If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed.
(John 3:12-20)
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Gather around, friends, because I want to tell you a Christmas story. Now, I confess that I'm no Charles Dickens – so there won't be a miserly old curmudgeon suddenly transformed – and I'm no Chevy Chase - so you're not going to be rolling on the floor laughing. I'm not even Macauley Culkin – so there will be no accounts of children left to fend for themselves. My Christmas story is just a little bit different than any of those, and it revolves around these words: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” They're familiar words – probably among the most familiar words in the Bible. They're at the heart of this extended passage that we read, which looks at the past, moves on to the future and even discusses judgement. They're at the heart of the entire Gospel message. In fact, John 3:16 has sometimes been referred to as “the little gospel” - the point being that everything you ever really needed to know about the gospel you find in that one verse. We usually associate the verse with Good Griday, so that “God gave” is associated with sacrifice, but I often think of the words “God gave” as being about Christmas. “God gave his only Son” reminds us that Christmas ultimately isn't about the gifts we found under the Christmas tree today, and it's not about Santa or shopping or turkey or lights, or any of those things. They're all wonderful. I'm not one of those Christian grumps who complain about the secular Christmas. But, for me, “God gave his only Son” reminds me about what this day is all about – God gave us Jesus. In a sense, Jesus himself was the first Christmas gift – given by God. I want to focus on John 3:16 for just a few moments as a part of our Christmas celebration.
“God so loved the world ...” God loved. The birth of Jesus was an act of divine love. It wasn't love defined as an emotion that you might feel toward some and not others, or that might come and go depending on a whole lot of variables. This is love – the perfect love – the love that will not die – the love that will not end. This is love not just as an emotion, but love as an action. This is love not just as an uncontrollable feeling, but love as a deliberate choice. This is a love that doesn't look with mere affection on its object, but love that offers complete devotion to its object. This is love that doesn't look with pity on its object, but love that stands in solidarity with its object. This is not selfish love that seeks to be loved in return, but selfless love that simply loves for the sake of loving. This is love with no ulterior motive and no secret agenda. This is simply love. As John would later write in 1 John, “In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son ...”
“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son ...” God gave. And the point is that God gave of himself. God didn't give a trinket bought at WalMart, neither did God go into debt believing that love has a price or can be bought. God gave of himself – of that which was nearest and dearest and closest to God. God gave. God did not give a gift that would be of fleeting value – appreciated but someday probably forgotten; heart-warming but not life-changing; fading away with the passage of time and ultimately replaced in our hearts by something bigger or shinier or more interesting. God gave “his only Son” - a Son who would promise to be with us forever. Matthew's Gospel is interesting, because it begins and ends on the same note: in Matthew 1, Jesus is called “Emmanuel” - “God With Us” and in Matthew 28, Jesus' last words to his disciples are “I will be with you always ...” God gave – a gift of lasting value and importance. God gave us Jesus, who stands with us and never abandons us.
“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him ...” That word “everyone” is key. God doesn't give as we give. As Jesus himself said, “I do not give to you as the world gives.” How does the world give? The world tends to give sparingly – only to those we think of as deserving. We're cautious about our giving. We pick and choose the recipients of our love carefully, as if love is a limited commodity that we can't choose to give away in abundance. We tend to get a bit cynical if those we give to don't seem to appreciate what we've given as much as we think they should. Not so with God. God gives extravagantly. God is love and so God loves without limit. God doesn't stop to consider who is or isn't worthy of receiving gifts. The gift God gives is there for the taking. It's not reserved for anyone in particular, it's not restricted to only certain groups of people, the supply of what God gives never runs out. It is, quite literally, a gift for “everyone.”
And, finally, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” It is, literally, the perfect gift. Once we receive it, we never perish. I think the point here is beyond simply saying that we won't die. That's important – but it goes beyond even that. I think the point is that we aren't insignificant. Most people fear insignificance. They're worried that they won't make a difference; that they won't leave anything of lasting value. Saying that we won't perish but will have eternal life I think is meant literally – our death will not be the end – but it's also meant figuratively: it tells us that we are of great significance. We matter to God; we are important to God. What matters is more than just this flesh and blood existence that we lead. What matters and gives us significance is the love that God has for us. We will not perish because God will not forget us or leave us or abandon us. We will not perish because Jesus – the great gift that God has given – is with us always.
“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” This is the real Christmas story – beyond anything that any author has imagined or any movie maker has produced. This is the real Christmas story – even beyond the manger and angels and shepherds and magi. God loved – God gave – for everyone – forever.
I'm glad we've gathered here today, on Christmas Day. Henry Van Dyke said that “It is a good thing to observe Christmas Day. ... But there is a better thing than the observance of Christmas Day, and that is, keeping Christmas.” We truly keep Christmas by remembering the great gift that God has given us and by letting it touch us and guide us every day of the year. God gave – and may God's giving be our example.
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