As week 3 in our Advent series this week, Darren Rowse dives into the timeless words of John 3:16 unpacking God’s radical love and the inclusivity of whoever believes. Through powerful stories from Jesus’ ministry, reflections on belief as an active relationship, and the promise of eternal life, this message will challenge and inspire you to reconnect with the source of life.

Below you’ll find Darren’s message in video and podcast form as well as a summary article with small group discussion questions.

As Christmas approaches, Darren Rowse reflected on the power and relevance of John 3:16 during an Advent sermon. While this verse isn’t traditionally associated with the Christmas story, it beautifully captures the essence of why Jesus came. For Darren, this single verse encapsulates the radical love of God, the inclusivity of the Gospel, and the invitation to eternal life.

The Familiar Power of John 3:16

Darren began by acknowledging the familiarity of 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 many, this verse is one of the first learned in childhood. Darren shared his own memory of encountering it as a five-year-old, when his parents used it to introduce him to Jesus. The verse, he noted, is deeply embedded in the lives of millions, with over 2 million people typing "John 3:16" into Google each month, searching for its meaning.

However, Darren urged the congregation to avoid letting the familiarity of this verse dull its profound truth. He invited listeners to sit with the words, allowing the Holy Spirit to breathe fresh life into them.

A Radical Inclusivity: “Whoever”

Darren focused on the word whoever, highlighting its radical inclusivity. In the context of Nicodemus—a Pharisee who first heard these words from Jesus—this term would have been challenging. Pharisees believed God's blessings and eternal life were reserved for the Israelite people. Yet Jesus proclaimed a message that opened the door to everyone, regardless of ethnicity, status, ability or past.

To illustrate this inclusivity, Darren recounted stories from Jesus’ ministry:

• In John 4, Jesus speaks with a Samaritan woman at a well, breaking cultural and social norms.

• In Matthew 8, He commends the faith of a Roman centurion, a Gentile and a representative of the occupying force.

• In Luke 7, He allows a sinful woman to anoint His feet, forgives her, and affirms her faith.

• Even at the cross, in Luke 23, Jesus promises a criminal beside Him, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

The message is clear: whoever means no one is beyond God’s reach. Darren challenged listeners to reflect on whether they truly embrace this radical inclusivity or whether they sometimes exclude others from their understanding of God’s love.

The whoever is good news to each of us because we are all in the whoever.

• Whoever means that God's love doesn't check résumés; it doesn't scan your past; it doesn't require references or proof of worthiness.

• Whoever means God's love isn't filtered through your achievements or what other people think of you.

• Whoever means God's love doesn't pause when it comes to your doubt or stall at your mistakes or skip over your scars.

• Whoever means God's love doesn't need you to clean up first before you come to Him or make it look like you've got it all together.

• Whoever means God's love doesn't care where you've been or how far you've wandered or how long you've stayed away.

• Whoever means God's grace doesn't have fine print. It doesn't have hidden conditions, and it doesn't stop working when it finds your secrets.

For the Samaritan, the centurion, the sinner, the thief—Jesus’ “whoever” changes everything - and it can for you too.

But whoever is also a word that would have been confronting to some - and perhaps to us too.

As Darren asked - ‘What if “whoever” means the person you think least deserves it?’

Belief as a Verb

Darren then turned to the word believes. He pointed out that in John’s Gospel, belief is never a noun but always a verb. It’s not a one-time intellectual agreement; it’s an ongoing, active trust in Jesus.

Using the imagery of Jesus as the vine and His followers as the branches (John 15), Darren emphasised that belief involves abiding in Jesus. It’s not about ticking a box or following a list of rules; it’s about a continuous, living relationship with Him.

This was a significant shift for Nicodemus, who had spent his life focusing on the law as a means to righteousness. For Jesus, belief was about trust and relationship, not religious performance.

The Reality of Perishing

Darren acknowledged that the word perish can feel uncomfortable. Some preachers gloss over it, while others focus on it excessively, using fear to motivate faith. Darren took a balanced approach, explaining that perish means the loss of life in its fullest sense.

Using an analogy from his own home, Darren described finding a neglected plant in one of his son’s rooms. The plant was perishing because it wasn’t connected to its life source—water, light, and care. Similarly, humans perish spiritually when disconnected from Jesus, the source of life.

While perish is a sobering reality, Darren reminded listeners that the focus of John 3:16 is not on perishing but on the life Jesus offers.

Eternal Life: A Present Reality

The final phrase Darren explored was eternal life. Often associated with life after death, Darren emphasised that in John’s Gospel, eternal life begins now. It’s a quality of life marked by vitality, joy, and connection to Jesus, not just a future promise.

Quoting theologian N.T. Wright, Darren explained that eternal life doesn’t start when we die; it starts the moment we believe. It’s a life that thrives and endures, even in the face of death.

Questions for Reflection and Small Group Discussion

Darren’s sermon left the congregation with profound insights to consider. Here are some questions inspired by his reflections for individual reflection or small group discussion:

1. How does John 3:16 shape your understanding of why Jesus came to earth?

2. In what ways do you see yourself in the word whoever? Are there areas where you struggle to believe you are included in God’s love?

3. How can you practise belief as an ongoing, active trust in Jesus, rather than a one-time intellectual agreement?

4. Are there people in your life you find difficult to include in the whoever of John 3:16? How might Jesus be inviting you to extend His love to them?

5. What does eternal life look like for you in the present? How are you experiencing vitality and connection with Jesus today?

6. Darren spoke about perishing as being disconnected from the source of life. Are there areas in your life where you feel spiritually disconnected? How can you reconnect with Jesus?

7. How can we, as a community, ensure that our faith is more about a relationship with Jesus than about religious rules or traditions?

8. Reflecting on the radical inclusivity of Jesus’ ministry, what steps can you take to make your faith community more welcoming to those who feel excluded or unworthy?

A Call to Reflect on Belief

As Darren closed his sermon, he invited listeners to consider their own belief. For some, faith may feel dry or stagnant. For others, doubt may cloud their ability to trust fully in Jesus. Darren encouraged honesty, reminding everyone of the man in Mark 9 who said, “I believe, but help my unbelief.” Jesus met him in his doubt and brought healing.

Darren ended with a prayer, asking God to awaken belief in the hearts of the congregation, to draw them closer in relationship with Jesus, and to remind them of His radical, inclusive love.

As we approach Christmas, Darren’s reflections on John 3:16 challenge us to embrace the full meaning of the verse—not just as words we know by heart, but as a life-changing truth that invites us into the abundant, eternal life Jesus offers.