God Loves The Unlovable

GOD LOVES THE UNLOVABLE

Eph. 2:4-10

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: A Cheap Obituary

1. Mrs. Willencot was very frugal. When her husband died, she asked the newspaper how much it would cost for a death notice. “$50 dollars for five words.”

2. “Can I pay for just two words?” she asked. “Like ‘Willencot dead?’” “No, $50 dollars is the minimum. You still have three words. Is there anything you want to say about your husband?”

3. Mrs. Willencot thought about her husband’s bad driving, and said, “Okay say, ‘Willencot dead. Car for sale.’” [Patricia Schultz]

B. THESIS & TITLE

1. AN UNUSUAL SURVEY was done a few years ago; participants in the survey were asked this question; “What 3 word sentence would you most like to hear?”

2. The top three answers were:

a. “I love you;”

b. “I forgive you;”

c. “Supper is ready!” Doesn’t that pretty much sum up our needs?

3. UNLOVABLE means, “Incapable of inspiring love or affection.” We love people because we find some intrinsic worth in them or we have made some investment in them, and value that investment.

4. Sometimes we feel unlovable, so tonight I’m preaching on “God Loves The Unlovable.”

I. REASONS GOD SHOULDN’T LOVE US

A. ARE MANY REASONS GOD SHOULDN’T LOVE US

1. GOD IS A HOLY GOD. Ps. 5: 4 says, “You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.”

2. WE ARE CORRUPTED WITH SIN

a. In Romans 3:10-18, Paul said, “There is no one righteous, not even one...12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”...14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”...16 ruin and misery mark their ways, 17 and the way of peace they do not know.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

b. Eph. 4:18-19, “They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God...Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.” We FEEL our estrangement from God.

B. MOST OF US FEEL LIKE WE’RE UNLOVABLE, ESPECIALLY TO GOD:

1. We’re nobodies – we’re not important to the world.

2. We have no intrinsic worth: we’re not geniuses, not particularly beautiful or handsome, and of little financial worth.

3. We’re sinners, we’ve broken most of the 10 commandments, we’re hypocrites, and don’t pass an hour without thinking of something God would be repulsed by. How could God possibly love us?

4. Our worthlessness seems to be confirmed by our rejection by people around us. We’ve been stabbed in the back and betrayed. We’ve been dumped and others preferred over us. All this tells us we’re not lovable.

C. MY OWN EXPERIENCE

1. When I was a kid, I was so homely that my mother had to tie a porkchop around my neck just to get the dogs to play with me! (not really).

2. I grew up in a house where no one was a Christian. I was a typical teenager in Junior High school; all I could see was my acne, thin hair, boney legs, and skinny face. I wasn’t particularly popular or athletic.

3. One day a voice said, “You ought to end your life – no one loves you.” I considered taking some of my parent’s sleeping pills. But as I meditated this, another voice spoke and said, “Doesn’t your grandmother love you?” She really did; I was her pet. Then the voice said, “Doesn’t your mom & dad love you?” I knew they did. Then the voice listed 3 or 4 other people, and I felt warm all over and dismissed the idea of ending it all.

4. Remember, YOU ARE LOVED! Your family loves you and your church family loves you! And God has said that He loves you; we’re looking at that next.

II. WHY GOD DOES LOVE US

A. WHY MIGHT GOD LOVE US?

1. But HE HAS A GREAT INVESTMENT IN US – we’re His creations. We are master pieces of His creating skill, made in His image. He originally placed “eternity in our hearts” – an eternal, spiritual nature.

2. He knows OUR EVIL NATURE IS SATAN’S DOING, so we should be given a second chance to make a decision for ourselves about serving Him.

3. HE’S PROVIDED A WAY FOR OUR RESTORATION – for us to again become His blameless and pure children.

4. God CAN SEE WHAT OUR LIVES CAN BE LIKE if we served God with all our hearts – the great potential good we could do.

B. THE BIBLE SHOWS US THAT GOD DOES LOVE THE UNLOVABLE

Jesus chose the Roman Centurion, uneducated fishermen, people possessed by demons, and an adulterous woman about to be stoned. He laid His holy hands on the lepers, blind beggars, and those viewed as cursed. Jesus is the friend of sinners. JESUS LOVED THE UNLOVABLE. LIKE...