For God so loved the world…. What does this love do?

1). He gave His only son! As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness Jesus was lifted up.

2). So that whoever BELIEVES in Him will not perish but have eternal life. All who turn and look to the savior will find rest and life in Him.

3). Whoever does not believe is condemned ALREADY.

John 3:16’s love for the world is the grace of God in sending his own son to pay the penalty of sin for all who will trust in Him. It is grace that lifts up Jesus as savior. Still just as in Moses day many refuse to look. IN fact we are so stubborn in our selfishness all of us would refuse to look unless something else happens. John calls it the free will of the wind.

John 3:8 ”The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Apart from the regenerating wind of the Spirit that breathes new life into our dead rebellious hearts none of us would turn to look at the One whom God sent in his love.

God’s love in lifting Jesus up as savior of the world would only be sufficient to further condemn us without the regenerating power of the Spirit overcoming our dead sin-riddled hearts.

You must be born again!

“Are you a teacher in Israel and do not understand these things?”