The Simplicity of the Gospel (3)

What is the Gospel?

The Essence of the Gospel is a Love Relationship with God

1 John 4:7–21 ESV

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

1 John 5:1–5 ESV

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

"The Gospel is not about self-improvement, but about a radical, new relationship with God that changes everything."

-Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Key components of Gods Love

God is Love

1 John 4:7 ESV

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

John 1:1 ESV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Supernatural Loves flows from God

1 John 4:10 ESV

10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:19 ESV

19 We love because he first loved us.

Gods love is Relational

1 John 4:9 ESV

9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

John 15:13–15 ESV

13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

Gods Love is Triune

John 17:26 ESV

26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

So what do we do in Response to God’s Love?

Love Him with our Obedience

Delayed Disobedience=Disobedience

Luke 6:46 ESV

46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

John 14:15 ESV

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

James 1:22 ESV

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Hebrews 12:28–29 ESV

28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Love His People Radically

John 15:13–15 ESV

13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

Galatians 2:20 ESV

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Philippians 1:21 ESV

21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

2 Timothy 4:6 ESV

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.

Next Steps

Step into Gods love this Morning

Set a Special time to reflect on the Love of God this Week

Find a place to consistently serve so you can share the Supernatural Love of Christ

Prayer Prompts

Pray for Reliant to be a place that People feel the Supernatural Love of God

Pray God would put someone in your Path this week to share the Supernatural love of God with