For God So Loved You!
Notes
Transcript
John 3:16, Is the most famous verse in the Bible
It gets displayed on billboards throughout the country
It is displayed often at sporting events, yet many people have no idea what the verse says.
Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow won the Heisman Trophy in 2009 while playing at the University of Florida. He used to wear John 3:16 on his eye black during football games.
After winning the championship on January 8th, 2009, the next night, the PR guy told them that 94 million people had Googled John 3:16.
Exactly three years later, on January 8, 2012, Tim Tebow, now playing for the Denver Broncos, found himself in the playoffs against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
During that game, Tim Tebow threw for 316 yards, averaged 3.16 yards per carry, had 31.6 yards per completion, the time of possession was 31.06 minutes, and the ratings for the night stood at 31.6.
Following that night, another 90 million people searched for John 3:16 on Google.
Isn’t God awesome? He will find unique ways for people to find Him.
Today, you won’t have to Google John 3:16 because I am going to have it on the screen for you.
Let’s all read it together.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Apollo 13 took off with expectations of landing on the moon on April 11, 1970
Two days into the mission, on April 13th, an oxygen tank in the service module exploded, causing a rupture and disabling the spacecraft’s electrical and life support systems.
They needed to abort the mission and find a way to return to Earth.
The crew took shelter in the lunar module, which was designed to support two astronauts for a brief time, but there were three of them. The crew included Commander James Lovell, Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise, and Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert.
To return to Earth, the astronauts utilized the lunar module's descent engine to execute a slingshot maneuver around the Moon, creating a circumlunar trajectory.
The crew needed to ration water and electricity while engineers on the ground worked on solutions.
Despite the close call, the crew safely returned to Earth and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on April 17, 1970.
In 1995, a movie was released about the Apollo 13 mission. In that film, when the oxygen tank exploded, the actor used the phrase:
“Houston, we have a problem!”
If it weren't for the Lunar module, all three astronauts would have died.
If you have not accepted Christ as your savior, you are on a path to death without a Lunar Module to rescue you.
As that actor in the movie says, “Houston, we have a problem!” I can tell you this morning, “Friend, we have a problem!”
The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
“There is none righteous, not even one;
If you haven’t believed in Christ as your savior, just like those astronauts, you are in need of a Lunar Module. That Lunar Module can be found in John 3:16.
John 3:16 summarizes the gospel. It is the Bible in a nutshell. Even if every Bible on the planet were destroyed, this one verse would contain enough to save all of mankind.
John 3:16 contains everything we need to avoid eternal death and separation from God.
We will break this verse down into four parts that spell the word LOVE.
L. O. V. E.
L. O. V. E.
L. = Loved
L. = Loved
For God SO loved, the world
I really love the word "SO" in this verse.
When you and I tell someone we love them, we can say, “I love you," but when we say, “I love you SO much," it carries a deeper meaning.
God is telling us here that He doesn’t just love the world; He “So Loved” the world.
You can replace "world" in this verse with your name.
For God so loved, “Ben” “Mary” “Jim”
Loved
In this context, the Greek word for love is agapaō, which comes from the root word Agapē.
• Agapē love does not seek anything in return; it is the purest form of love.
• Agapē means to love the undeserving, despite disappointment
But God demonstrates His own love (Agapē) toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die in our place.
In this is love (Agapē), not that we loved (agapaō) God, but that He loved (agapaō) us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
The term "propitiation" is not commonly used, so let me provide a definition for you.
Propitiation - the means of appeasing wrath and gaining the good will of an offended person
The only way you and I can have salvation is through Jesus, Jesus was able to propitiate (or satisfy) God’s wrath on sin and sinners.
God, in His love, understood this, so He provided us with a solution to our sin problem.
L. = God Loved us
O. = Offer or Only
O. = Offer or Only
God gave us His only Son
The word only means unique.
unique — radically distinctive and without equal.
God knew we could not reach Him on our own, so He provided a solution: Jesus.
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all,
Jesus says this about Himself John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
L. = Loved
O. = Offer or Only
We have been given the gift of Jesus, but a gift is of no value unless you accept it.
If I offered you a brand new car or a million dollars, but you never accepted those gifts, they would serve you no purpose. You have to choose to believe that I am truly offering you a gift with no strings attached and accept them as yours.
God is offering us a gift in Jesus that leads us to V.
V. = Volition
V. = Volition
Volition - the act of making a choice or decision
You need to decide to believe to receive this gift.
This part of the verse includes two key words: "whoever" and "believes."
Whoever - This gift is available to everyone, regardless of who you are or what you have done. This gift is for you.
who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
But a choice must be made. There must be an act of volition and that is to believe.
Believe - what is it that you are to believing in?
This verse tells us to believe in Jesus; there are several verses that say the same thing, like Acts 16:31.
They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved”
L. = Loved
O. = Offer or Only
V. = Volition
That brings us to E. = Eternity
E. = Eternity
E. = Eternity
Your choice to believe or not will determine whether you will live for eternity in Heaven or Hell.
The Bible is very clear that the penalty for sin is death.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Have you lived a perfect life? I know I haven’t, and since you haven’t either, God’s word says you are a sinner headed for Hell.
Just like the astronauts who would have died without that lunar module.
If you don't believe in Jesus for your salvation, you won't have a Lunar Module to save you from certain eternal death.
“He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Today is the day of salvation.
You might think you can wait, but can I remind you that we don’t know what tomorrow may bring?
Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
The Bible tells us that Jesus lived a perfect life. He offered Himself on the cross and died for our sins, satisfying God’s holy requirement for sin. But Jesus didn’t just die; He rose again and conquered sin and death for you and me.
With all heads bowed and eyes closed.
If God is speaking to you right now and you have not believed in Jesus for salvation, I would like to urge you to do so now.
You might say a simple prayer like this.
Dear Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I am a sinner, and I seek Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I invite You to enter my heart and life. I wish to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen
Prayer
