Immeasurable Love

Do you have a favorite Bible text? If so, what does it mean to you? One of the most widely quoted verses in the Bible is John 3:16.

Church of Scotland minister William Barclay called it “the very essence of the gospel,” and other writers have called it “the Bible in miniature.” On the evening of June 7, 1885, Charles H. Spurgeon preached a powerful sermon on John 3:16 at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London. He stated, “What was there in the world that God should love it? There was nothing lovable in it. No fragrant flower grew in that arid desert.

Enmity to him, hatred to his truth, disregard of his law, rebellion against his commandments; those were the thorns and briars which covered the waste land; but no desirable thing blossomed there.” But “amid the ruins of humanity there was space for showing how much Jehovah loved the sons of men...  When the great God gave his Son he gave God himself, for Jesus is not in his eternal nature less than God. When God gave God for us he gave himself. What more could he give? God gave his all: he gave himself. Who can measure this love?”14 J. Edwin Hartill derived twelve “greatest” superlatives from John 3:16: “For God” —the greatest lover “So loved”— the greatest degree “The world” —the greatest company “That He gave”— the greatest act “His only begotten Son” —the greatest gift “That whosoever”— the greatest opportunity “Believeth” —the greatest simplicity “In him”— the greatest attraction “Should not perish” —the greatest promise “But”— the greatest difference “Have” —the greatest certainty “Everlasting life”— the greatest possession15 What an amazing concentration of superlatives expressed in just twenty-five words! John 3:16 can become even more meaningful if you replace the words world and whoever with your own name.

After all, God loves you personally!