God Loves You

God Loves You

Three sons left home, started careers and prospered.

Getting back together, they discussed the gifts that they were able to give their elderly mother for her 70th birthday.

The first said, “I built a huge house for Mom.”

The second said, “I sent her a Mercedes with a driver.”

The third smiled and said, “I’ve got you both beat.

You know how Mom enjoys the Bible and you know she cant see very well.

I sent her a brown parrot that can recite the entire Bible.

It took 20 monks in a monastery 12 years to teach him.

I had a pledge to contribute $100,000 a year for 10 years, but it was worth it.

Mom just has to name the chapter and verse and the parrot will recite it.”

Soon thereafter, Mom sent out letters of thanks:

She wrote the first son, “Milton, the house you built is not practical.

I live in only one room, but have to heat, cool, and clean the entire house.”

The second she said, “Marvin, I am to old to travel.

I stay at home all the time, so I never use the Mercedes.

And the driver is so rude!”

She wrote the third son, “Dearest Melvin, you were the only son to have the good sense to know what your Mother likes.

The chicken was delicious.”

We all have different ways to express our love for others.

Sometimes it is received well and other times it is not.

Love is a very popular topic in the Scriptures.

Probably one of the most twisted truths’ of the Bible being taught and talked about today is the Love of God.

Everyone says God is Love.

We’ve all heard someone say “If God is love, how could He ever send anyone to Hell?”

Or the Gospel is all about God’s love.

It is true God is Love.

But God is also jealous

I found 18 different occurrences where God is called Jealous, or the scripture refers to His Jealousy.

Exodus 34:14 even says His name is Jealous;

For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

God is also just. God is angered at sin.

John 3:36 - He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

So God is not just Love.

He is many things.

So this morning I am going to try and steer clear of that whole debate by speaking on something we all need to be aware of and experience.

The fact that GOD LOVES YOU!

Three Questions

Why does God love you? How does God Love you, God Loves Me?

John 3:16 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

I. Why does God love you?

Because He created you

Man is the climax of God’s creative activity

Everything was created with man in mind, (taking down and hanging Buck)

The creation story is like a pyramid and at the summit man appears

Genesis 1:26,27 Difference in procedure of man’s creation

Earlier commands

Let there be…

Let the land produce…

Let the waters bring forth…

By contrast man’s creation warranted a Holy Business meeting

The scriptures say “Then God said, ‘Let US make man’”

The three persons of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Consult about it and concur in it

Because man, when he was made

Was to be dedicated and devoted to Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

The Hebrew word BARA = to create, or choose.

He chose to create us

It is used in several different ways in the first chapter of Genesis

Verse 1 – creation of the universe

Verse 21 – creation of sentient life

Verse 27 – Three times in one verse for God’s highest creation, man

In the previous phrases God uses the words “Let there be light”, and “Let the earth bring forth grass”

In which He speaks as one having authority

In verse 27 when He uses the phrase “Let us make man.”

He speaks as one having affection.

We where Different from animals

Man was not made in the likeness of any creature that went before him

But in the likeness of his Creator

Instead of “after its kind” we have the unique emphasis “after God’s own image”

Not by word or command, God Himself formed us from the dust of the earth

Formed in the Hebrew referring to the work of a potter who fashions vessels from clay

So God loves you because He specifically created you

Formed you with His very hands

His tender loving fingers carved out every intricate part of your body