Love Made Known

Open Movement

“At Christmas, we celebrate more than that God loves the world — we celebrate that we are known by love.”

“Merry Christmas → Reason for the Season → Advent Wrap-Up”

1 John 4:7–10

1. God’s Love

God’s love:

Originates in the Trinity

Revealed in Christ

Doesn’t depend on you

Unchanging

Key theological move:

“John doesn’t ask us to define love from experience—he defines love from incarnation.”

2. Human Love (Real but Limited)

We love partially(limitations)

We love inconsistently(flighty)

We love based on our desire, and what brings us pleasure

Ryder- “I love you to Pluto and back”

Gift illustration:

Is free

Come at great cost

They meet real need/desire

They communicate: “I see you”

The best gifts come from being deeply known

Not just things, but acts

3. Capacity for Love Grows Through Being Known

So, if the best gifts are those that make you feel known, and gifts are the primary way that we express that love, then the way that we love someone better is by knowing someone more fully.

“We don’t grow in love by trying harder—we grow in love by knowing more fully, and by being loved more deeply.”

Knowing someone more deeply

Being loved by a greater love

Testimony

4. Desire: To Be Known - What will happen if I’m known?

10PM conversation with Marissa: What do you love about me?

What I think

Love earns salvation

You are saying:

Relationship is ultimate

Being known by God is the goal of redemption

You can paraphrase Lewis faithfully without quoting:

Lewis reflects that in the end, every person will stand before God, and the dividing line will not be sentiment or effort, but relationship—whether we are known by Him or not.

Then connect it directly to Scripture:

Matthew 7:23 “And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

Matthew 25:21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’”

“Jesus’ death accomplished more than simply forgiveness—His death made a way for us to know, and be known by God.”

The Ultimate Gift: Jesus

As the children sang this morning, “the real gift is you”

You tie everything together:

God sends His Son

Christ’s birth, life, death, resurrection

The golden chain (Romans 8)

Glorification not as celebrity, but recognition

To be glorified is to be fully known and fully conformed to Christ

“Glory in Scripture is not about being impressive—it’s about being fully revealed and fully received.”

“And because we are known by love in Christ, we can spend the rest of our lives — and all of eternity — growing in our love for the God who first knew us.”

Response

For Believers

“If you belong to Christ, Christmas invites you to pray a prayer—not for new love, but deeper knowledge. To ask God to help you know Him more, so that your capacity to love Him and others might grow.”

For Those Who Have Not Yet Put Their Faith and Trust in Christ

“God invites you to come as you are—not because you will stay as you are, but because He loves you too much to leave you there.”

Repent and believe the gospel

Then Romans 10:9–10 “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.”

“If you come to Christ, you will experience a love you’ve never known—and your capacity to love will be forever changed.”