No Greater Love

Introduction

Today we come to the second candle of Advent. It is the candle of Bethlehem, and love.

If you have your Bibles turn with me to

Matthew 2:1-

Matthew 2:1–4 NIV84

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.

Where would Jesus be Born?

Micah

Micah 5:2–5 NIV84

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace. When the Assyrian invades our land and marches through our fortresses, we will raise against him seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men.

Bethlehem—many did not believe anything good could come out of the little town called Bethlehem. Bethlehem was so small that it wasn’t even mentioned in the table of towns in , and .

Yet God said out of this small town out in the country would come one who would rule over all of Israel. This points to the Messiah’s humanity

Whose origins are from old, from ancient times, is a reference to the Messiah’s deity.

So here we have a prophecy that not only tells us where the Messiah would be born, but that He would be both 100% man while being 100% God.

Yet verses 4-5 have not happened yet. One day, Jesus will shepherd His flock in the strength and majesty of the Lord God.

In that day, those who follow Him will live securely and they will live in peace.

Through Advent we celebrate the coming of Jesus to a little town, that wasn’t even recognized by those around it. But why did Jesus come into the world? Because of one word. One word drove Jesus to to come into this world.

Turn with me to John chapter 3. One of the ruling council of Israel comes to Jesus acknowledging that Jesus had to be from God, but he doesn’t understand what Jesus is all about.

John 3:2–4 NIV84

He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

John 3:2-

In verse 10, Jesus says, “you are Israel’s teacher, and you do not understand these things. I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?

What Nicodemus really wants to know is what drives Jesus.

During this Christmas Season we should all be asking ourselves what motivated God to send Jesus into the world.

What motivated God?

John 3:16–18 NIV84

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

John 3:16-

Love motivated God to send His one and only Son so that through Him the whole world might be saved.

Yet there is a problem. Look at verses 19-21.

John 3:19–21 NIV84

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

John 3:18–21 NIV84

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

One might think that the world’s rejection might have made Jesus give up.

Jesus in the upper room

Jesus command for us is to love.

John 15:12–17 NIV84

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.

John 15:12-17

The advent is that LOVE came into the world! Even though the world rejected this love, the Love never stopped loving!

Because Jesus never stopped loving we should never stop loving.

Luke 2:1–7 NIV84

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:1-

Last week we saw the first candle was of prophecy which gave all people hope!

Today we lite the second candle. The candle for the insignificant little town of Bethlehem, yet out of this town God poured out His Love into the world.

Luke 2:1–8 NIV84

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

Luke 2:

As we celebrate this Christmas season, remember it was not the love of a baby in the manger that changed the world, it was love that held our Savior on the cross. Such a great love.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be