“THE GREATEST VERSE IN THE WORD OF GOD”
“THE GREATEST VERSE IN THE WORD OF GOD”
JOHN 3:16
INTRO: This verse has been called “the golden text of the Bible”, “the hub of the
Bible”, “the miniature Bible”, and “the Gospel in a nutshell”. Almost
every major doctrine of the Bible can be found in this one verse. Dr.
Ben Bogard, great Baptist preacher, now with the Lord, preached a
revival meeting using this verse every night for ten nights and at the
end of the meeting said, “I could preach ten more from this verse.”
No other verse in the Word of God shows us the passion and purpose
of God for man more than this verse. Let us this morning consider
THE GREATEST VERSE IN THE WORD OF GOD and reflect on one of
the great doctrines found there—SALVATION. Let us see…
(1) THE CAUSE OF SALVATION
JOHN 3:16a—“For God so loved the world…”
*These words speak of:
A. GOD’S COMPASSION. The love of God for fallen man is the cause of
salvation. God was not obligated to provide salvation for fallen man. There
was and is nothing in man which merits God’s great provision for us. But
friends, it is the very nature of God to love. 1 John 4:8b-10—“…God is
love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent
his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is
love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the
propitiation for our sins.” It tells us in our text—“For God SO LOVED the
world…”. Friends, God’s love is not fickle nor feigned but it is focused, free,
and forgiving. "Man may dismiss compassion from his heart, but God never
will." - William Cowper (Instant Quotation Dictionary, p. 65.). Ephesians 2:4-7—
“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by
(grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might
show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through
Christ Jesus. “
B. GOD’S COMPREHENSION. God knew what men would do, and yet He still
loved them. He knew man would not return His love. He knew men would
reject Him. He knew that man whom He made in His image and likeness
would one day crucify Him. Romans 5:8 tells us—“But God commendeth
his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
And Romans 5:10 reminds us that “…when we were enemies, we were
reconciled to God by the death of his Son…”.
C. GOD’S CONCERN. Friends, there is not one person that God does not love
nor is there one person whom God does not desire to be saved. 2 Peter 3:
9 tells us—“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men
count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” And we read in 1
Timothy 2:4-6 speaking of the longsuffering and compassion of the Lord—
“Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the
truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the
man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due
time.”
THE GREATEST VERSE IN THE WORD OF GOD shows us THE CAUSE OF
SALVATION but also…
(2) THE COST OF SALVATION
JOHN 3:16b—“…that he gave his only begotten Son…”
A. A GREAT PRICE. All that God had to do to create this beautiful world of
ours was just to speak the Word and it was done but to save us from our
sins He had to give His Son to die in our place. Hebrews 2:9 tells us—“But
we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of
death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should
taste death for every man.” HIS SON FOR OUR SINS! What an exchange!
But friend, Jesus did not merely have to die for you but He had to shed His
blood for you! All the Old Testament sacrifices pointed to the perfect Lamb,
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. When Jesus died on
Calvary and shed His blood for you and I the ultimate sacrifice was given.
NO one is redeemed nor fit for Heaven without the blood of Jesus! 1 Peter
1:18-21—“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with
Corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by
tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb
without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the
foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by
him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory;
that your faith and hope might be in God.” The BLOOD OF JESUS it is:
• PRECIOUS BLOOD.
• PURE BLOOD.
• POWERFUL BLOOD.
• PLEASING BLOOD.
B. A GREAT PURPOSE. Many times the question is asked, “Why did Jesus
have to die?” Friends, God is a holy God. He could not allow sin to go
unpunished. His righteousness cannot allow sin to go unpunished. He
gave man His Law but if He would have winked at sin or overlooked sin His
righteousness would have been called into question.
To meet the righteousness demands of God Jesus died in our place. Jesus
became our substitute. Romans 6:23 tells us that—“…the wages of sin is
death…”. Our substitute died in our place! He incurred all the judgment of
sin that was rightfully ours to bear. Isaiah 53:4-6 tells us—“Surely he hath
born our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken,
smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he
was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him;
and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we
have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the
iniquity of us all.”
The righteous purpose of God demanded a righteous, perfect sacrifice for
sin and none of us were worthy so 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us—“For he
hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him.” At the Cross, God’s justice and righteous
demands were met in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God’s only Son!
THE GREATEST VERSE IN THE WORD OF GOD shows us THE CAUSE OF SALVATION, THE COST OF SALVATION, and…
(3) THE CONDITION OF SALVATION
JOHN 3:16c—“…that whosoever believeth in him…”
A. THE IMPORTANT NECESSITY OF FAITH. Salvation is solely by grace
through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. There is no
salvation apart from faith. The greatest transfer of the ages takes place
when we believe. All our sin and the penalty of it are taken off us and
placed upon Jesus Christ.
ILLUS: Faith is the key that opens the door to heaven. You could have a key
ring with lots of keys on it, they could all look somewhat alike. But if
you go to the front door of my home, you could try all those keys
except the right one and the door would not open. The right key to
heaven is called "Faith." That is what will open the door to heaven.
There is nothing else in the world that will open that door.- D. J.
Kennedy (Bible Illustrator For Windows. Version 3.0f. Copyright 1990-1998,
Parsons Technology, Inc. All Rights Reserved).
B. THE INCREDIBLE NATURE OF FAITH. Friends, believing is not work.
Romans 4:5 tells us—“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that
justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Paul tells us in
Ephesians 2:8—“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God.” We simply believe and God does the work!
ILLUS: Matthew Henry said, “The grace that saves is the free, undeserved
goodness and favor of God; and he saves, not by the works of the law,
but through faith in Christ Jesus. Grace in the soul is a new life in the
soul. A regenerated sinner becomes a living soul; he lives a life of
holiness, being born of God: he lives, being delivered from the guilt of
sin, by pardoning and justifying grace…Our faith, our conversion, and
our eternal salvation, are not of works, lest any man should boast.
These things are not brought to pass by any thing done by us,
therefore all boasting is shut out. All is the free gift of God, and the
effect of being quickened by his power.” (Matthew Henry. Matthew Henry’s
Concise Commentary. The Master Christian Library. Version 5. Copyright 1997. Ages
Digital Library. AGES Software. Albany, OR).
THE GREATEST VERSE IN THE WORD OF GOD shows us THE CAUSE OF SALVATION, THE COST OF SALVATION, THE CONDITION OF SALVATION, and lastly…
(4) THE CONSEQUENCES OF SALVATION
JOHN 3:16d—“…should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
A. A NEW HOME. Salvation not only regenerates us but it also changes our
relationship with God and our residence. Hell is no longer the destiny of
one who believes. In fact, it is not even a possibility. As far as the
Christian is concerned there is no place as hell for him or her. Friends, this
world is no longer our home but “…our conversation is in heaven; from
whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change
our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according
to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
(Philippians 3:20-21).
ILLUS: We are all sojourners here: the saints, citizens of heaven; and the
sinners, citizens of hell. Truly it has been said, that “every man speaks
the language of his own country.” Christians in prayer and praise
speak the language of heaven, while sinners in profanity and obscenity
speak the language of hell. (Rev. W. B. Godbey, A.M. COMMENTARY ON THE NEW
TESTAMENT VOL. 3: EPHESIANS – PHILEMON. The Master Christian Library. Version 5.
Copyright 1997. Ages Digital Library. AGES Software. Albany, OR).
Daily we are to be “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing
of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13). We are to be
eagerly awaiting and anticipating our new home which Christ promised us—
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my
Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I
go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will
come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be
also. (John 14:1-3).
B. A NEW HOPE. According to 1 Peter 1:3-5 salvation gives us a living
hope—“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which
according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible,
and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are
kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in
the last time.” Not only is it a living hope but it is also a lasting hope. Peter
says we are called “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that
fadeth not away, reserved in heaven…”. Everlasting life means forever
united with Christ. And we enjoy this everlasting life now in this present
time. WE are not waiting to see if we have it but it is ours NOW! According
to 1 John 3:2—“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet
appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall
be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” Life with Christ is an endless hope,
without him a hopeless end. (Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the
Christian World (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1992). Entry #5938)
CLOSING: John 3:16 truly is THE GREATEST VERSE IN THE WORD OF
GOD. This verse shows us THE CAUSE OF SALVATION, THE
COST OF SALVATION, THE CONDITION OF SALVATION, and THE
CONSEQUENCES OF SALVATION. But friend, the question today
is, have you experienced the Salvation promised in this verse for
yourself?
PREPARED BY BROTHER BRYAN L. BROWNING, PASTOR OF BEECHMONT BAPTIST CHURCH, BEECHMONT, KY FOR SUNDAY MORNING, JUNE 1, 2008.
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