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A gift that really lasts.
Please accept this picture as a gift from Seed Sowers. Eilean Donan Castle is one of the
oldest, most recognisable sights in Scotland. Maybe you will be able to frame it and
find a place in your home where it will make a fine display?
Also on the picture is, perhaps, the most recognisable verse from the Bible. Spoken by
the Lord Jesus Christ, John chapter 3 verse 16 has been a tremendous help to millions
in times of trouble and has brought countless souls to peace and eternal life. This peace
and eternal life is not obtained by religious observance or charitable works, but by
simple repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus, the subject of this most wonderful verse.
We pray that as you display the verse and read this explanation you too will find the
greatest gift of all – eternal salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.
The castle, probably named after a 6th Century Irish saint, has stood for over 700 years
but has inevitably deteriorated, and will eventually give way to the ravages of time
and the weather. The Bible verse, on the other hand, contains truth that is eternal – the
message of salvation that will last forever.
As you read the verse think seriously about…
The greatest need of all.
The Lord Jesus, faithful to the reality of life, was concerned primarily about the eternal
destiny of every person. It is an undeniable fact we will all one day leave this life and
proceed irreversibly into the endless ages of eternity. This truth is often avoided or
denied but will inevitably come everyone’s way. Our falling short of the Glory of God
and breaking God’s law (the Ten Commandments) will surely lead to God’s judgment
(Hebrews chapter 9 verse 27) – the fair and just result of our sin – i.e. perishing, or
as another scripture says, “the lake of fire”. Our greatest need is for forgiveness and
salvation, and God’s great desire is that each one of us should escape the judgment and
be saved, which is why He chose to display…..
The greatest love ever seen.
Love is a basic need of every human being but is often never experienced because of
failure and sin. Yet even those who experience human love can never even begin to
appreciate the unimaginable joy of experiencing the love of God. Perhaps this is the
first time you have heard the wonderful truth that God loves YOU. All through the
Bible we read of this magnificent love and compassion of the Living God. Even in our
rebellion and sin God today is patient and kind, not willing that any should perish but
that all should come to repentance (2nd Peter chapter 3 verse 9). Will you today pause
and consider this wonderful love of God for you? Real love, however, is more than just
words. Love in reality is seen in actions. That’s why this verse tells us of…
The greatest gift ever given.
Real love gives the best for those who are the objects of that love, and that is exactly
what God has given to you. Even though we all are going our own way, the Lord
has displayed his wonderful love by giving His only eternal, wonderful Son to be our
Saviour. He was willing to give His best for us sinners. And He was willing not just to
send Jesus from heaven to earth, but to allow Him to go to the cross on Calvary to take
the punishment that we deserve. Justice demands payment for sin, but God in mighty
love has given His dear Son, the Lord Jesus, to take that punishment on the cross – to die
for our sins, be buried and on the third day rise again (1st Corinthians chapter 15 verses
3 and 4). Jesus really is alive forevermore and has paid in full the price for sin through
His death on the cross. The greatest gift has been given, the gift of the precious Lord
Jesus, and now by God’s grace the offer of eternal salvation is extended to everyone,
everywhere. There is much confusion, however, about how to obtain salvation (for
example “good works” religion) but in this verse we find…
The greatest message ever heard.
Salvation is free to all who will believe in the Lord Jesus. Note that the verse doesn’t say
whoever believes ABOUT the Lord Jesus, but whoever believes IN Him. “Not much
difference”, you say, but it really is the difference between eternal life and eternal death
– the difference between heaven and hell. The Bible commands us to repent and believe
the Gospel (Mark chapter 1 verse 15) and this means totally trusting and relying on the
Lord Jesus. A simple illustration would be a person taking a plane journey to another
country. They must leave their own country and totally trust the pilot to take them to
their desired destination. Similarly, those who want to be saved must forsake their sin
and put their complete and unreserved trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of
sins and salvation for all eternity.
This greatest news of all in John chapter 3 verse 16 is the way that millions down
through the centuries have found eternal peace and salvation, and lived for the glory of
God rather than the pleasures of sin (Hebrews chapter 11 verse 25).
Be sure as you receive this text we will be praying that these words will be the way that
God works in your life to save you for eternity.
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