The Gospel of Jesus Christ

Introduction

Even people that don’t like sports have probably seen a crowd shot on TV that shows someone holding up a sign that says “John 3:16.” Growing up as a football fanatic, it seemed like there was always somebody in the end zone—usually a guy with a rainbow-colored wig—who had one of those signs.

It’s hard to believe how any American could have avoided seeing that verse somewhere at some point. Sometimes you see it as graffiti. I’ve even seen it written in a sidewalk before.

Just think how many people have read that verse, and how many people have even memorized that verse. But I wonder how many people really know what it means. I wonder how many people really know the significance of that one sentence.

John 3:16 isn’t just a warm and fuzzy and a group-hug kind of verse. The words are powerful. They have tremendous ramifications. In this article, we’re going to look at this popular verse and try and dig beneath the surface. Let’s look at this verse in more depth, so we can really appreciate what it means.

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

No One Is Righteous

Before we can truly understand and appreciate this verse, we need to do some homework. We need to lay a little groundwork.

Our homework starts with this: all humans have a problem. The Bible says that we’re all sinners who fall short of the glory of God.

Rom. 3:10 …”There is no one righteous, not even one;

This verse makes me actually laugh sometimes. It anticipates the question, oh, come on, there’s not even one righteous person, someone who does right all of the time? No, “not even one.” Not a single one.

No matter how hard we may try to live a good life, sooner or later we’ll slip up. We’ll make a mistake. We’ll sin.

And in God’s eyes, we only have to slip up once to be denied heaven. That’s all it takes. Even one sin separates us from God and His perfect standard.

That’s because God is perfect.

Matt. 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

There are two verses that describe God like this: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty”

Those verses are essentially saying that the Lord is sinless, sinless, sinless. Perfect, perfect, perfect. And, as we’ve seen, you and I are sinful, sinful, sinful.

No matter how much we try to clean up our lives, we keep making mistakes, we keep on sinning. We can’t do it by ourselves. We can no more help ourselves than a surgeon can operate on her own cancerous tumor. We can’t help ourselves. Nobody can.

To further complicate this problem, God is just. In other words, He has to punish sin. It’s part of His nature.

Ex. 34:7 “…he does not leave the guilty unpunished…”

Ps. 45:7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness…

So what do we do? We’re helpless. There’s no way out. Or is there?

God Loves Us And Is Merciful

Fortunately, God loves us and is merciful.

2 Pet. 3:9 The Lord…is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Tim. 2:3-4 God our Savior…wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Because God is merciful and loves us, He decided to reveal Himself to human beings in order to somehow restore our relationship. The Bible says that God has revealed Himself to mankind through what He’s made, through nature.

Rom. 1:20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made…

Unfortunately, most people ignored God and still do. But God had an ace up His sleeve. He also reveals Himself to everybody by putting the knowledge of right and wrong inside of each of us. It’s evident through our consciences.

Rom. 2:15 …they show that the requirements of the (God’s) law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.

Unfortunately, most people ignore their consciences. So then God decided He needed to do something special. He had to get our attention, so He decided to reveal Himself through prophets and prophecies in the Bible.

Heb. 1:1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways…

God Comes To Earth In The Form Of A Man

Incredibly, even though God gave us the Old Testament and lots of prophets to talk all about Him, people STILL ignored Him. So then God did something very dramatic, something incredible. He decided to come to Earth in the form of a human being.

John 1:1-2 & 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…

Heb. 1:2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

The “Word” we read about in John 1 is what Heb. 1:2 calls God’s “son.” That’s the same “son” that’s in John 3:16.

Imagine, for a moment, this less than perfect illustration: Let’s say you have an ant farm and desperately want to communicate with the ants. In addition to giving them life, you provide them with food, water and a place to live. You try communicating with them over and over again, but you’re repeatedly ignored. (That sounds familiar, doesn’t it?)

But then you get a great idea. You decide that the best way to communicate with the ants is to become an ant yourself. You become one of them and speak their language and live in their world.

In a similar way, God came to earth as a man. But not just a man: He was and always will be God. Jesus was God in human flesh.

Heb. 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word…

Jesus Takes Punishment That We Deserve

John 3:16 says that God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only son. Not only did God come to earth in the form of a man, but He also came with a mission—a mission of dying for my sins and your sins. He took the punishment that you and I deserve for not being holy like God.

1John 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us…

Rom. 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Even though the Lord never sinned, the Bible says that He became sin for us. The son—also known as Jesus and the Word—became sin for us.

I’ve thought about what I would do if I was ever put into a position to save my wife or one of my kids if they were in danger. I’d like to think that I’d be willing to die for them, but I can’t be 100 percent sure. I don’t think any of us can be, unless we were put in that position.

And that’s especially true if we KNEW how we would die, the way Jesus knew. Most of us know what He went through, but let’s refresh our memories and take another look. Let’s start in Isaiah 53:4-5. This is a prophecy about the messiah, about Jesus.

Isa. 53:4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

Isa. 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Did you hear those words? Stricken. Smitten. Afflicted. Pierced. Crushed.

Jesus suffered a tremendous amount on our behalf. I wonder, though, if we really know how much he went through. I don’t think we do. Just listen to some of these verses.

Matt. 26:67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him

Matt. 27:28-30 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.

Mark 14:65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.

Mark 15:19 Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him.

The Jewish historian Tichendorf said that he got a letter from Pontius Pilate after Jesus was crucified. Among other things, Pilate wrote about a report he got from a Roman guard who accompanied Mary, the mother of Jesus, up to Calvary. The guard said that when they got to the site of the crucifixion, Mary said: “Which one is my son?”

If you’re still in Isaiah, turn back a couple of chapters to Isaiah 52:14. This is another prophecy about Jesus, the suffering servant.

Isa. 52:14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him—his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness

The Bible tells us that Jesus was “disfigured” and that people were “appalled” at him. A Jewish historian said that Jesus was so disfigured his own mother didn’t recognize him!

Jesus loves us—Jesus loves you—so much, that He allowed Himself to be beaten until He was disfigured.

Jesus loves us—Jesus loves you—so much, that He allowed Himself to be crucified, one of the most gruesome and painful and awful ways to die. A railroad spike was probably similar to the nails that were used to hammer His hands and feet to the cross.

And if His humiliation and beating wasn’t enough, the worst was yet to come. The punishment that we can’t really understand came while on the cross itself. As part of the punishment that we deserved because of our sins, God abandoned Jesus.

Somehow—we don’t really know how or what it was like, except that it must have been horrible beyond what we can imagine—the Father, the first member of the Trinity, ABANDONED the Son, the second member of the Trinity.

Matt. 27:46 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

But Jesus loves you so much that He was willing to be humiliated, tortured and then separated from God the Father.

The Lord’s love for people is also evident in two things that happened just prior to Him dying. Turn to Luke 23:32-34. By the time we get to another significant passage, Luke 23:32-34, Jesus has been severely beaten and nailed to a cross. He’s so bad that Scripture says that He’s disfigured. Think of His pain. Think of how much He’s suffering.

Now let’s read Luke 23:32-34.

Luke 23:32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.

Luke 23:33 When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals -one on his right, the other on his left.

Luke 23:34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

Here He is beaten—disfigured—and Jesus asks His Father to forgive them! This is incredible love! The Lord’s love for the people that crucified Him was evident in Him forgiving them. Just as Jesus forgives and loves us.

Now skip down to verses 39-43.

Luke 23:39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”

Luke 23:40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?

Luke 23:41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Luke 23:42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. ”

Luke 23:43 Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Again, Jesus’ love is unbelievable. I can’t imagine worst circumstances and yet here He is showing compassion to a thief about to die beside Him. Jesus loved that thief, and He loves you too.

After reading these passages, we know what the words “he gave his one and only Son” mean in John 3:16. Giving His son Jesus was a sacrifice that we’ll never truly understand. Those of you who are parents, can you imagine what it would be like to sacrifice one of your children like this? How can somebody do that? Why did God give His one and only son to be tortured like that?

The answer is, because God loves you. Because God loves you, that’s why He did it.

We also know a little bit more about what the words “eternal life” in John 3:16 mean. Jesus promised the thief we just read about to take him to paradise. That’s eternal life, to be in the presence of God for ever and ever. And to have the promise of Revelation 21:4.

Rev. 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

And who can have eternal life? Who can go to paradise? Who can have their sins forgiven? Back in John 3:16, it says “WHOEVER believes in him.” It’s an open invitation. It’s for me, it’s for you, it’s for ALL of us. “WHOEVER believes in him.

Believe In Jesus And Go To Heaven

But what does it mean to “believe in him?”

Heaven and forgiveness of sins is only available through faith in Jesus Christ. But what’s faith? Let’s start by recognizing what is NOT faith.

Faith is not just intellectual knowledge. It’s not just head knowledge. Many people believe that there’s a God, but not everyone who believes in the existence of God will go to heaven.

James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder.

Others mistakenly believe that faith is trusting God to supply their needs for such things as food, clothing, shelter and a job. We can trust God for those things, but that’s not saving faith.

This is faith: Saving faith is believing with all of your heart—not just your head—that Jesus alone can save you from your sins. He alone is Savior. He alone is Lord. Forgiveness and heaven is only available through faith in Him.

Consider this illustration of faith:

A tightrope walker stretches a cable across a very wide and very deep canyon and asks the nearby crowd if they think he can walk across without falling. The people cheer and yell “We believe!” So the man walks across the canyon on the cable and returns. Then he asks the crowd if they believe he can balance a chair on his shoulders and walk across without him or the chair falling. Once again the crowd says “We believe!” and cheers him on. The tightrope walker crosses the canyon and returns.

Then the man asks the crowd if they believe he can cross the canyon while balancing the chair on his back, this time with a person sitting in it. The crowd cheers a third time and says “We believe!” The tightrope walker then asks the crowd one more question: “OK, who wants to be in the chair first?”

It’s making a commitment, the most important decision you’ll ever make.

Saving faith is like that. It’s not standing on the sidelines saying “I believe.” It means getting in the chair. It means acting on your faith, faith that comes from the heart, not just the head and not just from emotions.

Faith also results in obedience.

John 14:15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.

John 14:23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching…

James 2:17 …faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

We’re not saved because we’re obedient. That would mean that we’re somehow earning our salvation. The Bible says that we’re only saved by the grace of God. We’re obedient because we have faith and are saved. It comes naturally after we’ve placed our faith in the Lord.

Our life-long commitment to obedience begins in the following way:

We turn our back on our old sinful way of life. We repent.

Acts 17:30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.

To repent means to turn around or change directions. It’s like making a U-turn after you realize you’ve been driving in the wrong direction.

We publicly express our faith by confessing Jesus before others.

Matt. 10:32 “Whoever acknowledges me (Jesus) before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.

Rom. 10:9 …if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

This identification with Christ shows that we agree with God, that we’re sinners and need the forgiveness that only Jesus can supply.

We are to be baptized.

Matt. 3:16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water…

Acts 2:38 …”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 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized..

Jesus himself was immersed in baptism and He commands us to be baptized as well.

So now we know the extent of God’s love—Jesus, God in the flesh, was punished beyond what we can really comprehend, because somebody had to pay for our sins.

We also now know who God loves. He loves the world. He loves us. God loves you.

We know what it means to believe in the name of God’s one and only son, to have faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

We know what it means to have eternal life—to spend forever with God with no more tears or death or mourning or crying or pain.

Those Who Don’t Believe In Jesus Are Condemned

The one thing that we haven’t discussed about John 3:16, however, is the word “perish.” Most people don’t bother to keep reading after that verse. Let’s read verses 17-18.

John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Whoever believes isn’t condemned, but will spend eternity with God in heaven where there’s no more pain, or sorrow or suffering.

Whoever does not believe, however, “stands condemned.” That’s what it means to perish. It’s being condemned to spend forever apart from God, where pain and sorrow and suffering have not gone away.

The choice is yours. Believe in the name of Jesus and all the blessings of forgiveness and heaven are yours. Don’t believe in the name of Jesus and you’ll perish, you’ll be condemned. Those aren’t my words, those are Jesus’ words.

Conclusion

Normally this would be a good place to end this article. Hopefully we have a much better understanding of John 3:16. But we haven’t quite finished the story of Jesus. We’ve talked about the Lord’s death, but we haven’t talked about what happened next.

Before we do that, I’d like to tell you a story.

I got the thrill of a lifetime in 1982 when I got a ticket to the seventh game of the World Series between the Cardinals and the Milwaukee Braves. I sat about six rows from the field, halfway between first base and the right field wall.

The stadium was packed and everybody seemed to be wearing red. We started out loud, but it got a lot quieter when we fell behind 3-1 after five innings. You could feel the pressure and the concern. Seventh game of the World Series and we’re behind a powerful team like the Brewers.

But then, in the bottom of the fifth, the Cardinals rallied for three runs and took the lead 4-3. The fans were going crazy, clapping, cheering and dancing to the stupid Budweiser song playing on the PA system.

An inning later we scored a couple of insurance runs, and we entered the ninth inning leading 6-3. The crowd could sense victory. You couldn’t hear yourself think it was so loud.

Bruce Sutter, our ace reliever, was on the mound and got two quick outs. But the last out was a difficult one. Gorman Thomas kept fouling off pitch after pitch after pitch. The crowd was ready to celebrate. We were yelling “Bruce, Bruce.” It felt like we were going to burst.

Finally, three balls, two strikes, Sutter struck him out to win the game. As soon as the ball hit catcher Darrell Porter’s glove, he ripped off his mask and ran as fast as he could towards the mound. Sutter raised his arms and met Porter halfway and they hugged and a second later everybody was jumping on top of each other and rolling around on the ground.

Meanwhile, despite the fact that there were police officers on horseback on the field, fans started going over the walls in droves. I chose not to follow them out, but then when I saw that the police weren’t doing anything to stop them—I wasn’t a Christian at the time—I decided to go on the field, too.

So here we were, thousands of fans running around the field, yelling, screaming, high-fiving each others, hugging total strangers, fireworks going off overhead and the scoreboard flashing “We win!” “We win!” “We win!”

Victory.

As Christians, we have spiritual victories, victories that are infinitely greater than a World Series game. We remember the Lord’s victory at Calgary. The Lord didn’t just die on a cross. He rose from the dead. The Bible says that He is risen!

And just as the fans at Busch Stadium that day—and Cardinal fans everywhere—got to celebrate the team’s victory, as Christians we get to celebrate Jesus’ victory. We even get to participate in it.

Jesus is victorious over sin. And if HE’s victorious over sin, then so are we!

Jesus is in paradise. And if HE’s in paradise, then we’ll be there someday too!

Jesus has conquered death. And if HE’s victorious over death, then so are we!

If you’re not a Christian, place your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and celebrate His victory as all believers do. Then you, too, can say “We win!”