Advent 5: (Love) As God so Loved, You Go and Do Likewise

Today we lit the first four candles of Advent — we lit the candles of HOPE, PEACE, and JOY over the previous weeks and this morning we lit the fourth candle. The candle of LOVE.

This morning I have a short exhortation for you and it is simply a combination of two verses. This is my call to you as my flock, As God so Loved, you go and do likewise.

The first verse used obviously comes from John 3:16

John 3:16 ESV

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

So often we speak of this verse without considering its implications. It’s become a bit of a cliche for us, but it’s an unbelievable statement!

That God loved His creation so much that He did not withhold even His own Son to save them to eternal life!

Sometimes we forget how much that means! It is one of the reasons I focus so much on the actions of Jesus, even during the Advent season, because the point of Jesus’ life was not the manger, but the cross! He wasn’t born just to give us a soothing story, he was born to die and in so doing, win for Himself a people, the new humanity. And as Romans 5:8 states

Romans 5:8 ESV

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

And He invites us into His new humanity! His love overflows and brings true and lasting hope, peace, joy, and love for those who would be found in him!

Friends, If you are seeking lasting hope, if you are seeking lasting peace, if you are seeking lasting joy, if you are seeking lasting love, then you will only find it in Jesus! All else passes away!

And for those who are Christians, as Jesus’ love overflows to us, our love should be overflowing as well!

We are to love our Christian brothers and sisters

John 13:34–35 ESV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

We are to love strangers and travelers in our town

Deuteronomy 10:17–19 ESV

17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. 18 He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. 19 Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

We are to love our enemies

Matthew 5:43–45 ESV

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

All of this is borne out by the two greatest commandments

We are to love God

Matthew 22:37–38 ESV

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment.

We are to love our neighbors

Matthew 22:39–40 ESV

39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

It is from the famous parable of the Good Samaritan that the second part of my exhortation comes from. Let’s read the whole interaction in Luke 10:25-37 Pg. 506, 1073

Luke 10:25–37 (ESV)

25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”

27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’

36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Jesus demonstrated self-giving love in his ministry as the Good Shepherd. Advent is a time to love as God loved us by giving us his most precious gift. As God so loved, let us go and do likewise to all.