Word of Jesus

John 3:14-17

 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

John 3:16 is probably one of the most used verses in the Bible.  It's the first verse that I ever learned by heart.  I find the verse after it, verse 17, to have a great deal of significance also.  He wasn't sent to condemn the world, but that the wourl might, through him, be saved.  Jesus knew what his purpose was, and why he was here, and I believe in these 4 verses, he was telling Nicodemus what that purpose was.  I believe there was a purposed to everything he said and did while he was here on earth.  In this little talk with Nicodemus he seems to have revealed that purpose to Nicodemus.

In verses 14-17 Jesus pretty much lays out the plan God has for his life.   When he says, "evenso must the Son of man be lifted up", he was talking about himself on the cross, and then in 15 and 16 he talks about what the benefit for man would be.  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  Then he goes on to say that he wasn't there to condemn, but to save.  

Every time I read these verses, I am reminded of what Jesus did on the cross, and the sacrifice he made so that I could be reconsiled with God the Father.  He didn't have to do it, but he did, because he loved us so much.  His love for us is what held him to the cross, and it's why we can have a personal, and vital relationship with God, not just God the Father, but with God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit also.  

It starts with having faith enough to believe that Jesus died for our sins, and that through Him we have eternal life.  It starts with letting him take the wheel and letting him drive us in the direction that he needs us to go, and trusting him for the strength, endurance, and faith to make it through.