Good morning,
Passover and Resurrection Sunday are less than a month away. This week I would like to explore the gospel in one verse, John 3:16. This one verse has five elements of the gospel, the good news. First, who is God? Second, what is love? Third, why and for what purpose did God give His Son? Fourth, what benefit does a person receive by believing? Fifth, what is everlasting life?
God
Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God,…”
Omniscience
GOD is omniscient, All knowing (Psalm 139:1-4)
“O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.”
Omnipresent
God is omnipresent, He is everywhere (Psalm 139:7-10)
“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”
Omnipotent
God is omnipotent, He is all powerful (Jeremiah 32:27)
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?”
Genesis 1 references God 31 times. God is mentioned in the Bible 4,379 times, which is .5%.
So loved the world
Demonstrates His love (Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:7-10)
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
The all knowing, ever present, all powerful God, loves the whole world. This truth in itself is a lot to wrap our mind around.
What is the problem? Sin. The Bible is very clear that, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23) “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” (Romans 3:10-11)
The solution?
Come back Thursday or Friday to find out. You could also join us live in the meeting room at 1000 AM on Wednesday to hear the whole message.
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001
Leave a Reply