GOD’S LOVE
John 3:16
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.
This verse sits in the middle of a conversation Jesus had
with Nicodemus a Pharisee about being born again with
water and spirit to enter the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus observed that Jesus’s teaching came with power
and authority. Jesus turned his inquiry into a salvation discussion
We have John 3:16 memorized. However to get a better understanding of the verse
We must go back to the original Greek structure of the verse.
It is;
So for God loved the World that His only begotten He gave,…..
The Greek word for “So” is houto which means after this manner
The “so” connects John 3:16 to verse 14 which reads
John 3:14-15
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
John 3:14 connects us to the events in Numbers 21.
In the desert, the Israelites became restless and spoke against God and Moses
saying they hated the journey and the food God provided.
As a punishment, God sent serpents with fiery bites that caused
inflammation in the body which led to death. The Israelites cried out to Moses to
ask God for relief.
What God did in the past was a forerunner of what He would do in the person of Jesus
Christ.
Looking upon the bronze serpent reminded Israel of their sins and the salvation
provided by God.
Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a teacher of the law was knowledgeable of
Numbers 21. Jesus used that story to point Nicodemus to Himself as
his salvation.
The punishment of the Israelites was a painful reminder to them
of their ungratefulness.
Looking at Jesus on the cross is a reminder of our sins and the salvation
He provides. It is God's goodwill toward us to be convicted of our sins
through the power of the Word
Let us look closely at the John 3:16
“So God loved the world”
God loves everybody. He loves His creation. God is no respecter of person
The Greek word for love in this verse is agapao. It is in a form that means
at the beginning God was full of good will. It also means He takes pleasure in or to prize His elect above others.
Nicodemus came to Jesus searching for answers. It was the agapao of Jesus
to lead him into a discussion that may have brought clarity to his search for
for salvation.
Therefore, God is full of goodwill toward His elect. Referring to Ephesians 1:4,
God was full of goodwill toward His chosen before the foundation of the earth.
WHAT ARE THE ASPECTS OF GOD’S DIVINE LOVE?
Love requires you to make a decision regarding the one you love. God made a
a decision regarding mankind.
He looked at the state of His creation as ruined. He decided to provide a
way of restoration.
1. His Love is directive. You have to direct your love to someone or something.
God’s love is directed at mankind and His creation.
Notice, God never said He was full of goodwill toward His fallen angels.
2. God’s Love requires giving of yourself and your resources. God gave Himself in the
person of His son
3. God’s Love requires a real sacrifice of something you love. He
loved His Son. God tested Abraham’s love for Him by commanding
him to sacrifice Issac. Abraham showed his love with obedience.
God provided a ram instead.
WHOEVER
Love requires you to let the one your love is directed at, make a
decision to accept your love. Whoever includes every human
being. Some will and some will not accept Jesus
Without Jesus’s good will we are not capable of accepting Him as savior.
Romans 12:3
to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. God makes it possible for the chosen whoever selection.
You cannot force anyone to love you. Most Jews decided to reject Jesus
and most Gentiles will also.
BELIEF
The verse says whoever believes in Him.
The Greek word for belief in the verse is pisteuon, it is a form of
the word which means being persuaded to place confidence in.
In other words, our belief in Jesus is an ongoing process of learning
to trust God. The mature believer will develop a habit of belief
or trust in God.
Jesus led Nicodemus to a place to believe in Him. Nicodemus had already
concluded that Jesus had come from God and was with God. Nicodemus had
an eyewitness account of the miracles performed by Jesus. He needed
the next step, confession of faith.
We have eyewitness accounts of God's miracles all around us. I
believe God is in the continuous process of persuading us to put
confidence in Him for all things.
SHALL NOT PERISH
God’s Love rewards the one who accepts His love.
The reward is salvation. Heaven is the final destination for
those who believe.
THE WHOEVER REJECTION
God’s Love lets go of those who reject His love.
The Whoever that rejects Jesus does so with knowledge of His works.
Romans 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, so that men are without excuse.
I believe that God so loves us that He is continuously pushing us into a complete trust or complete confidence in Him so our end is
eternal life
In the desert, the Israelites never put complete trust in the God who continued
to provide all they needed. They were in the desert being pushed toward
the promised land. But to get His people there, He wanted complete trust.
We the believers in Christ are in the desert of life full of sin. God is
dragging us toward the promise of eternal life but to get us there, He wants us
to develop a habit of complete trust in Him.
1. HOW DO I GET GOD’S LOVE?
Like the Israelites,
Recognize and confess your sins,
Cry out to God for forgiveness
Look to Jesus as your intercessor before God
Let The cross be the reminder of your ruin,
Jesus on the Cross is a reminder of God’s love for you
2. HOW DO I MAXIMIZE GOD’S LOVE?
Become a good listener. When you read the Bible, you are listening
to God-inspired words, searching for direction and meaning. ...
Open your eyes. God loves you so much that his “mercies…are new every
morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23). ...
Look for the bright spots. … Philippians 4
Look beyond your desires. God is bigger than you can imagine and
can provide more than you can conceive.
Make plans to glorify God daily.
3. HOW DO I DISPLAY GOD’S LOVE?
Obedience to His Commands
Be kind to others
Be tolerant of others
Be quick to forgive
Help those in need
Show God's Love by Listening.
Show God's Love with Generosity.
Show God's Love by Encouraging others.
Show God's Love with Acts of Kindness.
Show God's Love by Praying for Others.
Show God’s love by giving Godly advice.
Show God’s love by proclaiming the Gospel.
4. MY RESPONSE TO GOD’S LOVE
Giving Praise
Constant Prayer
Study Gods Word
Love your neighbor
Love yourself
Tithing
Service
Trust
CLASS QUESTIONS
WHEN YOU VISUALIZE THE CROSS WHAT DO YOU SEE?
HOW DO YO FEEL THE PULL OF GOD ON YOUR LIFE?
WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THE CROSS?
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