The Love of God

Introduction:

When we look at the attributes of God, it’s impossible not to look first at His love for us...

It is because of His love that His other attributes exist...

The Bible communicates many times how we can love Him, but tonight I want to look simply at His love for us...

II Corinthians 13 says He is the “God of love”

II Corinthians 9:7 tells us He loves a “cheerful giver”

Proverbs 15:9 says God loves those who follow after righteousness...

Remember, it was God’s love that brought us out of the pit of sin to victory...

It is only by God’s love can we have victory...

1. The Unconditional Love of God

Ephesians 2:1–4 “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,”

THe Bible refers to us before Christ as:

Dead in trespasses and sins

Walked according to this world

According to the prince ofd the power of the air

Our conversation was in the lust of our flesh

We fulfilled the deesires of the mind and were children of wrath

BUT GOD...

“… for his great love wherewith he loved us.”

John 13:1–2 “Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;”

Jesus’ love for his disciples was to the end… and it was unconditional...

Romans 5:8–11 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

God so loved us even though we ARE sinners...

He expressed his unconditional love for us by sending His only Son to die on the cross for us...

Because of His love, Jesus:

endured the betrayal of who was once a close friend in Judas

Grieved in agony over what was to come in the Garden...

Didn’t fight back when an angry mob falsely arrested Him and placed false accusations on Him...

Brought Him before a judgement hall illegally and again, falsely accused Him...

He opened not His mouth

Isaiah 53:7 “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, Yet he opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth.”

Matthew 27:12–14 “And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.”

It was God’s love that:

caused Him to endure the shame and affliction

To stand idle as they plucked His beard, spit on Him and mocked Him

To have nails pierced through His hand and feet and die an agonizing death on the cross...

It was God’s love that caused Him to turn His back on Jesus on the cross...

Matthew 27:46 “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

It was God’s love that:

Isaiah 53:4–6 “Surely he hath borne our griefs, And carried our sorrows: Yet we did esteem him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned every one to his own way; And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

We’re talking about The Unconditional Love of God

2. The Inseparable Love of God (like a net)

Romans 8:35–39 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

a. No person can separate us from the love of Christ

b. No tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril or sword can separate us from the love of Christ

The key:

Romans 8:37 “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

c. Not death, life, angels, principalities, powers, nothing past, present of future, no height, no depth, no creature can separate us from the love of Christ...

God is abundantly clear here, NOTHING can separate us from His unconditional love...

The inseparable love of God...

3. The Overflowing Love of God

1 John 4:7–21 KJV 1900

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

1 John 4:11 “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

If God could manifest His love toward us in such a magnificent way, we can show love to each other...

Love is the very nature of who God is and He intends for us to love others accordingly as we grow in our relationship with Him...

Our love for each other should mimic God’s love for us, which is overflowing…

God’s love is unconditional, inseparable and it should be overflowing...

That should encourage you!