John

Check out all the previous John readings here.

John Reading Plan | Week 3, Day 3

Prayer

Pause for a moment of quiet and stillness. To center yourself fully, take a deep breath in and exhale slowly. Repeat this process three times. Ask God to open your eyes to the amazing truths in His word today.

Bible Reading: John 3:16-21

Read these verses three times slowly.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

Reflection & Questions

Today, we read probably the most famous verse in all the Bible, and one of the most concise versions of the gospel in scripture (John 3:16). It’s not clear if John is quoting Jesus in these verses. Some Bible translations make this a continuation of the conversation with Nichodemus, and Jesus speaking these words and others do not include quotation marks. Either way, since “all scripture is God-breathed” (1 Timothy 3:16), whether Jesus spoke these words to Nichodemus or not, these are the words of Jesus.

And what we have is amazing news. God has made a way through His Son, for all who believe to live forever with him, and not be condemned. This is for everywhere, for whoever. Do you notice how many times “whoever” is used? Look back through to spot the four times he uses it in this short passage. “Whoever” is a favorite word of John, being repeated 29 times throughout his gospel (more than any other New Testament book). The principle is clear: The gospel is for anyone and everyone who will believe it. But to “believe” to John doesn’t just mean an intellectual thought. Even here in this passage, he not only says “whoever believes” but also “whoever lives by the truth.” To John, to “believe” is way more than accepting the truth, it is living by it as well.

1. What word or phrase sticks out to you from these verses? Why?
2. Why is belief more than just accepting the truth? Why would just acceptance not be the kind of belief Jesus is looking for?

Prayer

Talk to God in response to today’s reading.

Worship Song

You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:

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Questions?