Looking at the 3:16s

The building where I went to kindergarten was originally constructed to be Dodd College (for women), named after the Rev'd Dr. M. E. Dodd, longtime voice of the Baptist Hour and pastor of First Baptist Church, Shreveport, LA. The college didn't work out, but the building and grounds were later used for the new campus of the First Baptist Church and School.

Dodd chaired the committee that in 1925 recommended creation of the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention. Billy Graham said, "Dr. M.E. Dodd . . . was one of the greats, not only to Southern Baptists, but to the church at large during the last generation. He had a profound influence on the lives of young ministers." Dodd was a great orator, but also had his share of embarassing things to say.

Several of his sermon series were collected into books. The text of one, called Baptist Principles and Practices, is available online. When I was at Baylor, I was looking at another (I can't remember the title) in the Moody Memorial Library one day about the "3:16s of the New Testament." The first verse of scripture that many of us memorized was John 3:16--a gem, both theologically and linguistically. Moody pointed out that, by coincidence, the other 3:16s of the New Testament are preaching gems as well. What do you think? Here they are:

Matthew 3:16
And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him

Mark 3:16
He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter)

Luke 3:16
John answered them all, saying, "I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Acts 3:16
And his name--by faith in his name--has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

Romans 3:16 [from a quote about the unrighteous]
in their paths are ruin and misery

1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?

2 Corinthians 3:16
But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

Galatians 3:16
Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, "And to offsprings," referring to many, but referring to one, "And to your offspring," who is Christ.

Ephesians 3:16
that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being

Philippians 3:16
Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

2 Thessalonians 3: 16
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

1 Timothy 3:16
Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness

Hebrews 3:16
For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses?

James 3:16
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

1 Peter 3:16 [in reference to defending your beliefs]
yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

2 Peter 3:16 [in reference to St. Paul]
as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

1 John 3:16
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

Revelation 3:16
So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.