“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” John 3:17
God sent His Son into the world a true man, born of the Virgin Mary, not to condemn mankind but to make atonement for the sins of all by His holy life and bitter sufferings and death that we might look to Him in faith and be spared when He returns in judgment on the Last Day. We, too, bear witness to Christ Jesus, not to condemn the world but to point all to Christ and His cross so that they might be saved.
O gracious God, thank You for sending Your Son to redeem us. Grant that we believe and take comfort in the Gospel that we might be saved and have life without end. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the Majority Standard Bible, freely available at www.biblehub.com.]
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27
Because of our sinful nature, we don’t know and understand our real needs — what is good for us and what is not. How comforting it is to know that the Spirit of God who dwells in the hearts of God’s baptized children is interceding for them in accord with the will of God — asking for those things which are for our eternal wellbeing!
O Holy Spirit, thank you for interceding on my behalf and asking for and seeking those things which are for my eternal good. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the Majority Standard Bible, available at www.biblehub.com.]
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:14-15
In the same way as those bitten by fiery serpents in the wilderness could look in faith to the bronze serpent that Moses lifted up on a pole and live rather than die (Num. 21), so those who look in faith to Jesus and His atoning sacrifice on the cross will not be condemned to eternal death for their sins but be pardoned, forgiven and have everlasting life.
Grant, dear Jesus, that I look to You and Your cross in faith for forgiveness and life eternal. Amen.
“For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” Romans 8:24-25
Hope, as it is used in the Bible, is based on faith in the promises of God. Though we cannot see it now, we believe the promise of God to raise us up on the Last Day and to grant unto us and all believers in Christ the everlasting joys of heaven, where we will be without sin and its curse and serve God in true righteousness and holiness. In faith, we have the certain hope of eternal life when Christ returns. We await that day in confidence.
O Christ, come soon and take us to dwell with You forever in Your holy and glorious kingdom. Amen.
“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8
The Spirit of God works through His Word to create and sustain faith in Jesus Christ. We often see the results of His working in people’s hearts but do not know when and where He will next work, except that it will be where the Word of God is in use and Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are rightly administered.
O Holy Spirit, grant that Your life-giving Word may take root in my life and my faith in Christ Jesus grows ever stronger. Amen.
