6 p.m. Evensong 2/9/07
John 3:22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan - the one you testified about - well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him." 27 To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, `I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.' 29 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. 30 He must become greater; I must become less. 31 "The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 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 him."
John's disciples were worried. His popularity was waning because people were following Jesus. John's response is not one of jealousy or fear. He realized that his role had been to prepare the way for Jesus, the Christ. Now Jesus had come, his role would diminish.
Two ways to speak
At the service to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, her son, Prince Harry, spoke about her in a very personal way.
Many people knew something about Diana. Either from the press or television or even from a, probably brief sighting or meeting. But Harry talked about her presence in his life and the impact that this had on him.
John knew something of God through his miraculous conception, the teaching of his parents, especially his father who was a priest. He would have studied the Old Testament, as we know it. He saw the Spirit come upon Jesus after he was baptized.
John contrasts his own, earthly experience with the heavenly experience of Jesus.
Jesus came from heaven and, therefore, spoke with a higher authority than people from earth. He spoke from observation and personal experience, not theory. He spoke the words of God and has the authority of God. Therefore, he deserves our unquestioning obedience.
Two ways to live.
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
One way of life is not to believe, or radically trust, in Jesus. This leads to separation from God.
John writes of the "wrath" of God. This is not God's anger at an individual. Rather, it is his disposition towards sin, the failure to love God with our whole being and to love others as we love ourselves. He has to be just and fair, which means sin must be punished.
This is why God send Jesus. So that Jesus could take upon himself the punishment for the sins of the world, freeing those who trust in him. God's love to humankind and his justice meet at the cross.
Those who have crucified their old way of life are, therefore, united with Jesus enjoy eternal life. What is eternal life? Is it living for ever? No, it is a lot more than that, because, if the quality of life was poor then living for ever could be torment.
Jesus defines eternal life later in John 17: 3 "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."
Eternal life, then, is knowing God. It is about the quality of life that can be ours. When we live on earth we can know God through Jesus by the work of the Spirit. We can know a personal relationship with our loving, heavenly Father. We can know sins forgiven, God's love poured into our heart. The joy of knowing and serving Him. The peace of knowing God. The love and fellowship of other believers.
We can also look forward to the certain hope of being with God in heaven forever.
John refers to the rejection of Jesus by some, verse 36. As his followers we will be rejected and despised by some people who are not of God. We shouldn't be discouraged by this. We are in a spiritual battle. But the victory is ours in Christ. We are called to persevere, living for Jesus, and looking forward to the kingdom that he has secured for us.
John 3:22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan - the one you testified about - well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."
27 To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, `I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.' 29 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. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.
31 "The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 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 him."