For God So

Loved the

World

John 3:16

MARTIN LUTHER CALLED

JOHN 3:16 “THE HEART OF

THE BIBLE—THE GOSPEL IN

MINIATURE.”

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rld ♥ “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only

Son, that whoever believes in him should not

perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16, ESV).

THE GREATEST BEING IN

THE UNIVERSE

God

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rld ♥ God is the One who created the heavens & the

earth (Gn 1:1).

♥ Therefore, he is the greatest Being.

♥ There is none like God.

♥ He is greater than anything.

♥ The Scriptures affirm that there is none like God.

♥ “There is no one like the LORD our God” (Ex 8:10,

ESV).

♥ “To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God,

be honor and glory forever and ever” (1 Tim 1:17,

ESV).

THE GREATEST POWER

God so loved

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rld ♥ God’s love stands behind all of his other actions.

♥ Many think of God as vengeful.

♥ It is true that God executes vengeance.

♥ “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living

God” (Heb 10:31, ESV).

♥ But, God also loves.

♥ The Scriptures affirm God’s love.

♥ “God shows his love for us in that while we were still

sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8, ESV).

♥ “In this the love of God was made manifest among

us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that

we might live through him” (1 Jn 4:9, ESV).

♥ “God is love” (1 Jn 4:16, ESV).

THE GREATEST NUMBER

The World

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rld ♥ God loves everyone in this world.

♥ God loves the vilest of sinners.

♥ God loves the most despicable people on earth.

♥ The Scriptures affirm God’s love for all.

♥ “I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must

bring them also, and they will listen to my voice”

(Jn 10:16, ESV).

♥ “There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for

the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on

all who call on him” (Rom 10:12, ESV).

♥ God “desires all people to be saved and to come to

the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tm 2:4, ESV).

GOD LOVES YOU.

THE GREATEST GIFT

His Son

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rld ♥ God’s love caused him to act.

♥ All true love is action.

♥ 1 Cor 13 describes love in action.

♥ “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in

deed and in truth” (1 Jn 3:18, ESV).

♥ “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for

her” (Eph 5:25, ESV).

♥ God gave his only Son to die for man’s sin.

THE GREATEST CONDITION

Whoever believes in him

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rld ♥ Faith is absolutely essential to salvation.

♥ “I told you that you would die in your sins, for

unless you believe that I am he you will die in your

sins” (Jn 8:24, ESV).

♥ “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved”

(Acts 16:31, ESV).

♥ “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord

and believe in your heart that God raised him from

the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9, ESV).

♥ “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has

been born of God” (1 Jn 5:1, ESV).

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rld ♥ Faith is absolutely essential to salvation.

♥ But, proper faith always acts.

♥ “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead”

(Js 2:17, ESV).

♥ Heb 11:4-40 contains examples of people who

acted because of their faith.

THE GREATEST TRAGEDY

WHICH CAN BE AVERTED

Should not perish

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rld ♥ God doesn’t wish that anyone should perish.

♥ “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some

count slowness, but is patient toward you, not

wishing that any should perish, but that all should

reach repentance” (2 Pet 3:9, ESV).

♥ The good news is that we don’t need to perish!

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rld ♥ We can perish in our sins right now.

♥ The prodigal son was perishing in his sins (Lk

15:11-32).

♥ Those who live in sin have hard lives.

♥ “The way of the treacherous is their ruin” (Prov 13:15,

ESV).

♥ “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are

ruin and misery” (Rom 3:15-16, ESV).

♥ Some perish in a particular sin.

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rld ♥ We can also perish in eternity.

♥ “In that place there will be weeping and gnashing

of teeth” (Mt 8:12, ESV).

♥ In hell, “their worm does not die and the fire is not

quenched” (Mk 9:48, ESV).

GREATEST BLESSING

They might have eternal life.

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rld ♥ We currently have eternal life.

♥ “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” (Jn

3:36, ESV).

♥ Eternal life in the present means that we have a

meaningful life.

♥ “I came that they may have life and have it

abundantly” (Jn 10:10, ESV).

♥ We have great peace in this life.

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rld ♥ We currently have eternal life.

♥ We will have eternal life in heaven.

♥ Our home in heaven will be eternal.

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rld ♥ We currently have eternal life.

♥ We will have eternal life in heaven.

♥ Our home in heaven will be eternal: “the righteous

[will go away] into eternal life” (Mt 25:46, ESV).

♥ Heaven is a wonderful place to spend eternity.

♥ This is a home built by God.

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rld ♥ We currently have eternal life.

♥ We will have eternal life in heaven.

♥ Our home in heaven will be eternal: “the righteous

[will go away] into eternal life” (Mt 25:46, ESV).

♥ Heaven is a wonderful place to spend eternity.

♥ This is a home built by God: Heaven is “the city that

has foundations, whose designer and builder is God”

(Heb 11:10, ESV).

♥ God will wipe away every tear from our eyes (Rev

7:17).

♥ We will have the right to the tree of life (Re 22:14).

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rld ♥ God’s love prompted him to act.

♥ If we love God, we will also act.

♥ “If you love me, you will keep my commandments”

(Jn 14:15, ESV).

♥ Do you love God?