Good morning, CHURCH!

Welcome to FFM where we love God and love people.

Tell your neighbor, “I’m glad your hear today.”

You could have been at the car wash, cutting grass, sleeping in, or whatever else people do on Sunday mornings.

But it looks like you chose to be in the presence of other believers to see what God wants to say to us corporately.

I believe you made the right choice.

Are you ready to be equipped today?

Let me see your Bibles.

Let’s Pray

Lord, help us to see you as new and fresh through your word today?

Lord, help us to see truth where we have believed lies?

Lord, speak to us through your word today.

Most of all, help us to love you and others more.

Let’s go to the book of 1 John 4:7-8 NIV for This Week’s Wisdom Vaccination

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Today’s opening shot of wisdom is this.

Our actions towards others should be loving at all times.

If our actions towards others are not loving, it is simply an outward manifestation of an inward deficiency of KNOWING God.

How can I say that?

‌1 John 4:7-8 NIV

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

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Everyone that wants to argue with my opening shot of wisdom needs to call 1 (800) 7HE-AVEN.

The reason some may struggle with this is because we have come to know love from a humanistic point of view which falls drastically short of what love really is.

So, Pastor J, are you saying that my actions towards someone that flipped me off in traffic should be loving?

You’re saying when my spouse is attacking me or accusing me, my actions in return should be loving?

You’re saying when someone is debating with me about my God and they are wrong, my actions towards them should be loving?

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You’re nature shows your spiritual lineage.

Those who are like God are His children.

And God’s most obvious characteristic is His love.

Those who are not like God are either not His children or they are so disobedient it’s hard to see any family resemblance.

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Today we’re starting a series about the Love of God.

Why should I love God?

Today’s message title is:

He’s simply the best.

The late well known singer Tina Turner had a song titled, The Best.

I don’t’ know who she was singing about on her song, but a part of her lyrics could only be describing my God.

You're simply the best. Better than all the rest. Better than anyone. Anyone I've ever met.

I'm stuck on your heart. I hang on every word you say. Tear us apart - baby, I would rather be dead.

There is no one else these lyrics could fit perfectly.

In this series as I talk about why we should love God; I must spend a moment describing love.

I found this description of love in my studies.

Love is faithful and kindhearted, self-giving to a person.

In the Bible:

Love is the central attribute of God.

The primary fruit of the followers of God.

And the defining characteristic of the kingdom of God announced in Jesus.

How in the world could Tina Turner say, “What’s love got to do with it?”

God’s love is the divine attribute that indicates God’s disposition to be self-giving and for the good of His creation.

God’s love is widely considered to be His central attribute in that all other divine attributes are but expressions of his love.

God demonstrates his love in his goodness, mercy, grace, compassion, and faithfulness.

But not only in those things but also in his holiness, justice, jealousy, and wrath.

His love is holy, just as his holiness is loving.

His justice comes from the fact that He just loves us.

His jealousy is a result of knowing know one can love us like He can.

His wrath is because He loves us so much, he protects us.

When His wrath is not on display it’s because of His grace, mercy and compassion.

He is faithful to love us because love is faithful.

Everything from God flows from His love.

The God of love has revealed himself to us through the scriptures.

We are going to look at three ways He has revealed himself to us as the loving God He is.

#1

He is self-giving.

In the book of Acts 17 Paul was greatly distressed the bible said because he saw that the city of Athens was full of idols.

In his debates with them he began to tell them that they were very religious and even pointed out to them an inscription they had, that read “To an unknown god.”

They didn’t know God in the way He had revealed himself in the scriptures.

So, Paul proclaimed to them the following.

Acts 17:24-28 NIV

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.

25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.

26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.

27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.

28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

Paul was trying to bridge the gap between his pagan audience and the God of the Universe that created them and loves them.

And that is what we should be doing as well.

They just don’t know Him.

God also revealed himself as self-giving through Jesus who was one with God the Father.

We’re going to look at a come to Jesus meeting He had with the disciples after James and John requested to sit at his right and left hand in his kingdom.

The other ten disciples were upset with James and John over their selfish request.

Mark 10:42-45 NIV

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

So, we see here that Jesus who was also a part of the triune God-head was revealed in scripture as self-giving.

And ultimately, we know that his giving climaxed when he was crucified for the sins of humanity.

#2

He is self-sharing.

God wants to share eternity with His human creations.

Yes eternity, where there will be no more of the things we hate about the present times.

Revelation 21:4 NIV

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

This is what God wants to share with mankind.

Not what some are choosing because they don’t want to follow God.

Matthew 25:41 tells us that hell was created for the Devil and his angels.

Matthew 25:41 NIV

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Revelation 20:10 NIV

And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

God never wanted humans to spend eternity apart from Him.

2 Peter 3:8-9 NIV

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Do you realize that the trumpet could sound at any time and the end take place.

But the Lord is patient because He doesn’t want you left behind.

He’s holding off the end.

The elevator up door is closing but he has his feet and hands holding it open waiting for you.

He’s pushing the open button keeping the door from shutting on you.

He wants to share the good life with you forever.

#3

He is self-communicating.

God has always communicated with mankind.

In Exodus.

Exodus 3:14 NIV

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

God revealed himself as all sufficient one.

Jeremiah 1:7 NIV

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.

The Lord told Jeremiah he was not too young to do what God commanded him to do.

Acts 9:15 NIV

But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.

You know Ananias had to hear God speak to him because no one wanted to go anywhere near Saul of Tarsus because he was known for persecuting believers.

God also speaks to us through His written word.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

He teaches us with the word, he corrects us, he trains us, so that we may be equipped.

Isaiah 55:11 NIV

so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

He communicates with us.

And God wants to communicate with you.

Just take some time out of every day to get into His word and you will hear Him speak to you.

If you’re watching online or here in the building, I have a very important question to ask you.

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you right now?