SUNDAY - MARCH 16, 2025 "3:16" John 3:16

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Take your Bibles.

This morning we're going to be in the Gospel of John.

We're leaving Acts this morning to go to the Gospel of John, chapter 3.

John 3 · chapter mention

John, chapter 3 3, verse 16.

John 3 · chapter mention

I was in a meeting earlier this year with a group of pastors and they informed us this was back in January.

They informed us, if you didn't know this, that March the 16th would be a Sunday.

So that's 3 16, and so they, they, uh, we emphasized to us that might be a good day to preach from John 3.16.

So today we're going to look at John 3.16.

As you turn there, let me say this I can't hardly sing that song.

I remember without crying, let me tell you, I remember.

I remember the day he saved me.

I remember the day he called up my name, been to a revival at Troy Baptist Church, been been going every night.

As probably most of you, a lot of you, I grew up in church.

I was born on a Friday.

My mom had to wait to come home from the hospital on Sunday because my dad was in church.

Sunday morning Came home and I was there all the time.

But I remember that night I wasn't at church, I was at home.

My brother and I shared a bedroom, sitting on my bed with my brother, and I said Clay, I need Jesus.

First thing Clay did was said Mom, dad, get in here.

And we talked, look, and I recognize that while I had grown up in church and my parents were, my dad was my mom still is two of the strongest believers I've ever known.

They couldn't save me and their beliefs and their trust in Jesus couldn't save me.

I needed him.

That next night my dad took me to Revival early because he just wanted to make sure you know, for kids that grow up in church we can say all the right things.

He just wanted to make sure.

So that night I went early and we met with our pastor and talked.

We knew it was for real.

He knew it was for real, it was confirmation for them.

I still remember Sitting in that room Knowing that Jesus saved me.

Today, as we turn to John, chapter 3, verse 16, this verse, probably for many of you, I mean it is a memory.

John 3:16

If you grew up in church at all, it's probably one of the first verses you memorized.

You grew up in church at all?

It's probably one of the first verses you memorized.

If you didn't grow up in church, it was probably one of the first verses you memorized.

If you've never stepped foot in a church, you've probably heard of John 3, 16.

So we're not coming this morning and I'm not bringing to you anything new that you haven't already heard.

So here's my prayer for today If you have not heard God call your name, today will be the day, and if you have today, you will remember.

You will remember.

So let's stand this morning as we read this verse.

You probably don't have to look at it, and it's just one verse.

Last week we read 22,.

So you don't have to stand very long this morning.

If you're able, let's stand this morning and we're going to read John, chapter 3, verse 16.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

Let's pray, god.

You are good and we love you.

God, I am thankful for today.

I am thankful for the reminder that you have sent your Son for us.

Move as only you can.

Jesus, it's in your name.

We pray Amen.

So since this is a familiar verse and a familiar passage and you've probably read it and heard it preached so many times there's probably nothing necessarily new that I can say here, but we're going to break it down.

There's really four phrases here that are in this verse.

So let's just walk through this verse phrase by phrase and see what it has to tell us.

First, the first phrase is this For God, so loved the world.

For God, so loved the world.

For God, so loved the world.

So let's look at that and break it down.

The first thing we see here is for God.

Now listen, god is more than words can say, and we could be here all day and we could be here all night, and we could be here throughout this next week, and we could be here all day and we could be here all night, and we could be here throughout this next week, and we could be here throughout this next year, and we could be here throughout the rest of our time here on earth and not expound the fullness of who God is.

So I don't know that I can begin to do that even this morning.

So let's just take just a little sliver this morning of what John has said about God so far in this gospel.

What John has told us in this gospel about God we find in John, chapter 1, verse 1, he tells us this in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the Word was God.

John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

That reminds us even if we go back to Genesis, chapter 1, verse 1.

Genesis 1:1

Genesis, chapter 1, verse 1, says this In the beginning, god created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1

So here's what we know, here's what we can learn and here's what we see about God, just from John, because John, chapter 1, 1, reminisces back to Genesis 1, 1.

John 1 · chapter mention

So we understand this about God.

God is the creator.

He was there in the beginning, but he wasn't created in the beginning.

He was before the beginning.

When we hear eternal most of the time we think about eternal after we die.

God is eternal, meaning he was eternal before.

He said let there be light and he will always be eternal.

He always was, always has been, always will be.

He is eternal and he is the creator of us.

Because he is the creator, we also understand this about God that he is sovereign over us, that he is sovereign, there is nothing above Him and there can be nothing above him, that he is above it all and he is because of his sovereignty.

He is in control of it all.

He has been from the very beginning and he will be past the very end, because he is god and he is sovereign.

We understand in his sovereignty that that whatever his will is, he will accomplish His will.

One of my girls said today Dad, can you sing a song from Buck Denver?

If you don't know who Buck Denver is, let me tell you.

Buck Denver is a puppet show that my kids have watched and it takes you through the Bible and it's by a guy named Phil Vischer who started VeggieTales.

And they sing these songs with puppets and they walk through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

Good, good, can I say DVDs, and you know what I'm talking about.

Some of you will, some of you go DVD what in the world?

But in that he says this he talks about um, you.

He says this you can't stop a train by standing in the tracks.

You can't stop avalanche by saying, hey, turn back.

Standing in the way of what god is going to do can be very, very, very, very not so good for you, because God's will will be accomplished, and here's what we know.

His will is that.

Paul writes about God's will in Ephesians, chapter 1, verses 3 through 6.

Ephesians 1:3–6

God says this about his will.

Paul says this about God's will.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord, jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of time, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him in love, he predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

You hear that God chose us.

This plan that he has, he has had from before the foundation of the world, and his plan will be accomplished because he is sovereign God.

And his plan that we've talked about over and over in here, that he created before the foundation of the world, is that Jesus Christ would come and he would die for us, for God, for God so loved.

I pause to try to explain what love is, because in our society, in our world today, we have such a wrong misconception of love.

Love is not a feeling, love is not an emotion.

The word here that is used for love Is agape.

It is talking about an unconditional type love.

It is a love that receives no, that doesn't.

We love, not out of merit.

We love because we choose to love.

Love is a choice that we make to choose, and here for God, so love.

He chose to love us, and the scripture it describes to us what love is.

In Romans, chapter 5, verses 6 through 8, he tells us what love is.

Romans 5:6–8

Paul writes For while we were still weak, at the right time, christ died for the ungodly For one will scarcely die for a righteous person, though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die.

But God shows His love for us.

God shows His love for us in that, while we were still sinners, christ died for us.

Do you hear that?

While we are still sinners, christ died for us?

There is no, hey Grant, let me get my life right and then I'm going to give it to God.

No, while we were still sinners, while we are left in our sin, christ died for us.

He chose to love us.

God chose to love us.

He for God, so loved.

He looked down on us, and not because of anything that we had done, not because we deserved it, not because we were good people because, if we're honest with ourselves, we're really not.

Not because we went to church every week, not because my mom and dad went to church, not because my grandparents went to church, not because I was dunked in water, not because of anything else, but because God loved us.

He looked down on us Before the foundation of time and he says you look down on us before the foundation of time and he says you, for god, so loved the world.

We don't have to spend a lot of time there the the world.

He is talking about us.

He is talking about you and me, for god so loved the world.

And that's the first phrase.

Second phrase is this that he gave.

He gave his only son.

God loved the world, for God, so loved the world that he gave his only son, the he.

There is reference to God.

We've been there, we don't have to go back.

Here's the word.

He gave His only son.

Jesus was a gift to us and again, not a gift because we had given a gift.

Do you do that?

If somebody gives you a gift, you got to give it back.

You got to give one back.

Hey, so-and-so gave me a birthday gift.

I got to give them one.

So-and-so gave me a Christmas present.

I've got to give them one.

This is not that kind of gift.

God gave us Jesus again, just like the love of God.

He did not give it to us because we deserved it.

He did not give us this gift based on our merit.

He did not give us this gift for any other reason than he chose to love us.

So he gave us this gift.

But understand this the giving of that gift was initiated by God.

But understand this the giving of that gift was initiated by God.

And to not understand that, to not recognize that, is not to recognize the depravity of our souls.

Paul talks about our sin and who we are in Ephesians, chapter 2, verses 1 through 4.

Ephesians 2:1–4

He writes this and you were dead in your trespasses and sins.

We could really stop there.

We were dead in our trespasses and sins.

Understand that Without Jesus, you are dead in your trespasses and sins.

Do you give gifts to dead people?

Do dead people give gifts back?

No, we were dead in our trespasses and sins.

But let's read on.

He says this in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were, by nature, children of wrath like the rest of mankind.

Understand who Paul is saying this about.

He is writing to people in the church who had been saved and said you were once this way.

But Paul didn't just look at the Jews and say, hey, you were once this way.

And he didn't just look at the Gentiles and say, hey, you were once this way.

He looked at both and said, hey, you were once this way.

And he didn't just look at the Gentiles and say, hey, you were once this way.

He looked at both and said, hey, you were once this way.

You were dead in your trespasses and sins.

You were children of wrath Like the rest of mankind.

Listen, and I need you to understand that as well.

If you have never trusted Christ as your savior, this is you.

You are dead in your trespasses and sin and you are children of wrath.

And if you have been saved by Jesus, I need you to hear this you were dead in your trespasses and sins.

You were once children of wrath, but no longer.

You see, god initiated this gift.

He began it.

He started it For God, so loved the world that he gave us.

He didn't love us because of who we were, because we were children of wrath.

He didn't give us this gift because of who we were, because we were dead.

He chose to love us.

He chose to give us this gift because of who we were, because we were dead.

He chose to love us.

He chose to give us this gift, for God so loved the world that he gave His only Son.

That's the ESV.

What the ESV says is he gave His only Son.

Not all translations say that, right.

The NIV, if you have it it, says he gave his one and only son.

King James Version, which I memorized it in I have a hard time saying it any other way says this he gave his only begotten son.

So what does he mean here?

That he gave his only son, his one and only son, his only begotten son.

Some translations will even say his unique son, his one and only son, his only begotten son.

Some translations will even say his unique son.

What does he mean when we hear the word begotten, when we hear that from the King James Version?

So often we think he was born, right If you read the genealogies in the Bible for so-and-so, begat, so-and-so, beg, so-and-so, begat, so-and-so, and that means they were born to them.

But Jesus was not born.

We've already read that right in John, chapter 1, verse 1 in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.

John 1:1

If God was in the beginning, before creation, what that means is Jesus was as well.

So he was not born.

So we know he's not saying that.

So.

So what does he mean here?

He means that that jesus, the relationship that god, the son jesus, has with god the father, is a one and only unique relationship that no one else could have.

The same word is used in Genesis, chapter 22.

Genesis 22 · chapter mention

You remember that story in Genesis, chapter 22.

Genesis 22 · chapter mention

Here's what's happening God has given Abraham a son, son named Isaac.

And if you remember, abraham was old, 99.

And God had promised Abraham a son, a son of promise, a son of covenant.

And while he had had a son, up until this point Ishmael was not the son of promise.

So here's Abraham, he's old and he doesn't know what to do, and God says, hey, I'm going to give you a son.

And here comes Isaac.

And Isaac grows up a little bit and one day God comes to Abraham and says Abraham, I want you to take him and I want you to offer him as a sacrifice.

You know the story that Abraham does, he obeys, but when they get on top of the mountain and he draws the blade back to offer Isaac as a son, god stops him.

He doesn't offer Isaac, but there is a ram in the thicket.

The ram is offered as a sacrifice.

But that relationship that Abraham has with Isaac is found in Genesis 22, verse 2.

Genesis 22:2

God says this Take your son here it is your only son, isaac, whom you love and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering, on one of the mountains which I shall tell you.

Take your son, your only son.

We've already said it Isaac was not Abraham's only son, but he was a unique son because he was the son of promise.

He was the son that God had chosen to carry out the line to get us to Jesus.

It was a unique relationship that no one else could have.

So we go back to Jesus in John 3.16.

Understand no one else could do what Jesus did.

No one else could carry out the plan of God Like Jesus did.

No one else was worthy to die for our sins Except for Jesus.

He is the one, the only, the unique Son, for God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son.

The third phrase is this that whoever believes in him, whoever believes in him we don't have to spend a lot of time again on whoever Refer back to the world.

The whoever here is anyone, anyone who responds when God calls out your name.

The whoever here is anyone, anyone who responds when God calls out your name.

Paul tells us in Romans, chapter 10.

Romans 10 · chapter mention

In Romans, chapter 10, verse 12 and 13,.

Romans 10:12

Paul says this For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek.

Says this for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all, on all who call upon Him.

Verse 13,.

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

You see, in the church at Rome there was a faction, there was a division.

The division was there was probably more than one, but this was the big one Between Jews and Gentiles.

And the Jews said, no, hey, salvation has to come through the Jews first and all this.

And they had these issues going on and Paul comes and says look, it doesn't matter if you're Jew or Gentile, for all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved and hear.

Hear that message to us today.

It doesn't matter from where you come, it doesn't matter your background.

It doesn't matter your ethnicity.

It doesn't matter your background.

It doesn't matter your ethnicity.

It doesn't matter if you grew up in the country or if you grew up in the city.

It doesn't matter if you never stepped foot in the church before today.

It doesn't matter if you've been in church every Sunday for all of your life.

It doesn't matter who your parents are.

Does it matter who your grandparents were?

What matters is that you call upon the name of the Lord, for everyone, including you, who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, for God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whosoever believes.

As we went through the gospel of John.

Many of you may not have been here as we as we walk through the gospel of John, but John is is pretty adamant about what belief means, what belief means to John and the gospel of John believes.

When he says this, it carries two aspects with it.

It carries the aspects of faith and repentance.

Faith and repentance is this.

Repentance is we are walking towards ourselves, we are dead and we are children of wrath and we are walking in that path.

We are dead and we are children of wrath and we are walking in that path.

But repentance is we stop and we turn away from that path and we turn towards God in faith.

It is a simultaneous event.

It happens all at one time that you repent, you stop and you turn towards God, because you can't turn towards God without turning the other way.

You can't turn towards God without repentance.

You can't have faith without repentance, but you can't have repentance without faith.

It is a simultaneous event where we believe in Jesus.

We talked about another way of belief.

Belief can also be explained this way you believe when you hear the gospel message, the message that you hear from me today, for God so loved the world that he sent Jesus to die in your place.

You were a child of wrath, you were walking away from God.

You were dead in your trespasses and sins and there is nothing you can do to overcome it.

But God loved you so much that he gave his only son to come, die in your place and take upon yourself the wrath of God that you deserve.

But not only but.

He didn't just stay dead.

Three days later he arose and now he offers life and he offers hope.

First part of believing is this is that you hear that gospel message.

Second part is this that you not only hear it, but you acknowledge it.

You acknowledge that message as true, as trustworthy, as credible.

You hear the gospel message.

You remember the things that God has done in your life, even if you have not trusted Him.

I guarantee you there are things and you can see God moving in your life.

If you stop and you are honest with yourself and see God moving in your life, if you stop and you are honest with yourself and see God's hand at work and you acknowledge that the story of the gospel message is credible, that it is trustworthy.

But see, acknowledgement is not belief, the demon's acknowledged.

The third part of this is that you not only acknowledge, but you trust in Jesus for your salvation, knowing that there is no other way, that it is only through Him, for God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes and trusts in him for salvation shall not perish but have everlasting life or eternal life that's the last phrase shall not perish, should not perish, but have eternal life.

Quickly, let's understand.

But let's get it in reverse order here.

Let's see eternal life first.

When I talk about eternal life, what are we talking about?

Well, jesus defines eternal life for us in john, chapter 17, verses 1 through 3.

John 17:1–3

Jesus said this.

When jesus had spoken these words, he lifted his eyes to heaven and said father, the hour has come.

Glorify your son, that the son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.

Verse 3.

Here is eternal life that you know Jesus, that you have trusted in him for your salvation.

Eternal life is not something.

Look, we so often get this out of order and think eternal life is something that begins when we die, or eternal life is going to be something that begins when Jesus comes back.

But no, listen, that is not the biblical understanding of eternal life.

Hear me.

Eternal life begins for you when you trust Jesus as your Savior.

Now, listen, a day is coming when we will get to experience and know Jesus and experience eternal life and experience that relationship perfectly.

We don't experience it perfectly now, a day is coming when we will.

But hear me it perfectly now A day is coming when we will.

But hear me, eternal life begins the moment you accept Christ, because now you know Him and you are not walking alone.

So if that is eternal life, what does he mean?

When he says perish, he is talking more than just physical death, because look, that's going to happen to us If Jesus doesn't come back.

We're going to die.

So if he's not talking about physical death, what is he talking about?

I think he summarizes it pretty good in verses 17 and 18 when he says 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.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned.

So whoever believes is not condemned.

That's eternal life.

You're not condemned, you have a relationship with Christ.

So here is perishing.

But whoever does not believe is condemned already Because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Perishing is condemnation, and it's not that Jesus has judged you or condemned you.

You have done that to yourself Because you did not believe.

And while, yes, there is an eternal condemnation that is coming, that means today, just like eternal life.

Today, if you have not trusted Christ as your Savior, you have zero hope, you have zero life.

You are dead Condemned Because you have not believed in Him.

And while that condemnation is today, it goes on Real quickly in that eternal condemnation.

You need to understand it's eternal condemnation.

We have such a wrong view of hell.

I'm afraid Hell is not a good place filled with bad people.

Hell is a horrible place filled with unbelievers.

If you have not trusted Christ as your Savior, you're condemned today.

And if you never trust Christ as your Savior, you have condemned yourself for all eternity.

But to believe in Jesus is life, is life for all eternity.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only son.

That whosoever believes in him Is life for all eternity.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only son.

That whosoever Believes in him Should not perish but have eternal life.

As we close today, if you have never believed in Jesus, if you have never believed in Jesus, if you have never trusted in him, let today be the day of salvation.

Don't stand condemned but believe and have eternal life.

But if you've trusted in him but it doesn't feel much like life right now, I challenge you to remember.

Remember the works that he's done, remember the day he saved you, the day he called out your name, and live in life.

I'm going to pray for us.

After we pray, we're going to stand and sing a hymn of invitation.

If you've never trusted Christ as your savior, let today be the day.

Please come forward.

We'd love to pray for you.

We have people who will walk with you and share with you how you can trust Christ.

If you have, and God's just working on you because you are not living in life, maybe you need to come and kneel at this altar and pray.

Maybe you need to come and let us pray for you.

But as God is moving, move.

If you're looking for a church home, we would love to have you here.

So we sing of this hymn of invitation in just a moment.

If God's calling you, answer that call.

Let's pray.

God, you are good and we love you.

God, I am so thankful that you loved me so much, that you loved us so much, that you sent Jesus, that you gave your one and only son.

I am so thankful, god, that because I have believed in you, I have life, and I pray for those who have not that today.

They will have life eternal, a relationship with you that changes everything.

God, we love you and we praise you.

Jesus, it's in your name we pray.

Amen.

Stand with us this morning If you have a decision to make as we sing now is the time.

Thanks for listening to this week's sermon.

If you have any questions for our pastor, feel free to reach.