TOPIC:‌"God's Invitation to You"

                  by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap

 

TEXT:‌John 3:14-18

 

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (3:16).

 

‌Max Lucado, in his book, The 3:16 Promise, calls John 3:16 "the hope diamond of the Bible." He writes: "One sentence, softly spoken nearly two thousand years ago, is just as relevant today as when it was first uttered." He continues: "If you know nothing of the Bible, start here. If you know everything in the Bible, return here." I fully agree with his words.

 

‌This verse of only twenty-six words which begins with an eternal God and ends with everlasting life, has been a jewel to people of all generations. It meets the need of every problem man has ever faced. It is God's cure for man's sin and disobedience. Let us for the next few moments ponder these words of Jesus who is described here as God's "only begotten Son." And since Jesus is God as the Bible testifies, the words are that much more mysterious. For here we have God giving Himself so sinful man may live.

 

I.

 

‌Consider, for one thing, the God who LOVES. To this degraded and debased world Jesus directs these words: "For God so loved the world..." Later the Apostle John wrote: "This is love: not that we loved God, but He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (I John 4:10, NIV).

 

‌The word "love" has been almost worn out by its many different uses. We use it to express our emotional feelings toward someone or something. We use it to describe our feelings for family and friends. But God's love is totally different from ours. It comes from the Greek word "agape" meaning to love deeply and expect nothing in return from us. Listen to the Apostle Paul describe such love when writing to the Ephesian Christians: "Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us" (Ephesians 5:2).

 

‌I ask: Can anything be more simple yet more profound than the words "Jesus loves me"? The words of that hymn were first written in 1860 as a poem to comfort a dying child. It is sung today by children and adults around the world. Once when a famous theologian visited a leading American seminary, he was asked by a student, "What is the greatest single thought that ever crossed your mind?" Expecting a profound answer, the class waited breathlessly for his reply. The theologian bowed his head in thought and then said, "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so."

 

‌Someone . . .