Day 12: The Best News
Read: John 3:16-21
I got a text from my mom in class my senior year of high school. She had received a letter in the mail from Moody Bible Institute. Moody was my top pick for college and I desperately wanted to get in. My mom didn’t want to open it without me, but I had theatre rehearsal after school. She drove to my school just so we could open it together before my rehearsal. I met her in the car and when I got there she was already crying. We were both nervous. We prayed and then finally opened the letter.
I was accepted. I can still feel the excitement of that moment. My mom and I prayed to God again after and called my Dad to tell him. We were all beyond joyful because of this good news.
In John chapter 3, Jesus reveals the good news to Nicodemus, a Pharisee who went to Him seeking truth. This was and still is the best news mankind has received! We no longer have to receive the punishment for our sins. It isn’t about how much our good outweighs our bad. It’s not about a book of rules. It isn’t about us trying our best to get to God. It’s about God who came down to us, met us where we were and bore the punishment of our sins for Himself.
Verses 16-18 say, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
God sent His son for us. If we have faith in Jesus and what He did for us, we receive eternal life. The punishment of sin is paid. He did it for us. Jesus wasn’t sent to condemn us for all we have done wrong, but to save us from our sins.
This good news brings light into our darkness. Verse 21 says, “But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” These verses relay the best news. God deserves praise above everything for what He did for us. We should be overjoyed at this news. He is so good!
Spend time meditating on these verses. Focus on His love for you. Thank God for sending His Son to die for you. Praise Him for the light He has shown in your life.