Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Just 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.
"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 judgment, 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 3:14-21
Sometimes it's hard to explain to one's children how much you love them. There is no quantifiable number or comparison. I know I would cross the world for my children, give up anything and everything for them. I also know that this love does not originate within me, as it is truly a gift from God. God loves first and forever, sparking within our selfish hearts, a love so deep and broad that we ache with it. God was willing to sacrifice everything so that we, broken human beings, can be made whole and love completely through the sacrifice of the Son.
Nicodemus comes to Jesus in the might. He wants to know about God's love and God action in the world. Jesus tells Nicodemus about the sacrificial love of God, the Creator's willingness to sacrifice all for our healing, redemption and transformation. We often wander in darkness, stumbling and thinking we can manage on our own. God, who loves us more than we can even imagine, broke into our darkness and continues to break through our darkness, giving us a new dawn, the light of the world. God's love is sparked in us, and renewed in us as we offer our lives in the service others.
Today I ask God to help me grow in love. May we be willing to sacrifice ourselves, our pride, our ego, our control, so that others may walk in the light and receive that same love. The world can be a dark and stumbling, broken place. May we be those who offer Christ's love light to the world.
Collect
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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