John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 ESV)
At sports events, you've likely seen the man with the John 3:16 sign and T-shirt. His name is Rollen Stewart. He never started out to be an evangelist but was a struggling actor. God uses people how God wants. How many people have read the Bible and looked up this verse because of him? If you were to ask them what it meant, would they know? Would they understand that Rollen, with his sign and T-shirt, was sharing the gospel?
I often wondered, even though John 3:16 became the most well-known verse in the world through Rollens' effort, how many took the time to read it. It's like someone who quotes Churchill yet never takes the time to read when Churchill said it and in what context he said it. They are just words to make them look smart. Ooooh, he quoted Churchill. Did anyone read John 3:16? I am sure they did. The gospel on mass media was brilliant, Rollen, simply brilliant.
God loved the world so much that despite our sins, our rebellion, and our evil ways, the Son of God was born a man and died on the cross. Jesus died on the cross and was buried underground for three days; He was dead. Then, He rose again so that the writings of scripture would be fulfilled, rising in an eternal body and defeating sin and death, all so that we might share in this gift of life through faith.
John 3:16 is about the love of God and salvation by faith. Pick up the Bible and start reading the Gospel of John. It is not just for new Christians; it reminds you of who Jesus is, what He did, and why.
Grace and Peace!
The root of spiritual failure
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
--Psalm 46:1
Christians fail. I’m sure that doesn’t surprise you
But what may surprise you is how spiritual failure happens. You see, it doesn’t happen suddenly, but comes slowly after a series of bad choices or seductive compromises along the way.
Think for a moment about those huge redwood trees that typically live hundreds of years. They stand strong through all kinds of natural assaults, but then suddenly and without warning, fall to the ground.
Now here’s what’s interesting. When they examine those fallen redwood trees, they usually discover that little beetles made their way into the core of that tree and ate…