Good morning, Beloved,
I pray you are well and feel all the love God has to offer. The love which is given freely to each and every one of us. I am reminded of this love often when reading the Bible, a truth which I hope we all understand and witness both in the times when we are distressed and in those times which are joyous throughout our lives. I hope you witness this gift and have found comfort in scripture.
Yet too often when we read scripture or truly anything, our own biases can get in the way. We can get sidetracked just at the right moment and miss the full understanding of a newspaper clipping, a book, or yes scripture. I was reminded of this truth today as I read the Daily Devotional from the UCC by Matt Laney (see below).
The reality is, beloved, we all have done the light reading or headline skimming in our Bibles and in the news. But just as Rev. Laney points out, if we only read John 3:16 without the P.S, we are missing Christ’s Love being revealed. Moreover, we risk becoming righteous against the evil doer – the person who does not love Jesus as ourselves – and turn to a practice of condemning said person. Yet, reading the full context of the word reveals another truth. The truth of God’s Love for everyone throughout Creation.
With these thoughts in mind, I invite you into a practice of deep reading once again. Reading the full context and words of that which is written, whether biblically or in everyday texts. I invite you into this practice for it truly is the only way we may witness the Truth of what is being said and discern if we are remaining on the path to the kin-dom with Christ. The only way to discover if something is Holy or Unholy. The only way to understand the world around us. I invite you into this practice; so, you may faithfully discern and follow the call God has placed in your soul.
May your week be blessed with the practice of deep reading one text, article, or Biblical passage in this preparatory season of Lent.
Your pastor and teacher, Brian
Please consider the ways you care for your own spirituality and faith throughout Lent. If you would like, you may text, call, or email me always to talk and discover ideas to help you refresh your soul. As I am here to support you and your relationship with God wherever you are on the journey. My number is (207-350-9561) if you need anything or simply want to talk. Next week, my pastoral care hours are Mon. 9-4, Tues. 12-5, Wed. 9-4, Thurs. 10-2 to provide some time for visiting. Many blessings and Love to you all.
The All-Important P.S. to John 3:16
by Matt Laney | published on Mar 23, 2022
“For God so loved the world that God gave God’s beloved Child, so that everyone who believes may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send their Child into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” – John 3:16-17 (NRSV)
This passage includes one of the most well-known verses in the Bible, John 3:16. “John 3:16” can be found on t-shirts, memes, bumper stickers, signs at sporting events, even on the eye-black of an NFL quarterback.
John 3:16 is often used as a litmus test. If you believe in Jesus (which is code for “if you believe what I believe about Jesus”), then you will be saved from eternal damnation. If not, your ultimate destination is bleak. The verse is used and abused as a pretext for condemning people to hell.
I think the writer of John saw that coming as he first penned 3:16, so he included an addendum—a postscript—as a safeguard: “Indeed, God did not send their Child into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:17).
When John talks about the world being saved through Jesus, he’s not envisioning a luxurious post-mortem retirement in the clouds for those who “accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior,” a phrase which occurs exactly zero times in the Bible.
For John, salvation begins now by checking the impulse to condemn, and committing instead to the Jesus way of love, forgiveness, nonviolence, doing justice, showing mercy, walking humbly. In short, to love the world as God loves it.
Jesus did not come to condemn. For that, we should be eternally grateful. Jesus came to love and serve and thereby to save.
Prayer
World Lover, help me check the impulse to condemn others and to love as Jesus loves.
About the Author
Matt Laney is the Senior Pastor of Virginia Highland Church UCC in Atlanta, GA and the author of Pride Wars, a fantasy series published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for Young Readers. The first two books, The Spinner Prince and The Four Guardians are available now.