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 Christians of today’s generation is very familiar with
this number 3:16. I have a friend asked me a very simple question in my
early Christian stage says that; “what is the center of the bible?
Because I am just a new believer I do not know the answer. Since then I
started to ask our church leaders and pastors like the same question.
And they answered the same; it is the love of God. John 3:16 speaks about
this God’s love. It became a popular verse in the world.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that
whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal
life.
It is not about how popular it is but the total
meaning and what God’s promised can do to us. This is the
word and the promised of God that gives hope to every human
being to save our lives from eternal separation from Him.
God gave His only Son Jesus Christ, so that anyone who
believes in Him should not perish but to have an everlasting
life.
The motive for the death of Christ was love. God sent his Son
into the world because he loves the world. God is passionate
about the world. When we consider God’s love 3 things strike
us.
a. It’s a surprising love.
The love of God is surprising because of who he loves. He loves
the world. And the idea behind that word is not the vastness
of the planet but the wickedness of the people who populate
it. We ought not to expect God to love people like us
because we’re so wicked. We’re not as wicked as we could be,
I’m sure we could all be worse than we are. And we’re not
all as wicked as one another since there are undoubtedly
different degrees of wickedness amongst us. But the point is
that none of us is morally innocent. We may be reluctant,
indeed resistant, to being described as wicked but God
defines wickedness. And wickedness is refusing to live in
God’s world the way that he would have us do.
b. It’s a sacrificial love.
The love of God is sacrificial because He gave up His Son. Think
what it cost God to love the world. If we’re ever in doubt
of the enormity of God’s love for us we need only remember
what he invested in our relationship. There’s been no
holding back on God’s part. He loves us so much that he was
prepared to watch His own Son bleed to death as an innocent
victim on the cross. I don’t think we need to watch it but
we may have seen ‘the Passion of the Christ’. Whilst it’s
impossible for the film to communicate the spiritual
suffering of Jesus as he suffered the wrath of His Father
for our sins it leaves little to the imagination about the
physical torment that accompanied his suffering. God
knowingly sent His Son into the world to endure that
punishment so that we wouldn’t have to. And he did that
because he wanted to preserve us from it.
c. It’s a saving love.
The love of God is saving because it rescues us from perishing
for eternal life. Because of our wickedness we deserve to be
punished and God’s just sentence is eternal perishing. In
God’s view, and His is the one that matters, this severe
punishment fits the horrific nature of the crime even though
we might feel that God has overreacted. The word ‘perishing’
means destruction and the idea is not annihilation but
eternal degradation under God’s wrath. It’s not a welcome
thought. But that’s the point. God’s love saves us from
that. Instead of perishing forever in the place Jesus called
hell, God’s love for us means that we can be saved for
eternal life.
Folks, it’s up to you to decide. We have two choices and these
choices will surely lead to us in a new world after our
lives here on earth. But God’s love for you and me is
amazing. Choose wisely, choose for your own good. He will
never fail to His promised.
Hope this message enlightens your mind and may the Holy Spirit
convict your heart.
If you want to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal
Savior, say this prayer;
Lord Jesus, thank you for loving for me. I admit that I am
sinner. Please forgive me for my sins and all wrong doings.
Cleanse me, I surrender my life to you and please come into
my heart. Help me to start a new life and be the center of
my will and focus. I declare you are my Lord and Savior
beginning this day; this I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God bless you. If you live
around Copenhagen Area we wish to see you in our church.
Please check our contact page. Thank you.
JIL Church -Denmark
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