{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"John: God's Plan and Promise","description":"Scripture Reading: John 3:1-8, 16-21 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16) The most beloved and memorized verse in the Bible is John 3:16.  In this wondrous sentence we have a summary of God\u2019s glorious plan for securing a people for Himself for all eternity.  Considering who God is and who we are, the actions of the Almighty on our behalf in this verse are staggering to see. First, there is a warning in this verse.  For those who do not hope in Jesus Christ, there is a perishing.  This perishing is not just to die and leave this world.  This perishing is more than physical death.  It is an eternal, conscious penalty away from the presence of God (2 Thess 1:9).  Second, there is a plan revealed in this verse.  God the Father, because of His infinite love for us, sent His only Son to die on our behalf. Nothing God could have given would have been more precious than His Son.  It shouts to us of the depth of His love. Third, there is a plea in this verse.  Believe!  Whoever believes in Christ has life.  This belief is not just agreement with the facts about Jesus, but a wholehearted trust in Him alone.  Fourth, there is a promise in this verse.  For those who hope in Jesus Christ, they have eternal life.  Their hearts are changed and they are never again separated from God.  To know God is eternal life (1 Jn 5:20).  Immortality is a reality in Jesus Christ.  He is the answer to the soul\u2019s longing for life, because He is life. ","author_name":"Bethel Baptist Church","author_url":"https:\/\/bethelbaptistscs.org\/","html":"