The Love of Christ
Romans 8:35-39
An atheist & a minister were standing in a long shopping queue. The atheist, looking at the minister’s dog collar, says "I don’t believe in God."
The minister, at first taken aback by this comment out of the blue, says "Really, I do. But listen, if you don’t believe in God, tell me what the God you don’t believe in is like."
"What do you mean. I don’t believe in God."
"Yes" the minister continues, "but you must have some concept of what the God you reject is supposed to be like...in the minds of people who do believe"
The atheist sees his point. "I don’t believe in a God way up there in heaven while there’s all this pain down here on earth. He could stop it all but he doesn’t do a thing. He’s supposed to be all loving but he obviously doesn’t care about anybody but himself. That’s the God I don’t believe in."
"That’s good" says the minister. "I wouldn’t believe in that sort of God either. The God I believe in is nothing like that at all."
In our text this morning, Paul shares with us how much God does care for us, and love us !
I. God’s Love Is Incomparable !
Illust. Meeting the same car going to and from church at OH
I know it must be difficult..............many years ago I vowed that I would love her in sickness, and in health. Whether she knows who I am or not does not matter.............That’s the kind of love that we need for one another, yet that kind of love does not compare with the love that God has for each one of us !
Turn with me if you’d like to I John 3:1 "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not,
Kenneth Wuest a greek scholar commenting on the word "manner" in this verse gives the meaning as "foreign, unique, one of a kind". He says that literally it could be translated........"what out of this world kind of love"
God’s love for you, and I is out of this world. We can look at all the different relationships that you and I enjoy, and all the various expressions of love to those that we love, and yet, the love of God is incomparable !
God’s love is incomparable...it is out of this world
a. because of it’s source !
God is love ! He is the source of love !
Illust. Three young siblings once were asked which one did their mother love the most !
b. because of it’s scope !
One of the most amazing things about the love of God is it’s extent !
God has never known anyone that he didn’t or doesn’t love !
c. because of it’s sacrifice !
Illust. One evening in a country village, a cottage caught on fire. In a few seconds the thatched roof and the timbers were ablaze. There was no fire engine in this remote place and the villagers stood around helpless. Suddenly, a young man burst on the scene and cried out.....what can nothing be done to save them ? When no one responded he jumped through the flames and darted into the house. A moment later he emerged with a child under each arm. He had carefully hidden the children under his coat to prevent them from being burned, but he himself was burned badly. The parents of the two childen perished in the flames. There was much sympathy in the village for the two children, and many expressed a desire to adopt them. Later, two people petitioned the court for adoption. One was the town mayor. He had money, position, and everything that the children would need to make sure the children were provided with the best of everything. The other man who petioned the court was the man who has risked his life to save the. When the judge asked this man why the court should allow him to adopt the children, he did not answer with words. Instead he held up his hands that had been bore the scars from his burns. He let those scars do the arguing for him !
What a great sacrifice ! Yet, it does not compare with the love of God. God so loved us that he spared not his own son, but delivered him up !
Various ways that love can be shown, but none match the love of God in it’s sacrifice !
II. God’s Love Is Inseparable !
Paul shares this great fact with us in our text this morning........
a. Sin cannot separate of from his love.
He still loves us regardless of what we’ve done !
b. Suffering cannot separate of from his love.
Paul was a man who experienced great suffering ! Yet, his conclusion was that nothing could separate us from the love of God.
c. Sickness cannot separate of from his love.
Scott Higgins tells the following........When my daughter was just a few years old she loved dolls, and for a long time one doll in particular. Everywhere she went this doll went with her. If we got in the car and this doll wasn’t with us we’d have to go back and get it. When she went to sleep at night this doll slept beside her. When we went to the Supermarket the doll went shopping with us.
This beloved little doll was neither expensive nor beautiful. It had suffered an accident when placed in the oven. To a toddler a cupboard and an oven are pretty much alike, and in the oven one day went dolly. Later, when preparing dinner, mum turned the oven on. After a few minutes she noticed a strange aroma wafting throughout the house. She searched and searched until finally she realised it was coming from the oven. The oven door was opened and there was dolly, with one hand melted off, her eyes melted back into her head, her body sunken and her head misshapen.
But this did not deter our daughter’s love for dolly. Whether disfigured or not dolly still went everywhere my daughter went. Nothing could dent her love for that dolly.
Regardless of what we have done, how we look, or what we have suffered, God’s love remains a constant !!
III. God’s Love Is Inescapable !
Everyone must come face to face with the love of God, and what he in that love has done, and is doing. We cannot escape the presence nor the knowledge of his love !
a. God is present with you this morning in his love !
You can not escape the presence of God ! Wherever you are God is, and thus his love is present with you !
b. God is pursuing you this morning in his love !
One of the most beautiful scenes in the Bible to me in found in the very beginning. After the fall of Adam and Eve, they hid among the trees in garden, yet God came pursuing them. And the whole Bible is a story of the pursuit of God for fallen man !
c. God is pleading with you this morning in his love !
From God seeking fallen man in the book of Genesis all the way through the scripture to the very last words, we see God in his love pleading with you, and I, to come to him and be saved !
Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely !
Does God love us ? The answer is yes !
The question then this morning is how will we respond to this love.
What is your response to God’s love ?
Will you spurn his love ? Will you shun his love ?
Or will you receive his love, repent of your sins, and by faith trust his Son the Lord Jesus as your Savior ?
God is waiting your response !
