1. "For God So Loved"
2. God's Great Love
3. God's Continual Love And Forgiveness
4. God's Love Gives Us A Home In Heaven
5. God's Love Inspires Us To Love One Another
6. God Supplies Our Needs, Even When We Don’t Know What We Need
7. God Gives Us The Power Of Prayer
8. The Love Of God
9. God's Love Is A Perfecting Love
10. God's Love Is Longsuffering
11. God's Love Is Kind
12. God's Love Is Everlasting - Valentine's Day
13. God's Love Reaches Out To All
14. Nothing Can Separate Us From God's Love
15. God’s Love Is Freely Given
1. "For God So Loved"
With February comes Valentine’s Day. For some it’s a day of celebrating someone you love. But, for others it’s a reminder of the loss of someone you loved. And there are some who never felt that special love. No matter what state of love you feel, there is a God who loves you! God’s love goes above and beyond any love we can give. God’s love reached down from heaven to give us His Son. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
2. God’s Great Love
God made Adam and Eve and gave them a beautiful garden home. “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17) Adam and Eve ate of the tree, and sin brought death. And since that day everyone has been born in sin. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) Sin also brought separation from God. “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.” (Genesis 3:8) God gave His Son, Jesus, to die in our place and forgive us of our sin. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) We can ask Jesus to forgive us and be saved, all because of God’s great love. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) Jesus paid for the sin that separated us from God and we can trust Him and be saved and have everlasting life with Him.
3. God’s Continual Love And Forgiveness
We have been talking about God’s love and gift of salvation. When we ask Jesus to save us, He cleanses us from our sin and He forgives us. But, even after we confess our sin to Him and trust the Lord to save us, we are not perfect, and we sin. One of the amazing aspects of God’s love is that He still loves us even when we sin against Him. Wednesday night Michael and I sang, “He Didn’t Throw The Clay Away”, written by Gene Reasoner. The Lord said to Jeremiah, “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.” (Jeremiah 18:2-4) In verse 6 the Lord said, “…Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand…” God’s message here was to the house of Israel, but we can apply this to our own lives. Our lives get marred. We fall into sin’s temptations. But I am so glad God doesn’t throw the clay away. He forgives us and molds us and makes us as He sees fit. Thank God for His love, His mercy and grace. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9) “He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19)
“He Didn’t Throw The Clay Away”
By Gene Reasoner
1. Empty and broken, I came back to Him,
A vessel unworthy, So scarred with sin
But he did not despair, He started over again
And I bless the day He didn't throw the clay away.
Chorus
Over and over, He molds and He makes me
Into His likeness, He fashions the clay;
A vessel of honor I am today,
All because Jesus didn't throw the clay away
2. He is the Potter, I am the clay;
Molded in His image, He wants me to stay.
But when I stumble and fall, and my vessel breaks,
He just picks up the pieces, He didn't throw the clay away.
4. God’s Love Gives Us A Home In Heaven
In the book of Psalms David asked the question, “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (Psalm 8:3-4) The amazing wonder of God’s love is that He wants to be with us. In Revelation 3:20 the Lord tells us, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Jesus not only saves us from hell, but has promised us a home in heaven. John describes the street of gold and gates of pearl, and the precious stones. We can only imagine how beautiful it must be. And the Lord is preparing us a home to live with Him forever.
“1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:1-6)
5. God’s Love Inspires Us To Love One Another
When we talk about God’s love, we see that it is an example for us to love one another. Jesus said,
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:34-35) Again in John 15:12 he said, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” God’s love empowers us and inspires us to love one another.
“7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
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.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” (I John 4:7-11)
6. God Supplies Our Needs, Even When We Don’t Know What We Need
One Saturday Michael and I were running errands and we stopped by the grocery store on the way home. I like to get things while they are on sale, and since hamburger was on sale I picked up an extra pack. That Sunday evening we went to hear our Son in Law, Andrew Little, preach and hear the grandchildren sing for their youth service. During the service little Lici whispered in my ear, “MeMaw, can I ask you if we can have a sleepover?” I told her, “Yes, you can ask me. That might be fun.” So after church the three children came home with us. I keep clothes for them, for such situations and while they changed, I cooked hamburgers. And we had ice cream before bed. I was so thankful that the Lord nudged me to buy the extra hamburger and ice cream the day before. I told Michael, “Isn’t it lovely how the Lord showed us to get enough for all of us, even when we didn’t know we would need it?” In His great love, God leads us and supplies for us even when we don’t realize what we really need. We serve a great God who is loving and really cares for us! “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
7. God Gives Us The Power Of Prayer
When my oldest son was about three years old we had a tire that blew out on the highway. I was at an exit ramp and was able to pull out of traffic. I wanted to use the situation to teach Matt that God answers our prayers. So we prayed out loud for God to help us. Just as we finished praying our simple prayer a man pulled up and changed my flat tire. He then asked me about my salvation. He was a Gideon, who places the Gideon Bibles in hotels and such, and gave Matt a New Testament Bible. God indeed answered our prayer in such a beautiful way. In praying out loud during situations like this, our children learned that God answers prayer. There have been many, many times in my life that God showed His great love to me through answered prayer. The answer may not always be what we expect, but we can be sure that He hears and answers our prayers. Jesus encourages us to pray in Matthew 7:7 & 8. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” We also read in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
8. The Love Of God
I enjoy singing the old hymns, and there is a beautiful old song that describes God’s love. The Love Of God was written by Frederick Martin Lehman in 1917. In appreciation of God’s great love, I asked someone to sing this old hymn as part of our wedding ceremony. “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 creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
The Love of God
“1. The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from is sin.
Chorus
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure,
The saints’ and angels’ song.
2. Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Tho’ stretched from sky to sky.”
9. God Has A Perfecting Love
Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived in Bethany and when Lazarus was sick, his sisters sent for Jesus because they knew He loved them, and had power to heal Lazarus. “When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. “Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.” (John 11:4-5) Jesus waited two days and then went to Bethany. When He arrived, Lazarus has been dead four days. When Martha saw Him she said, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” (John 11:21) Jesus called for Mary and she also said, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” (John 11:32) They knew that Jesus loved their family, and they knew that He could have healed Lazarus. We know that God loves us. But, when He doesn’t answer us in the time we think He should, we may question, “Why?” Last Sunday, Preacher John Byerly explained that God’s love is not a pampering love, as a parent who rushes to fix a child’s problem. But, God’s love is a perfecting love that will work in the long run and give God the glory. Jesus wanted to prepare His followers for His death and resurrection. Lazarus had been dead four days and when Jesus raised him from the dead He proved to His disciples that He had power over death. He gained their trust in the resurrection and His name was glorified.
The Apostle Paul had a “thorn in the flesh” and he knew that God loved him and had power to heal him. “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (II Corinthians 12:8-9) Sometimes in our lives we pray for the Lord to heal us, or fix our problems, and we wait and wait on the Lord. The Lord loves us, but He does what will work the greater good and give God the glory. Don’t doubt God’s love. He has a perfecting love that will work all things together for good.
10. God’s Love Is Longsuffering
Do you ever look around at all the sin and suffering in the world and wonder why God doesn’t punish the wicked? God is longsuffering in His great love. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:9) “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.” (I Peter 3:20) In Psalm 73 Asaph questioned why the wicked prospered in the world. The turning point in his heart begins in verse 17, “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.” (Psalm 73:17-18) I am so thankful that God is longsuffering in His love to me!
“1 <<A Psalm of Asaph.>> Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.” (Psalm 73)
11. God’s Love Is Kind
First Corinthians 13 is often called the “love chapter”. It begins by telling us that if we don’t have love it doesn’t matter how much good we do, we are nothing. In verse 4 Paul begins describing the attributes of love, “Charity suffereth long, and is kind;…” We saw yesterday that God’s love is longsuffering. Today we see that we are to be kind, following God’s example. “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.” (Luke 6:35) “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32) “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:7)
“1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,” (I Corinthians 13:1-4)
12. God’s Love Is Everlasting
Valentine’s Day
When I was in elementary school our class would decorate folders or boxes for Valentine’s Day. Then each child in the classroom would put their Valentines in the homemade mailboxes. I don’t know how many times I printed my name on little cards that said, “Be mine.” That was many, many years ago and now I can’t remember the children that were in my early classes. As we think about love on this special day, there is no greater love than the love of our God. He didn’t sign a little card that would be forgotten. He sealed His love with His blood on the cross when He died to pay for our sin. God’s love is everlasting. “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jeremiah 31:3) As we look around at all the pink and red hearts, we can remember that God sealed His love in our hearts. “Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” (II Corinthians 1:21-22) And by His everlasting love we can have everlasting life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
13. God’s Love Reaches Out To All
Romans 3:23 tells us, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” This means that every single person needs to be saved from sin. There is no one that can say that his or her sin is too small to need the Lord Jesus to save them, as we read in Romans 3:12, “… there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” We have all sinned. And nobody can say that his or her sin is too great for God to forgive them. God’s love reaches out to all. Jesus gave His life to die for the world. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) God doesn’t want anyone to perish. You can be saved if you believe that Jesus died to pay for your sin and you ask Him to forgive you and save you. God’s love is reaching out to you. Please don’t wait until it is too late. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (II Peter 3:9-10)
14. Nothing Can Separate Us From God’s Love
Separation can be hard. Grief can last a long time when someone we love dies or moves away from us. Even short separations can bring tears. When my children started school there were times when they cried as I walked away. There were even times when I sat in the car and cried as I drove away from the school. When we really, truly, love someone, good-byes are hard.
“35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39)
We are safe and secure in God’s hand.
“27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.” (John 10:27-29)
15. God’s Love Is Freely Given
We have been talking about God’s wonderful love, and we can be thankful that it is forgiving, and powerful, and everlasting. We can also be gracious that God’s love is freely given. We don’t have to work to pay for salvation, it is God’s gift. We can’t earn God’s love, for how could we ever pay for eternal life? We can’t be good enough on our own merits. “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6) The Lord takes away our filthy rags of sin and clothes us in His righteousness. “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10)
God's Love
