Rsbc
Feb 16th 2004
Sunday Morning
Subject: “The
Text” I John 4:7-11
Intro: In this message this morning I do not want it to be just another sermon on the love of the Lord. I want it to penetrate our inner most being , I want it to move us into a state of worship. I pray that it will enlightened us to the being of God as he is indeed love.
I want it to touch the hardest heart and soften it, I want it to reach the tenderest heart and make it tenderer. I want this message to show the greatest of this intimate emotion of God for us.
Songs have tried to tell the depth of it one such song is in our hymnal..may share the stanza with you? Page # 157 The love of God is one the most beloved teachings of the bible, for without the love of God think with me...
There would be no mercy..Romans 9:16 So then [it is] not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
If there is no mercy then there is no electing grace, no sending of Christ, no forgiveness of sins, no heaven to gain, no moral conduct in earth, there would be no sensible people, the raging depraved nature of men would rule both will and actions that would leave the weak and the wounded destitute of any one to help them. There would be no providentially intervening over the events of men.
A world with the love of God would be a world of disaster, delusioned, hate murder and self abasement of every sinner on earth. What a tragedy it would be with the love of the Lord.
I wish in this message to drive four main thoughts home to you and I. (1.) The Majestic God who loves. (2.) The unworthiness and the full poverty of those whom he loves. loved. (3.) The wonderful and profound benefits that flow from his love to us. (4.) The Worthiness of Christ through whom we are
I... “ THE MAJESTY OF GOD THE GREAT LOVER..
David said of the Lord:
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1 Chronicles 29:10‑11 Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed [be] thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. 11 Thine, O LORD, [is] the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all [that is] in the heaven and in the earth [is thine]; thine [is] the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.
From his majestic nature flows the following... His parental goodness (our father) His farther hood over knows no end (for ever and ever) His majesty is seen in his...
1. Greatness..Psalm 145:3 Great [is] the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness [is] unsearchable.
2. His power.. Jeremiah 10:12‑13 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. 13 When he uttereth his voice, [there is] a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.
3. His glory.. Exodus 24:16 And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
4. The possession and the sovereignty of the Lord..for all [that is] in the heaven and in the earth [is thine]; thine [is] the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.
II... “ THE UNWORTHINESS AND THE FULL POVERTY OF THOSE WHOM HE LOVES”...
Our text says not that we love God but that he loved us.. Poor lost alienated sinners did God set his love upon. What a awesome thing.. The Lord who is holy loving the unholy.
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Ephesians 2:4‑5 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Another verse says: Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. This word commendeth means to set oneself beside and introduce yourself.. This is what God has done with his love.
Paul: 2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: Here we see that the love of Christ is likewise very constraining that is it holds one together lest it fall away..
There are so many synonyms to the love of God, it can be rightfully said that his love for unworthy sinners is, everlasting, it is corrective, it protective, it is incarnate, it most definitely sacrificial, it is seen to be active love, it is likewise a love that demands from us, it is sovereign love, it is personal love..
Peter after obeying the voice of Christ and they caught so many fish that they could not haul them in.. Said these words to Christ..Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw [it], he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
Job the ancient said: Job 40:1‑5 Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, 2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct [him]? he that reproveth God, let him answer it. 3 Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. 5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
III... “THE WONDERFUL AND PROFOUND BENEFITS THAT FLOW FROM HIS LOVE TO US”.
1st. His love caused him to send Christ...
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1 John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
2nd. It caused God to sacrifice his soul... Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
3rd. It cause God to forgive us our sins...Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
IV... “ THE WORTHINESS OF THE ONE WHOM THIS LOVE OF GOD IS GIVEN AND BESTOWED...
The absolute worthiness of Christ was seen in the bible from the very start. He was born without human father..he was born of the Holy Spirit that is the Holy Spirit place the seed in the woman Mary.
Luke called him: Acts 4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
1ST. His perfection is seen in his abilities to save..
Hebrews 7:25‑26 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26 For such an high priest became us, [who is] holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
2nd. His worthiness is seen in the satisfaction he made at Calvary..
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The satisfaction that Christ made when he died, is clearly seen in the application of that atoning work. Not one sinner would be saved today if Chirst work was not satisfying to the Father and to the covenant of grace. But with the satisfaction of Christ’s atoning death we see the application of it in our lives.
The acceptance of this work by the Father is clear proof that he did love us in him, and accept us in him because he was perfect in character, perfect in his work..
3. His worthiness is the proclamation of heaven in the visions John saw..
A. The pronouncement.. Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
B. The proclamation of it: Revelation 5:11‑12 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
How can I know that God loves me? Good question this morning! We know that he loves not all men for he himself said in Romans and in Mal that he love Jacob and hated Esau...
There is that benevolent love of God for all his creation, whereby he takes care of all that he has created including all men without exception. Then there is that sovereign love of the lord whereby he loves those whom he has chosen...
If you can believe on Christ then you may properly and biblically say that God loves you, if there is a desire for God in your heart today you may say that God loves you for he hath put that desire in you. If God is calling you this morning you may well say that God loves you.