Paul Email -3Sept2013- John 3 (Reconciliation)

How you doin? I was corrected yesterday for stating that there were 2 men walking to Emmaus in my email from 8/31. This was an oversight on my part, because I actually knew that it was a man and a woman. The scripture only mentions one name. The man's name. It was customary of the times that women's names were not mentioned, which indicates to us that there was a man & a woman. Jesus loved women equally to men. I apologize to the women who read this email. I was very fixed on "recognizing" Jesus that morning and lost sight of details. I'll try to do better. John 3 today.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:17) This verse is the "B" side to arguably the most famous verse in the Bible, John 3:16. 3:16, tells us what God did, but 3:17 tells us why He did it. For some reason the why is more important to me then the what. Don't misunderstand me, I love verse 3:16 and what God did. I love the gift of eternal life. Deeper understanding lies ahead.

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. ²⁰ Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. ²¹ But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:18-21) The word "already" stands out in verse 18. Jesus came to safe the world which indicates that the world was unsaved. Dark deeds are exposed by light. This makes perfect sense. Verse 21 ROCKS!!!!!!!. The Truth wants to be in the light. COME ON!!!!!!! This is quite a "verdict".
The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. (John 3:29) COME ON!!!!!!! I love John the Baptist's testimony about Jesus. This verse was the best to me. "The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice." SAY WORD!!!!!!! That reminds me of a very command statement in the Old Testament, "hear, listen, and pay attention". Ok, got it. Jesus' testimony in the beginning of this chapter is nearly identical to John the Baptist's at the end of the chapter. I love Truth. Truth bears repeating. 
For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. ³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. (John 3:34-36)
The word "remains" in verse 36 stood out. Again that indicates to me that God's wrath is already on mankind. This is why Jesus was sent. Not to clubber us, but to reconcile us with the Father. DIG IT!!!!!!! I've said before that I was amazed at God's love & compassion in the Old Testament. I had previously thought that the O.T. was all about wrath and punishment. Know it's more about God's love and compassion. Jesus fulfills the old covenant. He changed water into wine. AWESOME!!!!!!! Our fate is decided. We go up or we go down. By not believing in Jesus we continue down in this fallen world. Believing in Jesus reconciles us to the up escalator. Jesus didn't come to condemn those who don't believe in Him... He came to save those already condemned. COME ON!!!!!!! Believe in Jesus' fullness today... he's in a good mood.