God Is Love

2016.02.14.Sermon.God is Love

William Akehurst, HSWC

1 John 4:7-21

GOD IS LOVE

It's not that HE HAS love but rather that HE IS LOVE.

GOD IS LOVE. WE HAVE LOVE.

Illus: Marriages – are they for love alone? – Love vs. Arranged. Both can work out, because LOVE is a choice.

We have the choice to Love.

But what will blow your mind is this...GOD "IS" [emphasized] LOVE.

Everything about God IS Love.

This is why HE wrote the book!

This is why HE sent HIS Son

For HE IS LOVE and LOVES Each and every one of us regardless of who we are or what we have done.

Do you know LOVE?

Can you Love others as GOD loves each of us?

GOD IS LOVE...

1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

GOD IS LOVE and LOVE IS OF GOD. Therefore we love, because we have CHRIST in our hearts.

We know LOVE because GOD IS LOVE.

1 John 4:7-21

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

GOD IS LOVE and HE MANIFESTED THAT LOVE TO US and sent HIS only SON-JESUS (John 3:16)

9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

GOD IS LOVE and we love GOD because HE FIRST LOVED US.

10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

GOD IS LOVE and we need to love others.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

GOD IS LOVE and HIS love is perfected in us in that GOD DWELLS IN US.

12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

GOD IS LOVE and dwells in us because HE GAVE US HIS SPIRIT

13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

GOD IS LOVE and we can experience HIS PERFECT LOVE.

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

GOD IS LOVE and we LOVE BECAUSE HE SHOWED US HOW TO DO SO.

19 We love him, because he first loved us.

GOD IS LOVE and we must love the unlovable.

20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

FOR MAN, LOVE IS A CHOICE, AND A COMMAND BY GOD HIMSELF

Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

BUT WE ARE GIVEN A CHOICE - "IF"

Deuteronomy 11:13 And it shall come to pass, IF ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,

Deuteronomy 19:9 IF thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:

SO WHAT DO YOU CHOOSE?

GOD IS LOVE AND LOVES HIS CREATION

John 3:16 (KJV)

16 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.