-March 16, 2025-
Good morning beloved, happy Lord’s Day,
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
(John 3:16).
Today’s verse is so familiar that even unbelievers know it. Just because it is so familiar, should never take away its beauty and impact. It never loses its power and blessing. I am sure that most all of us have this verse memorized.
John 3:16 speaks of four great truths: God’s love for us, God’s gift to us, God’s deliverance from perishing, and God’s everlasting life freely bestowed on us.
• “For God so loved the world” – God loved the whole world, including you and me. His love is unbounded, unconditional, and unending. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
• “That He gave His only begotten Son” – God’s greatest gift was and is His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:15, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” How do we describe this gift and thank Him enough for His precious Son.
• That whoever believes in Him should not perish” – Jesus saved us from hell and damnation. The word perish has a definite finality to it. For the Christian we are saved from the wrath to come. Jesus died for us and saved us from spiritual death.
• “But have everlasting life – If you are like me, I have a hard grasping eternity. It has no end. We will one day be in heaven with the Lord and all believers forever. God has freely given us all things. 1 John 5:12 tells us, “He who has the Son has life; he who does the Son does not have life.”
May the Lord help us to remember His love and His sacrifice for us. Christ died to save us from death. Tomorrow, we will look at the second great 3:16: 1 John 3;16. Have a blessed Lord’s Day. Stay safe and healthy.
No greater love, no greater gift, no greater sacrifice for us.
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 