3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Denver Broncos star, Tim Tebow, once touted “John 3:16” on his eye-black during his days as a Florida Gator, but the scripture gained a lot more attention after the quarterback’s 316 passing yards (yes, that’s right: “316”) helped Denver clinch a nail-biting, overtime victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday. Allegedly, after Tebow etched the scripture in his eye-black for the 2009 BCS Championship Game, about 92 million people conducted a web search for the term. But the verse has previously made appearances at sporting events, most notably on Rollen Stewart’s T-shirts and banners during the 1980’s. He was the guy, if you’ll recall, that wore a rainbow wig and displayed signs at games and major events, such as the Olympics and the World Cup. Yeah, that guy. (Rollen’s now serving three (3) consecutive life sentences in prison on kidnapping charges) But I digress because I’m not exactly a Broncos fan.
It really all began with a figure moving silently through the darkened streets of Jerusalem. Nicodemus was one of “them” – a Pharisee; one of the religious elite who militantly rejected Jesus as Messiah. So, when he decided to seek Jesus out and learn from him, he had to do it secretly. Slipping through alleyways and dimly lit streets, Nicodemus found his way to a simple house where Jesus and his followers were staying.
“Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” (John 3:2) And without skipping a beat, Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) Now, I’m not exactly sure what was on Nicodemus’ mind that night, but it’s clear what was on Jesus’: his climactic exposition on salvation. And in one verse, the whole of the Gospel is presented.
It starts simply enough: “For God so loved the world.…” And if those words are true, it changes everything, doesn’t it? I mean, imagine what the world would be like without God’s love. It’d simply be a dark planet hurtling through space with no hope and no future. Every death would be an end, and every grave a place of despair. But God does love the world. We see it in every sunrise, in every blade of grass, in every birth, and in every child’s face.
Have you ever seen those cartoons, Veggie Tales? They’re computer animated vegetables that tell Bible stories. It’s kind of like Sunday school packaged into a Saturday morning kid’s show. And at the end of every episode, Bob (he’s the tomato) says, “Remember kids, God made you special, and he loves you very much!” Corny, I know.
But isn’t that the message of John 3:16? Isn’t that the message the world needs to hear? That God made you special and that he loves you very much. That’s the message George Matheson needed to hear.
He was only fifteen when he was told that he was losing what little eyesight he had at the time. Not to be deterred, however, George continued with his plans to enroll at the University of Glasgow, and his determination led to his graduation in 1861 at the tender age of nineteen. And by the time he’d finished his graduate studies, he was completely blind. But his spirit never collapsed, that is until his fiancée returned his engagement ring. She said she couldn’t see herself spending her life bound by the chains of marriage to a blind man. (Harsh) Eventually, he adapted to life without sight, but he never recovered from his broken heart.
Years later, as a well-loved pastor in Scotland, George’s sister came to him announcing her engagement. He was happy for her, but his mind went back to his own heartache. But he consoled himself by thinking of God’s unlimited love. Never conditional. Never withdrawn. Never uncertain. And out of this experience he penned these words: “O love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee; I give thee back the life I owe, that in thine ocean depths its flow may richer, fuller be.” Wow, what a hymn.
In Prayer: A Heavenly Invitation, Max Lucado writes, “If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If he had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring, and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, he’ll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and he chose your heart. What about the Christmas gift he sent you in Bethlehem; not to mention that Friday at Calvary? Face it, friend. He’s crazy about you.”
He loves. And because he loves, he gives. Again, Jesus said, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son….” Just to say, “I love you,” doesn’t really mean a whole lot sometimes, does it? Love – real agape love – is a verb; an action word. It has to be tangibly demonstrated. It has to be proven – God’s love included. “But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us!” (Romans 5:8)
I know. That sounds strange to some people. There are plenty of people who respect the teachings of Jesus. They admire his example. But no matter how they turn it, they can’t see any significance in his death. One man even said, “That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. I don’t need God to give anyone for me,” he claimed. “I’ve led a good life. Held a good job. People respect me. My wife loves me. I don’t need God to give me his son.” And maybe you agree. But are we really as good as we think we are? Hmmmmm. Let’s see.
“Thou shalt not steal.” Have you ever stolen anything? A paper clip, a peanut maybe? That makes you a thief. “Thou shalt not lie.” Those who claim they never have, just did. “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” Ever let God’s name slip from your lips in anger or frustration? Blasphemy. “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Now, before you give yourself a pass on that one, Jesus said that if you so much as look at a woman (or a man, for that matter) with lust, you’ve committed adultery with her, or him, in your heart. Ugh. And that’s just four out of the Ten Commandments. So, how ya doin’ so far? Yeah, me too.
We could keep going, but I don’t think we’d fare any better. Most sincere people, if they’re really honest, know that we’re really not all that good. We all have regrets. We’ve all made mistakes. The Bible calls that sin. The Greek word is, a(martiða (hamartia), which means to err, to be mistaken, to miss the mark, or to do or go wrong. And we do it all the time. “Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3:23) And it’s our sin that separates us from God. So, if any of us are ever going to have a real relationship with our Creator, then it’s up to him to find a way to reconcile us back to himself. Not the other way ‘round. And that’s where Jesus comes in. He determined to build that bridge with an old, rugged cross. He gave himself. He gave Jesus to bring salvation to the world through his death.
In verse fourteen, Jesus alludes to an event in the Old Testament found in Numbers 21:4-9. It’s a story about sin. The Israelites had rebelled against God, so God allowed poisonous snakes to bite the people so that many of them died. But it’s also a story of grace because Moses interceded for the people and God provided a remedy. He told Moses to make a brass serpent and lift it up on a pole for everyone to see. And anyone who had been bitten, who then looked at the serpent, would immediately be healed.
We’re in a similar situation. The whole world has been bitten by sin, and the “wages of sin is death.” (Rom. 6:23) Just as the serpent was lifted up on that pole for the people to look to for healing, Jesus would be lifted on a cross for us to look to for our healing. God sent his Son to die, not only for Israel, but for the whole world. Although God’s remedy was sufficient for all of Israel, it was only effective for those who "looked upon the serpent." And although God loves, and Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient for the whole world, it is only effective if we believe.
Jesus said that God “gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish…” This concept really runs contrary to our instincts, doesn’t it? Maybe because it’s so simple. We expect a more complicated cure, a more sophisticated salvation. But no other religion offers what Jesus promises. Judaism sees salvation as a Judgment Day decision based upon morality. Buddhism grades your life according to the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Muslims earn their way to Allah by performing the duties of the Five Pillars of Faith. But not Christianity. Jesus calls us to do one thing: believe.
Now, maybe you’re thinking, “OK. But what about baptism, repentance and a changed life? Are you saying those things aren’t necessary?” No, I’m not. Those things are absolutely essential. But baptism, repentance, a changed life, and things like that are not in addition to our faith. They are expressions of it. They are acts of faith that work together with our faith to make our faith real. And what Jesus wants us to see is that it’s not because of what we’ve done, but because of who he is that puts us in a right relationship with him. And all he asks is that we put our trust in him, and him alone! You see, God rewards those who seek him, not those who seek doctrines or religious systems or creeds. The reward goes to those who settle for nothing other than Jesus himself. And the reward is that when we believe, we live.
“Whoever believes in him,” Jesus concluded, “shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Although people sometimes imagine spending eternity in the clouds, floating around and strumming harps a lot, that’s certainly not the Biblical picture of Heaven. The Bible describes Heaven as a place that will have rivers, trees, cities, buildings, gates, streets, mountains, and houses. (Revelation 21-22) Although its glory will be beyond description, its essential components will be the same as those we find here on Earth. Paradise lost will be Paradise restored.
And although the full glory of Heaven is beyond description, we are certainly capable of imagining a better world, can’t we? A world of beauty and grandeur, a paradise as God intended it to be. But that’s not all. One of the greatest blessings of Heaven is what won’t be there. No death, no disease, no divorce. No trials, no tribulation, no turmoil. Without the presence of evil, the New Heaven and New Earth will be like nothing we’ve ever experienced.
But there’s more. There’s our new body. Paul, in his letter to the church in Corinth, put it this way: “The sun has one kind of beauty, the moon has another beauty, and the stars have another. And each star is different in its beauty. It is the same with the dead who are raised to life. The body that is ‘planted’ will ruin and decay, but it is raised to a life that cannot be destroyed. When the body is ‘planted,’ it is without honor, but it is raised in glory. When the body is ‘planted,’ it is weak, but when it is raised, it is powerful. The body that is ‘planted’ is a physical body. When it is raised, it is a spiritual body.” (1 Corinthians 15:41-44)
Indestructible. Honorable. Glorious. Powerful. Those are words that describe what our new bodies will be like. In this life, we get old. We get tired. Our bodies just won’t do what they used to do. But in eternity, we’ll run faster, jump higher, play harder, and we’ll never get tired or ever grow old.
In summary, then, He loves. He gives. We believe. We live. It’s really that simple. God loves this world, more than we’ll ever know. He gave his one and only Son as a demonstration of that love so that we could live with him forever. Apart from him we die, but with him we live.
So, if you know nothing of the Bible, begin here – John 3:16. And, if you know everything there is to know about the Bible, return there. Because it’s here that you’ll find what you’ve been looking for, even if you didn’t know what you were missing.
Grace,
Randy
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