Title: The Love of God

Text: Jer 31:1-3; Jn 3:16

Date: 8-17-08.am

Passage: Jer 31:1-3

31 "At that time," declares the Lord, "I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people." 2 Thus says the Lord, "The people who survived the sword

Found grace in the wilderness- Israel, when it went to find its rest." 3 The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, "I have loved you with an everlasting love;

Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness. NASB

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. NASB

Introduction: This morning I want to talk about the love of God. We talked about it several times during our Romans study. But I want us to focus a little more closely on it this morning. Jeremiah was writing to the Nation of Israel. The Nations was taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. Jeremiah had prophesied about the judgement God would bring if the nation didn't repent, but in verse 3 Jeremiah focuses on the fact that even in judgement God's love doesn't fail.

That theme of love is repeated when Nicodemus comes to visit Jesus one night in Jerusalem. That's what I want us to think about this morning. God's everlasting love for us.

WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD'S LOVE? (7)

It is unmerited We don't have to earn God's love, it's based in His nature all we have to do is receive it. God loves us because He has chosen to, not because He has to or because we are just so lovable He has to.

It is eternal - God told Israel I have loved you with an everlasting love. God alone is truly eternal. He had no beginning, He has no ending. As John told us by His very nature He is love which means His love for us is eternal as well

It is universal - now don't misunderstand or confuse this with universalism. Jesus told Nicodemus God so loved the world.

Ezek 18:32 "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord God. "Therefore, repent and live." NASB

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. NASB

It is infinite - God's love for us can't be measured, it is limitless. It is so great God clothed himself in flesh and came to earth to suffer and die on the cross. The greatness of that is beyond measure.

It is immutable - It does not change, God's agape love is not emotional, it's not conditional, when you're weak, when you stumble, when you fail, even when you walk away from God He doesn't say I don't love you anymore. He doesn't walk away or fail you. He is right there to receive you back into His loving arms. That's what he promised Israel and Moses, and Joshua in the Old Testament (Deut 31:6-8; Josh 1:5) and that's what He promises those who trust Him in the New Testament ( Heb 13:5).

It is holy - We have talked about this word before in connection with ourselves it means set apart when we us it to describe God or his any of His attributes it means absolutely pure and distinct.

It is perfect - Because God's love is based in His very nature His love is perfect. It casts out fear according to 1 Jn 4:18 because there is no danger of losing His love. That's the wonderful truth of Rom 8:38-39. What shall separate us from God's love? Paul answers that in Rom 8:38-39 "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 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." NASB

Obviously God's love is a great, wonderful. And though we try to describe it in those human terms it is far beyond our ability to adequately describe.

WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF GOD'S LOVE?

Because He loved us He made himself known to us -

Heb 1:1-3 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. NASB

From the beginning of creation, the God of creation, has made him to the creation because of love. We understand from the Bible He Himself manifest himself personally and visibly in a number of ways to different persons, He spoke audibly, He used the creation, oral tradition, the written word, the Living Word and the Holy Spirit. All of that so that we might know Him and have a relationship with Him.

Because He loved us He sent Christ to die on the cross - a plan for reconciliation of sinful man to a holy and just and righteous God. Jn 14: 1- 14.

Because He loved us He saved us - whosoever believes in Him shall not perish

Because He loved us He gave us His Holy Spirit

Those who receive the salvation God freely offers also receive the Spirit as well.

Eph 1:13

13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation -- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, NASB

(John 14:18; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7-15)

Teacher, Comforter, Guide, Guarantee, Helper, Spirit of Truth, Spirit of knowledge

Because He loved us He intercedes continually for us

Heb 7:25 Hence, also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. NASB

He stands before God in our behalf. RD blew it again Father, RD messed up, RD failed but he's covered by my blood He's ours. That's enough to make a Baptist shout.

WHAT SHOULD OUR RESPONSE BE TO GOD'S LOVE?

We respond with conviction of sin - The Bible says we love because God first loved us God's love for us. A recognition of that love should create within us a reciprocal love for Him and a desire sparked by the calling of the Holy Spirit to seek God

and as we seek God it should produce within us a conviction of sin. An understanding that anything contrary to God's will is sin.

We respond with repentance from sin There is the conviction within us that sin exists. We can look around us everyday and understand sin exists that we live in a fallen world. We experience it, we see it but repentance means we understand it exists in our own lives and that it hurts us, but that it also hurts the one who loves us the most, and love for Him moves us to turn away from our sin. To forsake it as a way of life and turn from it.

We respond with a commitment to Christ - We don't want to be just reformed, we want to be transformed into something totally different, we respond to God's love by coming to Christ and receiving from Him the gift of life that transforms us from the inside out into a new creation.

2 Cor 5:17 17 Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. NASB

When we make a commitment to trust Christ as Savior wa also make a commitment to make Lord of our lives as well.

We respond with fellowship - Christian Fellowship goes beyond just friendliness and companionship it is about relationship. Christian Fellowship is a right relationship with God and with one another. A relationship that involves obedience and service. In John 14:15, Jesus said: "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." NASB. In Gal 5:13, Paul wrote: "For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." NASB Christian fellowship is one of service born out of our love for God as a response to His love for us.

Have you recognized God's love? Have you experienced God's love? Have you responded to God's love? If not we invite consider how much He loves you and respond to His Love.