In his book, Some Things Are Too Good Not to Be True, the late Rev. James W. Moore wrote about a person who told him about how her life had recently taken a turn for the better. Describing what had happened to her, she told Moore, “Everything is going great now! It’s too good to be true!” To which Moore replied, “No, it’s too good not to be true!”

Today’s scripture reading from John 3:14-21 is too good not to be true. In this story, Nicodemus, whom John describes as a Pharisee and a leader of the Jews, visits Jesus. In the conversation that ensues, Jesus reminds Nicodemus of a story that is found in the 21st chapter of the Old Testament book of Numbers where the freed slaves from Egyptian captivity spoke against God and against Moses as they questioned why God had brought them up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness.

Number 21:6-9 tells this story of how God responded to their murmuring:

Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” So Moses made a serpent of bronze and put it upon a pole, and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

This story about poisonous snakes and death sets the context for today’s scripture reading from John 3:14-21 that includes one of the most quoted verses of the Bible as recorded in John 3:16:

For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son so that whosever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

To appreciate why today’s scripture lesson from the third chapter of John is too good not to be true, I invite you to consider these reflections on John 3:16 from The Wesley Study Bible:

“The ultimate purpose of Jesus’ coming is to be “lifted up” as a source of healing and life, like the serpent in the wilderness.

“So loved” does not mean “loved so much” but “loved in this way”; that is, God’s love is giving and purposeful – to rescue and give life. “Eternal life” in John means to rescue and give life in relation to Jesus now as well as in the future … God’s objective is salvation not condemnation, but people cause their own condemnation by remaining in the darkness of evil, apart from Jesus the light.”

Why would Jesus tell Nicodemus the story about poisonous snakes, death, and living by looking at a serpent of bronze? Perhaps it is because the story of Jesus’ life, crucifixion, and resurrection is too good not to be true. Perhaps it is because it is through Jesus’ life, crucifixion, and resurrection we see life as God intends us to see it – filled abundantly with God’s love as we look to Jesus and live. Perhaps it is because it is through Jesus that the story of condemnation becomes the story of salvation.

In The United Methodist Church, we believe that the grace of God’s grace that Jesus extended to Nicodemus is also extended to us as John 3:16 tells the story of salvation as the story of God’s love being extended to us, with us, and through us. The term we use to describe God’s love being extended to us is prevenient grace and is best defined with these words from John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.” The term we use to describe God’s love being shared with us is justifying grace which is best defined with these words from John 3:16, “So that whosoever believes should not perish.” The term we use to describe God’s love being extended through us is sanctifying grace which is best defined by these words from John 3:16, “But have everlasting life.”

In his book, Wishful Thinking, Frederich Buechner described grace this way:

Grace is something you can never get but only be given. There’s no way to earn it or deserve it or bring it about any more than you can deserve the taste of raspberries and cream or earn good looks or bring about your own birth.

A good sleep is grace and so are good dreams. Most tears are grace. The smell of rain is grace. Somebody loving you is grace. Loving somebody is grace. Have you ever tried to love somebody?

A crucial eccentricity of the Christian faith is the assertion that people are saved by grace. There’s nothing you have to do. There’s nothing you have to do. There’s nothing you have to do.

The grace of God means something like: “Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are because the party wouldn’t have been complete without you. Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid. I am with you. Nothing can ever separate us. It’s for you I created the universe. I love you.”

There’s only one catch. Like any other gift, the gift of grace can be yours only if you’ll reach out and take it.

Maybe being able to reach out and take it is a gift too.

The grace of God’s grace. Maybe it is time for you to reach out and take it. It is too good not to be true.

The Grace of God’s Grace

by Pastor Marc Brown
March 10, 2024

Accompanying Scriptures: John 3:14-21

Fort Hill United Methodist Church
Order of Worship for March 10, 2024


Scripture Lesson  John 3:14-21


The Good News      “The Grace of God’s Grace”


Music                          “Grace Greater Than Our Sin” Hymn #365


Prayer


Blessing


Closing Music      “Amazing Grace” arr. Bill Wolaver


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