Lord’s Day, Vol. 3 No. 35
God’s Best Gift to Man
Man has three problems he cannot solve. They are sin, sorrow and death.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We see that this world is plagued by sin, hatred and violence.
Sorrow is an inevitable result of this fallen world. Broken relationships, broken family bonds, broken marital bonds, and the list goes on. Somehow, we just could not live peaceably and joyfully with one another.
To top it all, none can escape death. 10 out of 10 will die. When death strikes in a family, the entire family sorrows for the departed loved one.
Ecclesiastes 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
We are awakened to the reality of life. We are awakened to the sad plight of men. Is there no remedy?
The Bible is the only book that has the solution to the issue of sin, sorrow and death. John 3:16 recorded for us the remedy.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Our text tells us that God loves you (v16a), God sent His Son to save you (v16b) and God desires that you receive eternal life by faith (v16c).
(1) God loves you
– “God so loved the world…” (v16a)
How great is God’s love for mankind. He loves us because we are His creation. That love was not just “talk” but it was an action word, for God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us. It was the epitome of God’s love in action!
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
(2) God Sent His Son to Save You (v16b)
– “…that he sent his only begotten son…”
Jesus was there in the beginning with the Father, from the beginning of no beginnings. He is the only begotten Son of God that has been prophesised in the Scriptures. The Father sent Him in order to fulfil that salvation plan for mankind.
The Bible says in Genesis 3:15 that the seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent. Mary, the mother of Jesus, conceived Jesus when she was a virgin! It was the power of the Holy Spirit that brought about that conception (Matthew 1:20). We have heard of the seed of man but the seed of the woman, without the taint of human sin, is unheard of. All men have sinned and could not save themselves. Jesus was born of a virgin that He could be the sinless sacrifice on the cross to take away our sins.
Isaiah 53:5-6, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
Three days after Jesus died, God the Father raised Jesus from the dead, thereby overcoming the sting of death. 1 Corinthians 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
God loves you and He sent His Son to save you. That is a great mystery of mysteries. That is the only way of reconciliation between a holy God and sinful men.
(3) God desires you to receive eternal life by faith (v16c)
– “…that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Hebrews 9:27 And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Death is not the end for men. God created Man with an eternal soul and after he died, the unsaved soul is consigned to judgment in hell. The Bible tells us that hell is a place of eternal torment and judgment.
By the grace of God, those who look to Christ who was once offered to bear the sins of many (Hebrews 9:28a) shall be saved. The saved soul would be transported to heaven when he takes his last breath on earth (Luke 23:43). God wants us to have faith in this message of salvation.
Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Repent of your sins and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour and be saved. Jesus means “Saviour” and Christ means “Messiah”, “the Anointed One”. If we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we would not perish in hell but receive the gift of everlasting life in heaven.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pr. Lek Aik Wee