The Love You Need ( John 3:16 )
( outline )
John 3:16 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.
I - A Wonderful Love ( For God so loved the world )
A. Its Scope ( The World, His creation )
B. Its Action. ( God loved, its depth )
II - A Wonderful Gift ( that he gave his only begotten Son )
A. Who gave the gift ( not as a wage but as a gift )
B. Who was the Gift ( God Himself had to be birthed to make a Way )
III - A Wonderful belief ( that whosoever believeth in him )
A. More than a mental acknowledgement ( a belief that you walk in )
B. Its accepting the knowledge from God of God. (Its a Knowledge revealed by God)
IV - A Wonderful life ( should not perish, but have everlasting life )
A. We were in Adam, we shared his sin, so we share his condemnation.
B. God by His Love made a Way for us to avoid perishing and receive life.
C. A life as God intended, a life that desires God, a life in full fellowship with the Creator
( message )
intro: If you talk to very many people today about religion you will no doubt hear many excuses' and reasons for them not being a "church going Christian". Some statements I have heard:
"Religion is a crutch and I can stand by myself"
"I'm not that bad"
"I live better than a lot of those "Church people."
"Well, I don't believe a loving God would send anyone to Hell"
"I don't believe there is a real Hell"
"I don't believe there is really a Devil"
"There are other ways to heaven"
"Some have said that Jesus is "just another way"
I was talking to a Muslim in prison one day. He said he believed when he died his actions in this life would be placed upon a scale. If his good deeds outweighed his bad deeds he would enter heaven.
I personally would be terrified if my actions were weight on a scale. Who would judge my scale? By what standard would I be tested. What code of conduct? Do I really have any good deeds in God's eye? Who would I be compared to? If I was compared to a drunken derrick I might think I was tipping the scale to the right, but what if I am compared to Jesus?
If compared to Jesus, who would be my peers?
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
We live in the information age. But there are misinformation's, incorrect information's, deceptive information and just plain lies.
Someone once asked "What is truth?"
Who determines what is true, what is false and what is the source.
This world needs a standard to live by.
We need a standard to live by.
When God created man, that standard was simple, one rule, one commandment.
Each one of us was in Adam due to our DNA. His failure to obey that one commandment, passed down the consequence to us. This I guess is our inheritance.
That inheritance brings consequences of eternal separation from God (death). The lake of fire.( 2nd death)
God is not sending man there, man earned that destination by his own rebellion. Yes, we could blame Adam, but we were in Adam so to speak and share his sin.
I was born in America because my parents was living in America when I was born, my life was dependent upon them and I am called an American.
Without God someway intervening, we all would be destined to Hell that 2nd death.
Rev.20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev.20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
But God in His Grace had a plan:
John 3:16 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.
I would call this Love God has for us as wonderful. It is love in action. Can I ever be worthy enough to deserve such love that God Himself would put on an earth suit and experience all the abuse the world and the devil could throw at Him and still endure the Cross for you and I.
Think of this wonderful gift of eternal life He offers. Juist compare our works with His gift.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Wages vs Gift. My sin, His love.
The Bible tells me that even my saving faith which is so wonderful has its roots in the heart of Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
God reveals things to us as we seek Him and trust Him.
Jesus asked the disciples one day " who do me say I am", they gave answers perhaps like many would today. Then He asked " who do you say I am", Peter answered as I hope most would say today, " thou are the Christ".
What was said next is so very important.
Matt.16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Matt.16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Some might say the most wonderful thing that could ever happen to us would be the Born Again experience that God gives as a gift to those who truly believes.
But I see all these thing from God is like a package gift.
The Love He gave, The Gift of His Son, the faith He is finishing in our hearts, and the eternal Life that awaits true believers.
concl. Have you or are you experiencing this Love of God. You can even right now.