his visits to Jerusalem, for Bethany was a village just outside of the city.  The events described in Luke 13:22–17:10 occurred between chapters 10 and 11 of John.

John identified Mary with an event described in the next chapter (12:1-7) because Mary’s display of love for Christ was well known to the first-century Christians (Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9). Lazarus was sick, so the sisters contacted Jesus, their friend who had healed so many.

11:4 When Jesus heard of Lazarus’s sickness, he said it will not end in death. He knew Lazarus would die, but the end of the story would not be death. Lazarus’s death was an opportunity for Jesus to receive glory. God strategically placed some miracles in human history to demonstrate his wise providence and his sovereignty.

Lazarus had been close to Jesus, yet he became deathly ill. The disciples may have thought, “What did Lazarus do wrong?” But the Bible helps us see that sickness and death do not indicate that God has rejected someone or that they have done something wrong.

We must remind ourselves that neither we nor our loved ones are exempt. These were close friends of Jesus. Jesus loved them. Yet he did not rush to spare them grief. The presence of pain and suffering in the lives of faithful disciples of Jesus can teach us that Christians do not have different experiences in life, rather, they experience life differently. Our hope in Jesus does not insulate us from life’s difficulties, but it does provide a way through and beyond them. God can use difficult experiences to make us more compassionate servants for him as we console others.

11:5-7 This statement of Jesus’ love for the family explains that it was not lack of love that kept Jesus from going to them. Humanly speaking, Jesus would have wanted to go to them immediately. But he was constrained by the Father’s timing. When God’s time came, Jesus headed back into Judea to be with his dear friends in their sorrow. God’s timing is always perfect, whether in guiding his Son through his ministry on earth, or in guiding us today and answering our prayers.

Jesus loved this family and often stayed with them. He knew their pain but did not respond immediately. His delay had a specific purpose. God’s timing, especially his delays, may make us think he is not answering or is not answering the way we want. But he will meet all our needs (Philippians 4:19) according to his perfect schedule and purpose. Often when we pray, circumstances seem to actually worsen. We are tempted to doubt and despair. But delay itself builds patience. Our patience improves as we trust in his timing.

 11:11-15 The disciples missed Jesus’ meaning when he said, “Lazarus has fallen asleep.” They assumed he was getting better. Jesus explained: “Lazarus is dead.” Lazarus died so that Jesus could show his power over death to his disciples and others. He would go and wake him up, thus giving the disciples another opportunity to believe. The raising of Lazarus displayed Christ’s power—the resurrection from the dead is a crucial belief of Christian faith. Jesus not only raised himself from the dead (10:18), but he also has the power to raise others.

The disciples heard the word sleep and misunderstood Jesus’ intention to go there personally to awaken Lazarus from death. Only Jesus can refer to death as sleep because only he has power over death. From a human perspective, death is very real and final.

For those who believe in the resurrection, death is merely sleep in comparison to eternal life.

11:17-19 Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days by the time Jesus arrived. In the warm climate of Palestine, a dead body would decompose quickly, so a person’s body was often buried the same day of death. When Jesus and the disciples arrived in Bethany, many Jews from Jerusalem had gathered to console Lazarus’s family, and some of those who had arrived were religious leaders.

In Jewish society, prolonged mourning for the dead was considered an essential part of every funeral.   It is a tribute to the family that many from Jerusalem came to Bethany to pay their respects and offer their support to the sisters.

Measured by our timetable, many of our prayers’ answers may seem delayed. But knowing that we deal with a wise and loving God, we must consider that the problem may be with our timetable rather than God’s.

Though we experience delays, we can be sure that Jesus does initiate help for us. He will come to our aid. His help may well come in different ways and forms than we expect, but we can depend on his dependability! God will come to you in your time of need.

Although we get many glimpses of Jesus’ compassion throughout the Gospels, his tender conversations with Mary and Martha during their grief are the most moving. Jesus did not ridicule or belittle grief. He affirmed our need for comfort by providing it to the sisters without hesitation and is a good example for us.

In the next post we will look closer at how Jesus meets each of us based on our personality and particular needs when grieving.

Darrell

www.Upwards.Church

Message Audio/Video and Outline: https://upwards.church/leander-campus/watch-now-message-videos

Watch Messages: YouTube-Upwards Church

Facebook: Upwards Church

Read Along Daily Bible Reading: You Version

Sources:

https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-life/what-does-it-look-like-to-deal-with-grief.html

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%203%3A5&version=NKJV

— Life Application Bible Commentary

— Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary

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Come with Your Questions – Part 2 – John 3: 9-18

Posted on April 22, 2026 by dkoop

9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.

The questions continue.  Jesus continues to answer!

13 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man[a] has come down from heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.[b]

To emphasize his point, Jesus turns to a familiar OT story. He refers to the wilderness incident in Numbers 21 when God sent venomous snakes into the Israelite’s camp to judge them for their sin.  The venomous snake that was common in that region is the Palestine Viper.

Here’s a picture of Palestine Viper

As these snakes began to strike the people, they got sick and died.

A venomous snakebite is a very serious matter requiring immediate medical care.

Here’s a picture of someone bitten by a type of pit viper similar to the Palestine Viper.

6 So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died. 7 Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people.

8 Then the Lord told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” 9 So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!

God instructed Moses to make and erect a bronze serpent. And all those who looked up at the serpent were saved.

Even so, Jesus would be lifted up on a cross, and those who look to Him will be saved.

 

As the Israelites in the desert, we have all been struck down by sin. Sin has sunk its fangs in our spiritual souls and we are dying. The venom has made its way to our hearts and we are dying in our sins.

But God saw us in our sinful hopelessness, and He made a way. He sent a Savior, who was lifted up on the cross. And now the message is clear, “Believe in Him. Believe in Him. Believe in Him!” Look to the cross. There is healing in the cross. There is a Savior. The new birth comes through a Savior.

Our salvation is driven by the love of God based on our need for healing, and restoration.

Then we find the most popular Bible verse of all times.

16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

I read a story about an instant cake mix that was a big flop… The instructions said all you had to do was add water & bake… The company couldn’t understand why it didn’t sell – until their research discovered that the public felt uneasy about a cake mix that required only water… Apparently, people thought it was too easy.

So the company altered the formula & changed the directions to add an egg in addition to the water… The idea worked & sales increased.

That story reminds me of how people react to the plan of salvation… To them, it sounds too easy & simple to be true.  Unlike the cake mix manufacturer, God has not changed His “formula” to make salvation more marketable. The gospel we proclaim has nothing to do with being good enough.

3 men died and were standing at the pearly gates. What have you done to deserve Heaven? 1st was a —police officer, enforced law, fought crime. Peter, “OK, go on in.” 2nd— was very wealthy man and gave lots of money to charitable causes. Peter, “OK, go on in.” 3rd— was a director of an HMO organization. He had helped save millions of dollars for health care and insurance companies. He had helped cut down on waste, fraud, and abuse in the system. Peter, “OK come on in, but you can only stay for 3 days.”

We have all heard jokes about people showing up at the pearly gates seeking entrance into Heaven. While many of these jokes bring a smile to our faces, behind most of them is the false assumption that we must we can earn our way into Heaven. It is shocking to people to hear that they can’t do anything to earn entrance into Heaven. Grace goes beyond human comprehension. By our nature, we want to merit God’s favor. The scandal of grace challenges our normal way of thinking.

That’s the message that Jesus had for Nicodemus. That’s the plan that God has for us. For Jesus told Nicodemus the words that have become known as the “Gospel in a nutshell…” “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have eternal life…” (John 3:16)

Psychologists say that there are three steps to change. First, realize the need to change – what they call dissonance. Second, have a desire to change. Third, commit to changing. Simply put, it is I should change, I want to Change, and I have Changed.
Christianity has talked about those same three steps for generations. The religious words are Conviction, Repentance, and Rebirth.

  1. Conviction – “I need to change”
  2. Repentance – “I am moving towards Christ”
  3. Rebirth/Conversion – NEW LIFE!

We recognize that these are not steps that we can take by ourselves. The Holy Spirit is involved in each step.  The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin in our life and our need for him.  We repent because of the Holy Spirit’s work in our life and then when we move towards God then he supernaturally gives us new life.

This story ends well, eventually; Nicodemus experienced a spiritual renewal of his own.  We read of him defending Jesus before the Pharisees as they were plotting against him — earning him a severe rebuke (John 7:50-51). He also shows up after the crucifixion of Jesus and helps Joseph of Arimathea anoint the body of Jesus, wrap it and bury it (John 19:38-40). Both of these acts were done at great personal risk, and possibly got him expelled from the Temple. Something had happened to the heart of Nicodemus. He could have held on to his title as a religious teacher in Israel and resented that Jesus was trying to teach him something, but he humbled himself and experienced a new birth.

I hope you will do the same.  We read the verses after John 3:16 which are just as important:

17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.

The choice is ours, spiritual rebirth or judgment and spiritual death.

Darrell

www.Upwards.Church

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