JOHN 3:16

 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

TO PONDER 

Would this be the most popular verse in the bible? It’s been memorized by countless Sunday school students, displayed on signs at major sporting events, banners, overpasses, and printed on the bottom of shopping bags and cups.

The verse leapt into popular culture in the 1970s, when Christians started holding “John 3:16” signs at stadiums, knowing full well they were televised games, as a way to spread the Gospel. The most famous figure of that era was an eccentric named Rollen Stewart, who wore a rainbow-coloured wig and danced with a “John 3:16” sign behind the goal posts at football games, the home plate at baseball games, and the backboard at basketball games. In the 1980’s, I recall seeing Rollen on TV when watching Wide World of Sports. 

In 2009, a US sportsman wore eye black with the inscription “John 3:16” in his NFL game, and apparently 94 million people Googled it. 

So if you were going to choose one particular verse to underscore the meaning of the Gospel and Christian truth, that would probably be it – because it covers a large amount of faithful truths.  

We are reminded that God loves all of us, no matter how good or bad we are, or what’s happened in our past. And because he loves us, he sacrificed his Son, so we could live with him forever. That sums it up. Nothing more needs to be said. The message of grace in one verse. 

PRAYER : Thank you, Lord, for loving us no matter what. Thank you that we can share that amazing message of grace very simply. Forgive us when we have had the opportunity and missed it. Amen  

Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping