John 3:16Sample

God. Son. Love. World

We have arrived at The Most Famous Bible Verse. Let’s linger on the enormity and importance of what it proclaims. When we are so familiar with something, we can easily whiz over the details. But if we look only at the first half of John 3:16, there’s enough to reflect upon and discuss for years and years.

Who is God? Seriously. Who is God? What do we know, expect and value about God? OK, how about this: Who is His "one and only Son"? What sort of personality, abilities or purpose do you reckon He has? How would you recognize this Son?

Even as you’re puzzling over the grandeur of God and His one and only Son, have you delved into who or what is "the world"? Is it the planet or is it people? Is it both? Oh, and what sort of Love is summed up by a precious child being gifted to "the world"? Quite the exercise to slow down and sink into the wonder of John 3:16. As we’re pausing to take a fresh look, get a gander at the first word.

Have you given "For" a second thought? What bearing could one conjunction have upon our appreciation of the Bible’s best-known sentence? In the John 3:16 Podcast, Cass Kwakye gives a terrific explanation of the power of "For".

Informed by the New Testament’s original language, Cass wants us to consider that "for" indicates God’s one and only Son was always "Plan A". Not an afterthought. For God always intended to give this Great Gift, in Great Love, to the whole world.

Written by BEN McEACHEN