Gospel:

John 3.16: “For God so love the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

Johannes 3.16: “ For saaledes elskede Gud verden, at han gave sin enbaarne son, for at enhver som tror paa ham, ikek skal fortabes, men have eveigt liv.”

Sermon:

Chances are that you have heard this quote from the New Testament before. John chapter 3. Verse 16.

You might have seen that number 3.16 on a car or T-shirt, you might have heard it in confirmation class and in church, - and if you keep on coming in church you will hear it repeatedly.

Do you know the song about the 3 John is called:” John Cougar, John Deere, John 3.16”?

Neither did I, only it miraculously popped up on my computer screen as I was googling John 3.16.

The song “John cougar, John Deere, John 3.16” was recorded by the Australian country singer Keith Urban in 2015. I am not a big country music fan, as little as I am a rap music fan, - but nevertheless I always like a good lyric:

“And I am a child of backseat freedom,

Baptized by rock and roll.

Just another rebel in the great wide open on the boulevard of broken dreams.

And I learned everything I needed to know from

John Cougar, John Deere, John 3.16.”

And who are these 3 Johns?

John Cougar is mostly known now as John Cougar Mellencamp a fine rock musician that Soren and I loved, when we were young, younger. That first John, John Cougar, is a reference to all the songs and all the rock music a teenager boy would listen to and deal with his anxieties, fears and doubts growing up. How the singer was baptized by rock and roll.

The second John is, John Deere … yes, the giant green tractor brand and cooperation, - and John Deere represents a way of living, a farm life, a country living, and what that lifestyle installed in a young man. Or in a young woman like me, who not grew up with a John Deere but could drive a red Massey Ferguson!

And then finally the third John: John 3.16 of course is the famous quote from the gospel according to John. This references to the fundamental element of religion, which taught him that God so loved the world that he sent his son to save, not to condemn.

Like a country trinity:

“I learned everything I needed to know from John Cougar, John Deere, John 3.16”

 And then Keith Urban ads:

“I spent a lot of years running from believing,

looking another way to save my soul.

The longer I live, the more I see it:

there is only one way home.”

This song reflects something simple and profound. A deep and sincere acknowledgement of what shapes us and forms our lives.

John 3.16 is from the Gospel according to John, which is the most poetic philosophical and beautiful gospel of all the 4.

Martin Luther, our reformer, called John 3.16 for “the heart of the Bible ‘the Gospel in miniature.”  And thus, we often call John 3.16 for the little Bible: as it condensed the deep truth of Christianity into a few pungent words.

John 3.16 says all we need to know and believe: that God so loved the world that he sent his son to save, not to condemn. God brings light and hope, not darkness and condemnation. If that is the center of our faith and hope, we would truly we rooted in hope, joy, love, and gratitude.

 

John did not begin his gospel with a story about a cute little baby boy being born in a barn outside Bethlehem with bahing sheep, shuffling sleepy shepherds, shining stars, wise world traveling wisemen, and angelic angels celebrating.

No, John paints another picture. He begins with the word and the light.” In the beginning was the word and the word was God.” And one of the most beautiful phrases of all mankind tells us about the deepest concept and meaning of God: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”

I would call that verse John 1.5 for the second little Bible, as that is what we believe and hold onto: that the light always shines in the darkness and the darkness will never overcome the light.

This is the basic and fundamental of our faith and hope:

·      that God loves the world and does not hate it.

·      That darkness will never overcome light

·      That goodness will always prevail

·      That truth will always prevail

·      That love will always conquer. Because God is love, light and truth.

And indeed, what a blessing to be a human being wrapped in that divine love with a promise that darkness will never overcome the light of life.

 

It is the 4th of December of the blessed year of 2021.

Blessed indeed, as we are again this year can gather and be seated here in our beautiful Danish Lutheran Church and later eat, drink, dance and be happy at an evening together in the decked and decorated hall.

On this joyful day of December 2021, let us be joyful, faithful and mindful of our blessings, of our responsibilities, and our privileges. In this time of a Pandemic, in this time of political division, in this time of timely racial discussion and needed reconning and changes, in this time of endless flow of hate speech, misinformation and division, - we need to remember the basic, the fundamentals of life and being.

We are not just called as Christians to come here to church and sit in our own little beautiful Danish cozy cocoon of contentment ( we may do that for a short while, but then we need to move again)   because everything that Jesus called us to do what to get up and go and do likewise: live in the light, not in the darkness, be light not darkness, be a blessing, not a curse, use gentle profound words not hard hateful words and in everything be a good neighbor. In everything treat others as you would like to be treated. So, what you experience at the tables tonight, the joy and laughter, the heartfelt conversations, the fellowship, the light, - carry that with you out and into your world.

The Danish Poet Benny Andersen says in one of his poems “goodness” how difficult it is to be good, how we need to practice and that it is so much easier to be good on your own.

Well, goodness, mercy, kindness, consideration, grace, it only complete when shared. Eating, dancing, drinking, singing and laughing is only complete when shared. To love is only complete when we love others, and not just me.

We are called to walk humbly with God.

Because God so loved the world…. we are reminded every Christmas of how deep, how profundo and how life changing that divine love is and was and will be.

“I learned everything I needed to know from John Cougar, John Deere, John 3.16” …. “I spent a lot of years running from believing, looking another way to save my soul. The longer I live, the more I see it: there is only one way home.”

 

I hope and believe that out of the darkness of the Pandemic and out of the despair of our division, - light will appear. Hopefully, we will remember what we lost and then what we have learned.

I hope and believe that this Christmas of 2021, when we may cautiously be together again, - that we are grateful for those we may spend time with, that we are grateful for the moments of normality and civility that will occur, and that we cherish what we lost and missed.

 

Like Don McClean sang in American Pie: The three men I admire the most: The Father Son and the Holy Ghost, - with this divine Trinity, I share the divine fatherly love of God, the saving grace of Jesus, and the ever present, moving Holy Spirit.

That this world is worth saving, that this life is worth living, that this time is worth sharing, - because God so much loved this world that he sends his son, his light, his word to us to save us, to be near us, to guide us and to comfort us.

December it is. And December is delightful. Let us strive to make this month even more delightful, even more lovely, beautiful warm, loving, caring and joyous. Because in the beginning was the light, and it still shines.

Because in the beginning was the world, it still speaks to us.

Because God so loved the world that he sent his son to save, and he still does.

So, as we light candles tonight, as we later dine and dance into December, let us remember that God is not hidden in some faraway cloud og in an old dusty book.

God is here with us in the comfort and mystery, in the sorrows and joys of our lives. During all lists and rush, God is with us like an old song that echoes in our minds and remind us of this wonderful world and life of ours.

Let faith, hope and love fill us. Let our Christmas Faith be strengthened and shared as we believe that the light cannot be overcome by any darkness. Amen.