The Love of the Savior

John 3:16–18 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Introduction

Last week we started our Christmas series and we Started by talking about how:

Christmas reminds us that God fulfilled his promise of salvation through sending Jesus.

we talked about how Jesus fulfilled over 300 old testament promises in his birth, life, death, and resurrection

And how the odds of this are astronomical yet true.

That he is the savior that was promised to Humanity from the very beginning .

and because of him we have a restored relationship with God.

Today

Today, I want us to continue looking at the Christmas story and I want us to look at the why if you will..

Why was Jesus born?

And i don’t want to look at the purpose so much as I want to look at the motivation

What motivated a holy and righteous God to send his only son

to be born into a broken and suffering humanity..

To live, suffer and die for his creation

Especially a creation who had defied him and rejected his Lordship so many times.

What motivated Jesus to vacate the thrown of heaven

and empty himself into flesh..

And later willingly walk to a painful an horrific death

all without a complaint..

Love

the simple answer is this..

It was Love..

Love was the motivation..

Not an infatuation with creation..

not an internal feeling of passion..

But the willing choice to act on behalf of another's best interest..

That kind of love..

The Christmas season reminds us of the great Love God has for us, and that he showed us in sending Jesus.

it was his love for you and I.

And today I want to remind you that that is the love god has for YOU and I

Love makes us take action

Love Makes Us Take Action

Have you ever been in love before?

I mean real love, not just puppy love..

not just teenage hormonal love..

but real love..

the kind of Love that made you do things that you really wouldn’t do for anyone else..

Real Love Makes Us Take Action

come on all you married guys.. You know the kind of love i’m talking about..

Krista and I

I remember when krista and i were first dating

we started dating and then that very week I moved to oklahoma..

12 hours away..

And one day I was talking to her on the phone..

and I don’t know if she was having a bad day.. or was just sad that day..

but we were talking.. and she said.. I wish you were here..

and that was all I needed to hear..

I got in my little car..

and while we were still talking I drove..

and I drove..

and I drove..

And I drove 12 straight hours to her house..

and when I arrived I showed up at the door..

and she was shocked….

Love makes us do crazy things some times..

Little

A little boy was asked one time..

what is love..

And his response was..

Love is grandpa painting grandmas toe nails because she cant do it anymore…

Love makes us take action..

And Jesus tells us here in John 3:16 that it was Love that drove God to act for his people..

Look what he tells Nicodemus..

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…

It was the love of god..

That drove him to send the son of god.. Jesus

To be born in a manger

and later give his life..

It was love that drove God to that.

but what is this love?

What is love

English..

in english we have one word for love.. love..

and that word encompasses many different forms of love..

Greek

but in greek, the original language of much of the new testament..

there are many words to describe the different types of love..

and the bible uses many of these words..

There is philia love.. which is brotherly love..

and Eros love, which is romantic love

Storge Love, which is family love..

But the word that Jesus uses here is the greek word Agapao

We know that as Agape love.

Agape

Agape love is often considered the highest form of love..

It’s a selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional love

A benevolent and self giving love

It is faithful, committed and willing to act on behalf of others

It is given of freewill and choice..

Corinthians

Agape love is the love that Paul characterized in 1 Corinthians 13 as he instructed the Corinthians to love one another..

he tells us that..

1 Corinthians 13:4–8 ESV

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. …

Agape love is the love that is commonly used in scripture to describe gods love towards the world. .

but its not just a description of his actions towards humanity…

1 John 4:8 tells us that its his very nature and make up..

1 John 4:8 ESV

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

can you guess the type of love John used to describe what God is?

You got it.. Agape..

GOD DOESN’T JUST EXPRESS AGAPE LOVE..

HE IS THE VERY ESSENCE OF AGAPE LOVE..

AND ITS OUT OF THIS LOVE THAT HE ACTS..

Its was out of this love that he did just as Jesus told nicodemus in john 3..

that he sent his son..

the Christmas event is a reminder that we have a God who is and has expressed this type of love for us!!!!!

that he would be willing to give everything.. including his son for our good…

that Jesus would willingly give his life.. for our good..

to pay the ultimate price for our freedom..

THIS IS THE TYPE OF LOVE GOD HAS SHOWN US..

This reminds us that…

Knowing this..

We can be confidently assured of a couple of things..

1. We are loved..

Tell your neighbor, you are loved..

If you don’t hear anything else today..

I want you to hear this..

YOU ARE LOVED..

Even if you dont feel loved..

Even if you don’t feel like anyone cares..

THERE IS A GOD WHO LOVES YOU UNCONDITIONALLY

AND HE LOVES YOU SO MUCH THAT HE GAVE HIS SON FOR YOU!!

This should bring a deep contentment to our soul..

We are loved..

Romans 5:8 ESV

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

1 John 3:1 ESV

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are…

1 John 4:16 ESV

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.

Romans 8:37–39 ESV

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.

GOD LOVES YOU AND I..

SO MUCH SO THAT HE SENT JESUS..

TO BE BORN IN THIS WORLD..

TO LIVE THIS LIFE..

TO DIE..

never stop.

and can i tell you a secret..

God has not, and will not stop loving you..

Don’t get me wrong..

People try to take that scripture and make it say what it doesnt..

and they want to say that since god is love.. and god loves me unconditionally..

then surely that means god wont let me go to hell

or that I can pray a prayer and then go live as want..

BUT LETS BE CLEAR THIS SCRIPTURE IS ABOUT LOVE

Not salvation..

They are two different concepts..

interwoven in use..

but two different things..

God loves his creation..

The saint..

The sinner..

The one who has repented..

and the one who has not..

Jesus said it best in john 3:16..

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world…

BUT

but Jesus went one to say…

John 3:16 ESV

…that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

You see its on God love for humanity..

Jesus came..

Jesus died..

That all who call who would believe in him..

Who would call upon his name..

Who would make him lord of their life..

would be saved..

ITS IN GODS LOVE FOR US..

THAT HE MADE A WAY OF ESCAPE FROM OUR SINFUL NATURE..

HE PAID THE PRICE FOR US..

SO WE COULD BE CHILDREN OF GOD AS HE CREATED US TOO..

THIS IS THE LOVE GOD HAS FOR US..

THE UNCONDITIONAL.. SACRIFICIAL.. AGAPE LOVE..

We can be assured that we are greatly loved..

2. But in the same vein.. we are to love..

Look what Jesus says..

John 13:34–35 ESV

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. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Matthew 22:37–40 ESV

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

Can you guess what form of love Jesus said we are to have for one another?

You got it..

Agape..

the same love that God is..

The same love that god gives..

The same love Jesus demonstrated for us..

We are to demonstrate towards others..

1 John 4:19 ESV

We love because he first loved us.

Luke 12:48 ESV

..Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

We are commanded to love people the way we have been loved by god..

What does loving others look like?

loving others looks like loving as Jesus did..

Christ like love is Unconditionally

Jesus came for the whole world.. not just the elect….

We are called to love all people unconditionally

No matter what they look like, sound like, act like..

We are called to love them..

As Christ has loves them..

Song

The old song says..

Jesus loves the little children

all the children of the world

Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight.

Jesus loves the little children of the world..

We are called to love everyone..

But pastor..

What if I don’t agree with them?

Yep.. were called to love them..

What if I don’t like them?

Yep.. were called to love them..

What if they are living in agregous sin?

Yep.. were called to love them..

What if they have wronged me..

Yep.. were called to love them..

What if they look like me..

Yep.. Were called to love them.

You can what if anything…

We are called to love the world the way Jesus loved the world..

That doesnt mean we accept sin..

It doesnt mean we affirm unbilical things..

Because Christlike love tells the truth

Jesus said.. you must believe in order not to be condemned.

Jesus told people.. you have to make a choice… to believe in him..

Matthew 4:17 ESV

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Jesus didnt tell people they could stay in thier sin and carnal ways..

He compelled them out of sin.. to believe in him.. and to live a holy life..

BECAUSE HE LOVED THEM..

Pharisees..

Jesus even loved the Pharisees

But he stood against them to tell the truth..

To try to get, even them, to understand the reality of the kingdom..

Us

Jesus did that for you and I well before we were saved..

Yet while we were sinners.. christ died for us..

You can love someone and tell them the truth..

And christlike love does that..

Christlike love tells people the truth of gods word..

That doesnt mean you beat them with the bible..

but simply charing the bible is enough many times to tell the truth..

and the truth is we need saved from our sin..

we needed a savior..

His name is Jesus

and we all have to turn from our carnel ways and follow him..

Finally, Christlike love is sacrificial

God so loved the world.. That he gave something precious.. Jesus his son..

Were not just called to love unconditionally in word…

were called to act in deed as well..

to be the hands and feet of Jesus..

Agape Love doesnt just say I love you..

It shows it..

God showed it for us in giving JEsus

Jesus showed it for us in giving his life..

HOW DO YOU SHOW PEOPLE YOU LOVE THEM?

HOW DO YOU SHOW PEOPLE YOU DONT KNOW THAT YOU LOVE THEM..

We are called to act..

We can meet physical needs..

We can share compassion..

We can listen, love, and encourage others..

We can extend hospitality and curtousy to others..

We cans serve selfessly..

we can give cheerfully

we can show kindness and forgiveness

However the oppurtunity arrises to act and show love..

the possibilities are limitless..

BUT LOVE ACTS UNCONDITIONALLY AND SACRIFICIALLY..

Because thats how Jesus loved us.. and we are called to love others..

Altar Call

Christmas reminds us of the great love God has for us..

I want to remind you that God loves you this morning..

no matter what you’ve done..

no matter where you’ve been

no matter who you are..

God loves you..

Gift

In love, we have been given a gift..

But like every gift..

It must be received..

Remember what Jesus went on to say?

John 3:17–18 ESV

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Paul

Romans 10:9–13 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Have you accepted the gift of Gods love?