The Love of God

The Love of God

Romans 5:6–11 The Message

6 Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. 7 We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. 8 But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him. 9 Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. 10 If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we’re at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! 11 Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!

Jesus had an honest/realistic view of who Peter was, and a vision for who he would become. He also knew Peters future came at a personal cost from Jesus.

Why I love Jesus?

Who He is

“He is intrinsically lovable.” -Edwards/Sam Storms

Most admirable person in the universe that ever lived. We admire and form affection for great people we never even interact with because of who they are, qualities they possess. Jesus is so amazing even if he hadn’t done anything for us He would still be worthy of worship.

Characteristics: perfect embodiment of beauty, harmony, humility, joy, power, sacrifice, compassion, justice, self control, empathy etc.

He is God

Colossians 1:15–17 CSB

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.

What He has done for us

because of what He has done for me.

Romans 5:6–10 CSB

6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 How much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.

a. He pursued us v6-9

He came to earth as an act of love.

He came to Jerusalem during Passover knowing He had come to die as our sacrifice. In fact He had predicted it openly to His disciples three times:

"From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life" ().

"When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, 'The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.' And the disciples were filled with grief" ().

"Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, 'We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!' " ().

foretold their abandonment

Matthew 26:30–35 CSB

30 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them, “Tonight all of you will fall away because of me, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. 32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” 33 Peter told him, “Even if everyone falls away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to him, “tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 “Even if I have to die with you,” Peter told him, “I will never deny you,” and all the disciples said the same thing.

He didn’t just rise to the occasion, when the opportunity came to give His life to spare ours, He knew going into it this was the outcome. He knew when he picked His disciples what that relationship would require, and that they would fail Him.

(Jesus had an honest/realistic view of who Peter was, and a vision for who he would become. He also knew Peters future came at a personal cost from Jesus.)

b. v 10 He continues to love because He has power over death, He resurrected completing His victory on our behalf, and promises we are never alone.

c. There is no end to His love for us. His love is completed in our response, which is an eternal relationship. v21

He died for us, He lives for us, (promises He is always with us), and He’s coming back for us!

3 Our Response

Praise Him v11

We respond to His work of reconciliation with unashamed praise/worship. The only appropriate response!

- people loved Him because of who He was, prior to His full work and revelation. He claimed to be the Savior they were awaiting, he had healed the sick, interacted with the untouchable, called out the religious elite/hypocrites who persecuted others, and just recently raise Lazarus from the dead! The text says the crowd praising Him had experienced his resurrection of Lazarus, he hadn’t necessarily even done something for them specifically, but what they had witnessed was worthy of their admiration and praise.

They broke out into the streets in worship. All of these people had personally experienced Jesus, and had personally received the gift of His Spirit.

Jesus is worthy of your adoration and worship no matter what stage of salvation you are in. If you haven’t yet experienced Him personally, praise Him, adore Him for who He is, then pursue experiencing Him deeper. If you have personally experienced Him praise Him all the more! Praise Him with your whole being, .

Consider your life, actions, thoughts; do you love Jesus?  How have you professed, proved your love in response to His love expressed to you?

Questions:

1.  Who are your heroes and why?

2.  What is it about Jesus that you admire, why do you care about Him?

3.  What are some examples in scripture of Jesus power?

4.  What are some examples of His compassion?

5.  How do you show your gratitude for His love? 

6.  Consider your life, actions, thoughts; do you love Jesus?  How have you professed, proved your love in response to His love expressed to you?