Pursue the goal of peace along with everyone — and holiness as well, because no one will see the Lord without it. (Hebrews 12:14, CEB)
No one will see the Lord without holiness.
If there is a single verse that explains the ministry of John Wesley, this is it. He was convinced of this. He spent ten years striving after holiness by human means. Then, God revealed to him the miracle of faith. It was by faith that a person could be made holy. Any person, all persons could be made holy by faith.
And the rest is history.
If John Wesley stood up in the end zone of a football game with a rainbow-colored wig and a cardboard sign, he would display Hebrews 12:14 and not John 3:16.
There are all kinds of good reasons not to do this, but I do find myself wondering what my single verse would be.
Do you have one?
I am a part-time local pastor serving 
The doctrine of original sin is surely more humbling to man than the opposite: And I know not what honour we can pay to God, if we think man came out of His hands in the condition wherein he is now.
I have two:
Ecclesiastes 3: 1 – To every thing there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven.
I heard this first when I heard the Byrds sing “Turn, Turn, Turn”. It would lead to a more detailed study of the Bible rather than a simple cursory reading of the Bible.
John 8: 31 – Seek the truth and the truth will set you free. If you are in education, then this has to be the guiding verse of your life.
I will share another verse related to football games in a second comment.
Alluding to your note about the individua who would attend football games and other sporting events and hold up a sign saying “John 3:16″, some years ago there was a sign at a University of Tennessee football game that said “Luke 23:34″.
Now,this particular year the Vols had started off rather poorly and the alumni were not very happy. I know at least one alumnus who asked our preacher the following morning what this verse was (let’s not go into the fact that the alumnus didn’t look it up himself). But turning to the passage in Luke, they read, “forgive them Father for they know not what they do.”
Love it.
Gosh, this is a tough one, but I’d have to vote for Matthew 6:33 “Seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well..” As an active preacher, the lilies of the field text was probably the pericope I preached on most often. I have seen the truth of this text born out repeatedly in practice. Nevertheless, I keep discovering my need to refocus my life on the quest for God’s kingdom—over and over again.