## The Triune God

## John 3:16

I am not a student of numerology, but I do know that there are certain numbers in the Scriptures that have a special significance. Seven is the number of perfection, six is the number of man, and three is the number of God.

This morning I want us to consider a familiar passage of Scripture. I know that we have looked at this verse before, but there is so much to see, it will do us good to look again. A man gave a little boy the shell of a walnut and inside was a piece of paper with John 3:16 written on it. The boy asked what it was, and the man said it is the gospel in a nutshell. That is so true! There is enough truth in this one verse to save the entire world!

I. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son...

A. God.

1. The Majestic God.

a. He is the God of creation.

"IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH." (GEN 1:1)

"THROUGH FAITH WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE WORLDS WERE FRAMED BY THE WORD OF GOD, SO THAT THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN WERE NOT MADE OF THINGS WHICH DO APPEAR." (HEB 11:3)

b. He is the God of consummation.

1) Whatever He begins, He completes.

2) The world is not still in a state of evolution, as some would have us think.

3) It never was in such a state.

4) The world was complete at the close of the 6th day.

2. The Magnificent God.

a. Consider the beauty of a mountain range.

b. A breathtaking sunset on clear lake.

c. The power of the ocean as tide rolls in and out.

d. The rainbow that follows a storm.

e. Note the writing on "How Big Is God?"

How Big Is God?

How big is God? He knows everything. He is omniscient. He knows all about electricity; about computers; aero-dynamics; Nuclear energy. He knows every word of every book in every library in the universe.

How big is God?

He's big enough to put one foot on the earth and one on the sea at the same time. He's big enough to create the universe. He is big enough to take a bolt of lightening in one hand and fling it into the ground. He is big enough to confront the mighty storms of the sea and command them, "Peace, be still." He is big enough to take the lifeless body of Jarius" daughter and say, "Maiden, arise." Yet, He is small enough to live in my heart. He is small enough to know when one sparrow falls to the ground.

The Majestic…The Magnificent…

3. The Merciful God.

a. Mercy that endures forever. Cf Ps. 136

b. Mercy bestowed upon the undeserving.

c. Note: Psa. 103:10-14.

B. The World.

1. Not His creation.

a. Not the substance.

b. Not the mountains, the land or the sea.

c. Not the gold nor the silver in the ground.

d. This is not talking about the greenery, or the beauty of the world.

2. This is talking about people.

3. "Whosoever" means the people of the world.

4. "Whosoever meaneth me."

5. I am whosoever. You are whosoever.

- The word "world" comes between God and Son.
- The world is in the center of the action of the Father and the Son.
- There are five words before world: "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE - WORLD."
- Then there are five words after the word world: "THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY - BEGOTTEN SON."
- The number "five" speaks of grace. God's grace is depicted in this picture.
- God put His love for the world before His Son.

C. Son.

1. Only-Begotten.

2. The Son of God.

3. The Second part of the Trinity.

4. God has many sons.

"BUT AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, TO THEM GAVE HE POWER TO BECOME THE SONS OF GOD, EVEN TO THEM THAT BELIEVE ON HIS NAME:" (JOHN 1:12)

5. But He has only one Begotten Son.

II. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever beleiveth in Him should not perish, but have ever- lasting life.

A. Loved.

1. Love is an attribute of God.

2. It is something that God is.

3. Because He is love, He loved us.

4. Note: 1 John 4:7-11

B. Gave.

1. The only way to measure love is to give.

2. To speak love can be deceiving.

3. It can be superficial.

4. It can be pointed toward self, or for self, but to give and continue on giving is to express real love.

5. God so loved that He gave.

6. You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving!

C. Believeth.

1. Whosoever = Anyone that will believe.

2. It is open to all.

3. The requirement to partake of the Love of God is to believe.

4. Believe what?

a. That God gave His only Begotten Son to be a sacrifice for our sins.

b. God requires that sin be paid for by the death of a sacrifice Lamb.

c. Jesus Christ was that Lamb.

"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." (JOHN 3:16)