The Love Of God Series

The love of God

911 Tributes

Introduction-

We take a moment this morning to reflect on the September 11, 2001 attack on America.

We remember the 1000’s of lives that were lost and the 1000’s of families who have been forced to adjust to life not intended for them.

Those of us who are old enough to remember: What were you doing at 8:46 am on September 11, 2001?

The horror as we understand what was actually happening.

People using planes as missiles to strike the Twin Towers in one of the busiest cities in the world. (It changed security in the USA)

It affected each and every one of us for the rest of our lives.

I remember Billy Graham addressing the world from the National Cathedral in Washington D.C three days after the attack trying to comfort a nation that was wounded, grieving, and angry.

Remember the response teams sent out- The fire and police, ambulance, paramedics , and all risking their lives to get people safely out of harm’s way and trying to give medical attention to 1000’s.

Remember seeing The faces of those who were fighting through debris to find people.

Hours of fatigue on their faces yet with the determination that maybe they could save one more life.

That day I found a new definition of hero.

The old way was a 7 foot man dunking a basketball on a 10 foot basket.

A man who is able to hit a baseball 400 feet, or make a diving catch.

Players able to scramble around and run for a touchdown.

Nothing wrong with them, but they take a back seat during a crisis.

I am reminded of our own crisis here, mobile home parks under water and people making boat rescues to get people out.

Roads covered over and the men and women who directs us and keeps us safe.

How many here this morning have been battling the odds to keep the water from coming into your basement and doing damage.

When we look at the price these brave men and women in uniform are paying for our freedom and safety. We quickly realize the debt that we owe them.

The debt we owe other s who help us.

Many strangers who we will never know their names.

Nothing, I repeat nothing compares to the debt each and every person owes to the Lord Jesus Christ for dying for our sins.

Apostle Paul says “we are debtors(Rom 8:12) that we will never be able to repay what He did for us on Calvary’s Cross. Jesus Christ paid the price for us through His death, burial, and resurrection.

God has forgiven our trespasses, cancelled the debt against us by nailing it to the cross.

It takes a crisis like what we are facing to realize the love that God has for us.

As we continue the series Fruit of the Spirit, we look today at the characteristics of God- love.

Galatians 5:22-26

9 characteristic of God:

Love , joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The very characteristics that God desires to see in each one of us.

John 4:7-12- (read from the Bible)

Did you catch that? God is love.

It is not because you first loved Him.

He loved you before you were even a thought in your parent’s eyes.

He loves you because He wanted to love you. Not because your cute, adorable, rich, or even that you are fun to be around, but because He chooses to love you.

God love runs deep!

Others may love you for selfish reasons, but the God of the universe decided that He was going to love you.

Think of the purest most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that by an infinite number and that would be God’s love for you.

Isn’t that good news! God is love- it is His character, and He chooses to love you.

He loves the flawed, broken, and rejected.

God’s love reaches even the proud, arrogant, and the wicked.

That tells me with gladness that there is hope for us. Each one of us.

The right question is not:

Can God handle my problems, but will you let God handle your problems?

Can God love me- but will you let God love you?

Romans 8:35- (slowly)

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, persecution, or famine, nakedness, or peril, or sword- yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

Romans 8:38-39- “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”