The Greatest Statement Ever Made - John 3:16

rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and

humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is

easy and my burden is light."

Matthew 18:2 “He called a little child and had him stand among them. [3] And he

said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little

children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

John 15: [12] “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

Acts 2:38 “Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name

of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the

gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 1: [8] “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and

you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to

the ends of the earth."

Romans 5: [5] “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,

kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against

such things there is no law.”

1 Peter 4: [8] “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a

multitude of sins.”

Romans 13: [10] “Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the

fulfillment of the law.”

Matthew 7: [12] “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

Psalms 122:1 “I rejoiced with those who said to me,

"Let us go to the house of the LORD."

Psalms 27:4 “One thing I ask of the LORD,

this is what I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life...”

Psalms 23:6 “Surely goodness and love (MERCY) will follow me

all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.

· LOVE = mercy, protection, deliverance, guidance, counsel, chastisement, punishment (teaching lessons)

· Just as we LOVE our children…just think of how much more GOD has loved and LOVES us NOW!

·

V. Great because of how many God loved

A. The universal depth of God’s love is seen in "that WHOSOEVER believeth…." The Pharisaic concept in John’s day limited God’s love to the Jews (Matt. 5: 43 ff.).

B. The Augustinian (St. Augustine Scholars) view would seek to circumvent God’s love to the "elect," those who have been arbitrarily predestined to be saved (called Calvinism /calvary/ today). However, the scriptures teach,

"…if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Rev. 3: 20).

VI. Great because of the negative purpose of the statement.

The verse says,

“…that whosoever believeth in him SHOULD NOT PERISH…."

A. "Perish" is an antonym for "everlasting life." The negation "should not perish (KJV, me apoletai) is literally translated "may not perish" (Marshall in Nestle’s Interlinear Greek-English New Testament).

b. We all Have A Choice

VII. Great because of the fact that there is a positive purpose of the statement

A. The opposite of perish, as seen, is "HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE." There shall only be two classes of individuals,