## What If John 3:16 Were Not True?

## John 3:16

1. The most familiar verse in the Bible
2. The Gospel in a nutshell
3. It is the favorite verse of children and adults alike.
4. This verse was spoken to a good and religious man to explain salvation
5. It was used to win this ruler of the Jews to Jesus
6. But what if this great verse were not true?

I. What If God Had Not Loved The World?

A. "For God so loved the world"

1. Without His love there would be no hope at all

2. A dark planet hurtling through space without hope

3. Nothing to live for and no purpose for existence

4. Every death would be the end of personal hope and every grave a place of despair

5. A world where prayers were but useless cries to the skies

B. But God does love the world

1. Everything speaks of His love

2. Every sunrise ... every blade of grass ... every fountain of water ... every birth ... the face of every child

3. And the greatest demonstration of His love is the cross!

(Rom 5:8) "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

II. What If God Had Not Given His Son?

A. "That He gave His only begotten son"

B. God's love would be frustrated without the cross

C. Real love always demands giving

1. A man marries?, then works, provides, cares for his family

2. A woman marries and gives of herself totally for her family

3. A man anticipates his death, so he provides with insurance or some type of security

D. God has given His Son, and apart from this there would be no salvation

(John 14:6) "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

III. What If God's Offer Of Salvation Were Not To The "Whosoevers"?

A. "That whosoever"

B. The wonderful word that is general yet particular

(Rom 10:13) "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

C. It embraces all and yet touches each one

D. It reaches out to you and me along with everyone else in this world.

1. Suppose God had offered salvation only to the rich

2. Suppose God had offered salvation only to the healthy or educated

3. But God calls all people, individually to trust Him

IV. What If God's Offer Were Not Based On Faith Alone?

A. "Believeth in Him"

B. Picture a man working, trying, dying and yet falling short of God's requirement.

(Rom 3:23) "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"

C. Picture men learning, earning, but failing to achieve what is most important in life…salvation!

D. Consider the dying thief ... and the offer made to dying men.

E. "…Should not perish, but have everlasting life."

- But John 3:16 is true!
- We can be saved by faith in Christ
- What a message to take to the world!