Comments on 3:16

Reflections on 3:16 – The Verse

“John 3:16 is the North Star of the Bible. If you align your life with it, you can find The Way home.”
-Anne Graham Lotz, AnGel Ministries

“I remember vividly that I walked down an aisle in a church one night, without prompting by my parents, and knelt at a humble altar. There through my tears, I gave my heart to Jesus. I was three years old. That night proved to be the highlight of my entire life. The “whosoever” in John 3:16 even extended to a little toddler. Praise the Lord!”
-Dr. James Dobson, Founder of Focus on the Family

“To me, John 3:16 is the very foundation of my faith. It is because of God’s love that He gave and it’s because of God’s love that I am saved forever.”
-CeCe Winans, Gospel Music Artist

“There it is in black and white. As simple and gentle as 1+1=2. For God so loved the world that He gave His only son and whoever believes in Him shall NOT perish, but shall have everlasting life. That’s it. Admission is free.”
-Delilah, Radio Host

“This is the first verse that I learned as a child and it changed my life. To most 10 year olds, these would be sweet words to recite to Mom and Dad to make them smile. To me they were a lighthouse in the darkness, a concrete promise when everything else seemed untrue and a hope that could not be extinguished. Over forty years later I wrap the truth of these words around me everyday as I look for others who are lost at sea, betrayed and hopeless. All the literature in the world cannot compete with the treasure contained in these twenty-six words.”
-Sheila Walsh, Author of God Has a Dream for Your Life

“We can all endure a great deal of pain and grief, and general “life-isnot-fair” experiences when we know who loves us, and how incredible and incomprehensible the joy is that awaits us.”
-Michael Blanton, Artist Management

“Out of great need is born great faith. I have seen both. 3:16 brings life and faith to a hope-starved world. May we embrace its message anew.”
-Bishop John K. Rucyahana, Anglican Bishop of Shyira Diocese in Rwanda and Author of The Bishop of Rwanda

“John 3:16 is the foundation of my faith. A picture of undeserved, unconditional, and unwavering love from a Father to his kids.”
-Ernie Johnson, Sportscaster-TNT/TBS

“When I was a boy I used to hug a rubber hot water bottle in bed at night to beat off the chill air from the frigid Irish Sea. Comfort! I woke up wet, cold, and miserable. The rubber hot water bottle had perished. It had slowly deteriorated, imperceptibly disintegrated and was ultimately useless. Perished! That can happen to humans too—and God so loved the world that He gave us Jesus so that we would not perish but have everlasting life.”
-Stuart Briscoe, Author of What Works When Life Doesn’t

“I love John 3:16 because it is the gospel in a nutshell. It shares God’s great love for us, and our great need for him.”
-Mac Powell, Lead Singer of Third Day

“There are hundreds of verses in scripture that are of significant importance to me. But this is the most important verse in the Bible.”
-John Smoltz, Atlanta Braves Pitcher

“This is the promise that bears hope for the hopeless. When we finally realize “I can’t do this on my own” this is the Father responding, “I know, so I’ve done it for you.”
-Jeff Foxworthy, Comedian

“John 3:16 is the Mount Everest of Scripture passages from God’s Word. In this great verse, we see the highest statement of Theology as it portrays God’s nature as a God who deeply loves. It portrays the genius of Soteriology as it shows how God planned to rescue mankind through the gift of His Son, Jesus. John 3:16 sums up God’s nature, God’s plan, and God’s intent.”
-Frank S. Page, President of The Southern Baptist Convention

“By twenty I was visibly unraveling mentally and emotionally. It would take the harrowing experience of living as an agoraphobic before I consideredGod’s intervening love and relinquished my heart to Christ. 3:16 is the undeniable address my sanity, safety, and eternal security takes refuge in.”
-Patsy Clairmont, Author of Dancing Bones

“God’s love is not some mere sentiment, but rather something that He showed in a tangible way. God offers to us the gift of eternal life. To receive a gift, you must reach out to accept it, and then open it.”
-Greg Laurie, Pastor/Evangelist

“John 3:16. What an amazing scripture—God loved us while we were quite unlovable people. He reached out to us when we were unreachable. Knowing that we would fail Him, deny Him, and spurn this unconditional love, He still gave…unconditionally!”
-Don Moen, Singer/Songwriter

“God gave his son as payment for our sins, everyone’s sins—the payment was as horrible as anything you can imagine. Beyond the physical pain, the experience of separation from his Father was a pain that cannot be described. But Jesus endured this for us so that we can enjoy eternal life.”
-Ned Yost, Manager of the Milwaukee Brewers

“Without hope, the fear of death is overwhelming. But as Christians, the Bible verse John 3:16 assures us that there is everlasting life—and this promise alone should give all of us hope at the time of death.”
-Kenneth Cooper, M.D., M.P.H.

 

Reflections on 3:16 – The Book

“Lucado digs deeply into one of the most famous and oft-quoted passages of the Bible—John 3:16. First situating it in its biblical context as part of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, Lucado then dissects the 26-word promise phrase by phrase, picking out key theological ideas that provide hope to Christians. What does it mean that God ‘so loved the world?’ What must we do to gain everlasting life? Using his trademark folksy style, Lucado employs great stories and real-life illustrations to drive home points about God’s love, justice and determination to save.”
-Publishers Weekly

“Max gave us humor and charm in Hermie and Wormie. Now he has given us faith and wisdom.”
-Tim Conway, Actor

“My friend Max Lucado has done it again! He’s taken the most beloved passage of Scripture, unwrapped its deepest truths revealing the greatest expression of God’s love. 3:16’s message of hope will show you how much you matter to God. This is a must read for anyone.”
-Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Church and Author of The Purpose Driven Life

“I’m a sucker for a simple love story. Want to learn why on earth you are on this earth? Want to learn how to really love? Read this book. Max has taken the single most important (and simple) verse in the Bible and dissected it for those of us who need to keep it simple.”
-Rick Perry, Governor of Texas

“At the heart of our worship is the message of John 3:16. The story still inspires—out of God’s great love was born great sacrifice. In 3:16, Max makes new and fresh one of the oldest and deepest truths of our faith. I cannot help but sing and shout and dance from a grateful and humble heart when I think of what God has done for me and all of humanity. How great is our God!”
-Chris Tomlin, Singer/Songwriter

“Whether you are kicking the tires of Christianity or you cut your teeth on a church pew, 3:16 promises to broaden your horizons and further your understanding of God’s most fundamental, life-transforming promise—the promise of eternal life.”
-Ed Young, Pastor of Fellowship Church and Author of Outrageous, Contagious Joy

“Max Lucado brings words, and now numbers, to new life. The truth in 3:16 is life changing, and nobody makes it more relevant for today and compelling for the future than our friend Max.”
-Mary Graham, President of Women of Faith

“One of America’s favorite authors helps us to see this precious gem from a variety of perspectives, each of which sheds additional light on an inexhaustible truth.”
-Tony Campolo, Ph. D., Professor of Sociology at Eastern University

“John 3:16 is one of the most powerful verses in Scripture. I can't think of another verse that the Gospel hinges on so clearly as John 3:16. Over the years, this verse was displayed behind my father's platform at all his Crusades. Max Lucado’s 3:16 The Numbers of Hope is refreshing and insightful. May the powerful Gospel message of this verse bring hope to all who read.”
- Franklin Graham, President and CEO, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse