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JOHN 3:16

I. "FOR GOD"  THE BIBLE NEVER ARGUES THE EXISTENCE OF GOD.
        A. Who is God?
                1. To many, just an impersonal force in the universe.
                        a. An essence.
                        b. Many worship nature, why?
                2. Many create their own gods.
                3. The Bible written to reveal God. What does it reveal?
                        a. Creator and origin of all life. "All things were made by Him."
                        b. Sustainer and purpose of all creation "He is before all things and
                           by. . ."
                        c. God is infinite in Wisdom, power, duration "Thou art worthy."
                4. The danger of this revelation.
                        a. It requires something from us.
                        b. If He is all wisdom why should I question His word or judgments?
                           "for when they knew God they glorified Him . . ."

II. "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD."
        A. Consider the object of His love, the world.
                1. The condition of the world (not as He created..
                        a. In rebellion against Him.
                        b. Nothing here to provoke His love - opposite.
                2. Love is measured by the opposing forces it overcomes.
        B. I could better understand why opposite could be free.
                1. Man so loved God.
                        a. Man broke the fellowship with God.
                        b. Man stands the most to gain by it's re-establishment.

III "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD."
        A. Love is measured by its gifts.
                1. "He gave His only begotten Son."
                2. To see God's love you must see Christ hanging on that cursed tree. "God
                   was in Christ reconciled..."
        B. I can conceive of God giving His Son to reign.
                1. But to give Him as a sacrifice for sin.

IV. PURPOSE OF HIS LOVE.
        A. To save man from greatest clamity "should not perish . . ."
                1. Destruction inevitable outside His intervention.
                        a. The law would grind its course.
                        b. The guilty would perish.
                2. God was under no obligation to intervene.
                        a. Man's condition was not of His doing (oppo.
                3. God was under no necessity to intervene.
                        a. Should the world perish justice would be served.
                        b. He did not need us, could create other worlds.
        B. To bring man to greatest good "but have everlasting life."
                1. "This life is in His Son."
                        a. "He that hath the Son hath life."
                        b. "But the gift of God is eternal life."

V. THE CONDITIONS BY WHICH THESE BLESSINGS OBTAINED.
        A. "Who so ever believeth in Him."
                1. Condition is essential.
                2. Condition is reasonable.
                3. Condition is simple.
                        a. A higher condition could have been demanded.
                4. Same condition for all "Whosoever."

CONCLUSION:
                1. Story of God's love told by its deeds. "For God so loved that He gave His
                   only  begotten Son."
                2. Man's ruin entirely of himself. Man's salvation entirely of God.
                3. It is easier for a man to be saved than lost.
        a. To be saved simply believe into Christ.
        b. To be lost --
                1. reject this love.
                2. reject warnings and pleadings of His Spirit.
                3. trample under foot the Son of God.
                4. count the blood of His covenant unholy.
                5. fight against God.