Behold, What Manner Of Love! - Part 1

A Christian daycare provider (let’s call her Anne) tells the story of how one day a beautiful, but very troubled little girl came through the door of her center. From the very beginning Anne became captivated by this child who had so little but needed so much. She was heartbroken that a four-year-old could suffer such heartache and pain. She was born in prison after her mom had used marijuana, and crack cocaine her entire pregnancy.

The little girl was nonverbal and had very little control. Anne knew her progress would be a mighty battle. Whenever somebody approached her, she became violent for long periods and ended up in a fetal position on the floor crying out and Anne found herself praying for this little girl day in and day out.

As months rolled on, Anne began to bond with this child that no one wanted. They worked very hard but only took one step forward and four steps back. Daily, they sat in the big rocking chair in Anne’s office, swaying back and forth and back and forth. During their rocking time she sang "Jesus Loves Me" to the little girl. She always settled down and became very still at the melody. Though she never spoke, peace seemed to fill her face as she listened to the song.

One day after a very long battle Anne held the little girl to calm her fears and pain. In silence they rocked back and forth and back and forth. Anne says, “Then she looked at me with tear-filled eyes and spoke for the first time, ‘Sing to me about that Man who loves me.’” Blinking back tears of joy, Anne says, “I knew the battle had been won.”

Today we are going to learn a little about this love…the love of God.

(1 John 3:1 NKJV) Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God. and such we are! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

Behold - Not translated in the NIV. It is the Greek word (idete, eido, i'-do), which means, "look at."

This word means, “behold you.” The writer wants everyone to take notice. Another way to put it is “Behold, all of you.” The young people used to say, “Yo!”

What is it that John wants us to see? What is it that John wants us to behold? He wants us to behold or to see “what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us…”

The kind of love that John is talking about is a strange kind of love, an unusual kind of love, a kind of love to which we are not accustomed.

* Many of us are accustomed to a “fair-weather love” – As long as there are no challenges, this person is around but when a storm comes the “love” goes.

* There is “selfish love” – As long as they are getting what they want everything is ok but when their needs are no longer met they’re gone.

* Then there is a “romantic love” – Which for many men ends when he “scores” and is off to find another trophy.

An online match-making website shares with its audience, Ten Gut-level Characteristics of True Love with the first one being, “Self-ishness.” The author says, “What I mean by Self-ishness is both people in a relationship putting themselves first in a healthy way. Why? So they have the inner resources and energy to extend themselves lovingly to their beloved.” In other words, they are saying, “Look out for #1 and then whatever resources and energy you have left you devote to your partner.”

But this is not the kind of “love” that John is referring to. He writes, “Behold what manner of love.” The word “manner” speaks of something foreign. The first part of verse one could also be translated, “Behold, what foreign kind of love…”

* It is an out of this world kind of love. (i.e., other worldly)

* It is not of this life or from this place. (i.e., unearthly)

John is writing about the love of God.

Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us…

A minister one day sat in the vestry of his church to meet anyone who needed help with some difficult passages of Scripture. Only one came so the minister asked, "What are you having trouble with?" The man answered, "My problem is with the ninth chapter of Romans, where it says, 'Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated,'"

"Yes," said the minister, "that is a hard verse to understand; but which part of the verse is difficult for you?" “The latter part, of course," said the man. "I cannot understand why God should hate Esau."