Have You Believed the Love?
December 8, 2002
TEXT: 1 John 4:8-19 (key verse 16-18)
PURPOSE: Reassurance of God’s love for each one of us
SEMINAL: If we really knew we were loved . . .
How has He loved us . . .
Have you believed the love?
INTRO: If we really knew we were loved by God . . .
1. Begin with this question: “If we were totally and continuously convinced that God loved us, would we be any different than we are now?”
2. Counseling woman this week - anxiety attack - temporary paralysis - Why? Insecure in her husband’s love …
3. Verse 18: “Perfect love casts out fear” - we would be fearless, free, on fire . . . Ps. 56:11 “In God I have put my trust - what can man do to me?”
4. Different levels of Christian “knowing” . . . “head knowledge”, “heart” (18 inches down) “gut” (bowels); “top of head to the bottom of your feet” . . .
5. This a.m. - want us to be baptized in His love!!! Drenched, saturated, overflowed ... Classical Greek (according to Dennis Bennett “a sunken, water-logged ship…”) Navy seals are drowned …
6. Like kids in a pile of leaves! … a pig in a pool of mud - otters at play in a northern lake, or Abby & Hannah picking raspberries on a warm June day at two and three years old …want to revel in the love of God! and suggest that this Advent season - Let’s put 7 ornaments on our tree this year.
BODY: How has He loved us?
1. He chose us!
A. Many people are uncomfortable with the idea of being chosen … “suck it up, Jim,” “65-year-old youth leader.”
B. Nevertheless, Gabriel to Mary “Hail favored one!” - means “You - chosen”!
C. O.T. and N.T. Theme … Deut. 7:6-9; Jn 15:16; Eph. 1:3-5
D. Do you remember the doctrine of ** grace? Respected devotionalist, Tozer, writes: (cf.p.11, 12 of The Pursuit of God)
E. The bride and groom - “I choose you!” (of a before and after)
F. vs. 10 of text (seal it)
G. Ornament #1 on our tree - ”He chose me!”
2. He has lifted us up!
A. Turn to Ezek 16:4-14 (read it)
B. Recite Ps. 68:19, 20 and Ps. 3:3
C. He meets us at the point of our shame, and restores our dignity through Christ (Eph 2:4-7) He has delivered me.
D. Illustration. No nation I know of is intentionally Christian in its founding as the USA … prosperity, freedom, rights of women, social status, education, legal rights, job opportunities. Walt Williams asks “Where would you want to be a woman in a minority?” Thailand, India, etc.
E. Ornament #2 He is our deliverer - He has lifted us up!
3. He has forgiven us!
A. Angel said to Joseph, …”do not be afraid to take … Jesus … it is he who will save His people from their sin …”
B. Illustration: The Nurse, Daughter and bedside note …
C. Verses: Ps. 103:11,12; Titus 3:3-5; 1 Jn. 1:9
D. Ornament #3 He has forgiven me!
4. He has set His steadfast love upon us!
A. Hebrew word “hesed” = “determined loyalty” … “dedicated loyalty”
B. We sing, “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases … (Lam. 3:21ff)
C. Responsive reading based on Ps. 136; Is. 7:14 He is Immanuel … Heb. 13:5 - “I will never leave you or forsake you”!
D. Ornament #4 His steadfast love is resting upon me!
5. God’s love is tender!
A. Adam and Even in the garden - naked and afraid … God rebukes them and then what does He do? Makes them garments … (reference Gen. 3:21)
B. Many verses display His tenderness … will you receive these as verses for you? (read starred passages from “Smorgasbord” addendum from sermon, “See How Great a Love”
C. Ornament #5 God tenderly loves me!
6. His love is changing us!
A. Look again at our text … whole message here - “because God has loved us, we are set free to love” 8, 9, 11, 17, 19
B. How does the Bible say the world will know we are disciples? Yes, by our love for one another … Jn. 13:35 “By this all men will know…”
C. Ever seen a hard man tenderized by the Lord? (Story of John Newton)
D. Ornament #6 - God’s love is changing me!
7. He has given us eternal life!
A. God has given us the most precious things: Himself, His Son, Salvation, and eternal life … and then combined them … eternal life with Him and the ones we love …
B. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life” … (recite Jn. 11:25,26)
C. 1 Jn. 5:11-13 should be in our Scripture Memory toolbox …
D. Ornament #7 - “I have eternal life!”
CONCLUSION:
First, recite II Tim. 1:12, then ask …
Have you believed the love? Ask it!!
A. Head, heart, gut, head-to-toe, baptized?
B. Can you be fearless, free and on fire …
C. Hang these 7 ornaments on your tree this year - meditate on them
D. Story of two Russian girls (p. 100) “There is freedom everywhere!”
PRAYER: IF YOU’VE BEEN BLOCKED IN SENSING THE LOVE OF GOD …
Pray: John 1:12
Your love would override any blockage
The love of God would be “shed abroad” in their heart this Christmas season
Each one would know
He chose me!
He has lifted me up!
He has forgiven me!
He has set His steadfast love upon me!
He loves me with a tender love!
His love is changing me!
He has given me eternal life!
Help us to believe and receive the love You have for us . . .
A Smorgasbord of Scriptures
Lev. 19:9,10,14
“ Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard: you shall leave them for the needy and the stranger. I am the Lord your God.”
“You shalt not curse a deaf man, nor place a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall revere your God; I am the Lord.”
Psalm 68:4-6
“Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts, whose name is the Lord, and exult before Him. A father of the fatherless, and a judge for the widows, is God in His holy habitation. God makes a home for the lonely. He leads the prisoners into prosperity, only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.”
Psalm 34:18
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit …”
Isaiah 49:15,16
“Can a woman forget her nursing child? And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these will forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands …”
1 Cor. 12:22,24,25
“…the members of the body which seem to be weaker are indispensable … For God has so composed the body giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, that there should be no division in the body … but that the members should have the same care for one another.”
