3:16

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

The Most Famous Verse
• God loves the whole world
• God has loved and still loves the world
• There was a reason he had to send Jesus
• There was a reason to “give” Jesus as a gift

The Most Famous Verse
• There was only one shot – no Plan B
• The gift of eternal life is available to all
• The criteria is that we “believe” in Jesus
• This is a promise because it “shall” happen

This Raises Questions

Questions...
• Why does God love the world?
• What does it mean to “give” a son?
• What does it mean to believe in Jesus?
• What does eternal life mean exactly?

Focus on Belief

What Does It Mean
To Believe In Jesus?
• Is it that he existed?
• Is it that he was a man?
• Is it that he is God?
• Is it that he was a good teacher?
• Is it that he died for our sins?
• Is it that he was raised from the dead?

Belief Is Not Empty

Belief Is More
Than Knowledge

We need to look at the rest of the chapter to figure out
what Jesus was talking about in regard to belief
because too often we take verses out of context

It’s All About Context

Perspective:
Then and Now
• Retrospect is 20/20
• We are reading this verse 2000 years later
• We know the rest of the story
• We assume we know what he meant
• We color the story because we live today
• What did he mean in context to then?

Circle The Verse

The Story: Nicodemus
• Jesus was chatting with Nicodemus
• He was a Pharisee
• He was a staunch believer
• He was involved in church
• He was involved in government
• He was beginning to believe in Jesus

John 3:1
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus,
a member of the Jewish ruling council.

He came to Jesus in the night and said...

John 3:2
“Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God.
For no one could perform the miraculous signs
you are doing if God were not with him.”

The Story: Jesus
• Jesus had just started his ministry
• Jesus was not yet revealed as God to people
• Jesus was known for performing many miracles
• Jesus began to have people believe in his name
• Jesus was beginning to make some enemies

John 2:11
This, the first of his miraculous signs,
Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee.
He thus revealed his glory,
and his disciples put their faith in him.

John 2:23
Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast,
many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing
and believed in his name.

Nicodemus was Confronting

Nicodemus was Conforming

Nicodemus was Confirming

John 3:3
In reply Jesus declared,
“I tell you the truth, no one can see the
kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

John 3:4
“How can a man be born when he is old?”
Nicodemus asked.
“Surely he cannot enter a second time
into his mother's womb to be born!”

John 3:5-8
Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the
kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
You should not be surprised at my saying,
“You must be born again.”
“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound,
but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.
So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

John 3:9
“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

A Debate In The Night
• Jesus responds to Nicodemus’ statement
that he is from God
• Jesus explains about being born again
• Nicodemus doesn’t really understand
• Jesus explains things again
• Nicodemus still doesn’t understand
• Why doesn’t Nicodemus “Get It?”

It’s An Issue Of Belief

John 3:10-11
“You are Israel's teacher,” said Jesus,
“and do you not understand these things?
I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know,
and we testify to what we have seen,
but still you people do not accept our testimony.

John 3:12-14
I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe;
how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?
No one has ever gone into heaven except
the one who came from heaven — the Son of Man.

Belief Is Not Mere Intellect

Belief Is...
• more than accepting someone’s testimony
• more than knowing the right answers
• more than what you think inside

Belief Is...
• trusting in who sent Jesus (God)
• standing by what your convictions
• living out what is really real
• living in the “light”

Remember This?

He came to Jesus in the night and said...

John 3:19
This is the verdict:
Light has come into the world,
but men loved darkness instead of light
because their deeds were evil.

John 3:20
Everyone who does evil hates the light,
and will not come into the light for fear
that his deeds will be exposed.

John 3:19-21
But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light,
so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done
has been done through God.

Did Nicodemus
Really Believe?

Does The Church
Really Believe?

Then, Do We
Really Believe?

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.

What We Believe
Must Be Real

What We Believe
Must Be Realized

What We Believe
Must Be Our Reality

John 9:5
While I am in the world,
I am the light of the world.

Matthew 5:14
You are the light of the world.

Be What You Live