HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE THE FATHER HAS LAVISHED ON US (Outline)
1 JOHN 2:28-3:3 - April 17, 2005 - EASTER 4
INTRO: The divine love of God is the true love that stands as the eternal standard and definition of what love is and means. Our society has devalued that word love. Love is at times considered as nothing more than a word used to sell products (cards, beer, cars, etc.). To the believer that word love immediately draws to mind the powerful love that our heavenly Father has for his children. The Psalm writer says this of God’s great love. "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us"(PSALM 103:11,12). Today’s text contains our theme:
HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE THE FATHER HAS LAVISHED ON US
I. God’s love calls believers children.
II. God’s love provides for his children.
I. GOD’S LOVE CALLS BELIEVERS CHILDREN
A. Gnosticism was the heresy of the day that John and the early believers faced.
1. Gnosticism was a Greek word for knowledge. Knowledge was filled with self-love.
2. This teaching had no room for loving others. Knowledge could not comprehend God’s love.
B. John reminded these believers that their spiritual understanding was superior to all earthly wisdom.
1. In verse 3:1a John explains that to be called God’s children reveals the Father’s great love.
2. Sin at birth made them enemies. But out of love God changed their status in his kingdom.
C. These believers were changed by God’s grace. They were different. Verse 3:1b.
1. The world, because of its god – knowledge, did not recognize the true God or believers.
2. Verse 3:2a again reminds the believers they are members of God’s family as children.
3. God’s children faced great persecution and ridicule. Verse 2:28. Continue in courage.
D. Today only scratch the surface of beginning to comprehend and understand how great is the love the Father has lavished on us. We look at ourselves. We examine ourselves. We understand that at our birth we came into this world as enemies of God. We were not born neutral – waiting for the influences around us to determine our fate with the maker. That is a teaching of worldly knowledge. Born as enemies and filled with sin it is most amazing that God would call us his children. But he does. "Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy"(1 PETER 2:10).
E. How great is the love the Father has lavished on us! We came into this world – enemies of God and slaves to our sinful nature. We had inherited our original sinful nature from our parents and their parents. This inherited sinfulness goes all the way back to the very first parents – Adam and Eve. This inherited sinfulness is passed on to every generation. No matter how cute and cuddly a newborn baby appears they are still born as slaves to sin. Most amazing is that God in his infinite love and free grace has changed all of that. "So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir"(GALATIANS 4:7). No longer do we inherit hell and damnation but we are heirs of eternal life.
F. How great is the love the Father has lavished on us! We do not deserve eternal life. We do not de-serve to be called God’s children. Consider that Jesus is called God’s Son. NOW God calls believers his children. How did such a miraculous change take place? We cannot earn God’s love. We cannot buy God’s love. Very simply, our merciful Father in heaven supplies exactly what we truly need. "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God"(2 CO-RINTHIANS 5:21). God’s former enemies are now called God’s children.
TRANS: HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE THE FATHER HAS LAVISHED ON US. God’s love calls believers children, and:
II. GOD’S LOVE PROVIDES FOR HIS CHILDREN.
A. The people of the New Testament knew the importance of family. Family meant everything to them.
1. Without a family there was no security, no future, and no inheritance.
2. Over and over John uses the word children to show God provides for his believers.
B. In verse 3:1b John writes that we are indeed the children of God.
1. Parents provide for their children out of love.
2. The heavenly Father also provides for his children out of love – a great love.
C. The believers would look ahead to the time of Jesus’ return in verse 2b.
1. Verse 3:3 describes the hope of these believers, God’s own children.
2. Verse 2:29 reminds them they were not alone. Even though threatened God provided for them.
D. Today, you and I will probably not face the same persecution that these early believers faced. The world around them did not want to trust in a man who died on a cross. It did not make any sense accord-ing to human wisdom and knowledge. You and I will face the temptations of this world in our earthly lives. Some temptations will be severe, some will be the same time and again. Out of his great love for us our heavenly Father provides all that we need. "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved"(EPHESIANS 2:4,5). How great is the love the Father has lavished on us!
E. Today’s world stands far removed from what the early Christian church was like. In some ways to-day’s church is in far more danger than ever before. As the years go by Scripture reminds us that wicked-ness and evil will increase. Scripture teaches us that this world will grow wicked before the Last Day. This does not mean that we give up in despair. Rather, just the opposite is true. "You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like oth-ers, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled"(1 THESSALONIANS 5:5,6). In this sin-darkened world we can be thankful that our heavenly Father provides us, his children, with faith.
F. We do not have to look very far to see the darkness that is in this world. The fact is, man’s knowledge is today considered superior to the divine knowledge in Scripture. The same old heresies are just recycled generation after generation. News stories abound with the darkness of today’s world. Mankind cannot escape the results of his unfaithfulness and the deep, dark sinfulness that lurks within. It is all the more important to remember the greatness of God’s love for us. We will also want to remember what God’s great love means for us. In that way, we are also anxious and excited to make that love of God known to others. "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life"(PHILIPPIANS 2:14-16a).
CONCL: HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE THE FATHER HAS LAVISHED ON US. It is amazing that God calls us his children – we who were born as his enemies and still live sinful lives. Most amazing is that as we are called God’s children our heavenly Father also provides everything that we need. God has provided his Son to cover our sins that we can enjoy our heavenly inheritance, forever. "The LORD ap-peared to us in the past, saying: ’I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness’"(JER. 31:3). HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE THE FATHER HAS LAVISHED ON US! Amen.
Pastor Timm O. Meyer
EASTER 4 readings (ILCW – A): ACTS 6:1-9, 7:2a, 51-60; 1 PETER 2:19-25; JOHN 10:1-10
