Dear Christian friends:

When the prison keeper at Philippi became aware of his sinfulness he knelt down before Paul and Silas and asked them the most important question anyone can ask: "What must I do to be saved?" Paul answered "Believe on Jesus Christ." (Acts 16:30-31)

We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ, not by our own good works. This is the most important teaching in the Bible. I know you have heard this before, but we can't hear it enough. It is the heart of our faith and gives great joy and hope when our sins blame us and condemn us. Also many people misunderstand about that teaching. Our own pride often prevents us from enjoying that important teaching. We often suffer much fear and pain because do not really believe in Jesus and we do not depend on Him only for our salvation.

So let us attend to our text and let God's Holy Spirit strengthen our faith in Jesus. In our text Jesus talks to the Jewish teacher, Nicodemus. Although everyone in Israel respected Nicodemus as a great teacher, he still misunderstood about Jesus and His saving work. So Jesus teaches him that most important truth:

The Old Testament shows that we sinners are saved by faith, not by our own good works. Jesus here in our text calls our attention to the snake Moses hung on a pole in the desert. I read that story to you before. It is the Old Testament lesson for today. (Numbers 21:4-9) When the people talked against God and Moses and complained about their food, God sent poisonous snakes to punish them. These snakes bit many people and they died. Then the people were afraid and sorry. They realized God was displeased with them. They said to Moses, "We have sinned, because we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray for us and ask the Lord to save us from those snakes." So Moses prayed for the people and God showed mercy to them and answered his prayer. God told Moses to make a serpent of brass and hang it on a pole. Then God told him to tell the people when a snake bites them if they look at the bronze snake hanging on the pole, they will not die, but be saved. Those who believed God's promise about the bronze snake on the pole were saved. But those who doubted and did not look at the snake died. The people were saved by their faith in God's promise.

This event prophecies about Jesus hanging on the cross. Jesus says, "As Moses lifted up the bronze snake in the desert, in the same way the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him has eternal life. God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, that everyone who believes in Him will not die, but have eternal life." (John 3:14-16)

Jesus says the bronze serpent hanging on the cross in the desert prophecies of Himself, that He will be crucified and hang on a cross to save sinners. All who look at Jesus hanging on the cross and believe that He died for their sins will be saved. We are saved by faith, We are saved by what Jesus did and suffered for us, not by our own good deeds.

We are saved by faith. That is shown also by what Jesus says about those who are not saved. We often think people are lost and go to hell because they do evil things and break God's commandments. That is not true: Nobody is lost because he does wrong: Nobody goes to hell because of his sins! That's what many people think. That's the big lie Satan tells everyone. Many people are not saved. Why? Jesus answers, "If you don't believe, you are already condemned because you don't believe in God's only Son." (v. 18)

If anyone is lost, not saved, it is not because of his bad deeds or wrong doings or sins. It is only because he doubts God's love and mercy. It is because he refuses to accept Jesus Christ for his Savior. It is because he does not believe.

Here is the beautiful, wonderful Good News: Those who are saved, are saved because of their faith in Jesus, not because of their good deeds; and those who are lost are lost because they do not believe in Jesus, not because of their bad deeds. Jesus suffered and died for all people also for those who are lost. God loved the "world", all people, also those who are lost and finally go to hell. He gave His only Son for all.

God says, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but I want him to turn from his way and live."(Ezekiel 33:11)

Jesus has paid it all. God's love has mercy and forgiveness for every one. None need be lost!

So, let us be honest before God and before one another. Let us confess our sins, not hide them. Let us not try to excuse ourselves or defend ourselves. Let us not boast about our own good deeds, but humbly depend on God's mercy and love in Jesus. Let us give praise and glory only to God, the Father, and to His Son Jesus Christ and to the Holy Spirit who has called us to faith, opened our eyes to see and accept this most important truth, saved by faith.

Let us also now, because we believe in Jesus and love Him and the Father, let us with His help do good works to please Him. In our text Jesus says, “Anyone who is honest comes to the Light, (Jesus) so that he can show that he did his good works by the help of God." (v.21)

Only believers in Jesus can do works that please God. Why? Because only they have thankful, humble hearts and right spirit. Only a believer can "see" Jesus in a poor beggar. Only a true Christian can visit the prisoner or the sick and offer help "as unto Jesus." (Matt. 26:35-40)

One day a high government official was visiting a leper hospital and was watching a nurse clean and dress a leprous sore. As he watched her pick out the rotting, putrid flesh from the sore he said to the nurse, "I would not do that for a million dollars." The nurse replied, "I, also, would not do it for a million dollars. I do it for Jesus."

What are you doing for Jesus? He has done so much for you!

Amen.