INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• Fear, fear can do some bad things to us.
• In the first inaugural address in 1933, Franklin Roosevelt said, “First of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is…fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”
• These words were spoken during the most profound depression this nation had faced.
• People were fearful of the future that did not look very good.
• When things look scary, we tend to get fearful.
• Here are some images of what fear can look like.
• SLIDE #2
• SLIDE #3
• These images from the stealthy cameras at Nightmares Fear Factory in Niagara Falls.
• In October, fear is one of the themes that is tied to the month because of Halloween.
• Scary movies are the theme. Feat abounds.
• Today we begin a new four-week series entitled Haunted House.
• This four-week series guide considers the ineffectiveness of fear.
• When we live in fear, we can become a church that is like a haunted house.
• We become stuck inside with the shutters drawn, haunted by fear that jumps out at any corner.
• Fear makes the church an inward-focused house rather than an outward-focused sanctuary.
• We can become dim, dark, and closed off, the opposite of what the church should be.
• In this series we will see examine purpose, specifically, the of the church,
• Overcoming fear of the unknown.
• Overcoming fear of pain because of persecution and overcoming the fear of taking up our cross.
• If we are paralyzed by fear in these areas, that fear will cause a negative impact on what we are called to do for Jesus.
• We cannot let fear keep us from fulfilling our purpose in Christ.
• We need to remember that Jesus came into a dark, scary world to save it.
• One of the ways we can defeat fear and overcome the ineffectiveness of fear is by setting our hearts on God’s purposes and unfailing love.
• Let’s turn to a very familiar passage, John 3:16
• SLIDE #4
• John 3:16 (CSB) — 16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
• SLIDE #5
SERMON
I. God’s purpose.
• We need to grasp God’s purpose because we live in a scary, haunted world.
• The context of our text is Jesus talking to Nicodemus. Nicodemus was seeking answers from Jesus.
• Jesus talked to him about being born again, which confused Nicodemus, then Jesus talks about the serpent that Moses lifted up in the wilderness.
• This is found in Numbers 21:1-ff.
• You want to talk about fear, this story would be scary to live through.
• The people were grumbling against God and Moses because they did not feel that God was moving fast enough for them, so God got tired of it and sent some poisonous snakes to the people to bite them.
• After many people died, the people decided they might want to consider repenting, so they go to Moses.
• Moses goes to God, and God tells Moses to make a snake and put it on a pole.
• Anyone who would look upon the snake would be healed.
• In verse 14, Jesus then he says He will be lifted up, and people will be saved when they believe in Him.
• We think the world is a dark place today, and it is, and at times, it is much darker than others.
• Sometimes we just want to stay in the safety of the church, and just be around our brothers and sisters in Christ.
• Here is something we need to understand, the world BEFORE Jesus was a MUCH darker place.
• When God created things, He meant for them to be eternal and perfect.
• Sin destroyed that intent. During the days of Noah, the world was so bad that God basically wiped it out with a flood.
• It breaks god’s heart to see what we allowed sin to do to us. Sin is literally killing us, and it keeps us from the presence of God.
• None of this was a surprise to God, God knew what was going to happen.
• From John 3:16 we learn that God is driven by love, in spite of the fact we are marred with sin, God still wants to be with us, and He provided a way for that to happen.
• God loves the unlovable!
• He loved people so much He sent His one and ONLY Son.
• He has done this so we can avoid perishing.
• To perish in this context does not mean belonging to Jesus will shield us from PHYSICAL death, but instead, we will be protected from being without God for eternity! If the Lord returns in our lifetime, we will avoid physical death.
• To perish, spiritually means to be or become without spiritual life under the condemnation from God.
• God’s purpose was to provide a way for us to avoid perishing.
• When we think of dying, the thought of not existing is scary, but think of existing separated from God for eternity!
• When we are afraid to reach out to others, we need to understand that God did not send His Son so we can all stay locked up in the church.
• We cannot allow FEAR to drive us to do nothing to try to reach the lost world.
• When we know God’s purpose in sending Jesus to save the dark world. We should be driven by the same passion!
• God's purpose should be our purpose, and if God is for us, who can be against us?
• Let’s look at verses 17-18.
• SLIDE #6
• John 3:17–18 (CSB) — 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
• SLIDE #7
II. Jesus’ purpose.
• God’s purpose and Jesus’ purpose is the same.
• Verses 16–18 contain one of the best doctrinal summaries pertaining to salvation in early Christian literature.
• Verse 16 has been said to describe Jesus as the agent of salvation, verse 17 states God’s purpose in sending his Son, and verse 18 depicts the divine judgment that can be averted by believing, that is, accepting Jesus as God’s only Son who came to earth to provide “salvation,” which is here equated to “eternal life.”
• John repeats these truths more than once (12:47). (College Press Commentary Series.
• Here is something we need to realize; the purpose of Jesus is to SAVE the world.
• We have to make sure that while we are living in a dark, scary world, we need to make sure that we do not use Jesus as a means of condemning the world.
• This means that we need to make sure that we are shining the LIGHT of Jesus, not point out how terrible everyone is.
• Verse 17 shows us that we have a great message to share with the world.
• We should not fear what the world has to offer, we need to know that we have a ton of opportunities to reach people!
• The fields are ready for harvest!
• When people are hurting, or their life is a mess, they should be flocking to the church.
• When folks are sick, they go to the hospital.
• When people are spiritually sick, they need to know they can come find healing in Christ through the church!
• When you have an illness, and you go to the hospital, you expect them to heal you. You do not expect them to condemn you for being sick.
• For some reason, when folks are spiritually sick, they think if they come to a church, they will find condemnation instead of healing.
• Verse 18 tells us that ANYONE who believes in Jesus is not condemned!
• When you are scared, one thing that gets you through is knowing that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
• If you have been in the haunted house, you know that there is an exit.
• Jesus is that light at the end of the tunnel.
• But here is the other side of the coin.
• The purpose of God’s gift of His Son was to bring salvation to men (v. 17).
• Condemnation was not the object, although it is the inevitable result of those who reject Him.
• 18 Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
• When we do not believe in Jesus, we are living under a cloud of condemnation RIGHT NOW. The verb tense of the word CONDEMNED in the second instance of the use in the verse is a perfect tense, which means the condemnation in the past is still continuing today.
• The only way to escape is through Jesus. Just like the only way to be saved from the snake bites in the book of Numbers was to look upon the snake Moses crafted.
• We cannot let fear stop us from sharing Jesus because when folks reject Jesus, they stay condemned.
• Let's look at verses 19-21.
• SLIDE #8
• John 3:19–21 (CSB) — 19 This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed. 21 But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”
• SLIDE #9
III. The purpose of the church.
• Verses 19-21 explain why the judgment from God to those who reject Jesus is fair and proper.
• These verses also show why our job is scary and difficult.
• Jesus said the light came into the world, yet the world loved the darkness better than the light because their deeds were evil.
• This makes our job difficult.
• Sin has a fun element to it, and Satan makes sin seem fun. That affair looks exciting, but you do not see the damage it causes.
• The church’s purpose is to be a lighthouse to help lead folks out of the darkness.
• We have to bring the light.
• When we are afraid of reaching out to a dark world, our spiritual activities like church attendance and Bible studies remain all about us—our personal growth, our knowledge, our holiness.
• But self-centered holiness isn’t holiness at all. It’s a deceptive fraud.
• When fear of reaching out overtakes us, the consequences are devastating.
• Why is the world hostile to the message? Because they love what they are doing, they find comfort in what they are doing, even if it is ruining their lives.
• Why does someone whose life has been ruined stay on drugs? Because the momentary high is worth the destruction, it causes them.
• Verse 20 reveals another reason the world is hostile.
• Guilt!
• For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed.
• If you are proud of what you are doing, why hide it?
• The church has to show the world that stepping into the light is a good thing and folks have to know when they come to the church, we are not here to condemn them, but to show them the light of Jesus.
• People need to see the joy we have serving the Lord!
CONCLUSION
• When we live in fear, we can become a church that is like a haunted house. We become stuck inside with the shutters drawn, haunted by fear that jumps out at any corner.
• The church is called to be a lighthouse, not a haunted house.
• Fear makes the church an inward-focused house rather than an outward-focused sanctuary.
• We can become dim, dark, and closed off, the opposite of what the church should be.
• We need to engage our community for Jesus without fear!
