For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
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John 3:16
John 3:16 is one of the most well-known verses from the entire Bible. It is a powerful and succinct declaration of the gospel message, and a wonderful reminder of the unconditional, limitless love of God. No matter how many times this verse is read, there is still something new that can be learned from it.
During Jesus’ ministry on Earth, a Pharisee named Nicodemus visited Him in secret to genuinely talk about the message Jesus was preaching. It was during this conversation that Jesus gave this one-sentence message of the gospel. This sentence was a game-changer among God’s people. Most of the Jews during Jesus’ time believed that God did not love the entire world. For Him to challenge that thought was revolutionary. Jesus took it a step further by describing the vast scope with which God showed His love, through giving the most precious gift He could give: His only Son.
This message brought new hope to the world. This removed all limits of God’s love and opened His gift of salvation to everyone. Can you imagine what it would have felt like to hear this news for the very first time? There is nothing ordinary about God’s gift of redemption to the world, no matter how many times it is shared. As you pray today, thank Him for His amazing gift.
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