John 3:16

“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 so loved” the eternal words for mans eternal destiny. The love of God is indescribable, but proven by His actions. This verse is the Gospel in miniature; it is the most oft-quoted, and perhaps the most profound verse in the Bible. In it we find not only the key to eternal life, but the wondrous love of an amazing God, and the potency of that love. Love is only seen by the sacrifice it prompts. Here we see the ultimate sacrifice prompted by ultimate love. A young boy asks his Sunday School teacher “Why does God love me?” and the teacher cannot explain it to him in an understandable way. Why does God love any of us? None can adequately answer that question. The love of God is a part of Him, as the Scripture says, “God is love.” Again I say, love is seen through sacrifice. Don’t tell me you love me if you are not willing to sacrifice something for me. Don’t tell that wayward child that you love him if you are not willing to go all the way with him through any trial, and many heartaches. There is only one kind of love that does that, and that is God-love.

One cannot emphasize enough how precious this love is. It is a redeeming love, a restoring love; a love that builds and makes strong; a love that is not swayed by circumstance or unaffected by pomp and the glory or criticisms of men. It is a love that is freely given and is sufficient for every, and any need; a love that transcends all loves, and overcomes all OBstacles. It is an amazing, fantastic, total love. The word “so” describes it as indescribable; how much is “so much”? We tell our children we love them “so much” and extend our hands outward from the sides, just as Jesus did on the cross. He loved us “so much”, and stretched His hands out, and nailed them to a cross. In that position He died, to remind us how much He loved us. God loved us “so much” that He masterminded the plan, and sent His only begotten Son to die in our place. Greater love hath no man than this…

God so loved whom? The world. Not the earth and the grass and the water, but mankind, those who make it a world. He loves us all, “so much” that he is willing again to give the ultimate gift, and make the ultimate sacrifice. He loves us all, whether we love Him back or not. What an amazing God; what an amazing love. He died for us all, and not merely the elite. He provided the same gift of life to everyone, and showed no partiality. Love is like that; God is like that.