Living In The Light

“Living in the Light”

John 3:18-21

There was a news article:

- published Friday (10/4/2024)

- in the “USA TODAY”

- about the devastation and chaos brought on by Hurricane Helene

I am going to share parts of the article with you:

? Rescue crews across western North Carolina

? searched Friday for scores

? of missing people following

Helene's historic deluge:

? has killed at least 223 people, hundreds more people are missing

? swallowing whole towns and

? leaving thousands without power or drinkable water.

The storm washed out hundreds of roads and damaged bridges:

? across the southern Appalachians,

? leaving residents in already isolated communities

? stranded amid widespread

? power outages and communication blackouts.

Meanwhile:

? residents throughout the Southeast

? were grappling with

? the storm's immense damage.

Let us pray for these people:

- for their pain, their needs, their lack,

- for the Doctorss and 1st responders

- from broken houses to broken hearts.

- for God to be glorified amid the Chaos

Silent prayer followed by Gary closing.

Thursday night I heard the story:

- of one lady’s tragic experience in the hurricane

- she lost her husband and 7 year old child and

- was thrown into the waters of Hurricane Hellene

She found herself:

- being pushed around in the water for 5 hours

- she must have been bloody and bruised

- she was desperate and helpless

Her life was in danger…in fact without help she was going to perish

She needed a Savior:

- and she was rescued, she was plucked out of the surrounding waters.

- and after being saved from a certain death

- she praised God for Saving her

- right on TV she LOUDLY Praised the name of Jesus

Remember this lady and we’ll come back to her….

Today’s passage… John 3:18-21:

- follows the famous verse 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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

John 3:16-17 (NIV)

In verse 18, we are told there is no condemnation for those who believe in Jesus.

1. The CHOICE between LIGHT and DARKNESS

“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

- John 3:18-19

Verse 18: "Whoever believes in him is not condemned..."

No matter the depth of your sin:

- Salvation is available to you

- no matter how far you have gone away from God

- The Cross is your pass home…

The Cross of Christ:

- offers healing in the place of woundedness

- offers forgiveness in the place of shame

- offers God’s righteousness in the place of our sinfulness.

“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

- Colossians 1:19-20 (NIV)

Salvation is available to everyone:

- But you must believe in the name of Jesus

- put your confidence in the

- death, burial and resurrection of Christ

The emphasis here is on faith in Jesus:

- as the central means of salvation.

- Belief in Christ delivers one from condemnation.

A few moments ago:

- I told you a story about a woman

- who was bruised, bloody and almost drowned?

- but then someone pulled her from certain death and gave her life???

While she was still in the water:

- after 5 hours of being dragged around and into things

- by the strong current of the RIVER

- What was her situation???

Was she saved or lost…Physically?

- physically she could not rescue herself

- if no one intervened she would certainly have died

- her status was lost…

That sounds to me like our situation…

LOST is the status of everyone:

- who has not put their faith in Jesus Christ

- that person outside of Christ and His Kingdom

- are in the current position of LOST….

"...but whoever does not believe stands condemned already..."

This phrase introduces the theme of judgment:

? It is a judgment based on personal response to Jesus,

? The condemnation is not future but

? a present reality for those who reject Jesus.

God desires all people to go to HEAVEN:

- the LOST person is already on the way to Hell