"World"

"God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life." - John 3:16 (NCV)

Hollywood has away of telling stories of love.  If I may borrow from the controversial Rob Bell, "love wins" just about ever time.  Usually the two protagonists need to overcome some sort of obstacles, deal with each others faults and goof ups, come to some sort of epiphany, and, viola, love wins.  Happy and sappy, things work out.  Occasionaly, the boy does not alway get the girl, but, normally it is because some obstacles just cannot be overcome.  Yet, even here, one can see that love still remains even though circumstances are dictating our protagonists' seperation.

Where is the story that tells of someone loving another despite hate and rejection.  Where is the movie that shows the protagonist giving the ultimate sacrifice for another while being maligned, abused, and counted as a fraud.  Those stories are extremely rare on film and in print, if they exist at all.  No, I am afraid that this kind of story might be labeled as one of a kind.  However, it does exist.  It is located in John's Gospel, chapter 3, verse 16.  It is a love story that rivals anything ever seen on screen.  Titanic and The Notebook, take a seat.  Harlequin and Jackie Collins, you have nothing.  Yes, this love story trumps them all.

You see, the Bible says that "God loved the world so much..."  The focus here is not on love, for we all know that God loves.  That's who he is; that's what he does.  Ah, but the object of that love deserves comment.  The word "world" is simply translated "kosmos" in the Greek language with a variety of meanings.  It can mean: planet earth, the world as sum total of everything, or mankind, among other things.  But it also has the connotation of "the world, and everything that belongs to it hostile to God. (Walter Bauer).  John uses this term no less than 57 of the New Teatament's 186 usages.  Nearly all of John's references to "world" have this latter meaning.

Several commentators have stated that a more accurate reading of the text would be, "For God so loved the God-hating world."  This is you and me.  We have rebelled, chosen to be our own gods, treated God callously in the good times, and with contempt in the bad.  Yet, despite unasked for and undeserved, God chose to love all encompassing and unconditionally.  Plus, he does it whether we like it or not.  Take a look around.  From the religous leader to the sinner; from the homeless to the rich man; from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe; "red and yellow, black and white," this world became the target of the largest rescue operation ever.  That person on the news, the one seated next you, the one down the street, the loudmouth, the arrogant, the shy, the incompetent, the braggart, the adult, the child, and the teen are all targeted by God's love.  Now, that is a love story!

While we may complain about "this world" from time to time, and those opportunities are all too frequent, remember that God loved it so much he was willing to give his Son to redeem it.  If he could do that, the least we could do is pray for our world.  And the ending?  Well, it is still being written.  The offer of uncondional love is still offered to the world.  This is one happy ending you get to play a role in.  God loving us, despite us.  I guess we are not in Hollywood, anymore.