For God so loved the world

20Jan
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 judgement, 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. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.
-John 3:16–21


At the heart of John 3:16–21 is a simple and astonishing truth: God’s love comes first. Before judgment, before belief, before any response on our part, there is love. God so loved us so much that He sent Jesus as a gift, offered freely for the everlasting life of all. 


Jesus made it clear that he did not come to condemn the world, but to save it. This revealed the heart of God: an unconditional love that does not withdraw when we fall short and does not demand perfection. God’s love is steady, faithful, and unconditional.


Jesus also directed us to pass that love to others, without judgment. That’s so hard to do. 


Every week in our worship we confess, “I have not loved my neighbor as myself.” These words are honest and necessary. They name the ways we fall short without defining us by those failures. Forgiveness is always there, because love is unconditional — for us. We are not forgiven because we finally get it right, but because God’s love never lets go.


Thank you, God


Musical Reflection- 4HIM with Jon Anderson - The Only Thing I Need


Most merciful God,

we confess that we have sinned against you

in thought, word, and deed,

by what we have done,

and by what we have left undone.


We have not loved you with our whole heart;

we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.


For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,

have mercy on us and forgive us;

that we may delight in your will,

and walk in your ways,

to the glory of your Name. Amen.


-Confession of Sin (Book of Common Prayer, Rite II)

Kingdom of God

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