No Greater Love

Scripture: John 3:16 -  For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

My computer was hooked up to the television, and my daughter looked at it to see what I was doing. It was opened to my devotionals. When I went back to my devotionals to begin typing I saw that she had typed; John 3:16, it always works. I looked at that scripture and thought to myself, hmmm it does always work but why? To state John 3:16; it always works makes it seem like the other verses don’t when all scripture is purposeful. So, I began to meditate on what John 3:16 says. Of course, I know this verse like I know my name. I also know the next verse but now I wondered what was God telling me through those three words – it always works. I prayed for clarity and then I wrote out the verse, and then I read the verse multiple times and then I read the verse in sections. I began to actually think about the words. Words have meanings and it is important to be sure of them when speaking. People like to use the term it’s just semantics when they are being corrected about the meaning of a word. One of my favorite sayings to them is; ‘it’s not just semantics because words have meanings’. So, I began to really think about what John 3:16 said and why “it always works” or why you can’t go wrong with John 3:16.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. That actually sums up the Gospel. The word “For” in this case is a conjunction showing reason. Why did God give his only Son? He gave because He SO loved the world. The word “So” is an adverb and it modifies the adjective love; meaning it is used to express the extent of God’s love. God SO loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son. And if we believe in that Son, we will not perish but have everlasting life. Although, there are many verses that show God’s love for us: Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. John 3:1 - see what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know you is because the world does not know God. And Jeremiah 31:3 - The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness” none sums up the Gospel like John 3:16. The Bible is, indeed, a love story about God’s love for us, but John 3:16 sums up that love in one verse.

Who?   God

What?   So loved the world

Why?   So we would not perish

How?   By giving His only begotten Son

Before I knew a lot of scriptures, John 3:16 was my go-to scripture to explain (in simple fashion) how I knew God loved everyone. It is clear and simple. For (because) God so loved (loved beyond measure) the world; He gave (sacrificed) His only Son that whoever believes in Him (God’s Son) shall (without a doubt) not perish and have everlasting life.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for SO loving the world that You sacrificed Your only Son so that believers in Him would be saved. Thank You for demonstrating Your love toward us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Lord, thank You for Your unselfish love whose intention is to save and not condemn. Without that love, the world would be lost. Forgive us Father for taking that love for granted. Thank You, Lord for Your Son Jesus Christ who died on the cross, for our sins. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

(by Pat Towns)