The Love of God
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17
God
Who is God?
—evolution or creation . . . whether God created the universe by divine fiat, willing by His word to make it about 10,000 years ago, or whether He placed within the initial conditions of the formation of the universe all of the elements required to lead inevitably to our formation on this small, beautiful planet,
Who cares?
Francis Collins
Current head of the National Institutes of Health
Former head of the Human Genome Project
“When you have for the first time in front of you this 3.1 billion–letter instruction book that conveys all kinds of information and all kinds of mystery about humankind, you can’t survey that going through page after page without a sense of awe. I can’t help but look at those pages and have a vague sense that this is giving me a glimpse of God’s mind.” -the Language of God
Francis Collins peers at the infinitesimal and sees God.
What about the infinite?
Estimates now are that there are roughly 2,000,000,000,000 (that’s two trillion) galaxies
10,000,000-1,000,000,000,000 stars each
About 92 billion light-years in diameter
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/universe-has-10-times-more-galaxies-than-researchers-thought/
He also made the stars. Genesis 1:16b
Whether He made all things in a literal six days ex-nihilo, instantaneously or
Used pictorial language to explain to a pre-literate generation three-thousand years ago how He created things through time and evolution
He is unimaginably big and intelligent, powerful and wise
So this is the God that loves us so much He sent His Son.
Something like a man becoming an ant.
More like something the size of our galaxy becoming an ant.
. . . So loved . . .
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8
. . . The world . . .
The Roman Empire – a cruel, oppressive power, using its massive military to force its purposes on nations.
Religious leadership – intent on continuing in their positions of power, more concerned about public opinion than truth.
Jesus’ Disciples – unable to process Jesus’ beauty and power, unwilling to believe, hearts, eyes, and ears all hardened.
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. John 1:10-11
. . . That He gave . . .
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Is 53:3
We are, in this season, at the midpoint between Christmas and Easter.
The humility of His birth (Christmas) is directly connected to the infamy of His death (Easter).
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature?? God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
. . . That He gave . . .
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature? of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:5-8
Karl Barth
Was one of the greatest scholars of the 20th Century. He was once asked, “Sir, what is the most profound truth you’ve ever learned?” He paused a moment, and thought, then said, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so”.
See from His head, His hands, His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down! Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Isaac Watts
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.
God loves us so much He have His Only Begotten Son.
That’s not the end of the story.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
It seems to me this kind of life, the life Jesus demands, is impossible.
Francis was born to a wealthy family, but left his wealth and prestige to follow the Commandments of Jesus.
Francis believed in Radical Obedience. The Bible says to “preach the Gospel to all creatures”. So he used to give sermons in the forest, to the squires and dear and trees, figuring it was God’s job to give any fruit to the endeavor.
He said
“Keep a clear eye toward life's end. Do not forget your purpose and destiny as God's creature. What you are in his sight is what you are and nothing more.
“Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received-only what you have given: a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.”
And concerning the impossibility of this way of life he said
Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
For this reason he was able to form the prayer
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace
Where there is hatred let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
Where there is sadness, joy
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love
For it is in giving that we receive
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Billy Graham
Ruth Graham said she had never met a man more intent on doing God’s will for his life. (Christianity Today-Obituary)
He faced a crisis in his life when friends were questioning the inspiration and veracity of the Bible. He humbled himself and prayed in the mountains of Southern California, and committed as an act of faith to believe in the inspiration and truth of the Bible, and to commit his life to proclaiming that truth. (Just As I Am)
From Jim Denison Forum February 22, 2018:
“In January 2000, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina invited their favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon given in his honor. He hesitated because of his health, but the leaders assured him, "We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you." So he agreed.
After wonderful tributes were paid to him, Dr. Graham stepped to the microphone. He looked at the crowd and said, "I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century.
"Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of each passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his other pocket. It wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat by him. He couldn't find it. The conductor said, 'Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.' Einstein nodded appreciatively.
"The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket. The conductor rushed back and said, 'Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry. I know who you are. No problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.' Einstein looked at him and said, 'Young man, I too know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.'"
Dr. Graham continued, "See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My wife, my children, and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a bit slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion. Do you know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am, I also know where I'm going."
Billy Graham took this opportunity to explain his hope in Jesus and invite others to share it. On March 2, he will be buried in that suit beside his beloved wife. But we know where he is. And we can help those we meet today to meet him and his Savior one day.
Dr. Graham told an interviewer, "I would like to be remembered as a person who was faithful to God, faithful to my call-did it with integrity and with love."
So, the five points for this morning:
1. God
2. loved us so much
3. He Gave His Only Begotten Son &
4. He Commands us to Love like that.
5. The best way to Love is to live & proclaim His Word. –This is impossible-but with God ATAP.
