Good Friday to everyone
Back in the day, when I was an adult Bible teacher, I took care to lead each studyverse-by-verse. And I also loved to break down a verse into it’s component parts. So let’s try to do that today with perhaps the most memorized verse of all:
“For God(1) so loved(2) the world(3) that he gave(4) his one and only Son(5), that whoever(6)believes in him(7) shall not perish(8) but have eternal life(9).” [John 3:16]
(1) I always like to start from the start, so know that we are talking about the one and only sovereign Maker of All Things–“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” [Genesis 1:1]
(2) God had dozens of attributes, the chief one being love–“God is love.” [I John 16b]
(3) The world does not mean the planet Earth, but the inhabitants of the Earth, the people of the Earth. God so loved the people.
(4) ‘Gave’ is a key word in this verse. God gave over His Son to crucifixion,to be a sacrifice for the sins of all,–For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.’ Today commemorates the day that this action transpired. [Romans 3:23]
(5) ‘only Son”–yes, the one and only precious Son of God–“And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'” [Matthew 3:17]
(6) ‘whoever’–it is God’s desire that everyone falls into the ‘whoever’ category–The Lord is not slow in keeping his promises, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” [II Peter 3:9]
(7) ‘believes in him’–the only step one must take to become a child of God–“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him form the dead, you will be saved.” [Romans 10:9]
(8) ‘shall not perish’–it must be sobering for a prisoner to hear the words, “Life,without the possibility of parole.” But my definition of ‘perishing’ is for the unrepentant to hear the words, “Afterlife, without the possibility of parole.”
(9) ‘but have eternal life.’–don’t be deceived by this phrase, because it is myunderstanding that an eternal life awaits everyone. The question is–where is this eternity spent? This should be our assurance–“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” [Psalm 23:6]
And as I remind everyone each year on this day, as somber as Good Friday is, it is ALWAYS followed by Easter Sunday! He is risen!
Blessings,
Keith