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Advent 2017: Love - 1 John 4:7-19 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

• 0:00
  Good morning. Open up your Bibles to 1 John chapter 4.
• 0:08
  So that's one of my favorite West songs as well.
• 0:11
  ! Unless I'm totally imagining this, the first time he ever sang that song for the kids, the bear song,
• 0:17
  was about 10 of us came back from camping that night, and a bear actually came into our camp,
• 0:22
  and I think it was kind of dedicated to that event.
• 0:24
  But I chased the bear off. I think Daniel Swanson slept through the whole thing in his hammock soundly,
• 0:33
  so it was really fun. Maybe he woke up. He may argue later, but it was a great time for us just to gather around God's Word this morning.
• 0:43
  As you know, as I said, we're doing Advent, and I have the candle of love today, the Advent of love.
• 0:51
  So just join me in a quick word of prayer.
• 0:54
  Father, we gather this morning, as many are doing around the world,
• 1:03
  to celebrate Christ coming to earth, to walk as a man,
• 1:11
  and to live among us, and then to die a shameful death,
• 1:16
  to bring us life.
• 1:17
  And then raised from death, and now is seated at your right hand.
• 1:24
  And we celebrate the first event of his life,
• 1:30
  coming here, and being born as a baby.
• 1:35
  So Lord,
• 1:36
  I pray that you would give us eyes to see and ears to hear.
• 1:41
  You would renew our hearts, our mind, our souls,
• 1:45
  to look at
• 1:46
  your love afresh this morning.
• 1:50
  So Lord, help us.
• 1:51
  We will walk away
• 1:53
  unchanged
• 1:54
  and unmoved unless you move in us
• 1:57
  through your Word this morning.
• 1:58
  So we place that before you,
• 2:01
  and we ask that in Christ's name.
• 2:03
  Amen.
• 2:05
  So we'll read our text first.
• 2:08
  It'll be in 1 John, chapter 4,
• 2:11
  and we'll read 7 through 19.
• 2:15
  Beloved,
• 2:20
  let us love one another,
• 2:22
  for love is from God,
• 2:25
  and whoever loves has been born of God
• 2:28
  and knows God.
• 2:30
  Anyone who does not love
• 2:32
  does not know God,
• 2:34
  because God is love.
• 2:38
  In this,
• 2:39
  the love of God was made manifest among us,
• 2:43
  that God sent His only Son
• 2:44
  into the world
• 2:45
  so that He might live,
• 2:48
  so that we might live through Him.
• 2:51
  And in this
• 2:52
  is love.
• 2:54
  Not that we have loved God,
• 2:57
  but that He loved us
• 2:58
  and sent His Son
• 2:59
  to be the repitiation for our sins.
• 3:03
  Beloved,
• 3:04
  if God so loved us,
• 3:06
  we ought also to love one another.
• 3:09
  No one has ever seen God.
• 3:12
  If we love one another,
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  God abides in us,
• 3:15
  and His love is perfected in us.
• 3:18
  By this,
• 3:19
  we know that we abide in Him
• 3:20
  and He in us,
• 3:22
  because He has given us
• 3:23
  of His Spirit.
• 3:26
  And we have seen
• 3:29
  and we testify
• 3:29
  that the Father
• 3:30
  has sent His Son
• 3:31
  to be the Savior of the world.
• 3:34
  Whoever confesses
• 3:35
  that Jesus Christ
• 3:36
  is the Son of God
• 3:37
  abides in Him
• 3:39
  and He in God.
• 3:42
  So we have come
• 3:43
  to know
• 3:44
  and to believe
• 3:45
  that the love of God
• 3:46
  has for us.
• 3:48
  God is love,
• 3:49
  and whoever abides in love
• 3:51
  abides in God,
• 3:52
  and God abides in Him.
• 3:55
  By this love
• 3:58
  is perfected with us
• 3:59
  so that we may have confidence
• 4:01
  for the day of judgment,
• 4:03
  because He is,
• 4:04
  so also are we
• 4:06
  in this world.
• 4:08
  There is no fear in love,
• 4:10
  but perfect love
• 4:11
  casts out fear.
• 4:13
  For fear has to do
• 4:14
  with punishment,
• 4:16
  and whoever fears
• 4:17
  has not been perfected
• 4:18
  in love.
• 4:20
  We love
• 4:20
  because
• 4:21
  He first loved us.
• 4:23
  so talk about
• 4:26
  an immense topic,
• 4:29
  the love of God,
• 4:31
  how many
• 4:31
  misunderstandings
• 4:33
  there are
• 4:34
  about the love of God
• 4:35
  in the church
• 4:36
  and in the world,
• 4:37
  but also the Scripture
• 4:39
  has
• 4:39
  more than
• 4:41
  could ever be
• 4:42
  exhausted on
• 4:43
  just the idea
• 4:44
  of the love of God.
• 4:46
  And
• 4:47
  it's important for us
• 4:49
  just to step back
• 4:50
  during this season
• 4:51
  and to think about
• 4:52
  superficial
• 4:54
  holiday
• 4:55
  kind of love
• 4:56
  that will be around us
• 4:58
  a lot,
• 4:59
  mainly from the world,
• 5:00
  but also
• 5:01
  in some churches.
• 5:03
  There's a,
• 5:04
  I want to just
• 5:05
  mention some of this
• 5:06
  briefly because
• 5:07
  I think it demeans
• 5:08
  the glory
• 5:10
  of what the love of God
• 5:11
  truly is
• 5:12
  if we focus on
• 5:13
  these things
• 5:14
  and don't really focus on
• 5:16
  what God says
• 5:18
  about His love.
• 5:19
  But many of us,
• 5:21
  we,
• 5:21
  during the holiday season,
• 5:24
  we kind of take on
• 5:25
  a
• 5:25
  sentimental
• 5:27
  kind of love,
• 5:29
  an emotional
• 5:29
  kind of love
• 5:30
  that
• 5:31
  really just
• 5:32
  masquerades around
• 5:33
  as true love,
• 5:34
  but it's really not.
• 5:36
  It's just the warm
• 5:37
  and fuzzy,
• 5:39
  gushy love
• 5:40
  kind of based solely
• 5:41
  on feelings
• 5:41
  and
• 5:43
  it's
• 5:43
  where we just,
• 5:45
  you know,
• 5:46
  we feel generous
• 5:47
  around this time
• 5:47
  of the year
• 5:48
  because it is Christmas.
• 5:49
  I went to buy some firewood
• 5:50
  a couple days ago
• 5:52
  and the lady
• 5:53
  was trying to,
• 5:54
  she didn't really have
• 5:54
  like a set price
• 5:55
  on her firewood
• 5:56
  and she was just like,
• 5:58
  you know what,
• 5:58
  it's Christmas
• 5:59
  so I'm just going to
• 5:59
  give you a lot more
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  for less,
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  you know,
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  just,
• 6:02
  but,
• 6:02
  you know,
• 6:02
  two months ago
• 6:03
  that would have not
• 6:04
  happened.
• 6:04
  It would have been
• 6:05
  like a lot more money.
• 6:06
  So,
• 6:08
  it's just this kind
• 6:09
  of sentimental love
• 6:10
  that kind of hits people
• 6:11
  like it's,
• 6:12
  it is the season
• 6:13
  to be nice.
• 6:14
  It comes in the form
• 6:15
  of niceness
• 6:16
  to people
• 6:17
  and yet
• 6:19
  after Christmas
• 6:20
  this kind of good cheer
• 6:21
  sort of
• 6:22
  disappears
• 6:23
  and in,
• 6:24
  in truth,
• 6:25
  this sentimental love
• 6:26
  mimics compassion
• 6:28
  but it really is
• 6:30
  as silly
• 6:31
  as sending a Hallmark card
• 6:33
  to one of the poor
• 6:35
  diseased countries
• 6:36
  in the world
• 6:37
  and just saying
• 6:37
  we hope you get better.
• 6:38
  That's about
• 6:39
  the gravity
• 6:40
  and the weight
• 6:41
  of that kind
• 6:41
  of sentimental
• 6:42
  holiday love
• 6:44
  that is not real
• 6:45
  and furthermore
• 6:48
  this sentimental love
• 6:50
  is really just
• 6:51
  trivializes
• 6:52
  real love
• 6:53
  and it breaks
• 6:54
  in the face
• 6:55
  of difficulty
• 6:56
  and obstacles.
• 6:57
  It's not going
• 6:58
  to survive
• 6:59
  and,
• 7:01
  you know,
• 7:01
  also this morning
• 7:02
  this very morning
• 7:03
  and tonight
• 7:04
  a lot of people
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  will attend
• 7:07
  a church service
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  for the first time
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  or maybe the second time
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  in the year
• 7:12
  Christmas and Easter
• 7:13
  and they're going
• 7:14
  to hear someone
• 7:15
  stand up
• 7:16
  and say something
• 7:17
  along these lines.
• 7:20
  Christmas is a time
• 7:21
  to remember
• 7:22
  that God loves
• 7:23
  all people
• 7:24
  and we are all
• 7:25
  His children
• 7:27
  and He accepts us
• 7:28
  just the way
• 7:29
  we are.
• 7:31
  I've heard that
• 7:31
  a service
• 7:33
  many years ago
• 7:34
  and what they're
• 7:37
  really saying
• 7:38
  is that tons
• 7:38
  of lost people
• 7:39
  who are coming
• 7:40
  there,
• 7:40
  all they're hearing
• 7:41
  is God likes
• 7:42
  you just the way
• 7:43
  you are
• 7:43
  and you don't
• 7:44
  need to have
• 7:45
  anything changed
• 7:46
  in your life
• 7:47
  so they think
• 7:48
  that they are
• 7:48
  cool with God
• 7:50
  and they leave
• 7:50
  thinking God
• 7:51
  likes me.
• 7:52
  See,
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  I was told that
• 7:53
  tonight.
• 7:55
  Instead of saying
• 7:55
  yes,
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  God loves you
• 7:56
  but He loves you
• 7:57
  too much
• 7:58
  to leave you
• 7:58
  in your sin
• 7:59
  and that you
• 8:00
  need a Savior.
• 8:02
  And so,
• 8:02
  many people
• 8:03
  that talk
• 8:04
  about the love
• 8:04
  of God
• 8:04
  are really
• 8:05
  total strangers
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  to the love
• 8:07
  of God.
• 8:07
  It's not
• 8:08
  just sort of
• 8:09
  some divine
• 8:10
  good-natured
• 8:12
  indulgence
• 8:12
  that a parent
• 8:13
  might have
• 8:14
  for a kid.
• 8:15
  It's very,
• 8:15
  very different.
• 8:17
  And we need
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  to kind of
• 8:19
  draw a line
• 8:20
  and say that
• 8:20
  you know,
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  sadly,
• 8:23
  tragically,
• 8:24
  all people
• 8:25
  are not
• 8:26
  all God's
• 8:26
  children.
• 8:28
  In John
• 8:29
  chapter 1
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  it says,
• 8:31
  but to all
• 8:31
  who did
• 8:32
  receive Christ
• 8:33
  who believed
• 8:34
  in His name
• 8:35
  He gave them
• 8:36
  the right
• 8:37
  to become
• 8:38
  the children
• 8:38
  of God.
• 8:40
  So,
• 8:40
  in Christ
• 8:41
  alone
• 8:41
  do we have
• 8:42
  that idea
• 8:43
  of becoming
• 8:44
  God's children
• 8:45
  and until then
• 8:46
  we are hostile,
• 8:47
  separated
• 8:48
  from God.
• 8:50
  And so,
• 8:51
  though God
• 8:51
  does have
• 8:52
  a general
• 8:52
  care
• 8:53
  for all
• 8:54
  people
• 8:55
  created
• 8:55
  in His
• 8:56
  image,
• 8:57
  He has
• 8:57
  a special
• 8:58
  love,
• 8:58
  a special
• 8:59
  affection
• 8:59
  set upon
• 9:01
  His children
• 9:01
  that's very
• 9:02
  different from
• 9:03
  the rest
• 9:03
  of the world.
• 9:05
  So,
• 9:06
  I want to
• 9:06
  kind of
• 9:06
  just define
• 9:07
  the love
• 9:09
  of God
• 9:09
  based on
• 9:11
  this.
• 9:12
  This is
• 9:12
  kind of
• 9:12
  a hybrid
• 9:13
  definition
• 9:13
  of J.I.
• 9:14
  Packer
• 9:14
  and Wayne
• 9:15
  Grudem's
• 9:15
  definition.
• 9:17
  But,
• 9:18
  let's define
• 9:19
  true,
• 9:20
  biblical,
• 9:21
  godly
• 9:21
  love.
• 9:22
  So,
• 9:23
  when I say
• 9:23
  God's love,
• 9:24
  what does
• 9:24
  that mean?
• 9:26
  And here
• 9:26
  it is.
• 9:28
  God's love
• 9:29
  is an
• 9:29
  exercise
• 9:30
  of His
• 9:31
  goodness
• 9:31
  whereby
• 9:33
  He freely
• 9:33
  and eternally
• 9:35
  gives of
• 9:36
  Himself
• 9:36
  to others.
• 9:39
  God's love
• 9:40
  is an
• 9:41
  exercise
• 9:41
  of His
• 9:42
  goodness
• 9:42
  whereby
• 9:43
  He freely
• 9:44
  and eternally
• 9:45
  gives of
• 9:46
  Himself
• 9:46
  to others.
• 9:47
  God's love
• 9:48
  love
• 9:49
  God's
• 9:49
  love
• 9:49
  is an
• 9:50
  God
• 9:51
  is unlike
• 9:51
  any other
• 9:52
  being in
• 9:53
  the universe
• 9:53
  and His
• 9:54
  love
• 9:55
  is so
• 9:55
  immense
• 9:57
  and infinite.
• 9:59
  Scriptures say
• 10:00
  all through,
• 10:01
  I mean,
• 10:01
  I could just
• 10:02
  pick a hundred
• 10:02
  different texts
• 10:03
  to look at,
• 10:04
  but in Psalm
• 10:04
  103,
• 10:05
  verse 11,
• 10:06
  for as
• 10:07
  high as
• 10:07
  the heavens
• 10:08
  are above
• 10:08
  the earth,
• 10:09
  so great
• 10:10
  is His
• 10:11
  steadfast love
• 10:12
  toward those
• 10:13
  who fear Him.
• 10:15
  And then later
• 10:15
  on in verse 17,
• 10:17
  for the steadfast
• 10:18
  love of the Lord
• 10:19
  is from everlasting
• 10:20
  to everlasting
• 10:21
  on those
• 10:23
  who fear Him.
• 10:25
  It's
• 10:25
  such a
• 10:26
  magnificent
• 10:27
  truth we find
• 10:28
  in the Scripture.
• 10:31
  And so using
• 10:31
  our text
• 10:32
  from 1 John,
• 10:34
  I want to make
• 10:35
  just really
• 10:35
  three points
• 10:36
  about how
• 10:37
  we can indicate
• 10:38
  what true love
• 10:39
  really is.
• 10:41
  And I stole
• 10:42
  these,
• 10:42
  or I borrowed
• 10:43
  them from
• 10:44
  Sinclair Ferguson,
• 10:45
  so I'll give them
• 10:45
  back to him
• 10:46
  later.
• 10:47
  But these
• 10:48
  are really,
• 10:49
  really awesome
• 10:50
  indicators
• 10:51
  of what
• 10:52
  true biblical
• 10:53
  love is.
• 10:54
  Okay?
• 10:56
  So the first one,
• 10:57
  number one,
• 10:59
  to understand
• 11:00
  what love is,
• 11:00
  we have to
• 11:01
  understand the
• 11:01
  identity
• 11:02
  of the lover.
• 11:04
  The identity
• 11:05
  of the lover.
• 11:07
  So if we look
• 11:08
  at 1 John
• 11:09
  chapter 4,
• 11:11
  look at verse 7,
• 11:12
  it talks about
• 11:12
  how
• 11:13
  for love
• 11:14
  is from God,
• 11:16
  and in verse 8,
• 11:17
  God is love.
• 11:20
  Verse 16,
• 11:22
  so we have
• 11:23
  come to know
• 11:23
  and to believe
• 11:25
  the love
• 11:26
  that God
• 11:26
  has for us.
• 11:28
  God is love.
• 11:31
  And so,
• 11:32
  each one of
• 11:32
  these points,
• 11:34
  I want to give
• 11:34
  you a principle
• 11:35
  to kind of
• 11:36
  further clarify.
• 11:37
  So we're talking
• 11:38
  about the identity
• 11:38
  of the lover.
• 11:40
  So here's the
• 11:40
  principle.
• 11:42
  The greater
• 11:43
  the lover,
• 11:44
  the greater
• 11:45
  the love.
• 11:46
  the greater
• 11:48
  the lover,
• 11:49
  the greater
• 11:49
  the love.
• 11:50
  Real simple.
• 11:51
  So with that,
• 11:53
  kind of let your
• 11:54
  soul try to
• 11:54
  grasp that
• 11:55
  of there is
• 11:56
  no greater
• 11:57
  lover than
• 11:58
  the sovereign,
• 11:59
  eternal,
• 12:00
  infinite God.
• 12:02
  No being
• 12:02
  in existence
• 12:03
  that has the
• 12:04
  capacity
• 12:05
  to love
• 12:06
  the way
• 12:07
  that He
• 12:07
  does,
• 12:08
  the immensity,
• 12:09
  the vastness.
• 12:11
  So,
• 12:12
  stay in
• 12:12
  1 John,
• 12:13
  but just go
• 12:13
  one chapter
• 12:14
  before that.
• 12:17
  Chapter 3
• 12:17
  and look at
• 12:19
  verse 1.
• 12:24
  See
• 12:24
  what kind
• 12:26
  of love
• 12:26
  the Father
• 12:27
  has given
• 12:28
  to us
• 12:28
  that we
• 12:30
  should be
• 12:30
  called
• 12:31
  children of
• 12:31
  God
• 12:32
  and so
• 12:32
  we are.
• 12:34
  So,
• 12:35
  this is
• 12:36
  an amazing
• 12:37
  verse I'd
• 12:37
  just like to
• 12:38
  talk about,
• 12:39
  but this is
• 12:40
  the attitude
• 12:41
  we should take
• 12:42
  when we're
• 12:42
  approaching
• 12:42
  the identity
• 12:43
  of the
• 12:44
  lover.
• 12:44
  Like,
• 12:44
  we need
• 12:44
  this idea
• 12:46
  of beholding
• 12:47
  the love
• 12:48
  of God.
• 12:51
  You know,
• 12:52
  the only
• 12:52
  illustration I
• 12:53
  can really
• 12:53
  think of
• 12:54
  with this
• 12:54
  is one
• 12:55
  that I
• 12:55
  shared a
• 12:55
  long time
• 12:55
  ago,
• 12:56
  but just
• 12:57
  indulge me.
• 12:58
  But when
• 12:58
  I went to
• 12:58
  the Grand
• 12:59
  Canyon in
• 13:00
  November
• 13:01
  2014,
• 13:04
  I was with
• 13:04
  my friend
• 13:05
  Kevin,
• 13:05
  and some
• 13:05
  of you
• 13:06
  know him.
• 13:07
  He can
• 13:08
  be a man
• 13:08
  a few
• 13:08
  words
• 13:09
  sometimes,
• 13:10
  and just
• 13:12
  a deep
• 13:13
  gruffy voice,
• 13:14
  and we
• 13:14
  were walking
• 13:15
  up on the
• 13:16
  Grand Canyon.
• 13:16
  We ended
• 13:16
  up hiking
• 13:17
  about 13
• 13:18
  miles around
• 13:18
  it,
• 13:19
  and I don't
• 13:20
  know if
• 13:20
  you've ever
• 13:20
  been there,
• 13:21
  but it's
• 13:22
  pretty amazing.
• 13:23
  You can
• 13:23
  spend,
• 13:24
  you know,
• 13:25
  a year,
• 13:26
  years just
• 13:26
  exploring all
• 13:27
  the stuff
• 13:28
  that is there,
• 13:29
  and we
• 13:30
  walked up
• 13:30
  on it,
• 13:31
  you're just
• 13:32
  kind of
• 13:32
  driving,
• 13:33
  and you
• 13:33
  go out
• 13:33
  and you
• 13:33
  walk,
• 13:33
  and the
• 13:34
  narrative
• 13:34
  just opens
• 13:35
  up to
• 13:36
  this
• 13:36
  immense,
• 13:37
  you know,
• 13:37
  glorious
• 13:38
  wonder of
• 13:40
  the world,
• 13:41
  and again,
• 13:43
  Kevin,
• 13:43
  at this
• 13:43
  point,
• 13:44
  man,
• 13:44
  a few
• 13:44
  words,
• 13:45
  he kind
• 13:45
  of just
• 13:45
  walks up
• 13:46
  and he
• 13:46
  just says,
• 13:47
  wow,
• 13:48
  look at
• 13:50
  that.
• 13:52
  And if
• 13:53
  Kevin had
• 13:54
  been speaking
• 13:54
  in the
• 13:54
  Old English,
• 13:55
  which he
• 13:55
  would never
• 13:56
  do,
• 13:57
  he would
• 13:57
  have said,
• 13:58
  behold,
• 14:00
  the Grand
• 14:00
  Canyon.
• 14:03
  It means
• 14:03
  to like
• 14:04
  gaze upon,
• 14:05
  take heed
• 14:06
  of that,
• 14:07
  look at
• 14:07
  that.
• 14:08
  And that
• 14:10
  is the
• 14:10
  language that
• 14:11
  John is
• 14:12
  trying to
• 14:12
  convey here,
• 14:13
  this idea
• 14:15
  that is
• 14:15
  like astounding
• 14:16
  as someone
• 14:16
  at the
• 14:17
  Grand
• 14:17
  Canyon is
• 14:18
  nothing in
• 14:19
  comparison to
• 14:20
  the one who
• 14:21
  made it and
• 14:22
  the glory of
• 14:23
  the love of
• 14:23
  the one who
• 14:24
  made it.
• 14:25
  So,
• 14:26
  see or
• 14:26
  behold,
• 14:28
  gaze upon
• 14:28
  what kind
• 14:30
  of love
• 14:30
  the Father
• 14:31
  has given.
• 14:32
  Some of the
• 14:32
  older translations
• 14:33
  are like better,
• 14:34
  has lavished
• 14:35
  upon us,
• 14:36
  that we
• 14:37
  should be
• 14:37
  called
• 14:38
  children of
• 14:39
  God.
• 14:41
  So,
• 14:41
  another way to
• 14:42
  understand what
• 14:43
  the love of
• 14:43
  God actually
• 14:44
  means is to
• 14:45
  just look at
• 14:46
  the language.
• 14:48
  So,
• 14:48
  what kind of
• 14:49
  love is this?
• 14:49
  What sort?
• 14:50
  What manner of
• 14:51
  love?
• 14:53
  And if you,
• 14:53
  people who like to
• 14:55
  study and go
• 14:56
  deep,
• 14:57
  the love word
• 14:59
  that's used
• 14:59
  here is
• 15:01
  agape,
• 15:02
  the highest
• 15:04
  form of
• 15:05
  love in
• 15:06
  existence.
• 15:07
  So,
• 15:07
  it's not like a
• 15:08
  brotherly love.
• 15:10
  It's not
• 15:10
  necessarily even
• 15:11
  like a love
• 15:12
  that you might
• 15:13
  have for your
• 15:13
  husband or
• 15:14
  wife.
• 15:15
  It's much
• 15:16
  deeper than
• 15:16
  that.
• 15:17
  Since God,
• 15:19
  by his very
• 15:19
  definition,
• 15:20
  defines what
• 15:22
  love is,
• 15:23
  he alone
• 15:24
  kind of possesses
• 15:25
  this attribute
• 15:26
  of agape
• 15:27
  love.
• 15:29
  That word
• 15:30
  was used
• 15:31
  very rarely
• 15:32
  in Greek
• 15:33
  speaking cultures
• 15:35
  and societies.
• 15:37
  It wasn't
• 15:38
  used a lot.
• 15:38
  It usually
• 15:39
  was associated
• 15:40
  with just
• 15:40
  some sort
• 15:41
  of divine
• 15:41
  love.
• 15:42
  But in the
• 15:43
  New Testament,
• 15:44
  it's used
• 15:44
  320 times,
• 15:46
  which is
• 15:47
  magnifying
• 15:48
  that idea
• 15:49
  that this
• 15:50
  is a special,
• 15:51
  unique,
• 15:51
  other kind
• 15:52
  of love
• 15:53
  that God
• 15:54
  has.
• 15:55
  That is
• 15:56
  self-sacrificing
• 15:58
  and unconditional.
• 16:00
  So it is
• 16:01
  not a type
• 16:02
  of human
• 16:03
  origin kind
• 16:04
  of love
• 16:05
  at all.
• 16:06
  Agape,
• 16:07
  he has given
• 16:07
  this,
• 16:08
  he has lavished
• 16:08
  this freely,
• 16:09
  bestowed on
• 16:11
  this abundantly
• 16:12
  to us,
• 16:13
  the love
• 16:14
  of God.
• 16:15
  So,
• 16:16
  something else
• 16:17
  to think
• 16:18
  about,
• 16:19
  this idea
• 16:20
  of the love
• 16:20
  of God,
• 16:22
  is to think
• 16:23
  about it in
• 16:23
  the form of
• 16:24
  just his
• 16:24
  attributes.
• 16:25
  God has
• 16:26
  many attributes,
• 16:27
  holiness,
• 16:29
  justice,
• 16:30
  goodness,
• 16:31
  mercy,
• 16:32
  love,
• 16:33
  but when you
• 16:34
  study the
• 16:35
  attributes of
• 16:35
  God,
• 16:36
  you need to
• 16:36
  sort of be
• 16:37
  aware that
• 16:38
  it's not just
• 16:40
  that God
• 16:41
  has goodness
• 16:43
  or has
• 16:45
  love,
• 16:45
  it's that he
• 16:46
  is goodness
• 16:47
  and is
• 16:48
  love.
• 16:49
  He defines
• 16:50
  those things
• 16:51
  and they're
• 16:51
  very different
• 16:52
  the way I
• 16:53
  just explained
• 16:54
  that.
• 16:55
  You and I
• 16:55
  can have
• 16:56
  goodness,
• 16:57
  we can be
• 16:57
  good,
• 16:58
  we can be
• 16:59
  loving,
• 17:01
  but then,
• 17:02
  like many of
• 17:03
  us know,
• 17:04
  all that has
• 17:05
  to happen is
• 17:06
  the one has
• 17:06
  to blow a
• 17:07
  different way
• 17:07
  and circumstances
• 17:08
  get rough
• 17:09
  and then we
• 17:09
  are not so
• 17:10
  good,
• 17:11
  not so loving.
• 17:12
  We change
• 17:13
  very quickly
• 17:15
  as our
• 17:16
  circumstances
• 17:17
  get more
• 17:18
  difficult.
• 17:19
  You ever
• 17:19
  heard someone
• 17:20
  say,
• 17:20
  you know,
• 17:21
  she used
• 17:21
  to be
• 17:21
  such a
• 17:22
  loving
• 17:22
  and kind
• 17:23
  person,
• 17:24
  but then
• 17:24
  she lost
• 17:25
  her job
• 17:26
  and now
• 17:27
  she's very
• 17:27
  just upset
• 17:28
  and angry
• 17:29
  and depressed.
• 17:31
  We change,
• 17:32
  but the
• 17:33
  difference is,
• 17:34
  again,
• 17:35
  that God
• 17:36
  is his
• 17:36
  attributes.
• 17:37
  He is
• 17:38
  love.
• 17:38
  We've read
• 17:38
  that in our
• 17:39
  text twice.
• 17:40
  God is
• 17:41
  love.
• 17:43
  And so
• 17:43
  his love
• 17:44
  for us
• 17:44
  is not
• 17:45
  worn out
• 17:45
  by our
• 17:46
  sins
• 17:46
  or by our
• 17:47
  indifference.
• 17:47
  It continues
• 17:48
  to be
• 17:49
  what it
• 17:50
  is.
• 17:51
  This love
• 17:53
  extends from
• 17:54
  the love
• 17:55
  that the
• 17:56
  Trinity
• 17:56
  possesses,
• 17:57
  Father,
• 17:58
  Son,
• 17:59
  and Holy
• 17:59
  Spirit,
• 18:00
  and the
• 18:00
  love that
• 18:00
  they have
• 18:01
  together
• 18:01
  that then
• 18:02
  extends
• 18:02
  out to
• 18:04
  us.
• 18:05
  I love
• 18:06
  that idea
• 18:06
  that I
• 18:08
  can't wait
• 18:08
  to,
• 18:08
  we'll eventually
• 18:09
  maybe do a
• 18:10
  series on
• 18:10
  John 17,
• 18:12
  the high
• 18:13
  priestly
• 18:13
  prayer.
• 18:15
  And I
• 18:15
  love it
• 18:15
  that Jesus
• 18:16
  actually says,
• 18:18
  I ask
• 18:19
  that those
• 18:20
  whom you
• 18:20
  have given
• 18:20
  me may
• 18:22
  one day
• 18:22
  be with
• 18:22
  me where
• 18:23
  I am
• 18:23
  to behold
• 18:24
  my glory.
• 18:25
  Then he
• 18:26
  says,
• 18:26
  the glory
• 18:26
  I had
• 18:27
  with you
• 18:27
  before the
• 18:28
  world
• 18:29
  existed.
• 18:30
  It's this
• 18:30
  idea of
• 18:31
  like joy
• 18:32
  and contentment
• 18:33
  inside the
• 18:34
  Godhead
• 18:35
  before anything
• 18:36
  existed.
• 18:37
  He didn't
• 18:37
  need us.
• 18:39
  Very
• 18:40
  complete,
• 18:40
  very
• 18:41
  joyful,
• 18:42
  very
• 18:42
  much
• 18:43
  love
• 18:44
  inside
• 18:45
  the
• 18:46
  Trinity.
• 18:48
  And if
• 18:48
  you look
• 18:48
  at our
• 18:48
  text in
• 18:49
  John,
• 18:49
  you see
• 18:50
  the
• 18:50
  Father,
• 18:50
  Son,
• 18:51
  and the
• 18:51
  Holy Spirit
• 18:52
  mentioned
• 18:52
  in this
• 18:53
  idea of
• 18:54
  love.
• 18:56
  So is
• 18:56
  an extension
• 18:57
  of those
• 18:59
  things.
• 19:00
  The love
• 19:01
  of God
• 19:01
  is
• 19:03
  uninfluenced.
• 19:06
  What I
• 19:06
  mean by
• 19:07
  that is
• 19:07
  that there
• 19:08
  is nothing
• 19:09
  about you
• 19:10
  and I
• 19:10
  that prompted
• 19:12
  or attracted
• 19:13
  that love
• 19:13
  that he
• 19:13
  gave us.
• 19:14
  And that
• 19:15
  might be
• 19:15
  hard to
• 19:16
  hear for
• 19:17
  some people.
• 19:19
  But it
• 19:20
  was something
• 19:20
  that he
• 19:21
  did simply
• 19:22
  because he
• 19:23
  chose to.
• 19:24
  Because it
• 19:25
  was in his
• 19:25
  nature to
• 19:26
  show love.
• 19:27
  But he
• 19:28
  wasn't
• 19:28
  obligated to
• 19:30
  show love
• 19:30
  at all.
• 19:32
  There was
• 19:32
  nothing in
• 19:33
  us at all.
• 19:34
  We'll get
• 19:34
  to that in a
• 19:34
  minute.
• 19:35
  But that
• 19:36
  love is
• 19:36
  uninfluenced.
• 19:38
  It doesn't
• 19:39
  waver.
• 19:41
  Think about
• 19:42
  the favorite
• 19:43
  John 3.16.
• 19:46
  Incredible
• 19:46
  verse.
• 19:48
  Incredible
• 19:49
  verse.
• 19:50
  But we
• 19:50
  often mistake
• 19:51
  this idea
• 19:52
  of God
• 19:52
  so loved
• 19:53
  the world
• 19:54
  to mean
• 19:55
  that God
• 19:56
  loved the
• 19:56
  world so
• 19:57
  much.
• 19:58
  Like extend
• 19:59
  the O's
• 19:59
  on that.
• 20:00
  And that's
• 20:01
  not what it's
• 20:01
  saying.
• 20:02
  It's just
• 20:02
  they chose
• 20:04
  to kind of
• 20:04
  stick with
• 20:04
  the old
• 20:05
  English.
• 20:05
  Like God
• 20:06
  loved the
• 20:06
  world.
• 20:07
  And then
• 20:07
  back then
• 20:08
  you said
• 20:08
  well how
• 20:09
  so?
• 20:10
  Well he
• 20:11
  gave his
• 20:11
  only son.
• 20:12
  So it's
• 20:13
  this idea
• 20:14
  that it
• 20:15
  really magnifies
• 20:15
  God's choice
• 20:16
  to send
• 20:17
  his son.
• 20:18
  That he
• 20:18
  chose to
• 20:19
  send his
• 20:19
  son.
• 20:20
  That's how
• 20:21
  he loved
• 20:22
  the world.
• 20:24
  And it's
• 20:24
  God's love
• 20:25
  is eternal.
• 20:26
  Jeremiah
• 20:26
  31.3
• 20:27
  I have
• 20:28
  loved you
• 20:29
  with an
• 20:29
  everlasting
• 20:30
  love.
• 20:31
  And therefore
• 20:32
  with love
• 20:33
  and kindness
• 20:33
  I have
• 20:34
  drawn you.
• 20:35
  So that
• 20:36
  is the
• 20:36
  testimony
• 20:37
  of God's
• 20:38
  love.
• 20:38
  there is
• 20:39
  no
• 20:39
  greater
• 20:39
  lover
• 20:40
  than
• 20:41
  the
• 20:41
  sovereign
• 20:42
  almighty
• 20:43
  God.
• 20:44
  So we
• 20:46
  weaken in
• 20:46
  our love
• 20:47
  but he
• 20:47
  remains
• 20:48
  true
• 20:49
  and steadfast.
• 20:52
  And that
• 20:52
  brings us
• 20:52
  to the
• 20:53
  second
• 20:53
  point.
• 20:55
  And that
• 20:56
  is the
• 20:56
  object
• 20:57
  of love.
• 20:59
  The
• 21:00
  object
• 21:00
  of love.
• 21:02
  If you
• 21:02
  look at
• 21:03
  verse 10
• 21:04
  back in
• 21:05
  chapter 4
• 21:06
  it says
• 21:08
  and this
• 21:08
  is love
• 21:09
  and it
• 21:09
  says
• 21:09
  not
• 21:10
  that we
• 21:11
  have
• 21:11
  loved
• 21:11
  God.
• 21:12
  Just
• 21:13
  chew on
• 21:13
  that for
• 21:14
  a second.
• 21:15
  So here's
• 21:16
  the principle
• 21:16
  attached to
• 21:17
  this point.
• 21:19
  The lesser
• 21:20
  the object
• 21:21
  the greater
• 21:22
  the love.
• 21:24
  The lesser
• 21:25
  the object
• 21:26
  the greater
• 21:27
  the love.
• 21:28
  It is
• 21:29
  really easy
• 21:30
  to love
• 21:31
  people who
• 21:31
  are lovable.
• 21:33
  It is
• 21:33
  really easy
• 21:34
  to love
• 21:34
  people who
• 21:35
  are loving
• 21:35
  you in
• 21:36
  return and
• 21:36
  giving you
• 21:37
  a lot
• 21:37
  more back
• 21:38
  for what
• 21:38
  you give.
• 21:42
  Jesus
• 21:43
  said
• 21:43
  if you
• 21:44
  love those
• 21:45
  who love
• 21:45
  you
• 21:46
  what benefit
• 21:47
  is that
• 21:48
  to you?
• 21:49
  For even
• 21:49
  sinners
• 21:50
  those who
• 21:50
  don't know
• 21:51
  God
• 21:51
  love those
• 21:52
  who love
• 21:53
  them.
• 21:54
  It is
• 21:55
  a weak
• 21:56
  love.
• 21:58
  And so
• 21:58
  we have
• 22:00
  this idea
• 22:01
  that
• 22:01
  God had
• 22:03
  to come
• 22:03
  here and
• 22:04
  send
• 22:04
  his son
• 22:06
  to die
• 22:06
  for us
• 22:06
  because
• 22:07
  we were
• 22:08
  so
• 22:08
  worthy.
• 22:09
  Because
• 22:10
  we were
• 22:10
  so
• 22:11
  lovable.
• 22:11
  Because
• 22:12
  he
• 22:12
  could not
• 22:12
  go on
• 22:13
  without
• 22:14
  us.
• 22:14
  And he
• 22:14
  had to
• 22:15
  send
• 22:15
  Jesus
• 22:16
  to die.
• 22:18
  And so
• 22:18
  what happens
• 22:19
  is me and the
• 22:20
  church have
• 22:20
  wrongfully
• 22:21
  turned God's
• 22:21
  love into
• 22:22
  an echo
• 22:22
  of man's
• 22:23
  value,
• 22:24
  man's
• 22:25
  excellence,
• 22:26
  man's
• 22:27
  worth.
• 22:28
  Instead of
• 22:29
  seeing it as
• 22:29
  an affront
• 22:31
  to the
• 22:31
  glory of
• 22:32
  God and
• 22:32
  the holiness
• 22:33
  of God
• 22:33
  and rebellion
• 22:35
  against the
• 22:35
  greatest
• 22:36
  being in
• 22:38
  the universe.
• 22:39
  So he
• 22:40
  didn't have
• 22:40
  to come
• 22:41
  and save
• 22:41
  us,
• 22:42
  but he
• 22:42
  chose to.
• 22:43
  Right?
• 22:44
  Rebellious,
• 22:45
  ungodly
• 22:45
  sinners.
• 22:46
  So remember,
• 22:47
  the lesser the
• 22:47
  object,
• 22:48
  we are way
• 22:49
  down here,
• 22:50
  the greater
• 22:50
  the love.
• 22:52
  When you
• 22:53
  magnify how
• 22:53
  great you
• 22:54
  are,
• 22:54
  you demean
• 22:55
  the love
• 22:55
  of God,
• 22:56
  is what I'm
• 22:56
  trying to say.
• 22:57
  When you
• 22:58
  understand what
• 22:58
  the Bible
• 22:59
  really says
• 23:00
  about who
• 23:00
  we were,
• 23:02
  as people
• 23:02
  separated from
• 23:03
  God,
• 23:03
  it magnifies
• 23:04
  the love
• 23:05
  of God.
• 23:07
  Hard to
• 23:08
  love things
• 23:08
  that are
• 23:08
  unlovable,
• 23:10
  but he
• 23:11
  chose to
• 23:11
  do so.
• 23:12
  So that
• 23:13
  is the
• 23:13
  test of
• 23:14
  love.
• 23:15
  Hold your
• 23:16
  hand in
• 23:16
  verse John,
• 23:18
  but look
• 23:18
  over at
• 23:19
  Ephesians
• 23:20
  chapter 2.
• 23:21
  Just turn
• 23:22
  to the left.
• 23:24
  Ephesians
• 23:25
  chapter 2.
• 23:27
  So many
• 23:32
  of us know
• 23:32
  that it's
• 23:33
  not hard
• 23:34
  to profess
• 23:34
  love for
• 23:35
  someone when
• 23:35
  circumstances
• 23:36
  are great,
• 23:39
  and when you
• 23:39
  feel like you're
• 23:40
  getting love
• 23:40
  in return.
• 23:41
  But however,
• 23:42
  the true
• 23:42
  test of
• 23:43
  love comes
• 23:43
  when difficulty,
• 23:45
  hardship,
• 23:46
  and trials,
• 23:47
  and obstacles
• 23:47
  come our
• 23:48
  way.
• 23:48
  Are you
• 23:49
  going to
• 23:49
  love through
• 23:50
  that,
• 23:50
  or is
• 23:50
  your love
• 23:51
  going to
• 23:51
  vanish?
• 23:53
  And this
• 23:54
  is a picture
• 23:55
  of,
• 23:55
  again,
• 23:56
  the lesser
• 23:56
  the object,
• 23:57
  which would
• 23:58
  be us,
• 23:59
  the greater
• 24:00
  the love.
• 24:01
  So,
• 24:01
  Ephesians 2,
• 24:02
  look at
• 24:03
  verse 1.
• 24:05
  Very
• 24:05
  familiar text.
• 24:06
  we were
• 24:07
  dead in our
• 24:08
  trespasses
• 24:09
  and sin,
• 24:10
  in which
• 24:11
  you once
• 24:12
  walked,
• 24:12
  following
• 24:13
  the course
• 24:14
  of this
• 24:14
  world,
• 24:15
  following
• 24:16
  the prince
• 24:16
  of the
• 24:17
  power of
• 24:17
  the air,
• 24:19
  the spirit
• 24:19
  that is now
• 24:20
  at work
• 24:20
  in the
• 24:20
  sons of
• 24:21
  disobedience,
• 24:22
  among whom
• 24:24
  we all
• 24:24
  once lived
• 24:25
  in the
• 24:25
  passions of
• 24:26
  our flesh,
• 24:27
  carrying out
• 24:27
  the desires
• 24:28
  of the body
• 24:28
  and the
• 24:29
  mind,
• 24:30
  and were
• 24:30
  by nature
• 24:31
  children
• 24:31
  of wrath,
• 24:33
  like the
• 24:33
  rest of
• 24:34
  mankind.
• 24:34
  stop.
• 24:36
  What is
• 24:37
  lovable about
• 24:38
  any of that?
• 24:39
  What is
• 24:39
  worthy about
• 24:40
  any of that?
• 24:41
  Nothing.
• 24:43
  He is
• 24:43
  explaining who
• 24:44
  they were
• 24:45
  before Jesus
• 24:46
  and really
• 24:47
  who we
• 24:47
  were.
• 24:48
  We didn't
• 24:49
  love God,
• 24:49
  we were
• 24:49
  alienated
• 24:50
  from God.
• 24:51
  We were
• 24:52
  dead in
• 24:52
  our sins
• 24:53
  and we
• 24:53
  followed
• 24:54
  the world
• 24:54
  and we
• 24:56
  followed
• 24:56
  our flesh,
• 24:58
  the passions
• 24:59
  of our flesh
• 25:00
  and we
• 25:00
  walked in
• 25:00
  disobedience.
• 25:02
  And then it
• 25:02
  says the
• 25:03
  result of
• 25:03
  that was
• 25:04
  we were
• 25:04
  by nature
• 25:05
  children
• 25:06
  of wrath.
• 25:09
  Nothing
• 25:10
  worthy about
• 25:10
  that.
• 25:13
  Verse 4
• 25:13
  though,
• 25:14
  here's
• 25:15
  that,
• 25:15
  here's
• 25:15
  this idea
• 25:16
  explained.
• 25:17
  But God,
• 25:18
  being rich
• 25:19
  in mercy
• 25:19
  because of
• 25:21
  the great
• 25:21
  love with
• 25:23
  which he
• 25:24
  loved us,
• 25:25
  even when
• 25:25
  we were
• 25:26
  dead in
• 25:26
  our trespasses,
• 25:27
  made us
• 25:28
  alive together
• 25:29
  with Christ.
• 25:31
  By grace
• 25:32
  you have
• 25:32
  been saved.
• 25:34
  so when
• 25:35
  we pause
• 25:36
  to consider
• 25:36
  how truly
• 25:37
  wretched
• 25:38
  and unworthy
• 25:39
  we really
• 25:41
  are,
• 25:42
  and I know
• 25:43
  I don't
• 25:43
  deserve any
• 25:44
  good thing,
• 25:45
  and yet I
• 25:46
  still think I
• 25:47
  deserve it
• 25:47
  from time
• 25:47
  to time.
• 25:48
  Like,
• 25:48
  in my right
• 25:49
  mind,
• 25:49
  I am a
• 25:50
  sinful man.
• 25:53
  Peter's words
• 25:53
  often come to
• 25:54
  my mind,
• 25:55
  like,
• 25:56
  when Jesus
• 25:56
  spoke to
• 25:57
  him in
• 25:58
  Luke for
• 25:59
  the first
• 26:00
  time,
• 26:00
  and he
• 26:00
  realized
• 26:01
  who Jesus
• 26:01
  was,
• 26:02
  and he
• 26:02
  said,
• 26:03
  go away
• 26:04
  from me.
• 26:04
  I'm a
• 26:05
  sinful man.
• 26:05
  I'm a
• 26:06
  wicked man.
• 26:07
  Don't
• 26:07
  come near
• 26:07
  me.
• 26:08
  And Jesus
• 26:09
  then says,
• 26:11
  come here.
• 26:12
  You're going
• 26:12
  to be mine.
• 26:14
  And worked
• 26:16
  in Simon's
• 26:16
  life,
• 26:17
  often how I
• 26:18
  feel.
• 26:20
  But this,
• 26:20
  again,
• 26:21
  this magnifies
• 26:22
  the love of
• 26:23
  God to
• 26:23
  understand that
• 26:24
  we were not
• 26:25
  lovable.
• 26:26
  Nothing
• 26:27
  attractive about
• 26:28
  us at
• 26:28
  all.
• 26:29
  But he
• 26:30
  chose to
• 26:30
  do it.
• 26:32
  And that
• 26:32
  brings us
• 26:32
  to the
• 26:33
  third point.
• 26:33
  So,
• 26:34
  how did
• 26:35
  he express
• 26:36
  this love?
• 26:37
  This number
• 26:37
  three,
• 26:38
  the expression
• 26:39
  of love.
• 26:41
  The expression
• 26:42
  of love.
• 26:44
  So,
• 26:44
  we have the
• 26:44
  identity of
• 26:45
  the lover,
• 26:46
  right?
• 26:47
  The object
• 26:48
  of love,
• 26:49
  and then
• 26:50
  lastly and
• 26:50
  thirdly,
• 26:51
  the expression
• 26:51
  of love.
• 26:53
  And the
• 26:54
  principle for
• 26:54
  this is,
• 26:56
  the greater
• 26:57
  the expression,
• 26:59
  the more
• 26:59
  marvelous the
• 27:00
  love.
• 27:02
  The greater
• 27:02
  the expression,
• 27:03
  the more
• 27:03
  marvelous the
• 27:04
  love.
• 27:06
  And there's
• 27:07
  no greater
• 27:07
  lover than
• 27:08
  God,
• 27:09
  no lesser
• 27:10
  objects worthy
• 27:11
  of love
• 27:12
  than us,
• 27:13
  and no
• 27:14
  greater echo
• 27:14
  of the love
• 27:15
  of God
• 27:16
  than the
• 27:17
  rugged,
• 27:18
  bloodstained
• 27:19
  cross of
• 27:20
  his son,
• 27:22
  Jesus Christ.
• 27:24
  So,
• 27:24
  God's love
• 27:25
  paid the
• 27:25
  highest price,
• 27:26
  the life
• 27:27
  of his son
• 27:27
  to ungodly
• 27:28
  sinners.
• 27:30
  He gave
• 27:31
  that,
• 27:32
  freely gave
• 27:33
  that,
• 27:34
  paid the
• 27:35
  highest price
• 27:35
  he could
• 27:37
  pay.
• 27:38
  I think
• 27:38
  some people
• 27:39
  were shocked
• 27:39
  when I was
• 27:41
  shocked years
• 27:42
  ago when a
• 27:43
  man asked
• 27:44
  me,
• 27:44
  so you know
• 27:45
  what God
• 27:46
  loves the
• 27:47
  most?
• 27:48
  And I was
• 27:48
  like,
• 27:49
  me?
• 27:50
  He loves
• 27:51
  me.
• 27:52
  And he was
• 27:53
  like,
• 27:53
  no.
• 27:54
  And I was
• 27:55
  like,
• 27:55
  oh my gosh,
• 27:56
  like,
• 27:56
  what are
• 27:57
  you about
• 27:57
  to say?
• 27:57
  And he's
• 27:58
  like,
• 27:58
  he loves
• 27:59
  his son.
• 28:00
  His son
• 28:01
  is the
• 28:01
  most precious
• 28:02
  thing to
• 28:03
  him.
• 28:04
  And he
• 28:04
  willingly
• 28:04
  and freely
• 28:05
  gave the
• 28:07
  most precious
• 28:07
  thing to
• 28:10
  bring us
• 28:10
  salvation,
• 28:11
  though we
• 28:12
  didn't deserve
• 28:13
  it.
• 28:14
  He came
• 28:14
  and he
• 28:14
  paid the
• 28:15
  price for
• 28:15
  sin on
• 28:16
  the cross.
• 28:18
  So,
• 28:19
  love is
• 28:19
  also expressed
• 28:20
  in like,
• 28:21
  how low
• 28:21
  are you
• 28:22
  willing to
• 28:23
  stoop for
• 28:24
  me?
• 28:25
  Right?
• 28:26
  Think about
• 28:27
  that.
• 28:28
  How low
• 28:29
  are you
• 28:29
  willing to
• 28:30
  stoop?
• 28:31
  Humble
• 28:32
  yourself
• 28:32
  for
• 28:33
  another.
• 28:35
  Christ
• 28:35
  stooped
• 28:36
  unlike
• 28:37
  any other
• 28:38
  being in
• 28:38
  existence.
• 28:40
  He washed
• 28:40
  the disciples'
• 28:41
  feet for
• 28:41
  goodness sake.
• 28:42
  And I
• 28:42
  hate feet.
• 28:43
  I could
• 28:43
  never do
• 28:44
  that in a
• 28:45
  million years.
• 28:46
  And so,
• 28:47
  he made
• 28:48
  himself,
• 28:48
  took on
• 28:49
  the role
• 28:49
  of a
• 28:49
  servant
• 28:50
  that was
• 28:50
  prophesied
• 28:51
  about in
• 28:52
  Isaiah 53,
• 28:53
  the suffering
• 28:54
  servant.
• 28:55
  Though he
• 28:56
  was worthy
• 28:56
  of all
• 28:57
  glory,
• 28:57
  he really
• 28:57
  was the
• 28:58
  king.
• 28:58
  He took
• 28:59
  on the
• 28:59
  role of
• 29:00
  a servant.
• 29:02
  And he
• 29:02
  even loved
• 29:03
  the one
• 29:04
  and washed
• 29:05
  the feet of
• 29:05
  the one
• 29:06
  who would
• 29:06
  betray
• 29:07
  him.
• 29:08
  What
• 29:08
  incredible
• 29:09
  love that
• 29:10
  was.
• 29:12
  And there
• 29:12
  was no
• 29:12
  greater way
• 29:13
  that he
• 29:13
  stooped
• 29:14
  than coming
• 29:15
  in the
• 29:16
  incarnation
• 29:16
  and then
• 29:18
  in death.
• 29:19
  In John
• 29:20
  15,
• 29:21
  verse 13,
• 29:22
  it says,
• 29:23
  Jesus says
• 29:24
  this to his
• 29:24
  disciples,
• 29:25
  greater love
• 29:26
  has no
• 29:27
  one than
• 29:28
  this,
• 29:29
  that someone
• 29:30
  lay down
• 29:31
  his life
• 29:31
  for his
• 29:32
  friends.
• 29:34
  And I
• 29:35
  want you
• 29:36
  to flip,
• 29:37
  I think this
• 29:38
  is the last
• 29:38
  place you're
• 29:39
  going to turn,
• 29:39
  no,
• 29:39
  100 place,
• 29:40
  but Romans
• 29:41
  5,
• 29:42
  again,
• 29:42
  one of my
• 29:43
  go-tos for
• 29:44
  this.
• 29:44
  Just read a
• 29:45
  couple verses
• 29:45
  just to
• 29:46
  make this
• 29:47
  point.
• 29:48
  Romans 5,
• 29:49
  verse 6.
• 29:54
  And think
• 29:55
  about these
• 29:55
  three points
• 29:56
  that we've
• 29:56
  made about
• 29:57
  love as
• 29:57
  we read
• 29:58
  this.
• 29:59
  The identity
• 29:59
  of the
• 29:59
  lover,
• 30:00
  the object
• 30:01
  of love,
• 30:01
  and the
• 30:01
  expression
• 30:02
  of love.
• 30:05
  Verse 6,
• 30:06
  for while
• 30:06
  we were
• 30:06
  still weak,
• 30:08
  at the
• 30:08
  right time
• 30:09
  Christ died
• 30:10
  for the
• 30:11
  ungodly.
• 30:15
  for one
• 30:16
  will scarcely
• 30:16
  die for
• 30:17
  a righteous
• 30:18
  person,
• 30:19
  though perhaps
• 30:20
  for a good
• 30:20
  person one
• 30:21
  would dare
• 30:22
  even to
• 30:22
  die.
• 30:23
  Again,
• 30:23
  it's easy
• 30:24
  to love
• 30:24
  those who
• 30:25
  love you,
• 30:26
  easy to
• 30:26
  love those
• 30:27
  who do
• 30:27
  good to
• 30:28
  you,
• 30:28
  not how
• 30:29
  we were
• 30:30
  with God.
• 30:31
  But then
• 30:31
  he says,
• 30:32
  but God
• 30:32
  shows or
• 30:34
  demonstrates
• 30:35
  his great
• 30:36
  love for
• 30:36
  us,
• 30:36
  and that
• 30:37
  while we
• 30:37
  were still
• 30:38
  sinners,
• 30:39
  Christ died
• 30:39
  for us.
• 30:40
  So there's
• 30:42
  this idea
• 30:42
  of the
• 30:43
  expression
• 30:43
  of love.
• 30:44
  While we
• 30:44
  were his,
• 30:45
  you keep
• 30:45
  reading,
• 30:45
  his enemies,
• 30:47
  Christ died
• 30:47
  for us.
• 30:48
  Human love
• 30:48
  does not
• 30:49
  do that.
• 30:49
  Human love
• 30:50
  does not
• 30:51
  lay down
• 30:52
  their life
• 30:52
  for an
• 30:53
  enemy.
• 30:54
  And not
• 30:55
  yet.
• 30:56
  That is
• 30:56
  what the
• 30:57
  Son of
• 30:57
  God did.
• 30:58
  He came
• 30:59
  and he
• 30:59
  stooped.
• 31:01
  When I
• 31:01
  was in
• 31:01
  Oakwood,
• 31:03
  I got to
• 31:03
  speak on
• 31:03
  Philippians 2.
• 31:05
  I'll just
• 31:05
  read it to
• 31:06
  you,
• 31:07
  but talking
• 31:08
  about how
• 31:08
  Christ humbled
• 31:09
  himself,
• 31:10
  ridiculously
• 31:12
  humbled
• 31:12
  himself,
• 31:13
  scandalously
• 31:14
  humbled
• 31:15
  himself.
• 31:16
  Philippians 2
• 31:17
  verse 5,
• 31:19
  he says,
• 31:19
  have this
• 31:19
  in your
• 31:20
  mind among
• 31:20
  yourselves,
• 31:21
  which was
• 31:21
  yours in
• 31:22
  Christ Jesus,
• 31:23
  who though
• 31:24
  he was in
• 31:24
  the form
• 31:25
  of God,
• 31:26
  the form
• 31:27
  of God,
• 31:28
  the morphe
• 31:30
  of God,
• 31:30
  he possessed
• 31:32
  all the
• 31:32
  divine attributes
• 31:33
  that God
• 31:34
  possessed,
• 31:34
  was by
• 31:35
  himself,
• 31:35
  very nature,
• 31:36
  God,
• 31:38
  did not
• 31:38
  count equality
• 31:39
  with God,
• 31:40
  a thing
• 31:40
  to be
• 31:41
  grasped,
• 31:42
  but he
• 31:42
  emptied
• 31:43
  himself
• 31:43
  by taking
• 31:45
  on the
• 31:45
  form of
• 31:46
  a servant.
• 31:48
  The word
• 31:49
  form is
• 31:49
  used three
• 31:50
  times in
• 31:50
  these verses
• 31:51
  and this
• 31:51
  is the
• 31:52
  same one.
• 31:53
  He took
• 31:53
  on the
• 31:53
  form of
• 31:54
  a servant
• 31:55
  being born
• 31:56
  being born
• 31:56
  in the
• 31:56
  likeness
• 31:56
  of men
• 31:57
  and being
• 31:58
  found in
• 31:59
  human form.
• 32:00
  He humbled
• 32:01
  himself by
• 32:02
  becoming
• 32:02
  obedient to
• 32:03
  the point
• 32:03
  of death,
• 32:04
  even death
• 32:05
  on a
• 32:06
  cross.
• 32:07
  Mind
• 32:08
  blowing.
• 32:10
  And he
• 32:10
  didn't
• 32:10
  waver.
• 32:12
  A quote
• 32:13
  by C.S.
• 32:14
  Lewis
• 32:14
  on the
• 32:18
  love of
• 32:18
  God and
• 32:19
  all the
• 32:19
  stuff that
• 32:19
  we've been
• 32:20
  talking about
• 32:20
  really.
• 32:20
  he said
• 32:22
  Christ did
• 32:23
  not die
• 32:23
  for men
• 32:24
  because they
• 32:25
  were intrinsically
• 32:26
  worth dying
• 32:28
  for,
• 32:29
  but because
• 32:30
  he is
• 32:30
  intrinsically
• 32:31
  love,
• 32:32
  and therefore
• 32:33
  loves indefinitely.
• 32:36
  God loves
• 32:36
  us,
• 32:37
  not because
• 32:38
  we are
• 32:39
  lovable,
• 32:40
  but because
• 32:41
  he is
• 32:41
  love.
• 32:43
  Not because
• 32:43
  he needs
• 32:44
  to receive,
• 32:46
  but because
• 32:46
  he delights
• 32:47
  to give.
• 32:49
  Sums it
• 32:50
  all up.
• 32:50
  for us.
• 32:53
  So,
• 32:54
  as we
• 32:54
  continue to
• 32:55
  think about
• 32:57
  these three
• 32:57
  things,
• 32:58
  just a few
• 32:58
  conclusions,
• 32:59
  we have to
• 33:00
  draw.
• 33:01
  This demands
• 33:02
  a response,
• 33:02
  not just
• 33:03
  to store
• 33:04
  more head
• 33:05
  knowledge,
• 33:05
  but to
• 33:05
  respond to.
• 33:07
  We have
• 33:08
  to understand
• 33:08
  that.
• 33:10
  Here are
• 33:11
  a couple
• 33:11
  of things.
• 33:13
  First off,
• 33:13
  if we really
• 33:14
  do know
• 33:14
  that we
• 33:14
  are saved,
• 33:16
  blood-bought,
• 33:18
  born again,
• 33:19
  children of
• 33:19
  God,
• 33:19
  let Christmas
• 33:21
  be kind
• 33:22
  of a
• 33:22
  reminder
• 33:22
  for these
• 33:24
  two things.
• 33:25
  So,
• 33:26
  because God
• 33:26
  has so
• 33:26
  freely
• 33:27
  lavished his
• 33:27
  love on
• 33:28
  us,
• 33:28
  let us
• 33:29
  love him
• 33:29
  in return.
• 33:30
  Let us
• 33:31
  worship him
• 33:32
  and adore
• 33:33
  him.
• 33:34
  He brought
• 33:34
  salvation to
• 33:35
  us,
• 33:35
  delivering us
• 33:36
  from hell.
• 33:38
  He's forgiven
• 33:38
  us our sin
• 33:39
  and our evil,
• 33:40
  canceled our
• 33:41
  debt.
• 33:42
  He's justified
• 33:43
  us in his
• 33:43
  sight,
• 33:44
  taking away
• 33:45
  our unrighteousness
• 33:46
  and giving
• 33:47
  us the
• 33:47
  perfect
• 33:48
  righteousness
• 33:48
  of his
• 33:49
  son.
• 33:51
  We are
• 33:51
  reconciled to
• 33:53
  him through
• 33:53
  the death
• 33:54
  of his
• 33:54
  son,
• 33:55
  though we
• 33:55
  were his
• 33:56
  enemies.
• 33:57
  And perhaps
• 33:58
  maybe even the
• 33:59
  greatest privilege,
• 33:59
  now we are
• 34:00
  given the
• 34:01
  privilege to
• 34:02
  know him
• 34:02
  and to be
• 34:03
  known by
• 34:04
  him and
• 34:05
  to have
• 34:05
  eternal
• 34:05
  life.
• 34:07
  Jesus says
• 34:08
  in John 17
• 34:08
  3,
• 34:09
  and this
• 34:09
  is eternal
• 34:10
  life,
• 34:11
  that they
• 34:11
  know you,
• 34:13
  the only
• 34:13
  true God,
• 34:14
  and Jesus
• 34:15
  Christ whom
• 34:16
  you have
• 34:16
  sent.
• 34:17
  That is the
• 34:18
  privilege we
• 34:19
  have.
• 34:20
  So,
• 34:21
  let this
• 34:22
  Christmas be
• 34:23
  a reminder
• 34:23
  that you
• 34:23
  don't need
• 34:24
  to look
• 34:24
  further than
• 34:26
  the cross
• 34:26
  to be a
• 34:27
  reminder that
• 34:27
  God loves
• 34:27
  you.
• 34:28
  Don't think,
• 34:29
  you're tempted
• 34:30
  to think,
• 34:30
  and I'm
• 34:31
  tempted to
• 34:31
  think,
• 34:31
  if God
• 34:32
  would just
• 34:32
  fill in
• 34:33
  the blank,
• 34:34
  then I
• 34:35
  would really
• 34:35
  feel loved
• 34:36
  by God.
• 34:39
  There's no
• 34:40
  greater way
• 34:41
  he demonstrated
• 34:41
  that than
• 34:42
  the cross.
• 34:43
  None.
• 34:44
  So don't
• 34:44
  look beyond
• 34:45
  it,
• 34:46
  but sit
• 34:46
  there in
• 34:47
  front of
• 34:48
  it and
• 34:48
  gaze at
• 34:49
  it.
• 34:50
  And so
• 34:50
  that kind
• 34:51
  of love,
• 34:53
  if we truly
• 34:54
  have been
• 34:54
  touched by
• 34:55
  it,
• 34:56
  will transform
• 34:56
  us,
• 34:57
  and it will
• 34:57
  cause us
• 34:58
  to love
• 34:59
  God in
• 35:00
  return.
• 35:02
  It's just
• 35:02
  the natural
• 35:03
  outcome.
• 35:04
  If we have
• 35:05
  been touched,
• 35:06
  we will
• 35:07
  love.
• 35:08
  This is what
• 35:08
  John is trying
• 35:09
  to say.
• 35:09
  If you don't
• 35:10
  have love,
• 35:12
  then you're
• 35:12
  probably not
• 35:13
  of God.
• 35:13
  You have
• 35:14
  not known
• 35:14
  God if
• 35:15
  you do
• 35:15
  not love
• 35:17
  God.
• 35:19
  And very
• 35:19
  simply,
• 35:21
  obviously,
• 35:22
  the next
• 35:23
  response is
• 35:23
  because God
• 35:24
  has so
• 35:24
  freely
• 35:25
  lavished his
• 35:26
  love on
• 35:27
  us,
• 35:28
  and that we
• 35:28
  love him
• 35:29
  in return,
• 35:29
  we should
• 35:30
  love those
• 35:30
  around us,
• 35:31
  love others.
• 35:33
  Jesus said,
• 35:35
  write,
• 35:36
  a new
• 35:36
  command I
• 35:37
  give you
• 35:37
  to love
• 35:38
  one another
• 35:38
  just as I
• 35:39
  have loved
• 35:40
  you.
• 35:42
  And John,
• 35:43
  back in
• 35:43
  1 John,
• 35:45
  beloved,
• 35:45
  love one
• 35:46
  another,
• 35:46
  for love
• 35:47
  is from
• 35:47
  God,
• 35:48
  and whoever
• 35:49
  loves has
• 35:50
  been born
• 35:50
  of God
• 35:51
  and knows
• 35:51
  God,
• 35:52
  and anyone
• 35:53
  who does
• 35:54
  not love
• 35:54
  does not
• 35:55
  know God.
• 35:56
  This is
• 35:57
  staggering to
• 35:58
  me because
• 35:58
  what he's
• 35:59
  really saying
• 36:00
  is you
• 36:01
  can't truly
• 36:02
  love someone
• 36:02
  unless you
• 36:03
  know God.
• 36:04
  Think about
• 36:05
  that.
• 36:05
  it means
• 36:07
  that a lot
• 36:08
  of people
• 36:08
  are walking
• 36:09
  around the
• 36:09
  day without
• 36:10
  Christ,
• 36:11
  who they
• 36:11
  have some
• 36:12
  kind of
• 36:12
  deficient
• 36:14
  love that
• 36:15
  they're giving
• 36:16
  to other
• 36:16
  people because
• 36:17
  it's mainly
• 36:17
  motivated out
• 36:19
  of what they
• 36:20
  can get out
• 36:20
  of it.
• 36:21
  It's not
• 36:22
  the agape
• 36:23
  Christ-like
• 36:24
  love that we
• 36:24
  have experienced,
• 36:26
  but because we
• 36:27
  know God and
• 36:28
  have been saved
• 36:29
  by him,
• 36:29
  we can love
• 36:30
  people with
• 36:30
  that same
• 36:31
  love.
• 36:31
  He empowers
• 36:32
  us to do
• 36:33
  so.
• 36:34
  So,
• 36:34
  if we
• 36:35
  have been
• 36:36
  genuinely,
• 36:36
  truly saved
• 36:38
  by Christ,
• 36:40
  that will
• 36:40
  transform us
• 36:41
  in such a
• 36:42
  way that we
• 36:43
  will love
• 36:43
  others in
• 36:44
  return.
• 36:46
  So,
• 36:47
  kind of
• 36:48
  ponder that.
• 36:49
  God's love
• 36:50
  transforms us
• 36:51
  from the
• 36:51
  inside out,
• 36:52
  and it's a
• 36:52
  natural outflow
• 36:53
  and a
• 36:54
  demonstration
• 36:54
  of his
• 36:56
  work in
• 36:57
  our lives.
• 36:58
  So,
• 36:59
  in closing,
• 37:00
  just wanted
• 37:00
  to think
• 37:01
  about,
• 37:02
  as we
• 37:02
  ponder the
• 37:03
  love of
• 37:03
  God,
• 37:04
  I was
• 37:06
  reminded of
• 37:07
  a little
• 37:09
  section in
• 37:10
  one of
• 37:12
  C.S.
• 37:12
  Lewis'
• 37:12
  book,
• 37:13
  Chronicles of
• 37:13
  Narnia and
• 37:14
  the Last
• 37:14
  Battle,
• 37:15
  where Lucy
• 37:16
  kind of
• 37:16
  peers into
• 37:17
  the stable
• 37:18
  that's on
• 37:19
  the hill,
• 37:20
  and she
• 37:20
  sees inside
• 37:21
  the stable
• 37:21
  another
• 37:22
  stable.
• 37:23
  And she's
• 37:23
  reminded,
• 37:25
  she comes
• 37:26
  from our
• 37:26
  world,
• 37:26
  and she
• 37:27
  goes into
• 37:27
  the world
• 37:28
  of Narnia,
• 37:28
  but she
• 37:28
  says,
• 37:30
  in our
• 37:30
  world,
• 37:31
  too,
• 37:32
  the stable
• 37:32
  once had
• 37:33
  something
• 37:33
  inside it,
• 37:35
  and it
• 37:35
  was bigger
• 37:35
  than our
• 37:36
  whole world.
• 37:38
  Ponder that.
• 37:39
  The one
• 37:39
  who created
• 37:40
  the cosmos,
• 37:42
  who possessed
• 37:43
  all things,
• 37:45
  created all
• 37:45
  things,
• 37:46
  laid in a
• 37:48
  manger as
• 37:49
  a baby,
• 37:50
  humbling
• 37:50
  himself to
• 37:51
  come and
• 37:52
  save this
• 37:53
  defiant race,
• 37:55
  people made
• 37:56
  up of people
• 37:56
  like you
• 37:57
  and me,
• 37:58
  who aren't
• 37:59
  worthy of
• 37:59
  such a
• 38:00
  gift.
• 38:01
  So,
• 38:02
  let us
• 38:02
  love him
• 38:03
  and adore
• 38:04
  him in
• 38:04
  return.
• 38:06
  So,
• 38:06
  allow your
• 38:07
  soul to
• 38:08
  take that
• 38:08
  in.
• 38:09
  And let's
• 38:10
  pray together,
• 38:10
  and I'm
• 38:11
  going to
• 38:11
  use Ephesians
• 38:13
  3 as
• 38:13
  Paul prays
• 38:15
  for that
• 38:15
  church so
• 38:16
  they would
• 38:16
  understand the
• 38:17
  immensity of
• 38:18
  this type of
• 38:19
  love we
• 38:21
  have
• 38:21
  experienced.
• 38:26
  May we
• 38:27
  have strength
• 38:28
  to comprehend
• 38:28
  with all
• 38:30
  the saints
• 38:30
  what is the
• 38:31
  breadth and
• 38:33
  length and
• 38:34
  height and
• 38:34
  depth, and
• 38:36
  to know the
• 38:36
  love of
• 38:37
  Christ that
• 38:38
  surpasses
• 38:38
  knowledge,
• 38:40
  that you
• 38:41
  may be
• 38:41
  filled with
• 38:42
  all the
• 38:43
  fullness of
• 38:44
  God.
• 38:46
  Yes,
• 38:46
  Lord, I
• 38:47
  pray you
• 38:47
  would just
• 38:48
  give us
• 38:48
  the ability,
• 38:50
  the capacity
• 38:52
  to love
• 38:54
  as you
• 38:55
  have loved.
• 38:56
  love of
• 38:58
  God.
• 38:57
  And we
• 38:57
  thank you
• 38:58
  that though
• 38:58
  we were
• 38:58
  not worthy,
• 38:59
  not deserving
• 39:00
  of this
• 39:01
  love, you
• 39:02
  have chosen
• 39:02
  to lavish it
• 39:04
  on us and
• 39:06
  to bring us
• 39:07
  into your
• 39:07
  family.
• 39:09
  So I
• 39:09
  pray that
• 39:10
  this Christmas
• 39:12
  time would
• 39:12
  just be
• 39:13
  another reminder
• 39:14
  as we need
• 39:15
  to be reminding
• 39:15
  ourselves every
• 39:17
  day of the
• 39:18
  great love
• 39:19
  that you have
• 39:19
  demonstrated.
• 39:21
  So Lord,
• 39:22
  allow us,
• 39:23
  please help
• 39:24
  us.
• 39:24
  We just don't
• 39:24
  want to
• 39:25
  remain as
• 39:26
  we are,
• 39:26
  we want
• 39:27
  to change,
• 39:28
  we want
• 39:28
  to love
• 39:28
  you and
• 39:29
  return and
• 39:30
  then turn
• 39:31
  around to
• 39:31
  a dark
• 39:32
  world to
• 39:33
  show that
• 39:34
  same kind
• 39:34
  of love
• 39:35
  towards both
• 39:36
  in word
• 39:37
  and in
• 39:38
  deed.
• 39:39
  See us,
• 39:40
  Father,
• 39:40
  and we
• 39:41
  praise you
• 39:41
  for the
• 39:42
  amazing love
• 39:43
  you have
• 39:44
  shown us.
• 39:45
  In Christ's
• 39:46
  name,
• 39:47
  Amen.