Tell Them I Love Them

John 3:16-17 - 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. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

For the love of Christ! How many have heard that expression used? Many times it’s used as an expression of frustration. But here’s the thing.

First if it’s being used that way, that’s taking the Lord’s name in vain; and that’s a no no.

But second, if you only knew how true that statement is. As I asked God, what do I tell them this week. He said, “Tell them that I love them”.

The title of today’s message is, “Tell Them”.

And so here we are. John 3:16, the most quoted Scripture in the Bible. In fact it’s the theme Scripture of Love Christian Center.

Love, it’s the foundation of the church. But wait I thought Jesus was the foundation. Yes he is and Jesus is love.

To know what love is, you must look to Jesus.

Look to what he gave up

Look to what he did

Look to what he does

Jesus was speaking these words to Nicodemus, a Pharisee and Jewish leader. Nicodemus had come to Jesus at night, not realizing he had come to the light.

The focal Scripture begins, “For God”. Everything starts with God. “In the beginning God”. And everything ends with God. He is the Alpha and Omega.

It’s hard to exhibit love when you don’t know God.

Love is more than a feeling, love is an action. It’s a verb. You can tell me you love me with your words, but what are you showing me with your actions?

You hear stories of heroic feats done by parents to save their children. In all of the stories, the parents risked life and limb to save their child. Demonstrating they would give their own life to save their child.

Now; what if you had the power to save the entire world, but it meant your child would have to die? Many of you are thinking, even if you don’t say it out loud. “Well that won’t work.” Or the song from the Sound of Music, “So long, farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, goodbye.”

Parents protect their children. But God, aren’t you glad God isn’t like us. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,”. He gave up someone precious to him… and for what?

Sometimes when we look at the things going on in the world, it would be easy to think, what a waste. I wonder sometimes does God say, “I gave them my Son, and this is the thanks I get?”

I wonder does Jesus ever say, “I gave my life for them… and they don’t even believe I exists?”

How could they be so ungrateful?

How could they treat each other so badly?

How could they take advantage of each other the way they do?

How could they destroy what they did not create?

How could they kill each other so easily?

How could they…

Sometimes I think of all the ways we must break God’s heart, how we must grieve the Holy Spirit.

We can look back and see this is not the first time mankind has gone, off the rails, if you will. In Gen 6:5 - “The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.”

When we allow our flesh to lead, it grieves the Holy Spirit, because the flesh is continually evil. The desires of the flesh do not, in any way, shape, or form align with the desires of the Holy Spirit, that’s why Paul tells us in Romans 12:1–2 “1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Love takes a willingness to be transformed, a desire to have your mind renewed. The love you have for a pair of shoes, a purse, a puppy, food, an activity, a parent, a spouse, a child, yourself, and God are all different.

We use the word love so cavalierly, without truly understanding what it means. The English language doesn’t have the words to accurately express and separate the love we feel for the things I just named.

And so, God said, “Tell them that I love them”.

Now, we are a people who often need a reason for doing something. So let me give you some reasons God gave his only Son.

God gave his only Son so whoever believes in him should not perish.

Let me just say, everyone is going to die. Heb 9:27-28 - “… 27 And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

Death is inevitable, but it’s not the end of your story, it’s the beginning of forever.

2. “… whosoever believes in him [Jesus] should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

That sounds a little contradictory, but God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.

Simply, there is life after death and Jesus gave his so you would have the opportunity to choose which afterlife you want to live.

Thankfully, the third thing we see, is God did not send his Son, to condemn the world, even though condemnation is truly what we deserve.

Shall we review.

People, adults and children are walking into schools shooting our children

There is cyberbullying on the internet

There is physical bullying in schools and in the workplace

There are scammers taking people’s life savings

There are schemes to take people’s homes

Politicians are lying and scheming to stay in power

Those in power are taking advantage of the people they are suppose to serve

Pastors are being wolves in their congregation

False prophets are in the church staging performances

People bringing the ways and things of the world into the church

Children are being molested by those who are supposed to love and protect them

Children are fighting and killing each other

Innocent people are being sent to prison, simply because of the color of their skin

Lady Justice, who is supposed to be blind is doling out sentences based on the color of someone’s skin

People are profiled and policed based on the color of their skin

We have been called to come out of the ways of the world, we’re not supposed to look like, think like, act like the world. God sent his Son into the world so we could be saved from all that.

To show us that we are one people, “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;” We are all sinners who should desire to be saved by grace.

We can do nothing to earn salvation, we don’t have to. Grace is unmerited, unearned favor. It’s getting something you don’t deserve or not getting something you do deserve.

We deserve punishment, but Jesus gave us protection.

We deserve death, but Jesus gave us eternal life

We deserve lack, but Jesus gave us abundance

We deserve cruelty, but Jesus gave us compassion

Grace, getting what we don’t deserve, and not getting what we do.

So often we cry out for justice, and not that it’s not warranted, but do we really want justice for all? We think we do and we feel we want it in all things.

What about when it’s your child who has done wrong? Do you want justice or do want forgiveness and grace?

What about when it’s you who has made the mistake? Do you want justice or do you want grace?

I saw something yesterday on a reel, I guess there’s a new trend where racist people intentionally provoke Black people live on social media. Well a man chose the wrong one and ended up in a vegetative state when the man he was harassing for no reason, knocked him out and he hit his head on the sidewalk.

The court determined the man he was harassing was defending himself and all charges were dropped. Be careful with the things you do trying to get attention. You may not get the desired results.

Jesus, being God, knew exactly what he was coming into. He knew how he would be received and how he wouldn’t. He knew those in power would not like his leadership style. That they would not like that he treated everyone with dignity and value. That he would not go along to get along with their separatist, I’m better than you nonsense.

Jesus saw the importance and value in everyone he met. Can you?

Jesus came to save the world and he didn’t build walls, or make concessions, or create a list of musts, it was simple.

“If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.”

The Scripture goes on to say, “there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. 13 For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”

But there is another side that is often overlooked, but while God truly loves you, while it is his desire that all be saved, because of this thing we have called free will, not all will be saved and so there are those who are condemned already.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink. You can tell someone about the goodness of God, but you can’t make them believe in him. You can’t make them accept him and you can’t make them trust him.

While you’re trying to make them trust him, how much do you really trust him? Do you trust him in all things or do you only trust him with what you can see, what you can control, what you can do?

Have you put God into a box of your making and decided he can only do what you can imagine? But the Word clearly says, “unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”.

What power is working in you? Is it a finite power, or God’s infinite power?

Come on now. Do you believe God? Do you have that now faith that is the the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen?

Or do you only trust that plan you put together?

We say we believe God,

we sing songs like I trust in God, and Blessed Assurance

we quote Scriptures like I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. and

I am more than a conqueror through him who loves me and

We are overcomers by the blood of the Lamb and by the Word of our testimony. and

My God shall supply all my need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus and

But when something happens, when we’re in need, when things fall apart, when our lives get flipped upside down do all those Scriptures, all those promises become just words on a page to us.

Because there are those who really don’t trust God like they proclaim they do.

There are those who really don’t believe God loves them like he says he does and why is that? Because they think that God is like them. That he loves us based on merit not mercy.

If you truly trust God, go to the light, shun evil and do good all the days of your life; not just when you feel like it. Not just when you want to. Not just when they are good to you. Not just when everything is going your way.

Do good always and do it because you love God, not because of what you think you’ll get, not for recognition or reward.

Do it because they will know you are his disciples by the love you have one for another.

God said to tell you that he loves you. Do you love him? Then it’s time for action. God went first when he gave you his only Son, now it’s your turn.

If you’ve never declared that Jesus is Lord and ask him to be the Lord of your life, today is a good day, all it takes is a prayer

God, I believe Jesus is your Son. Thank you for giving him to save my life and pay for my sins. Jesus I thank you for dying on the cross for me. I ask you now to come into my heart and be Lord of my life, in your name I pray, amen.

If you prayed that prayer wherever you are, welcome to the body of Christ. If you’re watching online find yourself a Bible believing, Bible teach church where you can learn more about the love of God.

You can start your love journey, with the action of giving to our food pantry ministry. This month alone we have given out over 15,000 pounds of food to those in need. While we give it out for free, it costs us so, please ma’am, please sir anything you give will surely help.

You can go to our website www.lovechristianctr.org to see all the platforms through which you can give.

If you live in the Douglasville, GA vicinity please come see us at 3500 Hwy 5, Sunday school begins at 8:45 and Worship Service begins at 10:00.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

I’m here to tell you today, that God loves you.

If you’re here in the sanctuary and you’ve never accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, today is a good day to do so.

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