My dad's best of collection - #3 of 3

God, in His providence, arranged it so that I would see a movie that correlates with the blog I want to share today.  The film is called “American Gospel: Christ alone” and I heartily recommend it to you.  It was released in 2018, but I wasn’t aware of it until I recently watched it on Netflix.  The film covers a lot of territory, but essentially, it seeks to answer this two-fold question: what is the gospel of Jesus Christ?  And is it possible that we, in America today, have made it much more complicated than the way the Bible presents it?  This film answers these questions brilliantly.

As I said, this movie recommendation lines up with what I wanted to write about.  Today I want to talk about John 3:16.  On March the 16th in 2014, I attempted to present the beauty of John 3:16 in a blog that I titled “3:16 day”.  

A few years back, a radio DJ team wished their listeners a happy “3:16 day.” This was a reference to the fact that when it is 3/16 on the calendar it’s also a reminder of John 3:16.  This is a powerful verse from the Bible; it reads, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  This verse is so familiar that it’s easy to gloss over these life-changing words.  But that would be a great tragedy.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son…” 

This is an interesting question to contemplate: in the beginning, Adam and Eve chose sin when they disobeyed God’s word in the Garden of Eden.  So, at that point, why didn’t God give up on humanity altogether and wipe them out right then and there?  The answer is because God loves humanity.  In fact, He loves us so deeply and fervently that He did what He didn’t have to do: He sent Jesus Christ to Earth.  

Jesus lived the perfect, sinless life that no one else could live.  Jesus was the only one with the necessary credentials to die on a cross to pay the price of humanity’s sin.  1 John 2:2 says that Jesus is “the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whosoever believes in him…”

This is a glorious thought.  Some people are aware of Jesus’ offer of forgiveness of sins, but they are unwilling to take it because they think they’ve lived too sinful of a life.  It dawned on me that someone may stumble onto this blog and read my words.  And if you were to tell me your life story I would be shocked at the brazen sinful lifestyle you’ve led.  

But John 3:16 says that doesn’t matter.  John 3:16 says anyone is free to come to Christ and receive His pardon from your sinful past.  The Bible says, “Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17).  The Bible says, “The blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).  “Though your sins are like scarlet,” God says in Isaiah 1:18, “They shall be as white as snow.”  Come to Jesus today.  He will forgive you, cleanse you, and accept you with open arms!

You say, “How do I do that?”  You do as John 3:16 says, you believe in Jesus.  This means you place your full confidence, trust, and faith in Him alone.  It means you stop trusting in your own righteousness, works, and merits to deliver you from your sin and you begin to trust that Jesus’ righteousness, work, and merit is sufficient for salvation from your sin.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” 

In a prayer shortly before His vicarious death, Jesus said, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3).  This has the connotation of having a personal relationship with God.  For example, I have a great respect for Billy Graham, but I don’t know Mr. Graham personally.  Conversely, I have a great respect for the pastor of my church, and I do know him.  That is, I commenced a personal relationship with my pastor.  We have a friendship and a fellowship with each other.  

Jesus said that everlasting life is knowing God and Jesus; not having simple head knowledge about Him, but having started a personal relationship with Him.  If you’ve never done that, it’s no accident that you are reading these words.  God is wooing you and drawing you.  Say yes to Him today.

Happy 3:16 day!

Kevin