1. GOD’S LOVE OR THE WORLD’S LURE

2. 1. God’s way seems too irrational for our modern culture.

3. 2. There are a lot of things that affect your life that don’t make sense.

4. This scripture will help you understand so you can make the wisest choice!

5. John 3:13-15 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven — the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

6. John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

7. John 3:18-21 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.

8. I. Moses & the Snakes. No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven — the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. - v13-15

9. A. God’s way. Numbers 21:6-9 - Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived Numbers 21:6-9 - Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived. I. Moses & the Snakes.

10. A. God’s way. Numbers 21:6-9 - Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived Numbers 21:6-9 - Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived. I. Moses & the Snakes.

11. A. God’s way. Numbers 21:6-9 - Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived Numbers 21:6-9 - Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived. I. Moses & the Snakes.

12. B. How would you react? I. Moses & the Snakes.

13. B. How would you react? They reacted by faith! God spoke & they obeyed! I. Moses & the Snakes.

14. C. So - God’s way provided the cure! I. Moses & the Snakes.

15. II. Jesus & the Cross. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. - v16-17

16. A. What’s so special about John 3:16? For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - v16 II. Jesus & the Cross.

17. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - v16 “The heart of the Bible is the New Testament. The Book of John is its center & the 3 rd chapter is its vital pulse!” - W. G. Scroggie II. Jesus & the Cross.

18. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - v16 “When God loves, He loves a world! When He gives, He gives His best!” - Peter MacKenzie II. Jesus & the Cross.

19. B. God’s way. Romans 5:12 - Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men... II. Jesus & the Cross.

20. B. God’s way. Romans 5:12 - Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men... because all sinned! II. Jesus & the Cross.

21. B. God’s way. Romans 5:12 - Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men... because all sinned! 1. You are separated from God because of what you did - not because of what someone else did! II. Jesus & the Cross.

22. B. God’s way. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - v16 2. God gave - The Lord went to the cross for you! II. Jesus & the Cross.

23. C. What if there had not been a cross? II. Jesus & the Cross.

24. C. What if there had not been a cross? 1. Separation from God forever. II. Jesus & the Cross.

25. C. What if there had not been a cross? 1. Separation from God forever. 2. No salvation from your sins. II. Jesus & the Cross.

26. C. What if there had not been a cross? 1. Separation from God forever. 2. No salvation from your sins. 3. Heaven would be out of reach. II. Jesus & the Cross.

27. C. What if there had not been a cross? 1. Separation from God forever. 2. No salvation from your sins. 3. Heaven would be out of reach. You would be totally lost! II. Jesus & the Cross.

28. D. What does the cross do for you? John 12:32 - But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself. II. Jesus & the Cross.

29. D. What does the cross do for you? John 12:32 - But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself. 1. You can have a changed life. II. Jesus & the Cross.

30. D. What does the cross do for you? John 12:32 - But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself. 1. You can have a changed life. 2. You can have a home in heaven. II. Jesus & the Cross.

31. D. What does the cross do for you? John 12:32 - But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself. 1. You can have a changed life. 2. You can have a home in heaven. 3. You can have life without end! II. Jesus & the Cross.

32. E. God’s way provides the answer for you! II. Jesus & the Cross.

33. I. Moses & the Snakes. II. Jesus & the Cross. III. The Light & the Judgment. - v18-21

34. A. There will be a judgment! III. The Light & the Judgment.

35. A. There will be a judgment! 1. Most people wonder, “Did I live a good enough life to get in?” III. The Light & the Judgment.

36. A. There will be a judgment! 2. The gospel message: you are lost or saved based upon your relationship with the Lord! John 14:6 - I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. III. The Light & the Judgment.

37. B. Choosing God is not an intellectual choice - it’s a moral one! III. The Light & the Judgment.

38. B. Choosing God is not an intellectual choice - it’s a moral one! 1. What does this mean? a. Intellectual = a decision based on evidence & logic. III. The Light & the Judgment.

39. B. Choosing God is not an intellectual choice - it’s a moral one! 1. What does this mean? b. Moral = a decision based only on what you want to do. III. The Light & the Judgment.

40. B. Choosing God is not an intellectual choice - it’s a moral one! 2. What about the hypocrites? III. The Light & the Judgment.

41. B. Choosing God is not an intellectual choice - it’s a moral one! 2. What about the hypocrites? 3. What about the miracles? III. The Light & the Judgment.

42. B. Choosing God is not an intellectual choice - it’s a moral one! 4. What is your motive for rejecting God? III. The Light & the Judgment.

43. C. All of you must make a choice about God! III. The Light & the Judgment.

44. Take the remedy God has made for your sinful condition! Discover the life God has available for you! Don’t put it off!