What does John 3:16 mean to you personally? 532-1 - 4 -2

John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

Romans 5:7-9, “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

That our awesome God would step out of eternity, incarnate as a mortal man and suffer a horrific death to provide us with the gift of justification is mindboggling. John 3:13, “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.”

Jesus walked the land for three years clothed in homespun and wearing sandals. How humble when compared to the royal regalia of Catholic priests and even many Protestant ministers.
While Jesus was sinless, he didn't seem to be concerned about appearing holier than thou. He was not above washing the feet of his disciples as a lesson in humility, a lesson I need to learn. Jesus was criticized for his lack of dignity by eating with tax collectors and others considered unsavory by the temple hierarchy. Jesus cleansed the temple more than once. The men who walked with him for those three short years couldn't seem to grasp the comparison Jesus made between himself and Jonah in the belly of the whale for three days. They just couldn't seem to grasp His pending death and resurrection.

The crucifixion of Christ explained a strange occurrence from the Old Testament. John 3:14-15, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” Just as gazing upon the bronze serpent saved the lives of the people, embracing Jesus on the cross gives us real life. Not only did Jesus give us the gift of salvation through his shed blood, he has provided us with an example of how to live as we progress along the path of sanctification.