John 3:16: God’s Love, Believing in Christ & Everlasting Life

God’s Interest in Individuals

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. We trust that God will add his blessing to the reading of his precious word. It impresses me whenever we come to John’s gospel. The Lord Jesus is often seen in John’s gospel directly speaking with individuals. By and large, if you were looking through the gospel by Matthew, Matthew’s gospel, the Lord Jesus, he speaks to multitudes. It’s the gospel of the multitudes. Mark’s gospel mentions households, mentions homes more than any other gospel. It’s the gospel of the households. Luke is the gospel of couples. You’ll find two people in the story we’ve just been hearing about. There was Simon and there was the woman.

And all through Luke’s gospel, the Lord Jesus speaks about couples. You come to John’s gospel and John’s gospel is an interesting gospel because right here at the very start, you find the Lord Jesus and he’s interested in a man. You come to chapter 4 and the Lord Jesus is interested in a woman. You come to the end of chapter 4, the Lord Jesus again is interested in a man. You go further down into John’s gospel chapter number eight again he’s interested in a woman. You see the Lord Jesus while he is interested in the multitudes and while he is interested in the households and while he is interested in couples, people are saved individually. People are saved personally. Could I tell you tonight before I go any further?

The same Lord Jesus who spoke to that woman in Simon’s house who had an interest in her, the same person who spoke to Nicodemus who had an interest in him has an interest in you. I don’t know your background tonight. I don’t know where you come from. I don’t know what part of Ottawa you live in. But I can tell you this with assurance from the word of God that heaven has an interest in you. Heaven has an interest in you. Could I ask you tonight? Do you have an interest in heaven? Do you have an interest in Christ tonight? What does Christ mean to you? Is Christ all for you?

Nicodemus Must Be Born Again

Here was this man, Nicodemus. You’ve heard about it from Mr. Percopio over the nights if you’ve been coming. And if not just to let people know here this was a man who came to the Lord Jesus by night and he came to the Lord Jesus and he just wanted to have an intellectual conversation with the person of Christ. He was a rabbi. In fact, the text actually tells us he was the teacher in Israel. There wasn’t a greater teacher, a higher teacher in the nation of Israel than Nicodemus himself. And yet he recognized that the Lord Jesus, he is a man sent from God. Nicodemus came to the Lord Jesus likely just to have an intellectual conversation on the same level. And the Lord Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again.

Nicodemus, he began to ask, “How can a person be born again?” Could I ask you tonight, are you born again? Could I ask that another way? Are your sins forgiven? You’ve just been hearing about that tonight. The moment a person is born again, their sins are forgiven. The moment a person is saved, their sins are forgiven. The moment a person trusts Jesus Christ as their savior, their sins are forgiven. We have directed people to this chart on many nights. And as we have stated in nights gone by, every one of us, we were born on this broad way. This broad way that leads to destruction. The Lord Jesus said that the Lord Jesus spoke about hell in Luke chapter 16. Made it very, very clear. People on the broad way are headed to destruction.

Nicodemus, a man who came to the Lord Jesus by night. He had an intellect. He had a great knowledge of the scriptures. In fact, he taught people the scriptures. If anyone had a question, they came to Nicodemus for an answer. Nicodemus, he had many, many religious experiences. He would we would say that he was he was actually in he was introduced into Judaism. He was initiated into Judaism. That likely took place when he was a boy of 13, his bar mitzvah. And he entered he was initiated into Judaism. And yet with all of his experiences and with all of his knowledge, Nicodemus wasn’t born again. He wasn’t saved. He never trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as his savior. And so, friend, again, I ask you the question, are you saved? Are you saved?

Nicodemus, he began to listen. And as he began to listen, he wanted to know more. And the Lord Jesus told him how a person could be born again. The Lord Jesus told him how a person could be saved.

The World God Loved

Those 25 golden words. 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. You know, I think of this text and one of the things that comes to my mind is the people that God loved. the people that God loved. God loved the world. That world that we’ve been speaking about this night after night, a world that was perfect. When God first created this world, he made that world a perfect world. And he placed man in that world. And mankind on the sixth day of creation, God stood back and God said, “It’s it’s very good. Everything is perfect.” And what happened? That world that was perfect became a world that was polluted. Romans chapter 5 and verse number 12 says this.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, ruined the world, contaminated it. We’re not talking about physical pollution. That might be a problem in our day today, but what we’re talking about here in the scriptures is moral pollution. Sin that has affected every single one of us. Has affected us universally. Affected us. The whole globe has been affected by sin. But you know that sin doesn’t just affect us universally. It affects us individually. Every single one of us are affected with the problem of sin. And the pollution of sin is seen when the Lord was speaking to the nation of Israel in Isaiah chapter 1 verse number six. You know what he says?

He says from the sole of the foot even under the head there is no soundness in it but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores. God looked down on the nation of Israel and God had to say describing this nation. It’s polluted from toe to head. And every single one of us born into this world, we are polluted with the great problem of sin. Sin is a problem. That’s why it affects what we do with our hands. We do things with our hands. We take things that don’t belong to us.

I remember when I was a boy and I remember going into my mother’s room and there was a there was a little a little canister where they kept some change and I remember as a boy just going in there when mom and dad weren’t around and my little hand reached out over the on top of the counter and reached into the canister and took money that didn’t belong to me. Why did I do that? Because I was affected with the problem of sin. Every single one of us are painted with the same brush. The Bible says there is no difference. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It doesn’t matter what country you come from. It doesn’t matter what culture you were raised in. It doesn’t matter what creed you adhere to.

Every single one of us are marked by the great problem of sin. It affects our hands. It affects our lips. It’s why we speak things that we shouldn’t speak. You know, sometimes it just happens. You see someone and they stub their toe and out comes the name of the Lord in blasphemy. People just take the name of the Lord in vain. Affects our lips, affects our hands, affects our lips, affects our minds. Well, in our minds, covetous is there. Sometimes we want something that doesn’t belong to us. Sometimes bad thoughts come into our mind, things that are absolutely inconsistent with the word of God, inconsistent with the character of God. That is the pollution of sin. And as a result, we’re perishing.

In fact, that is a word that the Lord Jesus used when he was speaking to Nicodemus that Nicodemus, those that believe on him, they should not perish. they should not perish but have everlasting life. You we would have to warn you again from the word of God tonight that if you’re not saved, if you’re not born again, if your sins have never been forgiven, then tonight you’re perishing in your sins and you’ll perish in your sins forever. Do you know I think when whenever I think of that, to me it magnifies the love of God. That was the world that God loved. A world that was ruined by sin. A world that deserved the judgment of God because of sin.

And the Bible says for God so loved that world, that world of sin, the sinner friend sitting on your seat tonight, you are a sinner loved by God. A love that is indescribable. A love, friend, that is a love that is so great. We could not put words to describe how great God’s love is.

The Person God Gave

You see, the people that God loved really leads to the person that God gave. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. Many years ago, there was a father and a son and they were walking the streets of New York. Back in those days, I’m not sure if it’s if it’s a practice down in the States still or not, but in those days, they used to put stars in the window of a home where they had people who had died in the war. So, if a family had a son or a father in the home or a daughter that had died in the war, they put a star in the window. And so a father and a son, they were walking down the road. And this father, he was a Christian and he was walking with his boy, walking through the suburbs of New York.

They came to a house and the little lad, he saw a star in the window. He said, “Daddy, daddy, there’s a star in the window. Why is there a star there in that window?” The father began to tell the son, “Well, in that home, there was a father or there was a son or there was a daughter. someone in that home gave their life in the war. The boy was quite intrigued with that. They walked on a little further and as they walked on a little further, the boy saw a house and it had three stars in the window. He said, “Daddy, daddy, in that house over there, there’s three stars in the window. What? What? What? Why are there three stars there?”

And the father began to tell the son, “Well, my boy, in that house over there, maybe there was a father and two sons, or maybe three sons, or maybe a daughter, a son and a father in that home that died, and on and on it went as they walked through the suburbs of New York.” They came to a bit of a clearing. The sun had just went down on the horizon. The sun was setting, and the first star appeared in the heavens above. And the little boy, he looked up into the heaven and he saw a star. He said, “Daddy, daddy, there’s a star in God’s heaven. Did he lose a son?” That father began to tell his boy, “Yes, my boy. God did have a son and God gave his son.” Oh, listen friend tonight.

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. Heaven had a son. God had a son. The best that heaven had. And in order to save a world of sin, in order to save sinners tonight in this meeting from their sin, in order for us to receive the forgiveness of sins, God had to give his son. And God gave the best, the best that he had. God gave his well-beloved son.

A Delightful, Delegated and Delivered Son

What kind of a son was he? You know, he was a son that was marked by delight. There was never a moment when the Lord Jesus caused dishonor to the father. There was never a moment when the Lord Jesus caused disappointment in the heart of the father. Was a son of his love. A son that delighted the father. He was a delightful son. He was a son that was delegated. He was delegated to go. You know what the Bible says in 1 John 4:14? The father sent the son to be the savior of the world. God sent his son into the world to save the world. A son that was delightful. A son that was delegated. He was a son that was delivered. You know what Romans chapter 8 and verse 32 says? God spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all.

You know what that means friend tonight in this meeting? It means the Lord Jesus was given for you. That’s why the Lord Jesus went to the cross. He went there for you. You see, the Lord Jesus was given.

God Gave His Son at the Cross

I think of the greatest display of the heart of God was seen in a place where the greatest display of human hatred was on display. Man’s hatred towards the Lord Jesus. I think of what we did to the Lord Jesus. I include myself because the world was seen representatively there at the cross. The Jewish world in the Roman world. Even the title that was upon the cross, this is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. It was written in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin. The languages of the world were known, represented there at the cross. How they treated the Lord Jesus. We were gathered here this morning. Some of us, if you were here, you would have seen men rise to their feet thanking God for his son.

And one of the brothers that rose to his feet, he spoke about Isaiah chapter 50 and what it says there. I gave my back to the smiters and to them that pluck off the hairs of my cheek. I hid not my face from the shame and spitting. What mankind did to the Lord Jesus? They gave him a crown of thorns. They stripped his garments and they lacerated his back with a Roman scourge. They let him outside the city walls of Jerusalem and on the cross they crucified him. Hark I hear the dull blow of the hammer swung low. They’re nailing my Lord to the tree and the cross they upraised while the multitude gazed. On the blessed lamb of dark Calvary and there on the cross the Lord Jesus was lifted up. He was given into the hands of sinful men.

But listen friend tonight, listen tonight. When God gave his son for the world, it wasn’t merely into the hands of men. Do you know why God when God gave his son, he was placed into the very hands of God? You know what the Bible says? It pleased the Lord to bruise him. Something I don’t understand, something I can’t comprehend that when the Lord Jesus was on the cross, what happened? He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. That the punishment for our peace was upon him. And with his stripes, we are healed. When the Lord Jesus was on the cross, God laid on him the judgment that a world deserved. The whole guilty world that were perishing in their sins, the Lord Jesus, he bore our judgment. He died for the ungodly.

Thus the Bible says, “When we were yet without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly.” I think of those lovely words in Romans 5:8, “God commendeth his love toward us. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. When the Lord Jesus was on the cross, he bore our sin. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.”

Who Does “Whosoever” Include?

Listen, friend, to the pronouncement that God declares that whosoever believeth in him. Whosoever believeth in him, you want to be saved tonight. You want to know your sins are forgiven. Maybe you’re asking yourself the question, “How can I have it? How can I have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ? How can I enter into this peace with God? How can I know my sins are forgiven? How can I know heaven as my eternal home? How can I know? Maybe there’s someone here tonight and you’re not you’re not wanting feelings and you’re not wanting thinking. You want to know. There’s nothing else that matters. You want to know and know for sure.

Listen friend, what the Lord Jesus said, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him. You know, I think of that statement. It really tells me about the scope of this salvation. It goes out to the whosoever. That includes every single person in this meeting tonight, those who are here in person and those who are listening online. It goes out to every individual upon planet Earth tonight. Christ has died for all. That’s a marvelous thing that there is not one person whom God has overlooked whenever it comes to the work of Christ. That means tonight where you sit, you’re included in Calvary. What means a universal call?

If there be not enough for all, as if the Savior pass some by while he for others sins to die, the mighty work of Jesus scan. Listen, friend, he tasted death for every man. Christ has died for all, every man and every woman, every boy and every girl. The scope of salvation, it goes out to the whosoever. Is there a whosoever tonight in this meeting? Is there somebody tonight in this meeting?

What Does It Mean to Believe?

What about the simplicity of salvation? Believeth, believes on him. You know, the Lord Jesus spoke about individuals becoming like children. There’s something that impresses me whenever it comes to children, how trustworthy they are. They are. My little boy Albert, he’s going to be six in December, but it almost it doesn’t seem like it matters what height he’s at. If I’m down below, he’ll jump. He’ll say, “Daddy, catch me.” Well, one of these times he might be a little bit too big and daddy might not be able to catch him anymore, but he trusts me. He’ll jump and he’ll trust. My friend, that’s what God wants you to do tonight.

Mind you, whenever it comes to God’s salvation, there are some people and they think they’re on a precipice. and they’re taking a step into the great unknown, into the darkness. But I think tonight, salvation isn’t taking a step into the dark. Salvation is taking a step into the light. It’s trusting God. It’s your creator. It’s the one that created you. You can trust him. You know, John writes in 1 John chapter 5 about people that will take they’ll take the testimony of an individual, the testimony of man, but they won’t accept the testimony of God. Could I tell you the testimony of God is greater. You can trust what God says in his word. And God says, “Whosoever believeth in him.” You know, there’s not there’s not just the scope and the simplicity.

Salvation Is in Him

There’s the savior. It’s in him. The savior, it’s in him. There were gospel meetings. This is this is one of my favorite stories. So, you have to bear with it for a minute. Gospel meetings came to Prince Edward Island a number of years ago and Mr. Ramsay and Mr. McIlwaine. They’re they’re two men that are now in heaven, but they came to an area and they were having gospel meetings and they set up the gospel tent. And so, they began to go door to door and they began to invite people out to hear the gospel. and they came to a door and they knocked on a door right across from where the tent was and there was a lady that opened the door and they gave her an invitation and she said, “Well, I’m a Christian. I’m saved.” She knew the language.

She knew she wasn’t saved, but she just said that. She just kind of went along with it. And one of the one of the clever preachers, they said, “Well, those that love the message the best love to hear it more than the rest.” Put her in a bit of a bind and she said, “All right, I’ll go to one of the meetings.” And so she came she came to the first gospel meeting. She sat and she listened to the gospel and the two preachers said, “Well, at the end of it, we won’t bother her. We’ll just shake her hand courteously and we’ll see if she comes back. And if she doesn’t come back, maybe we’ll pay her another visit.” Lo and behold, the next night she was there again. She came. She came for four weeks of gospel meetings.

Now listen, you don’t need four weeks of gospel meetings. You could be saved tonight. Do you know why? Because the Bible says, “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.” Walking out of the gospel meeting after four weeks, she took Mr. McIlwaine by the hand and said, “Mr. McIlwaine, I told you that I was a Christian four weeks ago. I’ve been sitting listening to the gospel and I learned that I’m not saved. I don’t have what you men have. Will you come and talk to me?” Mr. McIlwaine said, “Absolutely.” After we’re finished shaking people’s hands, we’ll go over to your place and we’ll have a chat.” And those two gospel preachers went into her home.

One of the things they noticed whenever they walked into the home was an open Bible. You know, it’s wonderful to see an open Bible in someone’s home. someone who’s reading the scriptures. And here was a woman who was reading the scriptures. She wanted to know. Mr. McIlwaine looked at her and said, “Turn your Bible. Open your Bible to John 3:16.” She said, “Mr. McIlwaine, it’s already open to that page. John 3:16.” Mr. McIlwaine said, “Read that verse.” And she lifted up her Bible and she began to read the verse. And Mr. McIlwaine said, “Read it out loud.” And so she began to read out loud. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth. And he said, “Mr. McIlwaine, there’s that word believe.

I don’t understand that word. I can’t get around that word. How does a person know when they believed enough? How does a person know when they believed the right way?” Mr. McIlwaine looked at her and said, “Ma’am, read it again.” So, she began to read it again. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth. And she said, “Mr. McIlwaine, the word is still there.” Believe, believe, believe. How does a person know when they believe the right way? How does a person know when they believed enough? How could I know? Mr. McIlwaine said, “Ma’am, read it again.” You got your Bible open? You read it with me, won’t you? Look at the text. What does it say? For God so loved the world. You reading it?

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him. The woman was about to stop at the word believe again and she just went forward and she found out it’s in him. And she looked up at Mr. McIlwaine. She said, “Mr. McIlwaine, I got it. Mr. McIlwaine said, “What did you get?” It’s all in him. Salvation is in him.” You know, my friend, there’s some people tonight and maybe you’re making a work out of believing. Maybe you’re thinking, “If I only believe the right way, if I only if I only believe enough.” You’re you’re you’re putting the emphasis on yourself as if your believing is what saves you. Your believing doesn’t do anything. Christ has done everything.

Your believing merely brings you into the benefit of it. But salvation is in Christ. My question for you right now is this. Do you have Christ? Do you have him? Because if you have him, you have everlasting life. 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.

What Is Everlasting Life?

Could I conclude with one more point? It’s a promise that God upholds. Promise that God upholds. The people God loved, he loved a world of sinners. The person God gave, he gave his only begotten son. The proclamation God declares, “Whoever believes in him, the promise God upholds should not perish but have everlasting life.” Could I draw your attention to this chart one more time? Those who believe in him should not perish. Won’t perish. They won’t be in hell. and they won’t face the lake of fire. They should not perish, but they have everlasting life. In fact, everlasting life isn’t merely having life in the future. Everlasting life is right here and now. Having the life of heaven. It’s having the life of the age to come.

Having everlasting life is having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. My friend, you could have that tonight. That’s the potential of this meeting. You came in this meeting maybe like that woman who was in her sins. You could leave this meeting the same way that woman left that meeting. Left that meeting with Christ. Her sins were forgiven. Her sins were gone. She knew heaven as her home because she had Christ. Nicodemus this day, he came to the Lord Jesus in his sins. He left on the road to heaven. Why? It’s because of Christ. My friend, you trust in him tonight. And you’d know the salvation of your soul. How do I know that?

Because the Bible says, “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. Salvation is found in him. You trust the Savior. The one who died on Calvary’s cross. The one who shed his precious blood. The one whom God has raised from the dead. You trust in the Savior tonight. And you’d know. You’d know what it is to have to presently possess everlasting life, to have the forgiveness of sins.