John 3-16

MINUTE MEDITATIONS

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

Once again, we are hearing the Christmas Story—how God's own dear Son humbled Himself and was born of the Virgin Mary in the town of Bethlehem of Judea. All this was in fulfillment of the ancient promises of God to one day send the Seed of the woman, the Righteous Branch, Immanuel (God with us). But why did God do this? Why did He send His only begotten Son into this sinful world?

The answer is simple, though at times beyond our comprehension: "God so loved the world...." God so loved you and me that He intervened on our behalf. Instead of condemning us to the eternal torments of hell we so deserve on account of our sins, He gave us His Son to take our place under the law and to suffer our punishment! (Cf. 1 John 4:9-10; Romans 5:8; Galatians 4:4-5; Revelation 1:5.) How could God so love us that He would send His own Son into the world to suffer and die upon the cross for our sins? How could He so love you? How could He so love me? I don't know; but He has so loved us "that He gave His only begotten Son"!

God has so loved us "that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." God does not want us to be condemned and perish (suffer eternal death) in His judgment (cf. John 3:17). He gave His Son that we might believe on Him and "have everlasting life." By the grace of God, the good news first proclaimed by the angel has resounded again in our ears: "There is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11). Through faith in the Christ Child born to us in Bethlehem, the Christ who suffered and died for us on Calvary, rising again on the third day, we lost and condemned sinners have forgiveness for all our sins and the everlasting joys of heaven! As the Bible says, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:16; cf. John 3:18, 36).

At Christmastime, we often give gifts to the ones we love. But the greatest gift of all is God's gift to us: the gift of His own dear Son and life everlasting through faith in His name. In this is love!

O LORD God, we thank You for the gift of the Son, born of a virgin that He might take our place under the law and suffer and die for our sins and then rise again. Graciously grant us faith to believe that in Christ Jesus You give us forgiveness and life everlasting! Amen.

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