Something familiar often loses some its original meaning through repetition. It is perhaps the most familiar and most frequently quoted verse in the Bible.
Modern religion seems to put the major emphasis there.
However, if we listen carefully to what John says, there is something else at the center of the gospel. It is true that love lies at the heart of God. But John is NOT saying that LOVE is God's most important gift to God's people. Because we usually learn only the 16th verse, we overlook the verse which follows. And for good reason.