John 3:16, Romans 5:8
It's been rightly said, if you ever receive a homemade gift for Christmas or your Birthday, you can know, someone cares about you. No one invests time in making a gift for someone they do not care about. On this Christmas Eve Sunday, our advent topic is love. God gave us a homemade gift, the birth, life, death, and resurrection of His son Jesus Christ!
Love is a simple little word, often used, often misused. In ancient Greek culture, they had different words for love, depending on what you meant by it. For example, “eros” from which we get the word erotic. You can guess what sort of “love” that referred to. It has the word “phileo” which is a platonic, friendly love. It has the word “agape” which is sometimes called a Godly love, but that's not entirely accurate. Agape is not emotion based, it's love by choice. In that respect, it is in fact Godly love because God chose to love us. Not because of merit on our part, but because of who He is.
I get quite irritated when I here preachers really lambaste people and make them sound worthless. In fact, our Sunday School book actually says that that God loved us and we were worthless. That's not true. No one loves something worthless. Think of all your possessions. Sometimes you throw stuff away when it is broken or worn out but you save things that have value. We had value to God. He elected to send His son to save us. We have worth because God values us, we are not worthless. I think it's not only wrong to say it, it's sinful. It's insulting God's creation. But, pastor, doesn't the Bible say of humans, “I am a worm and not a man.” David said that about himself, God didn't say it. It doesn't mean David was right. The Bible records people saying a lot of things, doesn't mean the people were correct in what they said. David was focusing on his sin and overcome with guilt and proclaimed “I am a worm and not a man.” It was said in frustration and lament. It never says God agreed with David's assessment. We're not worms and we're not worthless. Jesus wouldn't have died for us if we had no worth or value to God. We are valuable because He made us, we are His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). And God so love us, He sent His son that whoever believes has eternal life.
We often devalue the word “love” when we use it for so many things ranging from: spouse, children, to a favorite food or beverage. Do we really feel about a food the same way we do about our spouse? Hopefully not. I hope you like your spouse more than pizza. LOL :) Love is the ultimate expression of human feeling toward something. Love was GOD'S motivation redeeming us. God saw man's need for a savior from the beginning of the world, in fact, even before the beginning of the world. Ephesians 1:4 states,
"He has chosen us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love"
Love is important to God, for He does not merely love, He IS love. It was LOVE that motivated God to choose those whom He knew would believe the gospel before the world was even created!!! Love is the hallmark of a follower of Christ, at least, it is supposed to be. Jesus commanded His followers,
John 15:10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love
A quick aside, Jesus is not referring to the OT law in the word “commandments” but to His commands He gave to His disciples. He said, in essence, do what I've taught you and abide in me.
John 15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
John 15:17 These things I command you, that you love one another.
Christmas is not just a reminder of how much God has loved us, but of how much we are to love one another and to love those who do not know Christ as their savior. Love is so important, but to appreciate what this means, we have to understand “love” as God defines it. God's definition is different than say, “Hollywood's.” So what does God say about love? The most obvious definition is in Paul's letter to the Corinthians:
“ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” I Corinthians 13:4-6
God's love is patient and kind. It keeps no record of wrongs for those who are in Christ, ALL of their sins wiped away and remembered no more (see Hebrews 8:12). The blood of Jesus has cleansed us, that is the power of the gospel. Yes, we will answer for what is done in the body, but it says WHETHER good or bad, not BOTH good and bad. An unsaved person will answer for the bad. A saved person will answer for the good he has done in Christ because God has told us plainly, He has chosen to forget the bad for Christ's sake. He tells us so, emphatically, not once, but TWICE in Hebrews.
In Hebrews 8:12 and 10:17 (NLT) respectively, God says, “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins...I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.”
If the bad clings to us and is thrown up in our face when we stand before God as some falsely believe, then God has NOT forgotten them (as He promised He has) and His word in Hebrews 8:12 and 10:17 would be false. This cannot be the case because God cannot lie, His word cannot be false. If God says He will NEVER again remember our sins, then He will NEVER again remember them. As believers, we will answer for the good we've done in the body out of love for Christ. The bad has been cleansed, wiped away by the blood of Jesus.
Incredibly, some Believers do NOT believe this, they do not believe the blood of Jesus has so thoroughly cleansed them as scripture promises and that they might still be shamed and chastised before the throne of God for ways they fell short of the glory of God on Earth. My only answer to that is, either you believe the blood has cleanses you and God remembers your sin no more, or you don't. If He only kind of, sort of cleansed you and plans to chastise you when you stand before Him one day, then God would be a liar (which is impossible due to His holy nature). Hebrews 8:12 and 10:17 present some enormous problems for such folks who believe God is keeping a tally-sheet of Born-again believers' sins. I believe Jesus wiped all our sins away, not just some. Some folks can disagree with that, but I'd advice ignoring the wrong-headed opinions of men and sticking with the Word of God, it says God remembers a Believer's sins no more. God's love and forgiveness are so complete, He made TOTAL provision for what we could NEVER accomplish: our own salvation. Isaiah writes,
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:6-7
This is the meaning TRUE of Christmas, redemption of mankind. God sent His son to save all who would believe in Him. The question is why? Why would the Father bother? The answer is simple and is the theme for this week in advent- LOVE.
“For God so loved the word, that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
This verse is so familiar, if we are not careful, we can miss it's significance. He gave His son, because He loved us that much. The Father and Son and Spirit agreed in eternity past, that the son would come to earth and perfectly fulfill the law and righteousness of God on behalf of us who have broken God's law. The death sentence of the cross was our sentence, the death penalty the prescription for our sins. But Jesus came, was born in that stable on Christmas morning and grew up to die for our sins:
“God demonstrated His love in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
Wonderful: God did not wait for us to have something to offer. He loved us when we truly had nothing to give. He loved us, not because of who we are, but because of who He is. God is love. God elected to show us mercy because who He is. In this, God's love surpasses any profession of love ever made by any man ever. God's love made the ultimate sacrifice for you and I.
Counselor: A counselor is someone who gives direction. He guides people who do not know what to do. Jesus has told us all we need to do to be friends with God.
John 5:22-24 “Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. 24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”
There it is again, in 5:24, we have eternal life and will NEVER be condemned for our sins. We've already been judged with regard to salvation. The verdict is saved and innocent by virtue of faith in Jesus!!!! All we need do to pass from death to life, from condemnation to acceptance is believe on the in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life.
"as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." John 1:12
Mighty God- JESUS IS GOD! He is not just the son of God but God the son! The savior would be called God Himself. Jesus said of Himself in Revelation 1:8 & 18,
"I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty...I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hell."
Jesus, our savior, is not merely a prophet like Moses and Elijah. He is almighty God, the one who holds the keys of Hell and death! This means He is sovereign over that which has terrified mankind for centuries- death itself! This is why the scripture says, “Where O death is thy victory?” That is a rhetorical question. Paul is saying in that statement, “Death you have no sting, you have no power, for the Lord Jesus has destroyed you!” The babe in the manger did not stay a baby, He is the sovereign Lord and God, Jesus Christ who holds the victory over death! Eternal life awaits those that believe in Him!
Prince of Peace: It is not the world's idea of peace. Jesus Himself said,
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
He came to bring the peace that comes from knowing God as savior. It is a peace that assures us of eternal life and a purpose here on earth because we belong to God. It is the peace that means no matter what happens, we belong to Jesus and no one can snatch us out of His hand.
It is the great love the Father has bestowed on us that enables us to become children of God. It is the love of God that sent His Son to be born in a lowly manger, to live to die. He lived to die for us. It was so great a love that God the Son left His glory in heaven, to become like one of us, to save all of us who would believe. Christmas is the story of God's love-gift to mankind. That is Christ Himself, the present that continues to give to everyone who calls on His name. He is alive and well, and is near to all who call on Him and trust in Him. Having received that love, it is now incumbent on us to demonstrate and share that love to others. Sadly, Christians aren't often known for love but for judgment and criticism of others. As we close 2023 and move into 2024, let us resolve to be motivated by love. Let us resolve to love like Jesus loved. Let's resolve to take to heart, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son...” and show that love to others, that they might know Jesus as well. The love that is Christmas is worth celebrating the whole year through. Amen.
(There may be some things in the sermon gleaned from other brothers in the Lord over the years. I have not intentionally used anyone else's thoughts, but I'm sure the influence of others is in here as it is in all preachers' sermons. My thanks to men who've taught me over the years, whose wisdom blessed and informed me)
