Advent of Love

Intro

Advent recap

God’s Love Separates Him

Micah 7:18 (ESV)

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.

Who is a God like YHWH?

Think about what the love of God means culturally to these people. All the other cultures and religions knew and know nothing of a personal loving God. Think about the buddhists. Buddha never taught a thing about a loving personal God. It was all about self discovery and self improvement to hopefully reach nirvana. Hinduism had no personal God but “manifestations” of what they referred to as the universal god. Hinduism requires a balance of karma to ensure a promising reincarnation.

The ancient near east religions that we see referenced throughout scripture were either polytheistic like the Egyptians that ascribed deities to all sorts of created beings (planets, weather, etc). Or some were henotheistic - the belief in one supreme god but allows the possibility of lesser deities which may be worshipped too.

The common thread in these religions is that you have to be good enough to earn a right standing with the deity or the line of teaching. If you were not good enough, oh well! Tough luck! But what the Bible teaches is of a God who is different than these. This God has an option to passover the transgressions.

Remember back to the Exodus...

Exodus 12:12 ESV

For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord.

The Lord punished those who did not obey and make the proper sacrifice to get covered by the blood.

Romans 5:6–8 ESV

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God’s Love Separates Us

The ocean is an awesome place. It makes up more than 2/3 of our planet. It contains incredible variety of life that God has created. It’s awesome.

One thing about the ocean is it’s a deep dark place. How deep? Let’s head down.

At about 650’ sunlight stops coming through. (Approx our first entrance to the health dept driveway)

The deepest military submarine dive was around 4000’ (Approx our property line to the last PRCHS driveway)

A sperm whale dives to about 8000’ (Approx here to the second DG to the south)

The titanic sits at about 12,500’ (Approx here to the Mcneil walking track)

The deepest known point is 36,000’ (Approx here to the Fail’s house, here to the old dockside, here to the corner store in Millard)

Now, these are incredible depths. But in terms of distance, they’re not that far. 36,000 ft is only about 7 miles. Really not that far, right?

So lets read again what the Bible says here:

Micah 7:19 (ESV)

He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

God’s love for us is so great that he will cast our sins into the depths of the seas. So up to 7 miles? I feel like If we wanted it back, it would be easy to go and get right?

But something else that happens at that depth: darkness, total darkness. So not only are our sins far away they are in total darkness so we cannot see them anymore and be reminded and tempted.

And you know what else happens at those depths? Immense pressure. At the bottom of the ocean, the pressure is estimated to be 15,570 psi. To put that into perspective, the saltwater crocodile bites down with a force of about 3,000 psi. So to be at the bottom of the ocean would be to have 5 saltwater crocodiles biting down on you at once with no relief. It would also cause you to turn to liquid in an instant.

Moral of the story is God sent our sins away to a point where returning to them is surely a suicide mission. We don’t have to worry about the power of sin because it is currently hanging out in the depths of the ocean.

God therefore calls us to pursue a life of holiness in pursuit of him and his love. And as a response to his love.

Romans 6:1–2 ESV

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

God’s Love Sustains

Micah 7:20 (ESV)

You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

Romans 8:31–39 ESV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Conclusion

Whether you’ve been a Christian for a long time, a few days, or you’re not a Christian yet, God’s love for you is greater than anything you could imagine.

My prayer is that you will respond to that love with obedience. Give your life to him because he gave his life for you.