More To Follow

More To Follow

Before a child is born, the parents prepare a room, a bed, some blankets, warm clothes, bottles,

milk, baby food, bath tub, diapers, medicine, toys, etc. Some parents go further. They prepare for

their child’s preschool education, kindergarten, elementary, high school and college education.

When the child is born, everything is there already. What is the motive behind all these things? It

is love.

Why is there a universe? Why all things are there? What is the motive behind them all? Well, one

simple word will answer all these big questions. Love. God’s love. God created all these

wonderful and beautiful things for the object of His love. And the object of His love is humankind.

Christianity is the only religion that sets forth the Supreme Being as Love. In heathen religions He

is set forth as an angry being and in constant need of appeasing.

The primary meaning of the word "love" in Scripture is a "purposeful commitment to sacrificial

action for another."

I want to share with you some facts about love from the Bible that every believer should know,

and every sinner needs to know.

Love comes from God.

What does that mean? Well, it simply means that God is the source of real love. True love is

based in the very life of God Himself. In other words, there can be no real love without God being

behind it. Love has its basis in God.

And when our text says that God is love it is saying something about the very nature of God

Himself. John is telling us here that love is the essential and central attribute of God. God is

characterized by love. In fact, this is so true that it defines those who belong to God. Because

God is love, those of us who claim to know God should live lives characterized by that love.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD’S LOVE

POWERFUL

The Love of God is a strong powerful love. It is not a weak love that can easily be destroyed. The

love of God is a sovereign, everlasting love which is willing to make any sacrifices for us. Apostle

Paul was sure that nothing could separate him from the love of Christ.

PROVEN

The love of God is a proven love. It is not merely deceiving words but proved by the sacrificial

death of Christ on the cross. We can be certain that God loves us when we see how He sent His

only Son to die for us.

PROTECTIVE

The Love of God is a protective love. It protects us from harm and danger. It protects us from

our own self destructive ways.

PURE

The Love of God is a pure love. It has no ulterior motives. The world is filled with love with

hidden motives. But the love of God is pure and unselfish. He loves us in order to bless us.

PATIENT

The Love of God is patient. It does not destroy us because of our imperfections. God is

longsuffering and slow to anger because of His great love towards us. He patiently waits for us to

be formed in His likeness.

PROVIDING

The Love of God is a providing love. It meets our need. God’s love is not only for this world but

for all eternity. His love provides our needs while we live in this world. His Love has also

prepared great blessings and treasures for us to enjoy throughout all eternity.

PERFECT

The Love of God is a perfect love. It is not like the imperfect human love. There will always be

flaws and disappointments in human love. The only place to find perfect love is in the Love of

God. It is only in God’s love that the perfections of Love can be experienced.

How much does God love you? Max Lucado writes, "If God had a refrigerator, your picture

would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring

and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, he’ll listen. He can live anywhere in the

universe, and he chose your heart... Face it, friend. He’s crazy about you."

Have you ever stopped to consider how God demonstrates His love to us? Most people assume

that God loves us just because He created us, but there is much more. God’s love involved a

supreme sacrifice in His Son, Jesus Christ. If you want to see love demonstrated, look at Jesus.

He is the evidence of God’s love. He is the demonstration of God’s love. Listen again to John’s

words in our text: This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son

into the world that we might live through him.

God certainly has shown us what true love looks like. In Christ we see His love and compassion