Go Beyond

With Christmas just a couple of days away, I thought it appropriate to take a quick look at John 3:16, a verse that explains the reason why God sent His Son into the world. John 3:16 is perhaps the best-known and most-memorized verse in the Bible. All of the great truths of the Old Testament converge toward it and all of the great doctrines of the New Testament emerge from it. Martin Luther called it the gospel in miniature. Others have called it the gospel in a nutshell. John 3:16 announces more than good news, it announces the greatest news.

For God (the greatest lover) | No one can love us like God loves us. We tend to place conditions on our love for others. And, our human love is also largely based on ignorance. We might not love some people if we knew what they really thought about us or what they have said about us in private. But, God’s love is much higher than our love. He loves us unconditionally. He simply says, “I love you.”

so loved (to the greatest degree) | Nobody can love us to the degree to which God loves us. His love is wide enough to include the world, long enough to outlast the world, can reach deep enough to pull us out of the deepest pit, and can take us high enough to set our feet on solid ground.

the world (the greatest company) | The word world refers to every person that has ever lived, is presently living, and that is yet to be born. Our human love is narrow. We love only a few people. We do not love everybody. We see hundreds of people in the course of our daily lives. Yet, we don’t love all those people. But God loves every person in the world — without exception.

that He gave (the greatest act) | Giving is the greatest act of love. Because God loves the world He gave. God’s act of giving grows out of His attitude of loving. God does not love us because Jesus died for us — it’s the other way around. Jesus died for us because God already loved us. The death of Christ on the cross is the proof of God’s love, not the cause of God’s love.

His only begotten Son (the greatest gift) | Jesus is God’s indescribable gift (2 Cor. 9:15). Throughout human history, writers have given us great works of literature, artists have given us great works of art, science and technology have given us great discoveries and inventions, and musicians have given us stirring symphonies and compositions. But the greatest gift the human race has ever received is the gift of God’s Son. God sent His Son to save us from our sins.

that whoever (the greatest opportunity) | The word world is a reference to all of us. The word whoever is a reference to each of us. It’s good to know that God loves the world, but it’s better to know that He loves each one of us. The Bible tells us that God is “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Each of us have the opportunity to accept His wonderful gift.

believes (the greatest simplicity) | God made the way of salvation simple: whoever believes. Salvation is by faith, not by works or riches or intellect. God put salvation on the lower shelf so that it is within reach of every person in the world. We are to believe that we have sinned against God and that the penalty for our sin is death (eternal separation from God). We are to believe that God demonstrated His own love for us by sending His Son to die on the cross for us. And, we are to believe that God raised Jesus from the dead.

in Him (the greatest attraction) | We are to place our faith in Jesus Christ alone for our salvation. We are to trust in Him and what He did on the cross as payment for our sin. Many people miss heaven by only eighteen inches — which is approximately the distance between the head and the heart. Many people believe with their minds but not with their hearts. Knowing facts about Jesus is not enough. We must know Him personally.

should not perish (the greatest promise) | This is the first indication in this verse concerning what happens to those who do not believe in Him. We cannot enter into the presence of God and into heaven apart from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

but (the greatest difference) | This little conjunction points out the greatest difference and cautions us that there are consequences to what we believe.

have (the greatest certainty) | This word eliminates doubt and emphasizes assurance and certainty.

eternal life (the greatest possession) | Those who place their faith in Jesus alone for salvation are assured of eternal life.

May you have a blessed Christmas as you celebrate Jesus — God’s indescribable gift. God’s greatest gift! To learn more about who Jesus is and why He came, please visit Who is Jesus?