John 3:16 Series

Think with me about some of the most famous sayings in history. Martin Luther King Jr said famously, “I have a dream…” John Fitzgerald Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” Perhaps there is no more famous sentence anywhere than John 3:16.

Find John 3, with me.

In London, on the banks of the Thames, stands a stone column called Cleopatra’s Needle. It is estimated that it was originally carved 3,400 years ago and stood in Egypt. Queen Cleopatra had it moved to Alexandria around 1,000 years later. Less than 200 years ago, this 180-ton, granite statue was moved to London. You may be wondering, “What does this have to do with John 3:16?” They made a time capsule to go along with the 68.5-foot statue. What would you place in a time capsule from 150 years ago, you ask? They placed a baby's bottle, some children's toys, 12 photographs of the best-looking English women of the day, a box of cigars, several tobacco pipes, and, most important of all, they placed a copy of John 3:16 in 215 languages.1

If you don’t already know John 3:16, prepare to fall in love with its message and words. John 3:16 is one of the most cherished and memorized Scriptures in all the Bible. Many, if not most, you love, love, love this verse.

John 3:16 was the most searched-for verse according to online search rankings last year. It’s special to so many of us.

Still, there are people who don’t know or understand it. Our goal is to examine in a little more depth the life-changing meaning behind this most famous of verses. If you are looking for a fresh start in life, here it is.

Today’s Scripture

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Again, John 3:16 has been memorized by countless Sunday School students. Many people think it perfectly encapsulates the Christian faith in just one sentence. Someone has said it is the Bible in a nutshell.

1. What is God Like?

Let’s look at many of the key words in this famous verse together.

1.1 God, the Father

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

There is a God. This is who Jesus taught us to call Him Father. This God is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. This is the God who made you. This is the God who judges you one day. This is not a god, but this is THE God. God is the most blessed, meaning the most happy being in all the universe. He is eternal, self-sufficient, self-existent, unchanging, all-powerful, all-knowing, and who is everywhere. Angels sing His praises, and all of the universe does His bidding at the mere mention of His words. This is the God of John 3:16.

Some feel that God is distant, disinterested, and unengaged. If you feel God is distant, then John has a surprise for you.

1.2 Loved

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Let me offer you 3 insights about God’s love here in John 3:16.

1.2.1 Be Amazed that God Loves You

Again, we should never hear those words: God loves the world, and we are not shocked by them! Would that every one of us flabbergasted that God loves us! One of my favorite presidents has been Teddy Roosevelt. This charismatic President, childhood asthmatic, and lover of the outdoors has been a favorite of mine since high school. Yet, his daughter may not agree with such a high opinion of her father. “When father goes to a wedding, he wants to be the bride; when he goes to a funeral, he wants to be the corpse.”2

Don’t be like Teddy Roosevelt here. Don’t be the center of attention. Don’t feel like you DESERVE to be the center of attention. Don’t feel like you DESERVE the love of God. Again, we should never hear those words: God loves the world, and we are not shocked by them! If at any time you feel like should automatically love you and you’re not shocked by John 3:16, you have a major spiritual problem.

1.2.2 Realize that God Loved You First

Later on, John will write these words: “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

Have you ever wondered why someone loves you? When I think of selfishness, I remember the story of Maria, who had broken up with Jimmy. Maria had enough of Jimmy, and she didn’t want anything to do with Jimmy anymore. She just didn’t want to be Jimmy’s girlfriend anymore. But after about a year of being broken, she wrote Jimmy a letter. This is what she wrote, “Jimmy, I miss you so bad. I think of you all day and all night long. You dominate my mind, and I just don’t want to be apart from you anymore. Jimmy, let’s reconnect as soon as possible.