God so loved the world

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

After Charlie and Jenny were married, they were blessed with two children. But several months into Jenny’s third pregnancy, she suffered a miscarriage. Charlie and Jenny were devastated.

It took them a long time to recover and feel passionate towards each other again. Finally, God blessed them with another child. But there were complications during the pregnancy and their son was born with serious health and mental disabilities.

Charlie and Jenny didn’t care. They loved their son and poured everything into caring or him. Jenny quit work to stay home full-time with their son. Charlie worked as much overtime as possible to be able to afford the best doctors and therapists for their son.

But as Jenny poured her passion into her son, she didn’t leave room to be passionate toward her husband. Charlie was so exhausted each night that he had little time to listen to Jenny’s stories before he fell asleep on the sofa.

Neither one of them meant for it to happen, but Jenny had an affair with one of the physical therapists who came to the house to work with her son. Charlie had an affair with one of his coworkers after they would go out to the bar to unwind after work.

They each carried so much with them. Anger towards God for taking their child away through the miscarriage. Questions of God of why he would allow their son to be born with so many disabilities. Unresolved guilt for their silent affairs.

Finally, they reached out to their pastor for help. After they each opened up and laid their hears bare before God and each other, he read John 3:16 to them. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

He then told them, “God loves you Charlie. He loves you Jenny. As you confessed your sins to each other and to God, he forgives you, too. He put your sins on his Son. He covered your guilt with his Son’s blood. God’s Son, Jesus, was born innocent and laid in a manger so he could die guilty of your sins laid on the cross. God’s passionate love for you will rekindle your passionate love for each other. Jesus has restored your relationship with God and he will restore your relationship with each other.

Charlie and Jenny’s story is your story. The names are different. The circumstances are changed. But the anger, questions and guilt are the same.

And God’s message to you is the same. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

Sometimes events in our lives can cause us to wonder about God’s love. Illness or injury, loss of a job or loss of a loved one — there are plenty of problems in our lives that might make us wonder, “Does God really love this world? Does God really love me?” It can look like God has abandoned this world. It can seem that he has abandoned you. It can seem that he doesn’t care. Nothing could be further from the truth. What we are celebrating this evening proves it. And what Jesus says to us in John 3 promises it.

Listen again, ‘For God so loved the world…’ And isn’t it shocking that he does? Have you looked at this world lately? It’s a mess! Sin and guilt, hate and hurt, lying and cheating, arrogance and injustice are everywhere. And God loved this?

“Yes,” says Jesus. “God loved the world.” That includes you! Can you believe it? You! Who could love someone with so much to feel guilty about from their past? Who could love someone with so much to feel guilty about in the present? Who could love someone who has done those kinds of things? Who could love someone who has those kinds of thoughts? Who? The God of this universe, that’s who. You may feel that no one loves you, that no one cares about you. You may even feel that they are right – that you are unlovable. But Jesus assures you tonight that, even if it seems that no one else loves you, God does.

But … how can you be sure? People say, “I love you,” all the time. Talk is cheap. Just because someone says they love you does not guarantee that they do. So, how can you be sure? How can you be certain that God loves you?

You can be sure because of what he gave you. “God so loved the world that he gave …” Gave what? What did God give? A new car? A cabin on the lake? A million dollars?

“… He gave his one and only Son …” Imagine that your child was in the hospital recovering from an illness. A doctor comes into the room and tells you that there is a child a few rooms down who is dying. But that child will live if you are willing to give her your child’s heart. It will mean, of course, that your child will die. But the other child will live. Who would agree to such a thing? Who would be willing to make such a sacrifice?

Your God would. Your God did. He gave his one and only Son. That is what tonight is all about. That little baby in the manger is God’s gift to you, to the world. That little baby — wrapped not in paper but in swaddling clothes, that little baby — placed not under a tree but in a manger, that little baby is the greatest gift you will ever be given. No matter what you unwrap later tonight or tomorrow morning, it will not compare. Because that little baby did for you what no one else, least of all you, could do. He restored your relationship with God. He willingly went from lying in that manger to hanging on a cross where he paid the penalty your sins and mine deserve. The baby whose birth we are here to celebrate took our place and paid our price so that God is now able to say, “I forgive you. I no longer hold your sins against you.”

Can you believe it? Jesus says you can. In fact, Jesus says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Eternal life! Wow! What could be better? What could be better than knowing that, when you leave this life, God will welcome you into his heaven, that you will spend forever in a place without the pain and suffering and sadness and sickness of this place?

For many people, Christmas is a favorite time of year — a time of calm and peace and comfort. But, before long, it has passed, and we are back to our busy lives. Before long, we are back to the realities of this world with all its stress and sadness and sin. And, if Christmas was nothing more than parties and presents, it would have nothing to offer when we return to the realities of this world. But tonight, we have been assured that Christmas is much more than parties and presents. Christmas is proof that God loves the world. It is proof that God loves you. Remember this when times are tough, and you are tempted to wonder whether God cares. He does. That baby in the manger says so. And that means you can have a very Merry Christmas all year long.

It means that no matter what anger, questions or guilt you have, God can take it all away. Actually, he has! In his Son laid in a manger. That is proof that God loves the world. That is proof that God loves you. Amen.