I listened to a powerful sermon this last weekend about God’s love and the plan of salvation, and he used just one verse, the famous Bible text, John 3:16. It is simple but profound; it’s the greatest!
For God – The greatest one
So loved – The greatest degree
The world -The greatest amount of people
That He gave -The greatest generosity
His only begotten Son – The greatest uniqueness
That whosoever – The greatest invitation
Believeth in Him – The greatest simplicity
Should not – The greatest certainty
Perish – The greatest possible loss
But – The greatest difference
Have -The greatest possession
Everlasting – The greatest length
Life – The greatest gift
Thanks to Glen Pinterich.
The good news about God is so simple even a child can understand it: God is good, loving, and patient; He is trustworthy, responsible, and humble; He’s friendly, and would never lie or let his children down. But the Bible is also so deep even the scholars can’t comprehend its limits.
Ask a child why Jesus had to die and they might say simply, because he loves us or he came to show us what God is like. Ask a scholar and they will bring up words like: propitiation, expiation, and atonement. But then we would have to ask, what do those words mean? Maybe the child’s version is closer to the truth than the long, drawn-out explanations we sometimes get. What words did Jesus use?
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. (John 14: 7-11)
No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is the same as God and is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. (John 1:18 GNT)
Jesus showed everyone, that God is the greatest!