The rest of the story
“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.” (John 3:16)
Famous radio personality…
Paul Harvey used to tell amazing backstories of famous people, things, and places. And after he finished he’d say, “And now, you know the rest of the story!” In the same fashion, the most famous verse in the New Testament, John 3:16, also has a back story that most don’t know. You see John 3:16 shown everywhere, even on hand-held signs at Super Bowl games. If you could quote only one verse, this would probably be it. But few can tell you what the verses are before and after it are in the Bible that tell “the rest of the story”. Let’s take a look.
Verses BEFORE John 3:16
The Bible verses preceding John 3:16 tell about a religious ruler who visited Jesus at night and Jesus explained to him how to be transformed into a brand new person by the Holy Spirit.
John 3:1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
Verses AFTER John 3:16
After John 3:16 we learn WHY God gave His only Son, “the rest of the story”.
John 3:17 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”
And now you know the rest of the story!
This is the gospel story! The good news! So don’t keep it to yourself, go and tell someone!