The spoken word that was shared on Sunday and then again with the Daily Faith Challenge on Monday was written by our very own Holly Vogel and read by Josh and Emilie Dahm.
We started and ended the reading with the most popular verse in all of Scripture. John 3:16- For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave us his son. Why did Jesus die? Because of his great love.

But, it is also deeper than that. This passage would be referred to as a Gospel passage. Gospel simply means good news. Jesus came to bring good news. But here’s the challenge with good news. In order to understand that it is good news, you need to know what the bad news is.

That was the crux of the spoken word earlier, God’s great love. It was a parable, a dialogue between God and humanity, the struggle that faced God’s love and our separation. Notice this section, “The connection of the two were never meant to be separated. But a great tragedy- the two were torn apart. Such a distance they could never close. The distance was great, but greater was the love the one had for the other. There was unimaginable turmoil as a result of the separation, suffering hardship, violence, destruction, pain and death.”
That is our reality, that is the bad news. Jesus took on the bad news.

Notice, “Eventually, the piece of the great love that was sent to the others side was taken, tortured, mocked, beaten, and hung. The piece of the great love took on all the pain and suffering the great separation had caused. He took it all on Himself – and died.”

We are familiar with John 3:16, but notice John 3:17- For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. According to God’s way, he sent Jesus into our world, to save your world, which is you and all that is in it.

Let me summarize Genesis to revelation with one passage in 1 Corinthians 15:21-22- 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

Because of sin, that is the tragedy that separates us all. But because of the sinless Jesus, who took on the sin of the world, it is through his resurrection that we can live and live life to the fullest.

Sure, we can ask the why questions and we can wait for all the right answers. But the questions asked at the resurrection are the ones you need to embrace and trust. Who is it that you are looking for? Why do you look for the living among the dead?

This is about receiving God’s answer to the greatest question, why did Jesus die? Because of his great love. Trust in receiving God’s great love.

I appreciate Pete Briscoe’s quote. “To be saved by faith is not just accepting the gift of eternal life. It is trusting Jesus Christ enough to follow Him and obey even when we don’t understand where He is taking us and why the journey is so hard.”

Folks, there are some of you today that need to accept that invitation of his great love. No matter your questions, no matter how far gone you think you are. That’s part of the reason I love the events of Jesus’ last days. When he was on the cross and after his death, there were two people that never should have believed, but they did. They didn’t have all their questions answered and didn’t even see the love that Jesus truly had for them, but yet they believed.

The criminal on the cross next to him, responded in belief and Jesus accepted him.
The Roman guard, at Jesus’ last breath, responded, “truly, he is the Son of God.”

If they received what Jesus did on the cross, then why not you. Like Jesus did with Mary, he’s calling your name and God is saying, directly to you, “For I so loved your world, that I sent my one and only son.” Folks, this is about trusting and receiving God’s great love for you.

You can do that with a prayer. “God, I know I have more questions and doubts then answers and belief at times. But if you chose to bridge that gap for me, because of your great love. I’m sorry, I’m sorry I’ve lived life separate from you, that my sin deserves death, but you have brought me life. I accept your life for mine.”