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.”
Over the years, numbers of people--Sports figures, preachers, movie stars, politicians, and others-- have been described as and even called the "greatest." None, however, has truly lived up to the title. To find the real title holder, we have to look no farther than the Bible. His true greatness is found in one verse of Scripture, John 3:16, where we see the greatest expression of love, the greatest act of love ever recorded, and the greatest heart of love the world has ever seen. These words and this teaching are not new to us, but I think they express the greatest meaning of any group of twenty- four words ever written.
“For God"--absolutely the Greatest Lover in all of creation--"so Loved--this is love to its greatest degree--“the World”--this is love of the greatest company. God so loved every man, woman and child that has lived, is living and who will ever live, "that He gave,” this the greatest act of giving the world has ever seen because He gave "His only begotten Son"--without question the greatest gift ever given. “That Whosoever"--this love gift is the greatest opportunity ever offered to the world--"BELIEVETH,”--the greatest simplicity. God’s salvation is based totally on simply believing "in Him," Christ Jesus, by faith--the greatest attraction. Those who believe in Him, “should not Perish,” and herein lies the greatest promise ever given: they that believe in Christ shall never perish. The greatest difference is found in the word “But” and it's the difference between believers and nonbelievers. “But Have"--communicates the greatest certainty of the greatest possession, eternal life.
In this verse, often called the Gospel message in a nut shell, we Believers have the greatest degree of love expressed by the greatest Lover through the greatest act resulting in the greatest gift, the greatest opportunity, the greatest promise, the greatest certainty, and the greatest possesion--God’s Son Himself as our great Savior.
How great is that!
