God is Love!

God is Good

Today and next week are kind of a part 1 and part 2 of a single sermon. I do thins because there is great danger of islolating the Love of God from an equally important doctrine about God, the Holiness of God. God is both loving and Holy.

We cannot isolate God’s love or choose one over the other. A holy God without love is a tyrant, and at the same time a loving God without holiness is a timid compromiser unworthy of the title of God.

God is Holy! Anbd God is Love! and both are good, both are needed, both are required for God to be called Perfect.

So next week we will balance out this understanding with the holiness of God. Today however lets us spend a few minutes just basking in His loving Kindness.

God is Love!

Love is not something that God has, it is what he is. Love is not in God’s nature, it is God’s nature!

1 John 4:8 KJV 1900

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

(BTW: Holiness is the same, God is Holy!

1 Samuel 2:2 KJV 1900

There is none holy as the Lord: For there is none beside thee: Neither is there any rock like our God.

Because God is love and its not something he has, God’s love has all the characterises of God himself. God’s love is eternal, all powerful, and unrestricted and unlimited.

But love that is not expressed is all talk, But God’s has poured out his love.

He has poured out his love on the whole world.

John 3:16 KJV 1900

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.

Now, very important. God does indeed love everyone, but we are not saved bu God love, we are saved by grace. God’s love which is towards everyone, made God’s grace avalible to the whosoever, but God’s grace, unlike God’s love, must be recieved by faith for it to be effectual.

and that is in fact the ultimate expression of God’s Love - That He sent his only Begotten Son to Die for us.

The Love of Jesus Christ

Ephesians 3:17–19 KJV 1900

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Amazing, isent it? Pauls greatest prayer fro the church was that one day we will be able to comprehend just how much Jesus Loves us.

His love for us what the motivator that moved him out of the glory, wonder and splendor of heaven, to come and stay on this dusty, filthy sin riddle world called eartH.

2 Corinthians 8:9 KJV 1900

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

His love for us was that which motivated his giving of His life on our behalf to make anotment for our sins.

1 John 3:16 KJV 1900

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Notice that word: Percieve. It means “come to know” or ‘How we know”. We dont know god’s love becsuse he healed you, or made life easy or solved your problems, or gave you a big hug. He know he loves us because of the cross. we do knot percieve his love based on an emotional move of the spiorit, but based on a step of faith in His Word.

John 15:13 KJV 1900

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Jesus has that great love and he has it for you.

Wwhen we speak about God love we speak of the greek word Agape - which means unmerrited or undeserved. He loves us based on his will to love us, not based on our lovliness (which we have none of)

because of the Jesus Loves both the world and His church.

Luke 23:34 KJV 1900

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

2 Thessalonians 2:13 KJV 1900

But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

Both are summed up in Romans 5:8

Romans 5:8 KJV 1900

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

So we can ask the question: God God love us more now that we are saved than when we were sinners? No. He loves us the same. However now that we are saved we are privlidged to enjoy God;s love more and more each day through various graces or the fathger, son and holyb Spirit.

Love is a Doing Word

God the Father showed us His love by giving us His Son, God, the son showed us His love by dying on the cross. and also by the sheer compassion he shows us every day of our lives.

Lets close by taking a few momnet to look at examples of Jesus Compassion on thos that need it.

1: He shows His compassion by supporting the weak.

Matthew 12:20 KJV 1900

A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

let the weak say....

2: He shows His compassion by healing the sick.

Matthew 14:14 KJV 1900

And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

Luke 13:12 KJV 1900

And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.

3: He showed His compassion by comforting the hurting

Luke 7:13 KJV 1900

And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

Luke 8:50 KJV 1900

But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

4: He showed His compassion by feeding the hungry.

Matthew 15:32 KJV 1900

Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

5: He showed His compassion by finding and forgiving sinners

Matthew 9:36 KJV 1900

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

Isaiah 40:11 KJV 1900

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with his arm, And carry them in his bosom, And shall gently lead those that are with young.

John 8:10–11 KJV 1900

When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

6: He showed His compassion by giving rest to the weary.

Matthew 11:28–29 KJV 1900

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Conclusion: