The One in the Manger Gives His Love

Joe Bell

Why The Manger? • Sermon • Submitted a year ago • Presented a year ago

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Intro

Psalm 136:1–3 ESV

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever;

Last week we discussed reconciliation and finding peace within our relationships. The week before we discussed the promises of God. How this God is faithful and good and will bring His promises into reality.

So I ask this morning.

Why would a God work so hard to bring reconciliation, not just for us unto Himself, but also, us unto one another?

Why would a God come a visit a slave woman in the desert?

Why would this same God pursue a runaway brother, who stole and lied, and abandoned his family, all in his own name? Why would He show up in a desert? a hillside? in a valley? Why does this God keep pursuing these broken people?

Why would He pursue a murderer in the wilderness of Midian?

A hopeless prophet on the verge of death?

A young shepherd boy destined to be a king?

A group of young men in captivity in a foreign land?

This God keeps coming, time and time again. Why?

Why now, Why the Manger?

Was Mary better than Pilates wife? Joseph more deserving than Caesar?

Obviously the answer is no.

Romans 3:23 ESV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

If all have have fallen in unison, why?

So why the Manger?

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

God Came into that manger, not because you or I were great, but because He was faithful, and because He loved you and I faithfully.

While we still spat in his face Christ loved us. While you and I rejected him, He faithfully cared and protected you. He watched over you. He came to that manger, for you!

We serve a Faithful God, whose love is steadfast and unyielding.

Our

God loves Faithfully, Do You?

Psalm 136:4–9 ESV

to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever;

Abraham, made a lot of mistakes, but one thing he didn’t fail to do was love. He loved his family. Broken, imperfect, fractured. He loved them. Ishmael, Isaac. Son of mans strength, Son of faith. It didn’t matter to Abraham. He loved them faithfully.

On the flip side His son, Isaac, After knowing that love of a father, didn’t not love well. Isaac loved conditionally.

Who pleases me more? Them I will love.

We saw the consequences of this last week. Jacobs little heart is shattered as cannot attain the love of his father. These consequences would be felt hardest by his children.

When you and I fail to love faithfully, we bring destruction. But when we learn to love do love faithfully like Jesus, we bring healing and harmony.

You may have loved broken for many years. Well this day. Love anew.

Because what we see in scripture is that God promise, His word, drives everything. He loves us so much that He promised in the garden to undo the damage that Man and Satan caused.

Then He speaks to Abraham, and promises to make him a great nation. Then person after person God shows up showing Himself faithful. Not because they were. But because He is! Because His love, Word, His Honor, was going to prevail.

So God Generation by generation proves Himself faithful and true.

Psalm 136:10–16 ESV

to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever; and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever; with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever; and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever; but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever;

Our Creators Steadfast Love can Satisfy your soul.

Broken Love can Crush you

We See in Jacobs when he is younger being so desperate to receive love and blessing from his father that he literally steals it from his brother.

When we crave mans love more than God’s blessing terrible things begin to happen. Why?

Mans loves cannot satisfy

It cannot be relied upon

It is merely a shadow of Gods all consuming, all satisfying love.

We saw in Jacobs life that he found himself in hardship because of his desperate need for an earthy love.

Many people, set their hopes for love and blessing here on Earth, to the hardship and suffering of their souls longing. My friends it takes faith to see that the only one whose love can satisfy was found in a manger 2000 years ago.

Psalm 136:17–22 ESV

to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever; and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever; and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever; a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Who’s Love do you long For?

Abraham made many mistakes, but he loved his sons well. Because of that, their relationship was in tact, the family though separated, remained in each others lives at lease to degree.

Jacob’s heart however remained broken, until he learned hunger after Gods love more than his fathers. We saw saw this last week, when Jacob wrestling with God, refused to let God go until He blessed him.

No longer was Jacob longing for his fathers blessing, he was longing for Gods.

Once he learned to hunger for Gods love and approval as opposed to mans, Jacobs heart healed, and he walked into his new identity. not as rebellious son, but as loved and cherished by His father above.

So I ask this morning, Whose love are you longing for? The Lords, Mans, Woman's, your employers?

This Morning Church. This Christmas.

Only Christs Love Can Satisfy.

Only God’s love can remedy your hearts deep cry.

Psalm 136:23–26 ESV

It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever; and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever; he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Some might say, pastor, I don’t need Gods love. I’ll take it, I don’t even think of it beyond the surface. Maybe at Christmas or at Easter, where I acknowledge and offer a nod to the almighty.

Here in lies the great spiritual problem of our time. We don’t know how spiritually malnourished we are. The Deep reality of god’s abiding steadfast love escapes us. Not because it isn’t real, but because we are satisfied with lesser loves.

But the reality is this, if we do not let down our guard and lay down these lesser loves, we can never truly know the greater love.

The Call this Christmas is to lay down our lesser loves, and cling to the Love of Christ and allow His love to complete us.

That way we can too continue the Psalm: