Sermon illustrations for John 3:16

To Find a Wife

Soren Kierkegaard, the great Danish theologian of another century, tells a
story of a prince who wanted to find a maiden suitable to be his queen. One
day while running an errand in the local village for his father, he passed
through a poor section. As he glanced out the windows of the carriage, his
eyes fell upon a beautiful peasant maiden. During the ensuing days he often
passed by the young lady and soon fell in love.

But he had a problem. How would he seek her hand?

He could order her to marry him. But even a prince wants his bride to marry
him freely and voluntarily and not through coercion.

He could put on his most splendid uniform and drive up to her front door in
a carriage drawn by six horses. But if he did this he would never be
certain that the maiden loved him or was simply overwhelmed with all of the
splendor.

The prince came up with another solution. He would give up his kingly robe.
He moved into the village, entering not with a crown but in the garb of a
peasant. He lived among the people, shared their interests and concerns,
and spoke their language.

In time the maiden grew to love him for who he was and because he had first
loved her. *

Kierkegaard's story illustrates how God "wins" our love.

It is truly incredible to consider that our great holy, powerful, and
majestic God desires to have a relationship with us. Even though we make
bad choices and even rebel against Him, He loves us and wants us to be
reconciled to Him so that He can give us salvation and eternal life.

How does an infinite God communicate with finite man in a way that His love
and His will can be clearly understood?

God sent His Son into the world so that we can know God (John 14:9) and
understand how much He loves us (John 3:16). "The Word became flesh and
made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One
and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
Jesus "pitched His tent" among us. He shared our interests and concerns,
endured our temptations (Hebrew 4:15), and spoke our language. He showed us
the glory and glorious love of God. He also showed us the way to God and
eternal life.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through Me" (John 14:6).

When we truly understand who Jesus is and what He has done for us, we will
love Him and desire to follow Him.

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust
in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts
17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized
(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will
continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His
Word (1 John 1:7-9).

"We love Him because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Take a good,
thorough look at Jesus. You will see what God is like and how much He loves
you. When you do, you will gladly submit your life to Him.

-- David A. Sargent

* From "A Prince Who Wanted To Find A Wife," an illustration of
"incarnation" from Salt for Sermons, www.saltforsermons.org.uk.