The Greatest Gift, Part 1
John 3:16
[16] “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
DEEP SHEET: Sermon Study Questions
1. What are some of your favorite Christmas hymns? How do they direct you to the great theological themes of Christmas?
2. Why do you think John 3:16 has become so famous? To use R.C. Sproul’s language, how does it get distorted?
3. How does this verse deepen your understanding of God the Father? What does it teach us about the Trinity?
4. What impact should this verse have on our attitude towards people in the world who do not know the Lord? How does the Apostle John apply it to life within the church in 1 John 4:9-11?
5. Why should John 3:16 motivate us towards trust, gratitude, and total commitment? How have these been weakened in your life?
6. What does it mean to say that Christianity is exclusive? How does John 3:16 demonstrate the exclusivity of Christ?
7. How does Numbers 21:4-9, which is referred to in John 3:14-15, make the gospel more vivid for you? What insight does it give into the nature of saving faith?
References: Luke 5:31-32; 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 John 4:16; John 17:24-26; 3:35; Hebrews 11:17; Genesis 22:1-2; John 12:32-33; 1 John 4:9-11; Romans 8:32; John 3:36; 14:6; Numbers 21:4-9; 2 Corinthians 5:21.