The Wonder of His LOVE

(S1) — VIDEO

(S2) — TITLE

The extent a parent would go for their child...

Roof of a Burning Building

The Christmas story shows us the WONDER of God’s LOVE for us

One of the observations we can see is that the Wonder of Christmas is expressed through the fact that God made the first move in loving us...

The disciple named John wrote some bold realities about this love we can experience

John 3:16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

We give gifts to each other for different reasons. It may be an obligation. It may be a tradition. But the ultimate motivation for the giving as followers of Jesus is love. God made the first move, gave the best Christmas gift in Jesus — Out of LOVE

How does he love so much?

1 John 4:9 (NLT)

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world...

What was it like for Mary to know the WONDER of this LOVE?

(S3) —

I. Love that CONQUERS our Fears!

Luke 1:29–30 (NLT)

29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!

Mary, do not fear, for God loves you!

This kind of love protects us from harm — brings peace in times of uncertainty — JOY in knowing our Heavenly Father loves his children

1 john 4:7 “ Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.”

Bible study — Mary’s love for God...

Mary was assured by the angels voice…you have found favor with God…the only thing she had to do is TRUST in the one who’s love grew inside her.

It is the same for us...

1 John 4:18 “Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.

The WONDER of this LOVE?

(S4) —

II. Love that CELEBRATES Good News for us!

Luke 1:31 (NLT)

31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.

Giving birth is generally good news…

Rose/Thomas

For Mary, maybe not so much at first...

Young child

Having not been WITH Joseph

Shame/ridicule/people

The angel shares the reason to CELEBRATE...is the GOOD NEWS

Luke 1:32–33 (NLT)

32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

Your child will be great! Music to every parents ears!

Raising children in these contemporary times is difficult — We have hopes and dream for them, and yet the reality is…they are being negatively influenced from every direction.

Parents empowered survey — “Parents the #1 influence in their children’s lives.”

“Parents don’t always believe this – parents placed themselves last in the line-up of influences on their children – after friends, teachers and media. 

But when the youth answered the same question, they placed their parents first – before family, friends, teachers, and activities/clubs.” (1)

Mary’s child, Jesus, who God entrusted to her for a time…is a celebration of Good news for us

Jesus — Messiah — Savior

This kind of love celebrates our inclusion in the GOOD NEWS OF God’s SALVATION

1 John 4:10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”

The WONDER of this LOVE?

(S5) —

III. Love that Equips us for the CAUSE

How? Mary asked the same question —

Luke 1:34–35 (NLT)

34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” 35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.

The reason we were given the gift of LOVE — Our god-given purpose is to LOVE others

1 John 4:11 “since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.”

Through the birth of Jesus — His life…Death…and resurrection…God’s wondrous love is...brought to full expression in us...

Hebrews 13: 20 Now may the God of peace— who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood— 21 may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him.

What is pleasing to God? When we show the wonder of this love to others. The baby Jesus would grow up and go on to show us the WONDER of His love

...THIS MUCH

(S6) —

The WONDER of this LOVE?

Love that CONQUERS our Fears — Love that CELEBRATES Good News for us — Love that Equips us for the CAUSE

CHOIR MUSICAL

The same gift given to Mary — The love the apostle John spoke of — Is the wonder of love for us today

Ephesians 3: 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.”

Resources

1 — www.parentsempowered.org