Qadgop, I love you dearly, but a skilled doctor like yourself should have more respect for someone with a sour stomach!
To me, the Gospel is not only John 3:16, but also John 3:17, “It was not to judge the world that God sent his Son into the world, but that through him the world might be saved.” As a side note, His4Ever, each time I catch you quoting John 3:16 in a judgemental context, I am going to cite John 3:17 at you until we both know both verses equally well. 
More to the point, the Good News which is the essential point of Christianity, and which keeps me from turning away from it is not only that Christ died that our sins might be forgiven and that we all might be Saved, whatever you choose to mean by that, it’s that the great and all powerful Creator of the Universe chose to wear this fragile, mortal form so that He might make it clear to us human beings that He understands us. He understands the limitations of human flesh, including farting, needing to go to the bathroom at inconvenient moments, muscle aches and sore feet, sleepiness, anger, fear, and yes, even that damnably inconvenient emotion that is lust. He also understands the comfort of a friend’s smile, a good laugh, and even a good glass of wine. When my furnace was out earlier this week, I found myself praying, talking to Christ as intimately as if He were an old and treasured friend about the pleasure of a warm bed on a cold night, and about the temptation of remaining in that warm bed on a cold morning. All the while, I was aware that I was speaking to the All Powerful, All Knowing, who could incinerate my entire apartment with much less energy that it takes me to blink. In another religion, I might be concerned about God doing so and not noticing. Because of Christianity, because of the words of Christ recorded in the 4 canonical Gospels, I know he Will notice, will not do destroy me in a moment of inattention, and will continue to love me. I’m a very small an insignificant sheep who’s prone to going astray, but He knows my name and will find me and love me anyway, no matter what incredibly awkward situation I get myself into (and there have been some doozies!).
I’ve been struggling a lot, these past few months. Quite frankly, there have been days when I haven’t been sure I’ll survive. God who created the mountains, the oceans, and the unfathomable depths and glory of space knows of this, and has, in the person of His Son, known what it is to hurt, to weep, even to lose a friend in far worse circumstances than I have. In that glorious entity that is the Holy Spirit, He has wrapped me in His love and seen me through a few rather nasty nights. Last night, when I was driven by depression to believe myself unlovable, I opened my book of daily devotions to find this verse (from Revelations, no less!) highlighted: “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” I can’t give you the Biblical context yet. In the context of my life, it prompted a fresh flood of tears, and the question, “Even all of mine?” The answer was, of course, “Yes.”
Excuse me. This has been a long post even by my standards, and it’s probably one of the most overt bits of witnessing I’ve ever done. Still, Polycarp did ask, and my answer is important, if only to me. The Good News? Even an outcast rebel who managed to achieve negative self esteem like me is not only loved, but known and cherished by the Creator of All Things, and He made the ultimate sacrifice to prove it. Now if only He’d find me a job!
Very, very humbly,
CJ
