Peter Barnes | John 3:1-16
SERMON NOTES
THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD
Hosea 14:1-9; John 3:1-16
– Martin Luther kept repeating John 3:16 as he lay dying in 1546
1. God loves the world.
– God is utterly holy (Habakkuk 1:13; Ex.33:20), who loves the Son because He is holy (John 17:24) yet loves this world (1 John 5:19)
– like attract like (Luke 6:32) but this is most unlike (cf. Eph. 1:3-4).
2. God has given His Son.
– God’s only Son uses the same term as that for Abraham’s only son in Heb.11:17
– But God’s Son is eternal and equal with God (John 5:17-18); Jews and Muslims think this is blasphemy (John 1:10)
– 1 John 4:9-10; He came not as a tourist but to die.
3. God promises everlasting life to His people.
– we move from perishing to forever enjoying Rev.22:1-5; Henry Martyn: ‘When millions of years shall have passed away, your joys will be but beginning; and when millions more shall have passed away, they shall be no nearer ending.’