John 3:14-16

Read John 3:14-16  

Helpful Background Information: 

• To better understand the significance of Jesus on the cross, it’s helpful to flashback and see the significance Jesus himself gives to this event. For this, we go back to, perhaps, the most famous passage from the Gospels: Jesus’ interaction with Nicodemus. 

• For the sake of brevity, we will only focus on three verses: John 3:14-16. Jesus references the story of Moses lifting the bronze snake in the wilderness from Numbers 21, where the Israelite people who looked at the bronze snake were healed from poisonous snake bites. Jesus uses this Old Testament story as an analogy for himself. When Jesus is lifted up, referring to his death on the cross, anyone who looks upon him on the cross will have eternal life and be saved. 

• This mission to save sinners unto eternal life is described in John 3:16 out of God’s supreme, overflowing love. Returning to Mark’s description of the crucifixion in Mark 16, we see Jesus on the cross. What Jesus prophesied earlier is now being fulfilled! Anyone, either at the time or now, who looks upon Christ lifted up will be saved from their sins! This was always the mission of Jesus Christ, and it is God’s love on supreme display! In Mark 15:30, when the mockers tell Jesus to come down, they don’t realize that if Jesus did so, it would eliminate the salvation he was purchasing.

Reflection Questions: 

• How does seeing the crucifixion in Mark 15 deepen your understanding of what Jesus meant in John 3?

• When you think about Jesus refusing to come down from the cross (Mark 15:30), how does that strengthen your assurance of salvation?

• How do John 3:14-16 and Mark 15 help you to share the Gospel with unbelievers in your lives?