God’s Love
Turn to John 3:16
Last week we looked at being prepared for Christmas.
It was more than just buying presents, wrapping, exchanging gifts.
It is more than eating and gathering with family, although that is very important.
It is making sure Christmas didn’t race by in our busyness and we miss Jesus.
Today I want to look at God’s love.
What Christmas represents as the love of God is shown to each of us.
Every sale rang up on the cash register is followed by a thank you for shopping at…. At Christmas time they say thank you followed by “Happy holidays”. Becky and I make a point to say “Merry Christmas’ to them.
They may not be able to say it, but they can’t stop us from saying it, at least not yet.
Every year we battle to maintain Christmas mangers, Christmas plays, so we can be politically correct.
At Christmas time more than ever, our text becomes more alive to me as I look to Christ at Christmas. I come to a conclusion, and maybe you have too, I don’t need to be politically correct, I just need to be correct. Correct in the eyes of God.
John 3:16-3:21
Jesus says that is how much He loves you! How much He loves me!
(11) “I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven- the Son of man.”
You will speak what you have learned, you will act out what you believe. You people do not accept the testimony of God.
Who’s- you people? Those that struggle with the born again experience.
The struggle:
That Christ came into this world to redeem mankind.
God incarnate- God in the flesh.
“That whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”
God so loved the world- that love was the motivation for our plan of salvation.
Jesus voluntarily came to this world for you and I and assumed a human body.
God incarnate- God in the flesh. To show us how much He loves us.
Don Skinner
‘God did not send Christ to us; God came to us in Christ.” Fully God and fully Man.
A theologian described it this way-“God must be able to come over to our side without leaving his own side.”
That is good stuff!
James Erwin
A Astronaut who walked on the moon. We think of Neil Armstrong walking on the moon, but actually 12 men walked on the moon.
James Erwin
“There is something more important than man walking on the moon, and that is God, walking on the earth.”
“For God so loved the world that He gave”…
That was the most meaningful and life changing gift that God could give.
it trumps any gift we could possibly give or receive.
It was the ultimate act of love.
It was the most sacrificial gift ever given.
Chorus
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
There is something about that name
Master, Savior, Jesus
Like the fragrance after the rain.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
Let all heaven and earth proclaim
Kings and kingdoms
Will all pass away
But there is something about that name.
Apostle Paul captures the incarnate Christ
“Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.”
“Salvation is found in no one else”
“For there is no other name under heaven given to men by whom we must be saved.”
Jesus is great! He is exceedingly mighty. Spectacular. He is King over all the earth.
He is the Most High God!
“Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you, He is Christ the Lord!”
The angel said-“ I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
Praise the Lord!
If that is not love, I do not know what is.
God’s love is not based upon spiritual condition-though the longer we serve Him we should be changing.
God love is not based upon behavior- or attitude, but the more we are with Him, the more the love of God should be given to others.
God’s love is unconditional-He loves everyone of us.
He came in the flesh, died on the cross, was resurrected and is now sitting on the right hand side of the Father- For us! That is love!
All we have to do is believe!
“That whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Believe is an action word-present tense-believe, not believed, not once believed, now… faith in tact-believers!
Jesus has to be Lord! He has to be shepherd of your life.
John Piper
If you took all the greatest thinkers of every country and put them in a room with Jesus, they would shut their mouths and listen to the greatness of His wisdom. All the generals would listen to His strategy; all the greatest musicians would listen to His music theory and His performance on every instrument. There is nothing that Jesus cannot do a 1000 times better than the person you admire most in any area of human endeavor.
Can you grasp that Jesus Christ loves you!
There is two ways that you grasp these words of love.
You are a believer- action speaks louder than words. Today you again will decide to serve God wherever and however He desires to use you.
Your gift back to God this morning is Servanthood and Obedience. You voluntarily want to serve Him as He leads you. You radically commit to do what He tells you. That is your love back to God, your gift to Him.
The second way that you grasp these words is today you get how much He loves you and you are honest and you are not sure what to do with that.
The first thing you need to realize is that God loves you! You make it personal.
The best gift that you can give back to God is yourself.
You don’t clean up first
you don’t quit doing certain things first.
God loves you just the way you are, but too much to leave you that way.
Christmas is a time of miracles- “for nothing is impossible with God.”
Are you overwhelmed this morning?
Do you fell lost and lonely?
Are you tired?
Are you faced with something bigger than you are?
Nothing is impossible with God
There are two kinds of gifts that God wants exchanged this morning-
(1) The gift that He gives – He is hoping that you will take it this morning.
(2)The other gift is He is waiting for you to give yourself to Him.
Amen.
