The Greatest Bible Verse (Part 1)

[SLIDE 1] Introduction

If you have your Bible, then please turn to John 3:16-21.

John 3:16–21 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Illustration

Well, here we are. John 3:16.

I have been anticipating with excitement to preach this passage.

Some of you may have been looking forward to me preaching John 3:16 ever since I began our expositional series in John’s gospel.

One of you did ask me, “When will we get to John 3:16?” My response during that time was, “I don’t know.”

In fact, I was thinking of tormenting you by having you wait until the Fall season.

But, we’re here.

So, I’m excited to preach perhaps arguably the Greatest Verse in the Bible.

John 3:16 is probably the most popular and most memorized verse in human history.

Although...perhaps Matthew 7:1 is probably more popular in our world these days, which syas: “Judge not lest ye be judged.”

In any case, John 3:16 may have been one of the Bible verses you memorized when you’re a child.

You see the Bible is the breathed out or inspired by God alone.

Every word of the Bible is true, inerrant, and infallible.

Every word in the Bible is the very word of God.

Yet, there are passages and verses in the Bible that more precious to us than others.

John 3:16 is probably the most beloved verse in the entire Bible.

In-and-Out Burgers in California has John 3:16 at the bottom of their paper cup.

There is a Malaysian restaurant in Vancouver called, “John 3:16 Malaysian Delight.”

The Protestant Reformer, Martin Luther, said that John 3:16 is the gospel in miniature.

D.L. Moody said this verse brought him to an understanding of the love of God.

Even Wikipedia has a page on John 3:16 alone. And it even says, “[John 3:16] is deemed one of the most popular verses from the Bible and is a summary of one of Christianity's central doctrines; the relationship between the Father (God) and the Son of God (Jesus).”

Some may say that John 3:16 summarizes the core of Christianity.

Perhaps, today, this may become your favourite verse during this season of your Christian life.

I do want to offer a word a caution.

Familiarity often breeds contempt.

Because we’re so familiar with this verse, we probably think there’s nothing too significant about its meaning.

It’s such a simple verse to understand.

Yet, John 3:16 also has deep theology for us to learn.

So, I want to unveil this verse as deep and wide as possible so that we can be in awe of God’s word.

FYI: there is no way that I can satisfactorily explain all that is there to say about John 3:16 in a justifiable manner.

Without exaggerating, we can spend multiple Sundays digging into the depth of this single verse.

At the very least, I was tempted to spend this Sunday focusing on this single verse.

Yet, I think if we focus on the tree, we will easily miss the forest.

We shouldn’t just know John 3:16 without knowing verses 17-21.

The danger of just knowing John 3:16 is to separate it from the immediate context, and could end up misreading the meaning of the text.

That’s just lazy reading of the text.

Some have an egocentric reading where they may think John 3:16 teaches that God loves us because we’re so intrinsically valuable to God.

Some have a universalist reading where they may think God’s act of love would save the world with or without believing in Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

Some may even think that the New Testament God is better than the Old Testament God. The OT God is wrathful and condemning. The NT God is loving and gracious because of John 3:16.

So, we should study and understand this greatest verse in light of its context.

I would argue that John 3:16 is the verse that weaves verses 17-21 together.

Verses 17-21 clarifies the meaning of John 3:16.

Context

But, I don’t think we can understand this text without also knowing the previous context.

Here’s a Bible Study Question: “Why was John 3:16 written?”

I didn’t ask, “Why did Jesus say those words?”

Bible scholars aren’t 100% certain if Jesus spoke verses 16-21 or the author, the Apostle John, wrote it as a commentary.

I don’t intend to dive into that discussion in this sermon.

Either way, it doesn’t affect the meaning of what’s being said.

So, why was John 3:16 written?

This verse begins this section with, “For” or “Because.”

This verse explains the reason for the previous passage.

Jesus and Nicodemus had a conversation about the idea called “The New Birth.”

Jesus told Nicodemus, “You must be born again,” if you want to see and enter the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus, being a Pharisee, was shocked to hear such teaching from Jesus Christ.

And Jesus brings up Numbers 21 as an illustration.

John 3:14–15 ESV

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

John 3:16 explains why Jesus was lifted up on the cross as the Son of Man and believing in Him leads to having eternal life.

It is necessary for the Son to be lifted up because God so loved the world.

D.A. Carson says that “Jesus being lifted up is the climax of His mission.”

And this act of being lifted up (to the cross) “is itself grounded in the love of God.”

Having considered the context, there are four greatest truths that would be the outline of the greatest Bible verse.

These four truths are found in John 3:16.

And verses 17-21 will serve to clarify and teach the meaning of John 3:16.

Exposition

First, The Greatest Danger - “should not perish”

The Greatest Demonstration - For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son

The Greatest Decision - that whoever believes in Him

The Greatest Destiny - but have eternal life

Application