The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

Christmas,,,not what it used to be,,, no nativity,,, it is all about marketing,,, used to be Merry Christmas,,, now it is Happy Holidays

( illustration, I heard on the news of fights in stores,,,,, two ladies over radio,,,, .

Christmas is about the love of God....Jesus is the greatest gift of all,,,,read song.

The bible tells us why Jesus came to earth, to die on the cross, to take our place--Luke 19:10 10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. and also Matt. 1:21-23

21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.

22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

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The story of Christmas, is the greatest love story ever told.

Read Rom 8:31-39 (esv) 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be[a] against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.[b] 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 3:17-19

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God

God’s love is DEEP! And, God’s love has nothing to do with you! Others may love you because:

· You’re cute,------ cuddly---------- and adorable.---Your rich--fun to be with

But, not God! God loves you simply because He WANTS to love you … He CHOSE to love you … He DECIDED to love you. God loves you because “God is love”

We’re all familiar with HUMAN love. There’s “puppy” love,--- Grand-parent love, ----“first” love---, a love for the arts----------, a love of chocolate, ---and much more.

We have all kinds of friends … “fair-weather” friends, --“long-distance” friends, --“new” friends, --“old” friends, “former” friends, --“close” friends. This is HUMAN love, and HUMAN love is fickle, temporary, and conditional.

BUT, God IS love, and His love is unconditional, constant, and perfect.

You can’t influence God’s love, because God IS love.

Jesus didn’t go to the cross because of any love you had for Him … for any influence you placed on Him. Romans 5:8 – But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

” Jesus must have really loved you to do what He did for you, because, your sins put Him there.

We look at some people … they have money, a good job, good health, live a good life, have a good family and marriage. We think, “God must really love them … look at how much He has blessed them!”

Or, we look at others … they have problems, are sick, poor, have lost their job, or are plagued with family or marital problems. We think, “God must not really love them … look at all the problems they have!”

NONSENSE! Forget those thoughts. Circumstances have nothing to do with God’s love. When everything seems to be going wrong, God still loves you.

When everything seems to be going right, God still loves you. If you want a gauge of God’s love … a yardstick to measure His love … don’t look at circumstances, look at the cross!

God's love is unconditional,,,,

human love is fickled,,, people fall out of love,,, someone will say, I just don't love you any more,,,,,songs,, he stopped loving her today,,,today I started loving you again,