2023.12.24.Sermon.4th ADVENT – LOVE
William Akehurst, HSWC
BIG IDEA: The 4th week in ADVENT is LOVE. GOD’s Greatest Gift to Mankind. The Greatest Love Story, or the Greatest Message of Love to us. GOD gave of HIMSELF to bring us HOME!
SCRIPTURES: Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 9:6-7, Galatians 4:4-6, Ephesians 1:3-14, Matthew 1:18-25, John 3:16, 1 John 3:1-2
IT BEGAN WITH A PROPHETIC WORD
Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
Isaiah 9:6-7
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
FULFILLMENT AND PURPOSE
Galatians 4:4-6 (NKJV)
4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
BLESSINGS OF LOVE
Ephesians 1:3-14 (NKJV)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
10) WHEN IT WAS TIME, HE BROUGHT TOGETHER AS ONE, ALL IN CHRIST.
IN HIM.
11) IN HIM IS OUR INHERITANCE.
13) SEALED WITH HOLY SPIRIT
14) HOLY SPIRIT, THE GUARANTEE OF OUR INHERITANCE UNTIL THE REDEMPTION OF THE PURCHASED POSSESSION. JESUS PAID IT ALL FOR ME! PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!
THE BIRTH OF MESSIAH
Matthew 1:18-25 (NKJV)
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”
22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.
THE GREATEST GIFT OF LOVE
RECEIVED BY BELIEVING IN CHRIST JESUS AS THE LORD
John 3:16 (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
LOOK AT GOD’S LOVE TO US, HE CALLS US HIS OWN CHILDREN! WE WILL UNDERSTAND THAT FULLY WHEN WE SEE HIM. SOON AND VERY SOON
1 John 3:1-2 (NKJV)
1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
OUR ADOPTION AS GOD’S OWN CHILDREN.
HIS SEAL IN OUR HEARTS – THE HOLY SPIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST, OUR MESSIAH!
Galatians 4:4-6 (NKJV)
4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
SUCH A GREAT PRIVILEDGE GOD GIVES TO THOSE WHO WILL BELIEVE, FOLLOW AND TRUST IN HIS SAVING GRACE, THROUGH THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION OF JESUS CHRIST, OUR IMMANUEL, GOD WITH US.
AND TO HAVE HIS OWN SPIRIT PLACED IN OUR HEARTS BY GOD HIMSELF – HE IS WITH US CONTINUALLY.
THINK ON THAT.
GOD LOVES US MORE THAN WE CAN EVER UNDERSTAND OF THE MEANING OF LOVE.
AND HE HAS GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO SHOW US.
TURN YOUR HEART TO HIM AND RECEIVE HIS GIFT TODAY.
HE’S KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART, WAITING FOR YOUR RESPONSE.
OPEN THE DOOR AND RECEIVE THE GIFT OF HIS LOVE TO YOU.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Bill
