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CHAPTER 3

Ver. 16. God so loved the world, that He gave His-only begotten Son.

The gospel in brief: Pliny declares that Cicero once saw the Iliad of Homer written in so small a character that it could be contained in a nutshell. Peter Bales, a celebrated caligrapher, in the days of Queen Elizabeth, wrote the whole Bible so that it was shut up in a common walnut as its casket. In these days of advanced mechanism even greater marvels in miniature have been achieved, but never has so much meaning been compressed into so small a space as in that famous little word "So," in the text. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

The gospel: The text gives a deeper insight into the Divine character than the heavens which declare God's glory and than those tender mercies of His providence which are over all His works.

I. THE DIVINE LOVE.

1. Its marvellousness. The world is

(1) not the wondrously perfect material universe;

(2) not the world of unfallen angels;

(3) not a world of creatures such as Adam was when pronounced "very good." Then had there been no wonder. But

(4) the world the whole of which lieth in wickedness.

2. Its universality.

(1) Salvation is as common as sunshine, yet if a man will close his eyes the sun is of no use to him. So while salvation is for all many put it away from them.

(2) It was originally meant to be so. The Jews denied it because "they erred, not knowing the Scripture." The promise to Abraham and renewed to Isaac and repeated by Isaiah was a universal one.

(3) Salvation extends to the most ignorant and the very worst.

II. THE DIVINE GIFT. He could give nothing dearer or greater. Some may excel others in kindness; but God's love is such that in its manifestation it cannot possibly be exceeded. Christ is His unspeakable gift. He gave His Son.

1. To a humbling incarnation.

2. To a laborious servitude.

3. To an ignominious and sacrificial death.

III. THE DIVINE DESIGN.

1. What God wants to do.

(1) To save all men from perishing

(2) To give all everlasting life.

2. The condition upon which He will do it. Faith in His Son. (Mortlock Daniell.)

A triple ray of Gospel light: Here are three great testimonies like the three primary colours which make one white beam.