Beholding God's Love for Us

Valentine’s Day is only a couple of days away now and many of you use this day to express to those you love just how much they mean to you, just how important they are to you.

I’m not sure who that may be in your life but this message this morning reminds us of the Father’s love for us.

Open your bible please to 1 John 3. 1 John 3:1-2

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Most of us have a tendency, a weakness to take the familiar for granted. The old saying, “familiarity breeds contempt” is very often true. One thing we Christians often take for granted is the love of God for us.

The Apostle Paul understood this danger of taking for granted God’s great love for us.

Ephesians 3:14-19, 14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

As God’s children, we are challenged to look into the unsearchable riches of God’s love.

I. LOVE WORTH MEANDERING IN, 1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us,

A. Love’s Origin, “the Father”

1. 1 John , God is love—the Source of love

His love is not caused by us, (not merited, earned or deserved)

Ephesians 2:4-5, 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

Romans 5:8, But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

B. Love’s Objects, “on us”

1. As we realize our own sinfulness and utter unworthiness, it is a wonder to contemplate the love of God for us.

C. Love’s Obligation, “has bestowed” or “has given”

1. There is no obligation. God’s love is free, full, forever.

D. Love’s Opportunity, “that we should be called the children of God! (and we really are! 1 John 3:2a)

1. No longer aliens, rebels, sinners, children of wrath, but children of God.

2. Born again from above, not of a corruptible seed but of an incorruptible seed, we have been transformed not reformed.

3. Love’s privileges include calling God our Heavenly Father, our Abba.

E. Love’s Objective, 1 John 3:2b “and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

1. When John wrote these words, our future state, for the most part, was still veiled. But not long after this, God further revealed our future state to John. (Revelation 6:9-11)

a. Even the Apostle Paul did not yet have a full understanding of our future state. 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NKJV) But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

b. 1 Corinthians 2:9 is the same as 1 John 3:2

c. Blessing in some ways that God does veil to some degree our future state. If we were to understand just how glorious it will be we would never be content to remain in these present bodies.

d. Philippians 3:21, Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body,

e. We shall see Him and we shall be like Him. Not in weakness and suffering, but in glory and in power.

II. LOVE WORTH MEDITATING IN, Behold

How?

Penitently-

Gratefully-

Worshipfully-

B. When?

1. When life on this earth breaks you, heavenly sight brings balance.

2. When sin hangs heavy on your conscience

3. When storms come

4. When sickness visits

5. When separation interrupts life

6. When slipping through the valley of the shadow of death

How long?

1. “Till the storm passes over and the thunder sounds no more, till the clouds roll forever from the sky….”