God's Sacrificial Love: The Call to New Birth

Devotional

Day 1: You Must Be Born Again

True spiritual life is not achieved by religious effort or moral living, but by a new birth from above—a work of God’s Spirit that transforms the heart. Even the most devout or knowledgeable person, like Nicodemus, cannot enter the kingdom of God without this radical change. Jesus makes it clear that being “born again” is not an optional upgrade for the especially committed, but an absolute necessity for everyone. This new birth is not about adding religious practices or cleaning up your life; it is about receiving a new heart and a new identity from God Himself. [33:05]

John 3:3, 7 (ESV)
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” … “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”

Reflection: In what ways have you relied on your own efforts or religious background instead of trusting in the new birth that only God can give? What would it look like to surrender your heart to Him today?

Day 2: God’s Love Is Sacrificial and Universal

God’s motivation for sending Jesus was not a fleeting feeling, but a deep, sacrificial love for the whole world—a love so great that He gave His unique, beloved Son for us. This love is not limited to a select few, but extends to every person, regardless of background or past. The extent of God’s love is measured by the greatness of His gift: Jesus Himself. No one is excluded from the invitation; the gospel is for “whoever” will believe. God’s love is not just an idea—it is a costly, generous action that offers life to all who will receive it. [36:34]

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

Reflection: Who in your life do you find it hardest to believe God loves? How might you reflect God’s sacrificial love to that person this week?

Day 3: Salvation Comes by Faith in Christ Alone

Eternal life is not earned by good deeds or religious observance, but is received by looking to Jesus in faith—trusting in His finished work on the cross and in who He is as the unique Son of God. Just as the Israelites were healed by simply looking at the bronze serpent, so we are saved by looking to Christ, acknowledging our need, and believing in Him. This faith is not just intellectual agreement, but a personal trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord, recognizing that only He can rescue us from sin and bring us into true life. [48:26]

John 3:14-15 (ESV)
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”

Reflection: What does it mean for you, personally, to “look to Jesus” today? Is there anything you are tempted to add to simple faith in Him?

Day 4: The Light Exposes, Heals, and Divides

Jesus, the Light of the world, came not to condemn but to save; yet many prefer darkness because it hides their deeds. The light of Christ exposes our sin, but it also offers healing and freedom to those who are willing to come into the light. Openness to Jesus means allowing Him to reveal and heal what is broken within us, rather than hiding or rationalizing our sin. The choice to step into the light is both humbling and liberating, as it leads to forgiveness and new life. [53:33]

John 3:19-21 (ESV)
“And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Reflection: Is there an area of your life you are keeping in the dark? What would it look like to bring it into the light of Christ and trust Him for healing?

Day 5: The Gospel Must Be Shared

God’s plan for salvation includes not only the sending of His Son, but also the sending of His people to proclaim the good news. People cannot believe in Jesus unless they hear about Him, and most will not come to church to find out—they need someone to go to them. Every follower of Jesus is called to declare that true life is found in Christ alone. Sharing the gospel is not just the job of pastors, but the joyful responsibility of every believer, trusting that God will use our witness to bring others from darkness to light. [57:03]

Romans 10:13-15 (ESV)
“For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’”

Reflection: Who is one person in your life who needs to hear the good news of Jesus? How can you take a step to share it with them this week?

Sermon Summary

This morning, we gathered around the profound simplicity and beauty of the Gospel as revealed in John 3. The heart of the good news is not a complicated system or a list of religious achievements, but the astonishing truth that God so loved the world that He gave His unique, beloved Son, Jesus, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. This love is not sentimental or abstract; it is sacrificial, costly, and purposeful. God’s love is measured by the extent of His gift—He gave all that He had, His very own Son, to a world that was not neutral or deserving, but lost, dark, and dead in sin.

We considered the story of Nicodemus, a deeply religious man who, despite all his knowledge and moral standing, needed to be born again. Jesus made it clear that new birth is not achieved by human effort or religious pedigree, but by looking to Him in faith, just as the Israelites looked to the bronze serpent in the wilderness and were healed. The Gospel is not about what we can do for God, but about what God has done for us in Christ. The only way to see the kingdom of God is to look to Jesus, to trust in His finished work on the cross, and to receive the life He offers.

This message is for everyone—no one is excluded from the invitation. The “whoever” of John 3:16 is as broad as the world itself, and yet the way is as narrow as Christ alone. The Gospel is wide enough to include the worst sinner and yet exclusive enough to exclude even the most moral person who refuses to believe. Jesus did not come to condemn, but to save. Yet, many will choose darkness over light, preferring to hide rather than be exposed and healed. The call is to come into the light, to let Christ’s love and sacrifice transform us, and to share this life-giving message with others. Our responsibility is not only to receive this gift but to proclaim it, knowing that God uses our witness to bring others from death to life.

Key Takeaways

1. The Gospel’s Simplicity and Depth: The good news is beautifully simple—look to Jesus and believe. Yet, its depth is found in the costly love of God, who gave His unique Son for a world that could do nothing to save itself. The Gospel is not about adding to what Christ has done, but resting in His finished work. [27:10]
2. God’s Love Is Sacrificial, Not Sentimental: God’s love is not just a feeling; it is action. He loved “so” that He gave—His love is measured by the gift of His Son. The extent of God’s love is seen in the extent of His sacrifice, giving what was most precious for those who were most undeserving. [39:42]
3. The Necessity of New Birth: No amount of religion, morality, or knowledge can substitute for being born again. Like Nicodemus, even the most devout must experience a spiritual rebirth that comes only through faith in Christ. The Gospel is both radically inclusive (“whoever believes”) and radically exclusive (only through Jesus). [33:05]
4. The World’s Response: Light and Darkness: Jesus came not to judge but to save, yet many reject Him because they love darkness rather than light. The ultimate reason people do not come to Christ is not intellectual or philosophical, but moral—they do not want their deeds exposed. True healing and life are found in stepping into the light, allowing Christ to transform what we would rather hide. [61:04]
5. Our Call to Proclaim: Salvation comes through hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Most unbelievers will not come to church to hear the Gospel; we are sent to them. Our calling is to declare, with clarity and compassion, that life is found in Jesus alone, trusting that God will use our witness to bring others to new birth. [57:28]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[23:07] - Opening Prayer and Thanksgiving
[24:43] - Celebrating Faithful Service
[25:37] - The Cliffhanger and the Gospel Question
[26:04] - What Is the Gospel?
[27:49] - The Simplicity of the Good News
[28:44] - Nicodemus: Religion vs. New Birth
[30:23] - The Command: You Must Be Born Again
[34:10] - The Bronze Serpent: Looking to Jesus
[36:34] - God’s Motivation: Love for the World
[39:42] - The Cost of God’s Love
[44:05] - The Unique Son Given
[46:55] - Whoever Believes: The Scope of Salvation
[51:02] - Not Condemnation, But Salvation
[57:28] - Our Responsibility to Proclaim
[65:13] - What Is the Gospel?
[67:32] - Communion: Remembering Christ’s Sacrifice
[72:57] - Closing Prayer and Sending

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

John 3:1-21 (ESV) — Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” ... For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Observation Questions

What does Jesus say is necessary for someone to see the kingdom of God? How does he explain this to Nicodemus? ([30:23])
According to John 3:16, what motivated God to send His Son into the world, and what is the result for those who believe? ([36:34])
In the sermon, what is the significance of the illustration of the bronze serpent from the Old Testament, and how does Jesus connect it to himself? ([34:10])
How does Jesus describe the world’s response to the “light” that has come into the world? ([01:01:04])

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus emphasize that even a deeply religious person like Nicodemus must be “born again”? What does this say about the limits of religion and morality? ([33:05])
The sermon says God’s love is “sacrificial, not sentimental.” What does it mean for God’s love to be measured by the extent of His gift? How does this challenge our own understanding of love? ([39:42])
The “whoever” in John 3:16 is described as radically inclusive, but the way is as narrow as Christ alone. How can the Gospel be both inclusive and exclusive at the same time? ([46:55])
According to the sermon, why do many people choose darkness over light, and what does this reveal about the real reasons people reject Jesus? ([01:03:26])

Application Questions

The Gospel is described as “beautifully simple”—look to Jesus and believe. Are there ways you tend to make the Gospel more complicated, either for yourself or when sharing with others? What would it look like to rest in the finished work of Christ this week? ([27:10])
God’s love is shown in action—He gave His Son. Think of a time when you have experienced or witnessed sacrificial love. How does God’s example challenge you to love others differently? ([39:42])
Nicodemus was religious and knowledgeable, but still needed new birth. Are there areas in your life where you are relying on your own effort, morality, or religious background instead of simple faith in Jesus? How can you shift your trust? ([33:05])
The sermon says that people often avoid Jesus because they don’t want their deeds exposed. Is there something in your life you are tempted to keep in the dark? What would it look like to bring it into the light and let Christ transform it? ([01:01:04])
The message of salvation is for “whoever believes.” Is there someone in your life you have written off as “too far gone” for the Gospel? How might God be calling you to share the good news with them? ([46:55])
Most unbelievers will not come to church to hear the Gospel; we are sent to them. What is one practical step you can take this week to share the message of Jesus with someone outside the church? ([57:28])
The sermon calls us to both receive and proclaim the Gospel. Which of these comes more naturally to you, and which is harder? What is one way you can grow in the area that is more challenging for you? ([57:28])

Sermon Clips

Because the Gospel is beautifully simple. It really is. It is so simple that Jesus says, invites us to have a childlike faith that a child can understand it and believe in it, and so can the smartest person that is walking on the earth. We get tripped up because I think sometimes we either forget something like, oh, no, what if I mess it up? What if I say too little? Or what if I say too much? [00:27:43] (41 seconds) #SimpleFaithTruth

Jesus said that God loved so that he gave. His love cost him something. God's love cost him something. The Father's love for his creation cost him something. His Son. The Father loved, the Father gave. And the Father gave what was most dear to him. [00:39:42] (31 seconds) #GraceNotWorks

Let me, let me say it this way. You cannot do anything to help yourself spiritually. There's not enough, there isn't even a fraction enough of good in us to be able to tip the scales in favor where God says, ok, that's enough. I got it. Thank you for helping me. [00:41:34] (25 seconds) #GiftOfJesus

If you want to live this morning like I'm talking about, truly live, I'm not talking about just breathing air. If you want to live this morning, if you truly want to live, I invite you to follow Jesus Christ. Because it's when you believe in Jesus that you begin to live. Like there's a lot of people in the world that are just animated and walking through the world, but they're dead and they're walking in darkness and they're lost. But to find true life is to find the Son, to become alive the way that God wants us to be alive. That's the only way that we're going to live. [00:47:39] (42 seconds) #GospelForAll

The free offer of the gospel is broad enough to include the worst sinner. Whoever believes in Jesus will be saved. Paul even understood that because he wrote that he was the chief of sinners. And yet Jesus met him and his life was changed. And yet listen to this, because if you remember the context, Jesus is having a conversation with a deeply religious man. The gospel was narrow enough to exclude the most moral religious person. You can be deeply religious and not have faith in Jesus. You can believe a lot of things in the Bible that are true and not necessarily believe in Jesus Christ. But the gospel is broad enough to include the worst sinner who believes. And it's narrow enough to exclude the most moral religious person. [00:49:56] (72 seconds) #JesusGivesPurpose

If you know Jesus Christ this morning, your judgment was placed on the Son. If you know Jesus this morning, you have no fear that there will ever be a time where you will have to stand before God and give an account for the sins in your life, because it's been taken care of through the cross of Jesus Christ. There's no shame, there's no fear, there's no hiding. [01:00:10] (27 seconds) #LoveOrHateJesus

``The gospel is the good news that while mankind lives in the darkness of sin, God so loved them in that love, to the extent of that love, he gave his unique son, who is God himself, to die on the cross. Jesus came to save the world through his death so that by believing in him we would not die, but have everlasting life and be born again. [01:05:19] (33 seconds) #FaithInTheCross

Are you looking to Jesus and to him alone as the One who has saved you so that you will not perish but have life acknowledging that you can't hide anymore, that Jesus has taken your sin upon himself so that you can be born again. Jesus has been lifted up so that you can be born again. Church. It's the only way that you will see the kingdom. I beg you, look to him. Receive his sacrifice. [01:06:55] (37 seconds)

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