Love That Lasts Series

Let me end by saying

III. BECOMING COMPLETE IN OUR LOVE IS A PROCESS

“The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”

The word for perfect also means “complete” or “doing what you were made to do.” A hammer is complete when it’s driving nails. A saw is perfect when it’s cutting wood. A child of God is complete and perfect when they are loving like Jesus.

[I came under the conviction of the Holy Spirit before my salvation. That conviction was a revelation of my sin...my rebellion...my lostness...It caused fear in my heart because I knew about Hell, and punishment...but mingled in that “call” was the message of the cross...“For God so loved me that He’d given His only Son...He loved me enough if I believed that I didn’t have to perish.

I would have never repented and turned toward God without both of these truths...fear and love. Both are evidences of God’s grace. Both are part of His “drawing us to Himself.”

But I have been on a continual journey of moving from fear to faith...so must you if we would be what God has made us to be. “Like Jesus in this world.” “Like Jesus in our home...Like Jesus in the way we love...complete, perfect.]

Conclusion:

[Moving from fear to love involves pushing through that fear we all have of getting hurt...or being embarrassed...or “just not wanting to step out of our comfort zone” into a place of faith...a place where we love real people in real ways...“Dear friends since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete (same word as perfect) in us.” (1 John 4:12)

[A little boy had been tucked into his bed and kissed goodnight when a thunderstorm came through...He yelled for his dad who came in and turned on a nightlight and said, don’t be afraid...God will protect you...and the little boy said, “I know that but right now I need someone with flesh on them.”]

Jesus was God in the flesh...people got to see Him when He was here on earth...but since His ascension back to heaven...He’s left His Spirit in His children so we could be like Jesus here on earth...loving our wives, our husbands, the broken and hurting in the flesh.

Let’s pray.