For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16-17)
Daily Bible Reading: Judges 17:1-18:31, John 3:1-21, Psalm 104:1-23, Proverbs 14:20-21
Relate: It is a common sight at sporting events. It is written in black under Tebow’s eyes. Yoda turns it into one of the greatest internet memes ever. If a person knows only one Bible verse, this is the one. I’m willing to bet that most of you, when reading the verse above cringed inside because you learned it in the KJV or NIV and when reading it in a modern translation it just doesn’t sound right. It is everywhere… and that is a good thing.
React: Know where you will not find a John 3:16 sign? You won’t find it on a Westboro Baptist sign. It is impossible to speak openly and honestly about the love and sacrifice of God while holding out signs like, “Don’t pray for America”, “Thank God for dead soldiers”, and “God hates fags”. Why is that? Because God came into the world not to condemn the world but so that the world, through Him, might be saved. Truth must be spoken. God hates sin. I am a sinner. I need His forgiveness. I need to be born again. These are dead on facts that need to be conveyed. But if they are spoken without the giving, sacrificing love through which God carried it, then all we have is an internet meme, a sign for the world to point at and mock and ridicule.
Respond:
God, I am so grateful for Your love. I am thankful that it compelled You to act. You gave. You died. I live. There is no more simple yet profound truth than that. It cannot be told enough. Help me to carry that truth to my world, not just in the words that I say but in the manner I live it out. Help me to speak the truth in love without condemnation through my voice and actions. Help me to be Your love to a world that has not yet come to know You.
THE RIVER WALK 
Thank you for this. I, too, am deeply saddened by the actions of those who use words of hate in the name of the Christ who poured out his love on the cross for our beautiful but broken world.
So grateful for his love . . . absolutely. Many thanks!
AMEN!
🙂
Amen.
Amen. Westboro has come to our town at least 3 times to protest various things. Truth without grace isn’t what Jesus brought (John 1:17). Good word.
I’ve nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogging Award. All the details are in my latest post! Congratulations!
Greatly enjoyed this! Only by Jesus are we worthy.
Amen, this is great!
Amen. God is so, so…good. 🙂
If we would only filter everything through His love, we’d be in a lot less trouble! Individually, as a people of faith and as a country. Thank you for the reminder.
Awesome Stuff!
Loved seeing Yoda, big star wars fan! bigger fan of Christ!
Inspiring.
As above, I too am deeply saddened, and embarrassed, when groups such as Westboro show their hate, instead of the love we have and are commanded to show through Christ; as well as realising I fall short in many ways too. We in the Orthodox Church have just celebrated Easter [late this year…], and I hold to the hope and belief that its message of joy, hope and life, will never be extinguished by those who practice hate in whatever form.
There is a place for anger and hatred. Evil should make us angry, and we should hate it. But people we should not hate. When people do evil we should pity them. For when we do evil, we become our own worst enemy.
It says the video doesn’t exist?
Sounds like somebody’s been preaching on John 3! 🙂
I am spending the entire year blogging through John.
I have preached through the Gospel According to John twice, and it was a wonderful experience to do it.