SO!
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.
The thing that we need to note here is that we must be born again. It takes the death of Christ and the resurrection of Christ -- He must be lifted up. Since He has been lifted up, since He bore our penalty, the Spirit of God can regenerate us. And we must be born again -- that is the only way God can receive us.
The motivation for all of this is that God so loved the world. God never saved the world by love, which is the mistaken thinking of today. It doesn't say that God's love saved the world, because the love of God could never save a sinner. God does not save by love, friends. God saves by grace! Ephesians 2:8-9: 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. Now, how does God save? God saves by grace. But God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever (you can write your name in here and I can write mine) believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Notice that with the word believe is the little preposition in which means to believe in Christ. That is, we trust Him as the One who bore the penalty for our sins. This is a personal thing. We must each believe that He died in our place and in our stead. My friend, you must believe that He died for you.
I. IT’S AN ENDEARING LOVE
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.
We have people we know saying, “Oh, I love my husband so much,” or, “Oh, I love my wife so much” or our children or parents, etc. I think that’s wonderful that we can say that. But, my friends, nobody, can love you like God can. Look at the word “Love” in verse 16. The Greek word is agapao. You may say you love someone, or something, but you say it with the Greek word phileo, which is the type of love we have for one another. Agapao is the love that describes a Godly love, a love like nobody else can give you. Phileo is a humanistic type of love. My friends, what I’m trying to tell you is that NOBODY can love you like God can love you. The Bible says in John 15:13 - Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. The same word in a difference tense, agape is used. We can NEVER show God the kind of love He shows us.
it shows the utmost extent of love. Even this love for friends has been rarely witnessed. A very few cases-like that of Damon and Pythias-have occurred where a man was willing to save the life of his friend by giving his own. It greatly enhances the love of Christ, that while the instances of those who have been willing to die for friends have been so rare, he was willing to die for enemies-bitter foes, who rejected his reign, persecuted him, reviled him, scorned him, and sought his life, 1 John 4:10, Revelation 5:6,10. It also shows us the extent of his love that he gave himself up, not to common sufferings, but to the most bitter, painful, and protracted sorrows, not for himself, not for friends, but for a thoughtless and unbelieving world.
Look at John 21:15-17: 15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Agape is a godly, sacrificial, perfect, or unconditional love. Phileo is often described as a brotherly, fond, or emotional love.
There are many, many people in the world today that have a Phileo type of love for the things of God. But they also have a form of “agape” love when it comes to their families. We will die for our husband, wife or children, but not necessarily for the Lord Jesus Christ. We go to ball games, graduations, plays, etc. that our children are in, but we’re too busy for church, VBS and the like because we are too busy with other things. How different is God’s love for us than our love for him!
Romans 5:8 - But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
He died for you and me. That is where God revealed His love. And God doesn't save us by love. He now saves us by grace because the guilt of sin has been removed by the death of Christ, and He can hold out His arms and save you today.\
II. IT’S AN EXTENDED LOVE
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.
The love of God reaches out to everyone. The love of God is directed to everyone. The love of God is available to everyone.
1 Timothy 2:3-6: 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
What is God's will? The salvation of lost souls, for one thing. We can pray for "all men" because it is God's will that "all men" come to the knowledge of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. God loved the world (John 3:16) and Christ died for the whole world. Jesus died on the cross that He might draw "all men" to salvation (John 12:32). This does not mean all people without exception, for certainly the whole world is not going to be saved. It means all people without distinction—Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, religious and pagan.
Romans 10:12-13: 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
This is a remarkable statement, which Paul draws from the Old Testament: Joel 2:32 - And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. to enforce his argument that salvation is by faith. This makes it very clear that both Jew and Gentile are to call on the Lord. To "call upon the name of the Lord" means to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
If God doesn't want anyone to perish, then why are so many lost? God is longsuffering with lost sinners, even delaying His judgment that they might come to Christ. 2 Peter 3:9 - 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. We do know that prayer is an important part of God's program for reaching a lost world. We have the responsibility of praying for lost souls (Rom. 10:1) and making ourselves available to share the Gospel with others.
III. IT’S AN ETERNAL LOVE
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.
Those who believe, will have an eternal home in heaven with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
It seems like we worry all the time about things that really don’t matter in the long run. The disciples had that same problem when Jesus was talking to them in John 14:1-3: 1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 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. 3 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.
Jesus told Martha, the sister of Lazarus, in John 11:25-26: 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? My friend, do you believe? You too can have this promise. Now, you say, Brother Dale, saved people die every day. That’s true. They die a physical death, but they will never die a spiritual death. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:8 - We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
In closing, let me just say this. It’s a simple matter of faith. “Believeth thou this?”
If you’re putting your faith in the things or people of this world, you’re being misled straight into hell. Don’t let the devil deceive you by saying, “Everything’s ok.” It’s NOT ok until you put your trust in Jesus. You can be sure you have a heavenly home.
1 John 5:12-13: 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
