"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." (John 3:16) Oh yes, we all know it by heart to the point that we have almost lost the realization of the power and fullness of meaning to the believer's life and worship. It almost becomes something we say without thinking. However, in reality it is the key to what is important and what really matters to the God of Creation whom we worship.
This 25-word text is a precious pearl of truth. The truth is we could search all of the important libraries of the earth through every book of every language and we would never find any 25-word text that could begin to compare to John 3:16. No other text has the power to impact the human race as this one.
So, what is the gem of truth found in this passage. Each person matters to God. "God so loved the world." The whole intent of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is wrapped up in the truth of this short passage. We see in others and even have experienced in our own hearts the great sense of loneliness and lostness; the thought that plagues every heart that nobody really cares about me. Echoing throughout our heart are the words, "I don't really matter to anyone. Nobody cares about me." But we come to discover in the sent one, that this is Satan's lie. Found in this nugget of truth is the fact that God cares about every individual no matter the circumstance of life.
This is the simple wonderful truth we have to live by, to worship with, and to share faithfully to everyone in every place possible . . . "as we go".
Too many have swept quickly over this verse thinking that God loves the human race. And, He does. But it becomes much more personal. He loves and cares about you. There is nothing in your life, in your worship, in your going that does not matter completely to Him. You mattered so much that He gave His only begotten Son! Now, take that to worship! When we grasp that truth fully, our worship will never be the same again. mjm
