20260415 My John 3:16 Moment

John 3:16, perhaps the most cited verse in all of scripture

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.

— John 3:16

The moment came roughly three years ago, and I have since repeated the story to anyone who would listen.

Back in those days we were still using goats to clear a future pasture and the nearby treelines of woody shrubbery; a goat’s favorite food.

Kids in the background, Hector, a badass billy goat at right in foreground

Geri had been to a restaurant in Chicagoland, and met a man of Mediterranean descent who wanted a young kid for food; like a lamb, but of the goat variety. We went back a forth for awhile by email and such, and I agreed to the deal; I knew goats were a temporary but necessary step on the farm, but always had an eye on moving to a grazing animal, not a browsing animal, as are goats. The deal was that I would slaughter the goat and get it to hanging weight for pickup by the customer.

On the Day

I had arranged for a friend, Gabriel, to assist with the slaughter and butchery, since it was the first time for me. But before that could happen, Geri and I needed to get the kid and put him in a conveyance for delivery to Gabe; Geri and I took this on ourselves, and we took no joy in it. At all. The kid had not yet been weened by his mother; the doe was bawling, the kid was bawling too, as we separated mother from son. The kid was maybe six months old, at most. Like I said, it was no fun, and tears might even have been shed. Not mine of course, or so I remember it.

In the Moment

Anyway, I pack him up and head for Gabe’s. Once there, the first step is slaughter, with a knife, as it would have been done “back in the day.” Gabe is behind and standing legs astride over the kid, with the knife, I am in front assisting with the hold. Gabe reaches around and cuts his throat, deeply; I am looking into the kid’s eyes as he chokes on his own blood and bleeds out in front of me, for too long. It was truly terrible. And that is when it hit me, the suffering of God the Father as “He gave His only begotten Son.” Just try to imagine that.

16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Matthew 3:16-17

“For God so loved the world;” that is the “why” of the suffering of both Father and Son.

I try to imagine, as a father, sentencing “My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” to torture and death. I try to imagine what Abraham felt and thought when God asked him to sacrifice his son, Isaac.

(1) And after these things God did proue Abraham, and said vnto him, Abraham. Who answered, Here am I.

(2) And he said, Take nowe thine onely sonne Izhak whom thou louest, and get thee vnto the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering vpon one of the mountaines, which I will shewe thee.

Genesis 22:1-2 Geneva Bible (1599)

It is just too much too ask, of a human. But Abraham, of great faith, does as he is told.

More of the Story

Of course Jesus, and John the Baptist, had to know what would ultimately come.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Beholde the lambe of God, which taketh away the sinne of the worlde.

John 1:29, Geneva Bible (1599)

Jesus was the lamb from the start. And Jesus knowing what was coming, asked of God the Father,

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

Luke 22:42 Geneva Bible (1599)

How hard would it be to refuse that request as a father?

And there is even more to the story of God the Father’s pain …

And about ye ninth houre Iesus cryed with a loud voyce, saying, Eli, Eli, lamasabachthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Matthew 27:46 Geneva Bible (1599)

Some say that God the Father turned his face away, I think I would have also.

The Impact of the Moment

There was of course the spiritual impact. But it was also in that moment, and ever since, that I knew I had to become a shepherd. And it has come to pass, we just bought our first sheep last year, and this spring we have seen our first lambs. Let’s not forget David’s Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd,” that would be God the Father as shepherd. David was himself a shepherd, which is not coincidentally how he learned to use a sling. And of course Jesus is the “good shepherd.”

10 The theefe commeth not, but for to steale, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might haue life, and haue it in abundance. 11 I am that good shepheard: that good shepheard giueth his life for his sheepe. 12 But an hireling, and hee which is not the shepheard, neither the sheepe are his owne, seeth the wolfe comming, and hee leaueth the sheepe, and fleeth, and the wolfe catcheth them, and scattreth the sheepe. 13 So the hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheepe. 14 I am that good shepheard, and knowe mine, and am knowen of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, so know I the Father: and I lay downe my life for my sheepe. 16 Other sheepe I haue also, which are not of this folde: them also must I bring, and they shall heare my voyce: and there shalbe one sheepefolde, and one shepheard. 17 Therefore doeth my Father loue me, because I lay downe my life, that I might take it againe. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it downe of my selfe: I haue power to lay it downe, and haue power to take it againe: this commandement haue I receiued of my Father.

John 10:10-18 Geneva Bible (1599)

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I read some, some might say I read a lot, but I learn best by doing, and through experience. There’s another old saying, words to the effect that “experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.” I think that is a pretty good definition. I make a lot of mistakes, daily; I fail, regularly; and those experiences are the best teachers.

If you want learn more about shepherding sheep, of the four-legged variety, and how that relates to shepherding the two-legged kind spiritually, as in Psalm 23, you can do no better than, A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23, by Phillip Keller. Or just stop by, I keep a few on-hand.

All the best, and may God bless you and keep you,

John