Untitled Sermon (3)

Love is…

Introduction: The Love of the Mother

MOTHER’S LOVE

A little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while she was fixing supper, and handed her a piece of paper that he had been writing on. After his Mom dried her hands on an apron, she read it, and this is what it said:

For cutting the grass: $5.00

For cleaning up my room this week: $1.00

For going to the store for you: $.50

Baby-sitting my kid brother while you went shopping: $.25

Taking out the garbage: $1.00

For getting a good report card: $5.00

For cleaning up and raking the yard: $2.00

Total owed: $14.75

Well, his mother looked at him standing there, and the boy could see the memories flashing through her mind. She picked up the pen, turned over the paper he’d written on, and this is what she wrote:

For the nine months I carried you while you were growing inside me:

No Charge

For all the nights that I’ve sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you:

No Charge

For all the trying times, and all the tears that you’ve caused through the years:

No Charge

For all the nights that were filled with dread, and for the worries I knew were ahead:

No Charge

For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping your nose:

No Charge

Son, when you add it up, the cost of my love is:

No Charge.

When the boy finished reading what his mother had written, there were big tears in his eyes, and he looked straight at his mother and said, “Mom, I sure do love you.” And then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote: “PAID IN FULL”.

My Mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my Mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.—George Washington

“I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.” —Abraham Lincoln

We see a mother's love making the difference in lives throughout the Bible...being the one to stand for and believe in those characters that we admire so much.

A mother's love is a beautiful picture of the love of God.....

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

If a mother’s love can change lives how much more can the love of God change lives. This morning we want you to understand that love only comes from God. I John tells us that God is love. Any expression of love comes from God. Love changes lives. Understanding how much God the Father....God the son.......and God the Holy Spirit love is so important. Just as a mother's love changes a child. So the love of God poured into our hearts changes us. It is that love that God so freely pours out that we need to understand and saturate our thinking until we become...... filled to overflowing with that love.

Mike:

— The Love of the Father

Did you know that God loves you?

I mean He really loves you?

Really?

He even likes you and enjoys hanging out with you!

says that — God so loved the world — so loved- really

that He did not die for us!

but that He gave His only begotten Son,

for you and me!

that if we will choose to believe in Him

we would not perish - hell

but have everlasting life!

17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

God's love is not static or self-centered; it reaches out and draws others in.

Here God sets the pattern of true love, the basis for all love relationships—when you love someone dearly, you are willing to give freely to the point of sacrifice.

God paid dearly with the life of His Son, the highest price He could pay.

Stop and pray for a revelation of His great love

The Parable of the Lost Son. -

— The Parable of the Expectant Father

11 Then he said, “There was once a man who had two sons. 12 The younger said to his father, ‘Father, I want right now what's coming to me.'

“So the father divided the property between them. 13 It wasn't long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. 14 After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. 15 He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. 16 He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.

17 “That brought him to his senses. He said, ‘All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. 18 I'm going back to my father. I'll say to him, Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; 19 I don't deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.'

20 He got right up and went home to his father.

“When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 The son started his speech: ‘Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever again.’

Imagine yourself as that boy …

22 “But the father wasn't listening. He was calling to the servants, ‘Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We're going to feast! We're going to have a wonderful time! 24 My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!' And they began to have a wonderful time.

25 “All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day's work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. 26 Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. 27 He told him, ‘Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.'

28 “The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. 29 The son said, ‘Look how many years I've stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? 30 Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on harlots shows up and you go all out with a feast!'

31 “His father said, ‘Son, you don't understand. You're with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—32 but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he's alive! He was lost, and he's found!'”

The father was overjoyed! His lost son was home!

How many days had he spent watching for that possibility?

How had his heart ached for this very thing to happen?

how he had anticipated that day

This is what he longed for — this is what he wait for!

There was no chastisement — no punishment

there was only rejoicing

He was lost, and he's found!'”

There was a robe — a ring — sandals — a roasted cow!!

There was a celebration — there was great joy!

It is the same with our heavenly Father…

He loves to lavish His love upon us

He really does love us!

Listen to this passage in

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4 Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, 5 he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! 6 Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.

7 Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness (love) upon us in Christ Jesus.

How incredible is His love?

But God demonstrates His own love

He puts on display His personal love

toward us,

as in, you and me!

in that while we were still sinners,

when we were completely helpless & hopeless

totally!

Christ died for us

He gave Himself — His life for us!

Did you know there is nothing you can do that will make God love you more and there’s nothing you can do that will make God love you less!

His love is perfect and complete

it does not and cannot change

I wish there was a way to describe His love to you…

The earth 12756 K to the moon 3675 K = parents

the sun 1,400,000 K — to the earth 12756 K = God (not really)

Scuti -2,400,000,000 K — to the earth. = God (not really)

The milky way - 950,000,000,000,000,000 (100,000 light years) — to the earth = God (not really)

the largest galaxy 6,000,000 light years - to the earth. = God. (not really)

God’s love is so huge — so big

His love is so immense

It is truly beyond our comprehension to grasp

just how much God loves us - you and me!!

That is a small picture of the love of God for us

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

God does not love you for what you do.

God does not love you for your service.

God loves you because that is what He does; He is a God of love.

When you live from the foundation of how much you are loved and accepted, and that God is your loving Father, you will find yourself loving God back with all your heart, soul, and mind. The beginnings of the foundations will be set correctly where miracles will flow because of your identity of Him in you and you in Him.

2. The Love of the Son

I want to share a story from the gospel of John with you this morning. I want you to see the heart of Jesus and his love for people.

It takes place in the temple. He is sitting teaching the people. A group of men who are Scribes and Pharisees bring to Jesus a woman caught in the act of adultery......... And when they had set her in the midst, 4they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.

Did you ever wonder why they didn't bring the man? .... He must have been either held a very high position or he had lots of money to buy his way out because states: "If a man is discovered committing adultery, both he and the woman must die. In this way, you will purge Israel of such evil.

So they brought this woman and put her before Jesus and said to Jesus:

5“Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him.

There whole purpose was to trap him. They wanted something solid to have against him. You must remember that this period of time the people are living under the law and not grace. She was caught....she was guilty....and the law clearly said she must die. Imagine how she felt there on the ground in the midst of this group of people. She knew she was guilty and thought she would die. Her death would be by stoning. Rocks thrown at her...striking her until she died. Imagine her thoughts at this moment. Waiting for her sentence. Death by this means would not have been pleasant. Jesus has an interesting response to this question.

But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

Jesus writes in the dirt. What he wrote is not recorded. He might have written with his finger the first line of the tenth commandment. : “You shall not covet your neighbor's wife."

7So when they continued asking Him,

They are not happy with his lack of response so they press him further.

He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.

Maybe he went just a step further and wrote the words from But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

9Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

The design of this second stooping and writing on the ground was evidently to give her accusers an opportunity to slink away unobserved by Him, and so avoid any eye to eye contact with Jesus. they … convicted … went out one by one … Jesus was left alone—that is, without one of her accusers remaining; for it is added.the woman in the midst—that is, of the remaining audience. While the trap failed to catch Him for whom it was laid, it caught those who laid it

10When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 11She said, “No one, Lord.”

Did you catch that. She was guilty and yet the love of Jesus for the individuals of the world should astound us. We would all have been crying guilty...guilty. Make her pay. But Jesus heart is full of grace and love and compassion and makes such an incredible statement to her. It for her would have been life changing. She knew what she had done...she knew it was wrong...and He...Jesus offers her a simple statement.

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

—What matchless grace! How it must have touched her heart and brought such a change in her life....

What we see at work here is ....that the goodness and the kindness of God leads to repentence. Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Jesus here is giving us a very descriptive picture of God the father....

“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” 8Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” 9Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10“Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11“Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.

but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you

Jesus said yes to you. He said yes to leaving heaven for you. Out of a love that we cannot comprehend. How He loves us!

3. The Love of the Holy Spirit

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

The Holy Spirit is the one who makes the love of the Father and the love of the Son real to us! He is the one who works in us allowing that life changing love to pour out of us unto others.

It is His ability in us that makes us able to share the love of Jesus with others. One of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our life is love!

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

7“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

We clothe ourselves with the Holy Spirit and the expression of His love will pour out of us to others.

Paul tells us in Corinthians that when the Holy spirit of God is active in our lives we will see........Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8Love never fails

And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.

thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing

This love we are talking about this morning changes lives. It will never fail. Love will never fail.

Conclusion:

We want to close with a story that shows the love of God changing lives....

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry.

He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water.

She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?” “You don’t owe me anything,” she replied “Mother has taught us never to accept payment for a kindness.” He said… “Then I thank you from my heart.”

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt; stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Years later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled.They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation.

When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her.

He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case. After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval.

He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally, she looked, and something caught her attention on the side as she read these words…… ” Paid in full with one glass of milk.”

(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly.

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: “Thank You, GOD, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands.”

Just as a mother's love makes the difference in a child's life. The love of God poured out through us will change lives. We can not do it on our own but it is totally done through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Mother's Day is a beautiful picture of love. God's love pouring out of a mother's heart to her children. It is a great day to remember that their is a whole world needing that kind of love. Love like that will change the people's lives of those you encounter. Let love reign!