The Good News in a Nutshell
Ask: Can you say John 3:16 from memory? (or maybe all of you say it together)
John 3:16 is a pretty popular verse. It’s probably the most well-known verse of the entire Bible. Most times it is the first verse we learn as kids. We see it all over the place, even at big sporting events on TV.
The reason it is so popular is that Jesus gives us such good news in one simple, short verse. I once heard a preacher explain the good news in this verse in 4 short phrases:
- God loved—God created you, He knows you and he wants you to know him. You can’t earn his love. He gives it to you freely.
- God gave—We have all sinned against God. We are separated from him and we can’t do a thing about it. So God sent his only son, Jesus, to rescue us. Jesus did this by dying on the cross for our sin so that we can be forgiven.
- We believe—To believe in Jesus is more than just knowing facts about Jesus. It means that we trust him and we are counting on him to rescue us and bring us back to God. We put all of our confidence in Jesus—that he is the only way to be forgiven and saved.
- We receive—When we put our trust in Jesus, we are no longer separated from God. Instead, we are forgiven and given eternal life, which means that God is now with us and we are with him forever.
Maybe you have never believed in Jesus and received eternal life. Maybe you need to tell a friend or a family member that God loves them and gave his Son. The good news in these simple, yet, profound, words from Jesus is for everyone!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me and giving your Son, Jesus. Thank you for eternal life. Help me to share this good news with others. In Jesus’ name, amen.