Have you ever been given a surprise gift on a day that was not a holiday or your birthday? Even before saying "Thank you," most of us feel tempted to ask the gift-giver, "Why did you get me a gift?!" We want to know the motivation behind the gift. Today in our study, we will ask that same question about the gift of Jesus. We will ask why God willingly gave His one and only Son to die on the cross for our sins.
Jesus explained why God the Father sent Him to earth in John chapter 3. He was conversing with a man named Nicodemus about how to have eternal life with Him forever. During this conversation, Jesus explained that He would have to be "lifted up." So that all who look to Him can have eternal life. Nicodemus did not realize that Jesus was referring to death on a cross when He talked about being "lifted up" (verses 14-15). After explaining these things, Jesus told Nicodemus why He would be offered as a sacrifice. He explained, "For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life" (verse 16). This verse tells us exactly what the motivation behind the gift of Jesus was: God's love for people. You see, God loves humanity so much that He sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins and die a criminal's death on the cross so that we can have eternal life with Him one day. That is just how much He loved us.
My friend, if you ever doubt God’s love for you, look no further than John 3:16. He loves you so much that He sent Jesus, His only son, to die for you so you would never have to experience life apart from Him. You are so loved by God, and His love for you motivated Him to send Jesus, the greatest gift you will ever receive.
God has made His love for you so clear. Now is our chance to respond. Take time to pray and tell God just how much you love Him. Write a prayer down expressing your love for Him, and be sure to thank Him for the love that He has shown towards you.
"There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.
10 Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11 I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 12 But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”
