The Seed Blog: The Secret Talk: John 3:16

It's time to leave the worries and cares of all of the mess our world is in right now and focus anew on the most amazing, impacting, life-changing Words of Jesus concerning His Love and Plan for every one of us. Please open your hearts today and let Him speak fresh hope to your very soul. We have heard this verse spoken, and displayed more than any other verse of God's Word in the Scriptures—and with good reason. Because this verse tells so much about the depth of God's Love and His eternal plan for mankind. It is practically the Bible in a nutshell all on its own. But when we read this verse, we often miss an even greater message from our unfathomable God—because—notice something important at the start of the verse: it begins with, "For,” meaning that it is attached to an ongoing conversation. This incredible declaration is a summary (an answer, a climax) to a larger, previous conversation.
Let's explore this well-known verse by first seeing the context leading up to its truth.

John 3:1-2: The secret meeting which leads to John 3:16 is between Jesus and Nicodemus. Not much is known of Nicodemus in Scriptures or history, but we know that he was a Pharisee and a "Ruler" over the Jews. He was a member of the Sanhedrin—a body of 71 men made up of the High Priest, Sadducees, and Pharisees—the religious ruling body over the Jews of Jesus' day whose authority was only overridden by the Roman government itself. They were not fond of Jesus (ultimately being responsible for His death). This fact, it would seem, may be why Nicodemus came to Jesus by night—for a "secret meeting." Nicodemus wants to know more about Jesus' intentions, and he starts by proclaiming that he knows Jesus must be God because of the wonders which Jesus has done in his sight. But Jesus quickly changes the direction of the whole conversation and brings Nicodemus face to face with a new reality. John 3:3: Jesus basically cuts to the chase, and says: "I didn't meet you here, to question my Authority; I came to give you this new truth: unless you are made completely new in your heart, you will not see My Kingdom.” In other words, it really doesn't matter what your conclusion is about whether I am Who I say I Am, but whether this realization completely changes you from the inside out. Nicodemus—like more of us than we care to realize—is sincere, but just doesn't fully get it yet. John 3:4-8: Jesus gives an explanation to Nicodemus that we all must grasp with newness again: Jesus tells Nicodemus that to truly know Him—to truly be born again in Him—is more than understanding with the mind. And that He is an incredible mystery which we can see and know the reality of in His works, but which we can’t begin to totally understand or experience simply with our mind. God wants to touch a deeper, more meaningful part of us; He wants to totally renew our very core, our innermost being in a way in which we cannot calculate or understand. He's not primarily concerned with our current circumstances or our position in life—He’s come for a greater, deeper reason: to touch us, change us at a foundational level in our very spirit. Jesus tells Him: "You won’t ever fully grasp the wonder of what I'm doing. So, you must get beyond your theological attempts to explain Me and simply embrace what I am doing for you." [If this is not how your "born again" experience has changed you, you have missed so much that He came to make new]. Nicodemus' response—again is much like ours: John 3:9. And Jesus answers this basic question in a powerful way: John 3:10-12. Jesus gives Nicodemus a strong moment of self-reflection: "You already know so much about Me, that you are the teacher of others. And yet, you cannot see how I love? How I work?" Then, Jesus Lovingly reprimands him, saying: “You've heard the Truth, you've seen the evidence. If your heart and mind will not accept the things you see and hear for yourself, how can you be ready to receive what i truly desire to show you?” So many people are caught up in having every answer about an unfathomable God before they will open up and let Him touch them because it is simply knowledge they desire, and only a moral, self-imposed change they are willing to make; not knowing that they will never know more about Him, never have real change until they surrender to the truths they do see for certain and let Him reveal more of Himself in a way we cannot see or understand. It is here to a sincere but legalistic soul, longing for real truth of "who He is" that we see Jesus giving an answer which includes our beloved verse, John 3:16. Watch now as it all comes together and let it touch you anew as it touched Nicodemus. Jesus continues now with a complete explanation of God's deepest motives and plan for us: John 3:13. Jesus validates His next Words with His credentials: “No one else but me has seen or known the truth I am telling you now!” ‘No one else has been to heaven, seen heaven, understands the Father as I do now.’ John 3:14-15. Jesus proclaims that even 1400yrs before He came, His Plan was foreshadowed. As Moses lifted up an image of the very evil that struck the Israelites and poisoned them so they could look at the horrible cause of their death and trust God alone to save them. Now, in Nicodemus' day, the Son of Man, Jesus, must be lifted up, by God for all to look on the horrors of their sins as they are punished before their own eyes and their healing is offered as well. That whoever accepts this Son of Man in such unbelievable love and sacrifice might be saved, not just legalistically through His payment of sins, but in their very spirit-- reborn in the love, trust and surrender they experience—as He gives Himself on their behalf. That real, soul-touching comprehension of His love is when the gift is truly accepted. Now is when Jesus speaks the words of John 3:16 as an explanation to why God would do such a thing. The reason it is so powerful is because it is the very raw and exposed heart of God: John 3:16:"For God..." (the very author and creator of all things; the One Who made you and all the magnificent wonders as far as we can see—the very reason you exist. Who Himself, exists beyond our scope of reality; Who holds all Power and Knowledge; Who is infinitely above us). “so loved the world..." (meaning He went to this extreme driven by the sincerity and power of His love) "the world…" (meaning the entire population of men and women—not according to how much or how badly we've sinned; not according to your status or success. He knew the condition of each of us long before He chose to pay such a high price—not to accept that unbelievable price is the only unforgivable sin to Him because it shows no thankfulness or trust in just how far He went for you) "that He gave His only begotten Son..." (Jesus has been in existence for all eternity alongside of the Father, sharing a Love that we have never paralleled: Philippians 2:5-6; John 8:58; John 17:5. God the Father "gave" His One precious Son to us, knowing the suffering and pain, knowing even He would have to turn His back on His Own Son for our sins. He would have to listen to His Own Son cry out: "Why have You forsaken me?" This is how much He loves us. This is the One you doubt. This is the act we feel was "not enough.") "That whoever..." (good people, bad people, gossips, adulterers, murderers, rapists, heroes, deserters, cheaters, Republicans, Democrats, Socialists, Communists, Muslims, Buddhists, Satanists, Nazis, prostitutes, gender confused, homosexual, bisexual, cisgender, transgender, non-binary, drug users, alcoholics, child-molesters, preachers, blue-collars, white-collars, misogynists, abortionists, thieves, politicians, IRS workers (wait, what?), policemen, criminals, Jews, Palestinians, Hamas terrorists… God hates our sin, our rejection of Him and the pain our sin causes. But He absolutely loves every single one of us enough to give the life of His Own Son to save us from the mistakes, confusion, and hate in our souls. And that includes you.) "believes in Him..." (Nicodemus already had "believed" in Jesus—Satan "believes" in Jesus. This word does not simply mean an intellectual "belief" in His existence. It means a belief in the character, heart, and nature of God; it means entrusting Him with your soul, your life, your love; it means you trust His ways, His motives, and His Commands; it is being so convinced that His Love is pure and right—that you want to be just like Him so you can please Him and draw closer to Him. It is being compelled by His Goodness and Passion for you to be closer to Him. [Is this how you know Him and love Him? Is this how you believe in Him? If not, according to Jesus, you really don't truly believe: Matthew 10:37-39; Luke 14:33. Based upon how Jesus proclaimed "believes in me"—do you truly believe in Him; trust Him emphatically?]) “should not perish..." (not because God is so evil but because His Love is so powerful and true. If someone turns away from such a costly gift of life and continues to purposefully hurt and destroy others, there is no choice left in protecting those who are loved than to destroy those who hurt. Otherwise God would be held in contempt and injustice by every creature ever wronged, and awaiting justice) "but have everlasting life."(it's not just eternal life after we pass from this earth; it is eternal life starting now. You will never experience a moment of death if you know Him. Eternal life also means finding real, deep, complete love as He meant for us to have. Eternal life means knowing Him intimately. It's having His intimate comfort now and realizing we are now immortal; we will never have another moment of unconsciousness.)
After this life-altering statement, Jesus confirms that His entire purpose for all of this Sacrifice was because it was His Desire or Intent for not one single person to be cast away or forsaken, but that everyone could be restored to Him together: John 3:17. That is what He wants for you. That is why He tarries—even in the midst of such violence, pain and sin—knowing that one more soul is worth it all. How can you not accept such love and devotion? This greatest verse of all times must have shaken Nicodemus, because when Jesus was Crucified later, he openly brought 75lbs of spices and helped bury Jesus' Body when the disciples all fled.  
What about you? Will you continue to be ashamed of Him? Want your life over Him? Will you continue to believe He exists, but mot believe in His love and truth? After a while, your hesitation stops meaning: “You are just not sure, not ready…” and begins to mean: “I just don’t want His Gift… I’ll keep my life, thank you.” And you will have passed up the greatest gift ever bought for you in history “for God so loved you!”