Gospel | John 3:1-16 (with Tom Gastil)

Opening Song:
God So Loved by Andrew Bergthold, Ed Cash, Franni Cash, Martin Cash, and Scott Cash

Lyrics:
Come all you weary
Come all you thirsty
Come to the well that never runs dry
Drink of the water
Come and thirst no more

Come all you sinners
Come find His mercy
Come to the table He will satisfy
Taste of His goodness
Find what you're looking for

For God so loved the world that He gave us
His one and only Son to save us
Whoever believes in Him will live forever

Bring all your failures
Bring your addictions
Come lay them down at the foot of the cross
Jesus is waiting there
With open arms

For God so loved the world that He gave us
His one and only Son to save us
Whoever believes in Him will live forever
The power of hell forever defeated
Now it is well I'm walking in freedom
For God so loved God so loved the world

Praise God praise God
From whom all blessings flow
Praise Him praise Him
For the wonders of His love

For God so loved the world that He gave us
His one and only Son to save

Bring all your failures
Bring your addictions
Come lay them down at the foot of the cross
Jesus is waiting
God so loved the world

Passage:
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus[a] by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again[b] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.[c] 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You[d] must be born again.’ 8 The wind[e] blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you[f] do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.[g] 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.[h]

16 “For God so loved the world,[i] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Musical Reflection:
Jesus Loves Me by Anna Bartlett Warner and William Bradbury

Reflection Notes:
The text for this simple, beloved children’s song was originally published in Anna Bartlett Warner’s 1860 novel Say and Seal. In the book’s context, a church Sunday school teacher sings the words to a dying little boy. The tune was written shortly after by Bradbury and became popular with missionaries in the nineteenth century as an evangelistic tool due to its simplicity.

Prayer:
O Lord, we ask you mercifully to receive the prayers of your people who call upon you; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
-The Gregorian Sacramentary