Photo by Aaron Burden
By Mike Chaffin
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
The best loved verse of all time is known my millions, even if they aren’t a Christian. Back in the 1970’s a man named Rollen Stewart made it even more famous.
Wikipedia reports, “Rollen Fredrick Stewart (born February 23, 1944), also known as Rock’n Rollen and Rainbow Man, is a man who was a fixture in American sports culture best known for wearing a rainbow-colored afro-style wig and, later, holding up signs reading “John 3:16” at stadium sporting events around the United States and overseas in the 1970s and 1980s. Stewart became a born-again Christian, and was determined to “get the message out” via television. His first major appearance was at the 1977 NBA Finals; by the time of the 1979 MLB All-Star Game, broadcasters actively tried to avoid showing him. He “appeared behind NFL goal posts, near Olympic medal stands, and even at the Augusta National Golf Club.” At the 1982 Indianapolis 500, he was behind the pits of race winner Gordon Johncock. Stewart would strategically position himself for key shots of plays or athletes. He made no money from this and was homeless for a period. He is believed to have acquired tickets as donations from supportive Christians.”
Growing up an avid sports fan I saw him on the television with his sign almost weekly. (He wore a rainbow Afro wig so he would stick out in the crowd. This was long before the queer community subverted the rainbow from its Biblical underpinnings, but that topic is for a later article.) He wanted to spread the gospel of Jesus and saw this as a great way to put the message out even though it was just one verse reference.
However, it isn’t just a verse reference. It is the greatest news of all time. God so loved you. He loved you before you were born. He loves you still. His love knows no limits. When you feel unloved, just remember God loves you and He is there for you.
Whosoever will believe in Jesus and His sacrifice for your sins on the cross can be saved. They will not perish into eternal damnation but have eternal life. No wonder this is the most searched for verse on the internet.
Are you searching for God? Searching for forgiveness, a new life, maybe a do over? You only have to believe, ask for forgiveness, and for Jesus to live in you. You will find what you are looking for. God has the answers. Jesus is the answer.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for loving me so much you sent your son to die for me. Forgive me of my sins. I accept you as my Savior and ask you to live in me. Lead me and guide me. Help me to live a new life of peace and joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.
* There is a website that conducted a search for Bible verses. They compiled a list of the verses in order of the magnitude of hits they got in their search. Some of these verses qualify as ‘people’s favorites’, while others might be on the list because they are some of the most important and most teachable words of God.
