12/3/23 - Advent: Love - John 3:16 - Pastor Jason Fritz

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

 

The Danish philosopher and theologian Soren Kierkegaard reflected on the reason for the incarnation and said this…

 

Imagine a prince desiring to get married. Each day his gold carriage traveled through the marketplace on its way to the castle. One day his eye caught the beauty of a peasant maiden. He fell in love with her. But how could he get her to marry him? As prince he could force the girl. Or he could have put on an incredible display of wealth and power. But he wanted a marriage of mutual love, not manipulation or force. So he exchanged his royal robes for peasant clothes and became a commoner. The prince lived as a poor man, worked as a laborer and ate scraps. Eventually, the girl took notice of him as a hard working and kind man. Soonafter, they wed.

 

You see, the prince became as she was so that she could understand his heart for her. 

 

That’s why God sent Jesus. So that we would understand God’s heart for us. This method is far better than any external voice shouting from heaven or some powerful ruler announcing a decree. God’s love can be a difficult thing for us to grasp. We tend to withhold love if we have been wronged. We tend to think of what is in our best interest first. Sometimes we harbor bitterness and grudges toward those we love the most. God however, withholds nothing from us.

 

Consider this: The greatest gifts are both useful and costly. The gift of Jesus is the most useful and costly thing you will ever receive.

 

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

 

Through Jesus you recieve eternal life. I would say that is very useful! However, it will come at a sacrifice and not of your own. It will require the death of Jesus. That is costly. Useful and costly is this gift from God. A clear expression of his love for you!