God’s Love For Us Motivates Us To Love Him
1 John 4:8-10 And Other Verses
8 He who does not love
does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was
manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into
the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that
we loved God, but that He
loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
NKJV
Introduction
The Long Range Planning Committee is suggesting a Mission
Statement for our Church. We have been taught by Bro Spencer Hudson a specialist from the Missouri Baptist Convention in some of the processes of designing such a statement.
We are suggesting that our Mission Statement will be:
To Love God, His Word, His People, and His World.
A Mission Statement is a short concise statement of the overall mission of the church. Under it can ve several vision statement as to how we will accomplish our mission.
As You look at the worksheet passed out today we want you to listen to the explanation and if God prompts you give suggestions
to the Committees Suggested Vision Statement.
I want to ask you, “how do you know you love God? How do You Express That Love?”
A young man said to his father at breakfast one morning, “Dad, I’m going to get married.” “How
do you know you’re ready to get married?” asked the father. “Are you in love?” “I sure am,” said the son. “How do you know you’re in love?” asked the father. “Last night as I was kissing my girlfriend good? night, her dog bit me and I didn’t feel the pain until I got home.”
1. The . . Absence Of Love. 1 John 4:8-9
8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
Illustration
A man comes into McDonalds and sits by himself never saying a word to anyone. So one day I went over and sat down and started talking to him. He said, “what gives you the right to come over here and interrupt my meal. Who do you think you are.”
So I excused myself. A few weeks later he came in with I assumed a grandchild. I teasing said, “you got a big helper with you today.” The grandson smiled, and the man grunted. The next day I saw him and said, “you don’t have your helper today, and he grunted.” Thursday of this week I just past his chair and asked, “how you doing today?’ He went into all sorts of motions and finally gave me a thumbs down jester. I am going to assume the man is an atheist, and is offended by my cross. He obviously does not have a general love for people.
Application
If you do not love and care for people it demonstrates you do not know God.
1 Jn. 4:8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
The Absence Of Love.
Then The Abundance Of Love.
2. The . . Abundance Of Love. 1 John 4:10
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. NKJV
1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. NKJV
John 15:12-14 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. NKJV
Illustration
A certain medieval monk announced he would be preaching next Sunday evening on “The Love
of God.” As the shadows fell and the light ceased to come in through the cathedral windows, the congregation gathered. In the darkness of the altar, the monk lighted a candle and carried it to the crucifix. First of all, he illumined the crown of thorns, next, the two wounded hands, then the marks of the spear wound. In the hush that fell, he blew out the candle and left the chancel. There was nothing else to say. Source unknown
Application
Many of us like to give to people who give to us. Someone pays for your meal you like to take them out on some occasion. God first loved me and I want to reciprocate and demonstrate my love for Him.
3. The . . Acts Of Love. Jn. 14:15-17
A. An Act Of Love: Keep His Commandments.
John 14:15-17 15 "If you love Me, keep* My commandments. NKJV
1 John 5:3-5 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His
commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our* faith.
5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? NKJV
Illustration
Two young men at the new Life-Way Bookstore In Cape. I asked.”do you love God?” How would I notice that?” Well, “I keep His Commandments.”
Julius Ketsenburg former pastor here at the Methodist Church., said “ Therefore for me to love God, my life must be dedicated to Him in all I say and do. So I cannot hold back my time, energy, money or witness and claim to love God!
Just my thought this AM. God grades on the Cross, not the Curve.
Julius Ketsenburg,
pastor
ACTS OF LOVE EMPHASIZE KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS
B. An Act Of Love: Love Other Christians.
1 John 4:20-21 20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates
his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can* he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. NKJV
C. An Act Of Love: Be Generous.
1 John 3:16-17 16 By this we know love, because He laid
down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? NKJV
Illustration
A short story tells about a fellow who was far away from home, and in a small town. He had in his possession only one thing, a $1,000 bill, but nothing else, no small change, no identification, nothing. He was famished for food, ravenously hungry, but he could buy nothing, for no one would take his $1,000 bill. It was not until he found a way to break that bill down into small change that he could spend any of it. Our love for God, quite similarly, must be broken down into small, spendable change.
D. An Act Of Love: Empowered By The Spirit.
John 14:15-17 15 "If you love Me, keep* My
commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever — 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. NKJV
Rom 5:5 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. NKJV
Illustration
The Holy Spirit Gives Gifts to the children of God so they can serve Him and their fellow man. This week at camp Gloria Adams and Harold shared those God given gifts as they worked as directors and counselors at camp.
THE HOLY SPIRIT GIFTS EVERY CHRISTIAN.
E. An Act Of Love: Be Reconcilers For Christ.
2 Cor 5:14-18 14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. 16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, NKJV
Illustration
Every Christian can share what God has done for them. They can tell people about God’s Love in sending Jesus.
My visit with Jerry Brown this week.
My cousin telling me about his use of my web site to lead Prayer Meeting at his church, and to lead a mn to Christ at his work.
Everyone of us can share our faith it is an Act of Love.
Conclusion
When I took my first Bible Class in college the Professor told us
Jesus used different words to describe love when he talked to Simon Peter in the last chapter of John’s Gospel. What he said did not make sense to me so I asked my Greek Professor. He said, “well go out to the Concordia Seminary Library and check it out.
Well we did and the Bible professor had it backwards. How does a freshman in college tell his learned Bible professor he is wrong?
I say, “very kindly and carefully.” Read these scriptures with me and I will make an emphasis from the GREEK Language.
John 21:15-17 15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah,* do you love (AGAPE) Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love (PHELOS) You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs." 16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah,* do you (AGAPA) love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I (PHELOS) love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep." 17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonaa,* do you (PHELOS) love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love (PHELOS) Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep. NKJV
Tradition says Simon dies by being crucified. If that were is true then we could go and ask Simon anew Simon do you love (Agapa) the Lord. And he would gladly say, Yes! I have an AGAPA kind of love for the Lord.