I. EXORDIUM:
Are you loved?
Yes. I am. JESUS loved me so much before the foundation of this world.
Ephesians 1:4 (Amplified Bible)
Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.
II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:
Believers/unbelievers
III. OBJECTIVES:
To show that GOD's Love is always first and our love for Him is just a response to His Great Love enabling us to love Him back.
IV. TEXT:
1 John 4:19 (Amplified Bible)
We love Him, because He first loved us.
V. THESIS:
Praise, worship, glorify, adore, bless, honor, acknowledge and thank You very much LORD JESUS for You loved me first and given me ability to love You back.
VI. TITLE:
JESUS first loved us
VII. EXPLICATION: [Source: Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines]
A. Author: Apostle John
B. Date written: uncertain. Probably written from Ephesus near the end of the first century
C. Purposes: Four reasons: (1) to add to their joy - 1 John 1:4, (2) to guard them against sin - 1 John 2:1, (3) to warn them against false teachers - 1 John 2:26, and (4) to strengthen their faith in CHRIST and assure them of eternal life - 1 John 5:13
D. To whom written: To the church
E. Main Theme: God is Life, Light, and Righteous Love. His character calls for holy living and brotherly love on the part of believers.
F. Keywords: Fellowship, know, love. Knowing, with certainty, is of special interest to John.
G. Other names: The Epistle of Certainties
VIII. MAIN BODY:
1 John 4:19 (Amplified Bible)
We love Him, because He first loved us.
1 John 4:19 (King James Version)
We love him, because he first loved us.
A. We love GOD
"We love Him,"
Love or "agapao" in Greek meaning "to love much" The GOD-kind of love that men cannot give because of our humanity, but the LORD JESUS CHRIST indwelt us giving us the ability to love beyond love, to love the unloveable, the lost souls, to give them GOD's WORDS that will make them alive. They are persecuting you, they are laughing at you but still you preach the WORD OF GOD to them, only GOD's kind of love can give. And this AGAPE love we bring this to GOD.
Titus 3:3-5 (Amplified Bible)
For we also were once thoughtless and senseless, obstinate and disobedient, deluded and misled; [we too were once] slaves to all sorts of cravings and pleasures, wasting our days in malice and jealousy and envy, hateful (hated, detestable) and hating one another.
But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior to man [as man] appeared,
He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy, by [the] cleansing [bath] of the new birth (regeneration) and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
GOD's Love is different from the love of men, it's Agape Love that saved us from our sins not because of what we can do or acts of righteousness but what He can do for us in His Love.
Ephesians 2:3-5 (Amplified Bible)
Among these we as well as you once lived and conducted ourselves in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind [our cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings]. We were then by nature children of [God’s] wrath and heirs of [His] indignation, like the rest of mankind.
But God—so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us,
Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation).
Galatians 5:22 (Amplified Bible)
But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,
B. Because GOD loved us first
"because He first loved us"
In His Great Love, He chose us.
Ephesians 1:4 (Amplified Bible)
Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.
1 Peter 1:20 (Amplified Bible)
It is true that He was chosen and foreordained (destined and foreknown for it) before the foundation of the world, but He was brought out to public view (made manifest) in these last days (at the end of the times) for the sake of you.
In His Great Love, He knows the prayer of our hearts even before we ask Him.
Matthew 6:8 (Amplified Bible)
Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
IX. CONCLUSION:
Praise, worship, glorify, adore, bless, honor, acknowledge and thank You very much LORD JESUS for You loved me first and given me ability to love You back.
