A sermon on John 3:16-18

By Fr. Mike Paraniuk
St. Mary Catholic Church (Hillsboro,
St. Benignus Catholic Church (Greenfield),
Saint Mary Queen of Heaven Catholic Church (Peebles)
Holy Trinity Catholic Church (West Union)

I experience a "spiritual whiplash" when reading John 3:16-18. At first, my spirit soars with joy when God says He loves me so much He sent Jesus not to condemn, not to judge, but to save me. I am a sinner who does not love God the way He deserves. I deserve to perish in hell. But God sent Jesus to save me from that terrible fate.

Then, my joy turns to fear when I read John 3:18: "Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." 

I wonder, "Do I really believe in Jesus enough? Am I doomed to an eternity where my chubby little body will cook forever?"

This important question must be answered, "What does it mean to believe in Jesus?" Accepting Jesus as your personal Savior is critically important but not enough. Once you accept and believe in Jesus, then you must act like Him. I can make my altar call and get dunked in a river. I can receive Holy Communion at Mass. But if I don't have a personal relationship with Jesus that changes my life to follow God's will instead of my own evil desires, then I will perish.

John 3:19 makes this point: "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." I can't be running around doing evil deeds while claiming I'm saved because I accept Jesus. 

Jesus clearly states in Matthew 7:17-23 what He feels about this: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?' Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.'"

As a preacher of God's Word, I try never to be a hypocrite by not doing what I tell others to do. “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers" says James 1:22. There is a name for those who only hear Jesus but do not act like Jesus – "Non-Christian Christians."

I received a recognition called the Sam Levine Award given to anyone who furthers the game of bowling in Ohio. It was given to me because I broadcast on WLRU Radio Hillsboro High School Bowling tournaments from Highland Lanes. I won the award by a unanimous vote of the Bowling Center owners because there is no one else in the state of Ohio that broadcasts bowling on the radio. It's like running unopposed in an election. They were dumbfounded that I could announce bowling on the radio. I told them, "I have listened to bowling announcers for 62 years. I learned form the best." My award pales in comparison to how God used me to award His mercy to a soul in pain.

A man who attended the ceremony approached me who was clearly tortured about his future. He asked me, "Am I going to hell?" 

I asked him why he's worried about that. 

He responded, "When I was young, a bishop told me I'm going to hell. I'm going to hell because I ate meat on a Friday. I've carried this guilt all my life." 

In the old Catholic Church eating meat on a Friday was a big mortal sin. I responded by asking him some questions. "Do you do good to your wife and children?" 

"Yes." 

"Do you help the poor and needy?" 

"Yes."

"Do you treat others justly?" 

"Yes."
 
"Do you love Jesus?" 

"Yes." 

I concluded, "It seems to me you are doing what God wants you to do. You're on the road to Heaven. I don't believe God will send you to hell for eating a beef jerky on a Friday. And by the way, the Catholic Church changed the no meat on Friday rule in 1966." 

He was so relieved. Even his face took on a look of peace.

Mother Teresa said, "We are all little pencils in the hands of God. He writes whatever He wants." I'm glad God used me to write a love letter to this man.