Paul Harvey has made the phrase, “The Rest of the Story,” famous. Since 1976, he has provided daily snippets from the lives of famous and not so famous people on radio.  The scenario is always the same.  Some seemingly ordinary or random event provides the intro, with Harvey providing details that typically make the listener ask, “So what?”  Then comes “The Rest of the Story,” during which Harvey shows us how the ordinary event, situation or person through a dramatic turn of events becomes extraordinary.

     Throughout December, we’ve been Preparing the Way for the Lord in our Sunday morning messages.  We’ve investigated the birth narratives from Matthew and Luke’s Gospel.  We’ve taken a look at Old Testament prophecies, and have seen how Jesus’ birth fulfilled them. But if Jesus had been born of a virgin—as amazing and dramatic as they is; if He had been born in Bethlehem and had His birth announced by angels and shepherds--as unlikely as that seems; even if wise men had traveled hundreds of miles from the east in a day when such travel was extremely difficult, following a star in the sky in obedience to God’s unusual message—as inspiring as that would have been, none of us would be here this morning if not for “The Rest of the Story.”  Jesus’ birth is amazing!  It’s interesting.  It provides our society with a reason to give one another gifts, but it was not Jesus’ birth in the end that changed history and eternity—it was His death on the cross of Calvary and His resurrection.   The Christmas story without “The Rest of the Story” provides no reason for us to be here today.  But with “The Rest of the Story,” which we have read and heard many times, Christmas becomes the amazing beginning to the most incredible “Rest of the Story” ever told!

     Please, stand and join me now as we read “The Rest of the Story” as it comes to us from John 3:16-21:  ¹⁶“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

¹⁸“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. ¹⁹And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. ²⁰All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. ²¹But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” John 3:16-21 NLT  Let’s pray……… Amen. (Please, be seated.)

    ¹⁶“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 NLT  I learned that verse when I was in first or second grade.  In those days it went like this,  For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16KJV The language is  archaic, but the meaning’s the same.  The baby Jesus, who was born in a stable and placed in a manger, is the only begotten or one and only Son of God.  That Son, is the one God gave to the world, because He so loved—and loves—us!  That’s “The Rest of the Story!”  We’ve all heard it, most of us have heard it time and time again.  The question is: are we part of “The Rest of the Story”? Are you and I living testimonies of God’s presence in us, through the Salvation Jesus died to purchase on our behalf?  Are we living in the light, as John put it?

    John made something clear that a lot of folks have glossed over, skipped or forgotten: ¹⁷God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.  Some of us grew up hearing preachers tell us that we were rotten to the core, and that God didn’t like us much.  They were half right—we WERE rotten to the core, but God not only liked us, He LOVED us so much that He sent Jesus into the world to save us!  The beginning of the story—of each of our stories is the same:  we were born separated from God.  Paul tells us—and rightly so—that we were once enemies of God: ²¹This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Colossians 1:21 NLT It doesn’t matter how cute or handsome we were or are; it doesn’t matter how good our personalities are, or what we seem to be like, apart from “The Rest of the Story” we stand judged and condemned.  But “Rest of the Story” is or CAN BE our story!  ¹⁷God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17 NLT  Say that with me:  ¹⁷God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.  John 3:17 NLT 

     All my life—at least all of my life since I was twelve, and Jesus’ salvation became real to me--I’ve wondered how it is that so many folks don’t make “The Rest of the Story” their story.  How is it that folks reject Jesus?  How is it that folks would rather be judged or condemned than saved?  Jesus answers that question for us Himself in John 3:19-20.  Let’s look at John 3:18 again first, because it’s the transition verse from the fantastic news that God loves us and sent Jesus to save us to the reason why so many reject salvation: ¹⁸“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.  John 3:18 NLT   Simple enough, isn’t it:  Believe in Jesus and be released from judgment; don’t believe and receive judgment.  Some would say, “But isn’t that exclusive?  Isn’t that unfair that everyone has to trust in Jesus?  As to whether it’s exclusive, the answer is, “Yes,” and “No.”  Yes, it’s exclusive, because Jesus is the only way to salvation.  No, it’s not exclusive, because ANYONE can receive salvation through Jesus.  Is it unfair that everyone has to trust in Jesus?  Why is it?  If Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, then why is it unfair to follow Him?  If Jesus paid the penalty for your sin and mine, then how is it unfair that we are required to follow Him?  What’s unfair is that Jesus, the only sinless person who ever lived died in my place, in your place, in the place of every person who has ever or will ever lived, right?

     We could go off on the rabbit trail this morning about the Aborigines who have never heard about Jesus, or the nations where the name of Jesus has never been preached, and ask what about them?  It’s a legitimate question, but a more pressing question for those of us who have heard and responded to Jesus offer of salvation is, “Why haven’t we gone or sent folks to those places to tell them?”  We know, right?  They don’t.  So, isn’t it our responsibility to go tell them, instead of asking whether it’s fair that they be judged if they don’t know?  Most of the questions we raise about fairness when it comes to the Good News of Jesus have to do with our failure to follow through on our responsibilities as Jesus’ followers, not on Jesus’ lack of fairness.  Better move on….

     Jesus tells us why “The Rest of the Story” for some is NOT salvation with these words:  ¹⁹And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. ²⁰All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.   PEOPLE LOVED THE DARKNESS MORE THAN THE LIGHT.  As my mother used to say, “That’s calling a spade a spade,” or stating the truth PLAINLY.  Some people love the darkness more than the light.  Jesus tells us who such people are: they’re people who are currently engaged in sin.  They don’t want to go near the light, because they’re afraid their sins will be exposed.

The practical applications of Jesus’ words here for us are many.  First, they help us understand ourselves, whether or not we have trusted Jesus for salvation.  We are all born loving the darkness more than the light.  How can I say that, because in 50 years of living, I’ve never met a single person who ALWAYS walks in the light.  I’ve never seen a child who needed to be taught how to lie, or cheat, or get even.  All of those “dark deeds” come naturally.  What’s a challenge is believing that we can be different. That God sent Jesus into the world so that we WILL be different.

     John 3:18-20 show us light and darkness and make it clear that those who trust in Jesus LIVE in the light.  Jesus even tells us that once we’re living the right kind of life, once we have trusted in His salvation, we will seek out the light. Remember how he put it?  ²¹But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”  Some might say, “Isn’t that bragging or showing off?”  “Isn’t that being self-righteous?”  It can’t be.  Jesus would never endorse bragging, showing or self-righteousness.  What He’s saying is that when we have received the light—that is when we have believed in Him as Savior and Lord, our lives will change.  After all, in John 3:3, He said that we must be born again.  This new life that He gives us, leads to walking in the light, and becoming GUIDES for others.  I said many practical applications exist for John 3:19-20, and that the first one is that it shows us our own tendency to love the darkness.  It also explains a lot that goes on in our world around us.  We live in a dark place.  People shoot one another in schools, malls and churches.  Politicians seek their own glory and power and influence rather than serving the common good.  Students cheat on tests, and athletes take drugs to enhance their performance, which is just another way of cheating on tests.  Why do all these things happen?  Jesus’ explanation is the best one ever given:  PEOPLE LOVED THE DARKNESS MORE THAN THE LIGHT, FOR THEIR ACTIONS WERE EVIL.  No one wants to use the “e” word in our culture.  Students shoot one another because they’re depressed, or because they had a bad upbringing, or because they’re creativity was stifled, or because they were taunted by others.  I’ve been depressed. My parents weren’t perfect.  My creativity was stifled many times, and I’ve taken my share of taunts over the years, but I haven’t killed anyone, or even tried since I came to know Jesus as my Savior and Lord.  I did actually try to kill my Mom when I was five.  Fortunately, I failed.  But had I succeeded, it would have been an EVIL act, a dark act.  Evil exists and left unchecked it grows.  That’s why we have “The Rest of the Story.”  That’s why Jesus willingly gave Himself on the cross of Calvary, shedding His innocent blood to pay the penalty—the eternal death penalty—for our sins.

     Once we have trusted Jesus as our Savior and Lord, our lives are NEW.  We’re born again, but the challenge is—darkness still seems inviting.  Sin still calls our name.  How do we overcome?  If Jesus died FOR our sins, and if in Jesus Christ we died TO sin, then how is it that we still have the tendency to sin?  It’s because even AFTER Jesus comes into our lives, we still have the ability to choose—light or dark, life or death, good or evil.  We need to choose light, life, good, and when we choose them, we need to live them in the light so others will see—not so they can say, “Look at what a great person she is!” Or “Look at His amazing commitment! But so they will see God at work in us.  Those who live in darkness, those who walk in darkness recognize light—sometimes it’s blinding, but light ALWAYS dispels darkness.  As we close out 2007—just one more day to go, may we commit ourselves anew and afresh to walking in the light, and to letting others see it, so they’ll walk in the light as well.

     Here’s TODAY’S CHALLENGE:  I will leave 2007 behind.  Whatever darkness I have lived, I now receive the Light of Jesus Christ anew, and commit to living in Him in 2008!  Please, say that with me:  I will leave 2007 behind.  Whatever darkness I have lived, I now receive the Light of Jesus Christ anew, and commit to living in Him in 2008!  The best thing about being a follower of Jesus is “The Rest of the Story!”  No matter what yesterday was, no matter what today has been to this moment—EVERY moment is a new opportunity to become one who walk in the light of Jesus.  It doesn’t matter how many times we’ve failed in 2007.  It doesn’t matter how many sins we’ve committed.  It doesn’t matter if we haven’t lived up to our potential to this point, because that is all history, and if Jesus Christ IS our Savior and Lord it is history that has been bought and paid for and washed clean by Jesus’ blood.  Amen?  Amen.

     Please stand with me.  I want you to know a secret.  (Whisper:) I can’t wait for 2008.  (A little louder:)  I can’t WAIT for 2008.  (LOUDER:) I CAN’T WAIT FOR 2008!  I can’t wait because I know that Jesus is alive and well, and He has great plans for you and me in 2008.  If you and I will commit ourselves to receiving the fullness of His salvation in and through the power of the Holy Spirit in 2008, there’s no limit to what He will do through us.  Too many followers of Jesus, are living the first part of the story—remembering failures, believing what people have said about us, letting darkness be the order of the day, and not living “The Rest of the Story.”  Today is the day to “put our behinds in the past” as that great philosopher Pumbaa once said.  Today is the day to trust that God REALLY DID so love the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.  If you have never trusted Jesus as your Savior and Lord then make today the day.  Come right up here and do it during our closing song.  If you have trusted Jesus as your Savior and Lord, but you’ve been living as if darkness is more powerful than light, then join me in the prayer we’re going to pray AFTER the closing song.  I want you to read it NOW, so you’ll be ready to pray then:

Heavenly Father,  I confess that I have not always lived in the light of Jesus.  Today, I ask for Your forgiveness, and for a fresh outpouring of Your Holy Spirit that I may live in the light and show others Your glory day-by-day in 2008!  This I pray in Jesus’ name Amen.

Let’s pray……….Amen.