Love, Peace, Joy and “HOPE” of Christmas

• God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is Our Hope - The word “hope” in the Bible is used somewhat differently than the way we use the word today. The world’s definition of “hope” is “a general feeling that some desire will be fulfilled” and it is set on temporal earthly things. Where as a true Christian's “Hope” is in invisible “eternal life” which God promised before the world began(Tit 1:2). Our real need is for the salvation of our dead souls as we are bound for an inescapable confrontation with God the Judge, and certain punishment in Hell. Eze 37 is very striking indeed, it reiterates the dryness, or deadness, of the “bones”, but adds two other factors – “our hope is lost” and “we are cut off”. These three expressions have everything to do with the spiritually dead condition of God’s chosen people (the Israel of God) before they become saved. Rom 8:24-25 is a significant passage in that God is giving us an accurate definition of what true Biblical hope is and highlights that “we are saved by hope”. Only those who have been given eternal life will not have to face eternal death in Hell. The Hebrew word for “hope” (yachal:H3176) is also rendered as “wait” and “trust”. Hoping is associated with waiting on God. Please note how God is linking “full assurance of hope” with both “faith and patience” in Heb 6:11-12. In Isa 59, God describes the only hope that mankind has, His mighty arm, which is Lord Jesus Christ. John 3:16 declares "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. Psa 16 affirms the hope of the resurrection and the promise that God the Father made to God the Son that His soul would not be left in Hell, in which Christ rejoiced in enduring his Fathers' wrath in carrying out God’s Will through which he secured the hope of the resurrection of believer. 1 Cor 15:19 stresses the importance of a “living hope” for each believer who anticipates spending eternity – not just a few years on this earth: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”

Tit 1:2 “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;”

Eze 37:11-14 “Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel [typifying the Elect of God]: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. 12Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel [typifying heaven]. 13And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, 14And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.”

Psa. 33:18-19 “Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.”

Lam 3:22-26 “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. 25The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 26It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.”

Rom 8:24-25 “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”

Isa 59:16-17 “And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.”

Psa 16:8-11 [Messianic Psalm] “I [Lord Jesus] have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Acts 2:25-26 “For David speaketh concerning him [Lord Jesus], I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope. [quoting Psa 16:9]”

1 Pet 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively [or living] hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”.

Tit 3:5-7 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Tit 2:13 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”

• Be Ready Always to Give an Answer for the Reason of the Hope that is in You  - A “born-again” Christian finds within his soul a constant, overflowing appreciation for all that God has done for him in the past, at present, and for eternity. God’s “hope” is an absolute certainty that “all things” God says about His salvation program in His Word, the Bible, will be fulfilled. Since God’s Word is Truth, and the only Truth – it provides the only hope for escaping from our slavery to sin and the penalty we deserve, which is eternal Hell. Mankind’s only possible hope of eternal life is revealed in the Bible. An authentic Christian’s trust, hope, confidence, and faith needs to be firmly established in what God has written in His Word. As we humbly live in the fear of God, the Scriptures provide both patience and hope to be obedient to the Word of God in thought, word, and deed. Those who fear the Lord will speak of His salvation with “boldness”, “confidence”, “openly” and “plainly”. The big task for the Christian as he lives out his life in this world is to be a witness, or an “ambassador”, for Christ. This is of paramount importance to those who have become “born from above”. If one is to witness to others once God has redeemed him, he must utilize his body, pure and away from sin, as a tool in God’s service and for God’s glory.

Eph 2:12 “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. ”

Rom15:4 “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”

Psa 130:5 “I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.”

Heb 6:16-19 “For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability [unchangeableness] of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;”

2 Cor 3:5-6,12 “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers [or servants] of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life… Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech [boldly].”

Php 1:20 “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.”

Eph 1:18 “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.”

Heb 6:11-12 “And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises”

Rom 5:3-5 “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience, And patience, experience; and experience, hope. And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

1 The 1:3-4 “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.”

1 The 5:8 “But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.”

1 Pet 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

1 John 3:2-3 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he [Christ] shall appear, we shall be like him [Christ]; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

2 The 2:16-17 “Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.”

Rom 15:13 “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Love, Peace, “JOY” and Hope of Christmas

• Good Tidings of Great Joy - God chose His people that He might indwell them throughout eternity. The “good tidings of great joy” that the “angel”, or messenger, announced in Luke 2 is referring to the the Gospel of salvation that God joyfully performed. God goes to great lengths to emphasize the “joy” that He would ultimately experience in Lord Jesus after enduring the wrath of God. Once again we need to be reminded that this was Jesus’ mission, as He Himself declared in Luke 4. We even read about God Himself singing with joy over His body of believers. The name “Zion” is synonymous with “Jerusalem”, and both are representations of the Kingdom of God in an earthly, physical sense and also in a heavenly, spiritual sense. Thus, the spiritual, eternal Kingdom of God – comprising the body of true believers – is often typified by physical “Mount Zion”.

Psa 132:13-18 “For the LORD hath chosen Zion [the body of true believers]; he hath desired it for his habitation. 14This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it. 15I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. 16I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. 17There will I make the horn of David [Lord Jesus Christ] to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed. 18His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.”

Luke.2:10-11 “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

Luke 4:18-19,21 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me [Lord Jesus Christ] to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord… And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”

Heb 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Psa 16:10-11 “For thou [God the Father] wilt not leave my [Lord Jesus] soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Zep 3:17 “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”

Luke 15:7,10 “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance… Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

Jude 1:24-25 “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”

• My Spirit hath Rejoiced in God My Saviour - This same joy God posses towards his children would also be the precious possession of every child of God. Many among Evangelical community are touting the harmful idea that the Bible promises physical well-being, financial prosperity, and political freedom as the unquestioned rights of each Christian. Nothing could be further from the truth! While the unsaved find joy in the pleasures and riches of this world, a believer finds Joy in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost as Rom 14 points out. Isa 61 beautifully describes this joy which God graciously bestows upon His elect which is made possible only through the atoning work of Lord Jesus. Those who have been born from above will experience the ultimate pleasure – knowing God Himself. Mary's prayer in Luke 1 epitomizes the joy of salvation and gratitude that each child of God possesses. Also a believer finds Joy in the Word of God as Jer 15 points out and sharing this “good tidings of great joy” with the lost world (Acts 20:24). True believers are governed by the “fruit” (or product) of the Holy Spirit’s work in their lives. Each believer has been given “joy” as a fruit of the Spirit, which is a direct result of the incomprehensible salvation that God has granted. God uses trials and temptations in the lives of His children to test and strengthen their Faith. Jam 1:2-3 affirms that Christians can indeed rejoice in the midst of suffering. The true child of God can look forward with joy to spending eternity with His Lord and Master in the highest possible bliss as 1 Pet 1:8 underscores.

Rom 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat [food] and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

Psa 16:11 “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Isa 61:10 “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”

Luke 1:46-47 “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.”

Jer 15:16 “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.”

Acts 20:24 “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”

Gal 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

1 Pet 1:6-8 “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory”

Isa 35:10 “And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”

1 Pet 1:8 “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory…”

Rom 15:13 “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Love, “PEACE”, Joy and Hope of Christmas

• On Earth Peace, Good Will Toward Men - Since Christmas is celebrated in almost every country, the birth of Christ is undoubtedly the best-known part of the Bible for people all over the world. But beyond the Baby in a manger Who would bring “peace” on earth and “good will toward men” (Luke 2:14), most people do not grasp the real significance of Jesus’ birth. The Lord Jesus came to this earth on a mission of “peace” – but not in the physical sense that most people imagine. However, wars are the result of man’s sinful nature and will never be abolished on this sin-cursed earth because man’s heart is desperately wicked. A much more serious war than all the secular wars in the history of man put together is taking place right now. It is the spiritual war between God and rebellious mankind that started in the Garden of Eden as a result of Adam’s sin. Why Is Christ the “Prince Of Peace”? The reason Christ is named the “Prince of Peace” is because He came to bring eternal peace to fallen man by ending the state of perpetual warfare that exists between God and man. Christ has brought us Peace from the Guilt of Sin, Peace from Spiritual Death, Peace from Hell. All who are unsaved, with out “the Prince of Peace” will be damned eternally on the last day.

Rom 8:7 “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”

Rom 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat [food] and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

Luke 2:13-14 “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

Matt 10:34-36 “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.”

Isa 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Eph 2:14-17 “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.”

Isa 53:5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

Rom 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

• How Beautiful are the Feet of them that Preach the Gospel of Peace - Christ's death was the means that God decreed to reconcile every Christian [born-again] to the Father, as Isa 53:5 dramatically points out: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed”. That is, Christ’s death resulted in spiritual healing for all whom He came to save. The believer recognizes that God has saved him to serve – that is, to be a witness to those around him who remain prisoners in Satan’s kingdom. Hence, Jesus while speaking to the Father about all believers in John 17:18 says, “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world”. They are to be “Ambassadors for Christ in the world to fulfill the words of 2 Cor 5:19-20: “who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation” and “hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation [the Gospel]”. As we contemplate this wonderful truth, may we be convicted to faithfully share the wonderful message of salvation that Christ “The Prince of Peace” has brought, to all with whom we come in contact this Christmas season. May God give us renewed zeal to be about His business. Blessed are the peacemakers.

Rom 5:9-10 “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

Col 1:20 “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”

2 Cor 5:18-20 “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation [the Gospel]. 20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

Acts 10:36 “The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all).”

Rom 10:15 “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

Matt 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”

“LOVE”, Peace, Joy and Hope of Christmas

• God so Loved the World, that He Gave His Only Begotten Son - One of the most marvelous truths of Scripture is the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. The word “incarnation” means “in the flesh”. Of course, the greatest demonstration of love is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what it means that God is a God of love: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son...”. The mission of the Lord Jesus is crystallized in Mat 1:21-23. The name “Jesus” comes from the Hebrew name yehowshuwa’ (H3091), which is translated as “Joshua” in Old Testament of the KJV, and it conveys the meaning of “Jehovah is salvation”. Lord Jesus is born into this world for the express purpose to die, to die for the sins of His people, as seen in John 12:7: “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour”. We read these words in the old hymn, “Out of the Ivory Palaces”: “Out of the ivory palaces, into a world of woe. Only His great eternal love, made my Savior go”. There is no greater love than for God to become sin on behalf of His people, the elect, and to suffer the equivalent of eternity in Hell for them. The good news of the Gospel, “good tidings of great joy”, is that the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners from eternal damnation in Hell.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

1 John 4:10 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

Luke.2:10-11 “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

Matt 1:21-23 “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

• Whosoever Believeth in Him should NOT perish, but have Everlasting Life - To love ones neighbor is to desire that which is most beneficial – the highest possible good – for them. And what could that be that is more beneficial to anyone? The world would tell us we need a new house, a new car, a new job, a wife, a family, more money, a healthy lifestyle, religion, etc. Are these material things really going to provide that which is of utmost importance to anyone? The Bible informs us in Mark 8, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul, Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”. “Eternal Life” is the greatest gift anybody can receive because no human being deserves it. In fact, we deserve the opposite, which is eternal damnation. The good tidings that the “angel”, or messenger, announced in the verse Luke 2:10-11, is referring to the spreading of the Gospel of salvation. Once again we need to be reminded that this was Jesus’ mission, as He Himself declared in Luke 4:18-19 and 21: “...he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor...”. The responsibility of preaching the Gospel did not fall on Christ alone, but on every one of His followers thereafter. God commands all of His saints to “go ye into all the world” and to “shew mercy” to the lost by being “ambassadors for Christ” and proclaiming the “Gospel of Christ”. Isa 52:7 attests, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!”. The KJV terms “bringeth good tidings” and “publisheth” are from two different Hebrew words (basar:H1319 and shama’:H8085) that have several meanings, including that of “evangelize” in English. We know this because God translated both Hebrew words into the Greek of the New Testament as euanggelizo (G2097) in Rom 10:15. The KJV translators then converted that Greek word into English as “bring glad tidings” and “preach the gospel”. The greatest Christmas gift anyone can give is to announce the greatest demonstration of God’s Love as found in the Gospel – to share the Gospel of Grace, which has the power to produce “everlasting life”.

Luke.2:10-11 “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

Luke 4:18-19, 21 (Isa 61:1-2) “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me [Lord Jesus], because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord… And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”

Rom 10:13-15 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel [euanggelizo] of peace, and bring glad tidings [euanggelizo] of good things!” 

John 21:15-17 “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest [agapao] thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love [phileo] thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest [agapao] thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love [phileo] thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest [phileo] thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest [phileo] thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love [phileo] thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”