“The FREE Gift”
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Introduction:
We’re living in a day and time when one frequently receives a card in the mail, or hear a message on the radio or a commercial on the television advertising “something for nothing”. In other words, it suppose to be free, upon closer examination of this offer one usually finds out that it just a gimmick, it’s to real to be true, only to find out that it is just a fraud. This is to get you to purchase something else with a hidden costs. And then you have some “offers that you just can’t refuse” it might be something like this:
* A FREE TRIP (Doesn’t include airfare, hotel, food, rental car or anything).
* A FREE CAR (If your name is chosen out of 1 million people + Tax., Title, License, and get it Registered).
* A FREE DINNER (For a family of 6 or more, the catch is, your meal is the only one free. You still have to pay the taxes on that meal, get to the place, etc).
* A FREE SHOPPING SPRING with 50% to 75 % OFF of everything (Just to get in the store, only to find out they already marked up the prices 50 to 75% more). Let me tell you, nobody really want to give you anything for free.
But I want to talk to you this morning about an offer that you just can’t refuse, or better yet, you mustn’t refuse. This is a free gift that is actually free, and you couldn’t pay for it if you had the money. It’s already been paid for by the precious blood of the Lamb, and it’s reserved just for you. This will be the only Free gift that you would ever get.
1. THE PREREQUISITE OF THE GIFT: “… God so loved the world…”
A. “God gave us a gift” (Jesus, His Son); He paid it all (He died on Calvary); all because He loves us.
B. “God commended His love for us…” - Romans 5:8 say - (But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us).
C. “He loved us” - Ephesians 2:4 say - (But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,)
D. “Not that we loved God, but He loved us” - 1 John 4:10 say - (Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins). Propitiation means – (the act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing)
2. THE PRECIOUSNESS OF THE GIFT: “that He gave His only begotten Son…”
A. God gave us His most precious commodity, and it was His Son!
* Romans 8:32 say - (He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things)?
* 1 John 4:9 say - (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).
B. God knew what was going to happen to His Son, but He gave Him up anyway: Rejection, Beating, Mocked, Scourged, Denied, Betrayed, and Crucified, and He still was willing to give Him up.
C. God knew He would have to turn His back on His Son, but He still gave Him away. The Bible said in 2 Corinthians 5:21 - (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).
3. THE PERSONALIZATION OF THE GIFT “that whosoever believeth in Him…” This mean that the gift was for any and everyone that would except it.
A. “Whosoever” mean - who ever, it’s in an emphatic form, and it’s used 179 times in the Bible which means the same thing over and over, every time it’s spoken. And it “absolutely, positively, unconditionally, is for Anyone, that would except it! No matter who you are, the sinners that kills, murders, raps, lies, smoke, drink, do drugs, prostitute, anybody).
* “That only, if you believeth….”
B. “Believeth” mean – (to have faith [in], on Him, (Jesus Christ)
* Trust + Nothing = Salvation
a) Acts 16:31 say – (And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house). “Believe = saved”
* No Faith + Baptism, Church, = Works, no!
a) You say, “I believe in God”, so what, the Devil does too!
b) You say, “I’ve already been baptized, and I belong to a church, so what. The devil come to church and you can go down in the water a sinner and come back up the same way.
* Believing = Receiving
a) The Greek word is “pisteuo” which equals to = Experimental Belief. What does that mean? I’m glad you asked me, it mean, if I have an headache, I must take an aspirin to relieve the headache - not just believe that it will work. John 1:12 say - (But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name). Christ is The Savior, is He yours?
4. THE PERMANENCE OF THE GIFT, “should not perish but have everlasting life.”
A. God is not an “Indian giver”. He won’t take his gift of eternal life back because we become undeserving of it. Everlasting life is just that; forever, then a day after. That mean it’s eternal.
* John 3:15 say - (That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life).
* 1 John 5:11 say - (And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son). [Jesus Christ], not Buddha, not Mohammad, not Joppa, or Pan, no other name but Jesus Christ.
* 1 John 5:13 say - (These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; (Jesus Christ) that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God).
* John 3:36 say - (He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him).
Illustration of eternity:
Psalms 139:8 say (If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there).
IN CLOSING:
John 3:16 say – (For God (no one else) so loved the world,(that’s everyone in it) that he gave his only begotten Son,(Jesus Christ) that whosoever (that’s anyone) believeth in him (Jesus Christ) should not perish, (burn and go to hell) but have everlasting life). (Go to Heaven and live forever)! It’s a PERFECT GIFT, and it’s with no assembly required, no missing parts, no strings attached or damaged pieces,
It’s simple a FREE gift, and it’s yours if you want it. All you have to do it accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and the gift is yours. Rom. 10:9 say (That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, (meaning Jesus) thou shalt be saved).
INVITATION:
A. If you’re without Jesus Christ in your life? Accept His free gift today, right now.
B. And if you’re already saved, give the FREE gift to someone else, and stop keeping it for yourself. God Bless You! AMEN!
