Who Is God, Part 8

I found a link on the web this week and followed it and it turned to some pretty amusing pictures that were done by an artist. What he decided to do was this he decided to go to the yellow page of some of the the most famous national forest and parks that we have in America and find the worst Yelp review from each one of these parks and draw a picture and then put the worst Yelp review on there. I thought it was an interesting experiment. This is kind of what happened. So think about these these national parks what we would call National Treasures. They are these lavish and these grade and grandiose magnificent parks that we've set aside because we we we can figure they're stunning Beauty something that we should we should Treasures to listen to how these people have talked about them. For Joshua Tree National Park somebody on the Yelp review Road. The only thing to do here is walk around in the desert.

Okay, that's one person's opinion. For the Grand Canyon. It's just a hole a very large hole. for Yosemite the trees block The View and there's too many gray rocks. Okay, and for the Isle Royale national park it said this there is no cell service and terrible Wi-Fi.

If you were to talk to these people you be like man. Are you missing the point? You are at these stunningly beautiful parts of creation and you are concerned with things that you should not be concerned with. You should be awestruck by them. You should be inspired by them. You should be enjoying them. You can't review them and talk about them and such a at Epic Man or something that is unknown in Susie Astic something that lacks passion because of how great that they are. My fear is that at times? Maybe we as Christians do that with the attributes of God. Can we just talk about it in an academic sense? And then we'll really Inspire life change in US. The things that we have been studying week in and week out as we've gone through this different series. I think we're apart a right now looking at these different attributes of God. I hope it's done something to draw a deeper desire to worship him for who he is as he has revealed himself in the pages of scripture that it would never be able to talk about these attributes of God and such a comment epic fashion. But as I look at them go there is something all inspiring here that I must devote my life to against true of all the attributes of God that especially of the one we're going to look at this morning, which is the love of God turn your Bibles to Psalm 145. That's where we started at the beginning of every sermon this week because the psalmist in Psalm 145 does the opposite of what those reviewers did in the Yelp review? The song is the psalm 145 is inspired by the Majesty of God and as we read through the song weekend and week out. I hope that it encourages you to live a life devoted to the worship of this guy who has revealed himself and let us know him and as you listen to the way that he describes what he wants to do is God and His attributes and I pray that we would do the same. Psalm 145 verses 1 to 21 or read the psalm in its entirety and then we'll focus on the love of God. Psalm 145 verse months is this a song of Praise of David I will extol you my God and King and bless your name Forever and Ever every day. I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and his greatness is unsearchable one generation shall commend your Works to another and shall declare your Mighty acts on the Glorious Splendor of your majesty in on your wondrous works. I will meditate they shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth of Fame of your abundant goodness, and she'll sing aloud of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all in his mercies over all that. He has made all your work. She'll give thanks to a Lord and all your Saints will bless you. They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell if your power to make known to the children of man, you're mighty deeds in the Glorious Splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom in your Dominion the doors throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind and all his works the Lord of holes all over falling and raises up all who are bowed down the eyes of all look to you and you give them their food in due season you open up your hand you satisfy. The desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind and all his works. The Lord is near to all who call upon him do all the call upon him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him you'll so here's their cry and saves them the Lord preserve's all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy my mouth will speak the praise of the Lord and let All Flesh bless His holy name forever and ever. I hope you hear the enthusiasm in the psalmist voice as he says these things. I hope you hear the passion that he has. I hope you know that you control with who God is and that's what we want to walk away each and every week as you study an attribute of God and no more. So more important than the love of God which were going to talk about today. But do you think that might be one that we are in the most danger of being kind of tepid with? When you think about the love of God? What do we study a Christmas to remember Christmas time 1st, John 3 John begins his way 1st. John 3:1 beloved see what kind of love the father has given to us that we should be called the children of God. And so we are there is passion and excitement and John to discuss the love of God because it has changed and transformed him as a person. And for us and Christianity Love Is Fundamental to who we are? What is the most popular verse in all of the world John 3:16 for God so loved the world and yet does it really changed us? Does it really cause us to know God into worship him because of this great love I think it's because of a lack of clarity of what love really is. So we want to start in Define it biblical like you've done each and every time we wanted to find this after beauty of God according to the scriptures and then we'll work it out throughout the message. So as to put up the definition of God's love the definition of God's love is this God's love is his self-sacrificing commitment and affectionate action. That seeks the greatest good for others.

God's love is his self sacrifice and commitment and affection and action that seeks the greatest good. for others

those words are chosen specifically and pointedly because of the words that the Old and New Testament use for the love of God God's love is his self sacrifice and commitment and affection and action that seeks the greatest good for others and you saw love mentioned twice specifically in Psalm 145. You take a look at first aid someone 45 or states is this the Lord is gracious and merciful slow to anger and here's the phrase abounding in steadfast love. That idea of status love is so important in the Old Testament. It's probably kind of analogous to the New Testament concept of what Grace does maybe Grace and love mixed together. But in the Old Testament the word Hesed which means Covenant Ole Love that's the idea that we could have got self-sacrificing commitment. It's a it's a choice. It's a promise. It's an oath. It's something that is not casually entered into it is a a specific promise from a person. So thinking of covenants love is thinking about things like loyalty and faithfulness and commitment. That's what this type of love that God has for his people and we saw that this phrase in Psalm 145 verse 8 is a phrase that began in Exodus 34 has God revealed himself and weaves itself in and out through all of the Old Testament God showing who I am. I'm gracious and merciful slow to anger and I abound in steadfast loyal committed. Love to my people. Do drop down the wrist when you see the other Old Testament word for love?

Not a hobbit the house of the Lord preserve's all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy that would be more of a word that you and I are familiar with the love love between a parent-child husband wife. Those types of relationships between friends can be described with a hive in the New Testament. You probably heard of the word Agape before and that's that love that is not conditioned upon something in the recipient. It's the love that is undeserved. It's the love that is committed to the highest good of another person. Then you have Filet O, which would be like a brotherly type love all of these Express these relationship aspects based on sacrifice commitment giving and promises and this helps us I believe. Have a higher view of God's love then I think exist in churches today because I think the church has far too often influenced by the culture around us. We should have a much different view of what love is What's Love Got to Do Got to Do with It What's love but a second hand emotion, right? That's what you're hearing and songs. In fact, it's probably important just to say this in the church. Why is singing so important in the church because singing We influence with teach one another and singing but don't think it's any different when you're listen to songs on the radio or you're watching movies or entertainment. Those are forms where they're going to express their View and definition of what love is and it is such a contrast to the love of God. Maybe we could put it this way. The world would be obsessed with what I would call contract love and the Bible would be promoting a covenant of love those two categories. contract love versus Covenant of Love A contract is something that I do I put in place to protect what I get. OK every time that with a cell phone carrier they come up and they're like, okay we are going to need you to sign with us and they asked for two years and you begin to break out in a sweat. Do you have to be committed to this person for two years? So I want to make sure for 2 years in a cell phone contract. I get, you know, remember nights and weekends when you had that like bargain for that nights and weekends are free. I can call on the weekend and I will have to Bi-Lo minutes. That's what I did but now you sign a contract and I'm protecting what I get. You're going to give me this service this much data all of these things and then I will give you this and it's kind of that contract basis in if something goes wrong. I'm going to try to break this contract because a contract is protecting what I get. When you look at the pages of scripture, there are links between a contract and a covenant but when you watch the way God makes covenants God's covenant or about not what I get, but what I give. and when you begin to understand love that way, you see words associated with love in the Bible as God gave his son sent his son sacrificed his son and now we're more in the realm of what the Bible is saying love is when we're talking about not getting but giving not about protecting ourselves and preserving ourselves, but pursuing others based on promises that we've made and that is a very helpful distinction between The love of the world and the love that God has so we need to make sure it's going to be enthralled is God's love that we Define it biblically and when we put it this way for going to be avoid counterfeit love, we just have to avoid counterfeit love with the world would promote until you love is is not what the Bible says it is. And if you ever fall for counterfeit acts of love, that's why we're not really Amazed by the love of God is really the love that is described in the world. Today is so fickle. You can hop in and out of it. It's based on how much you're getting if you enjoy it or not. And if it's not there then you can let it go and move on to something else and if that's really your view of Love, why would you be enthralled with God's love for you? If it was something that was just so physically based. But the Bible has commitment its promises. It's sacrifice. It's giving and I think it's helpful for us to consider that in any topic of God's love you have to go to First John chapter 4.

Again, in this piece of God series. We're not going through books of the Bible like we normally do here. We're just we're jumping around to consider the topics throughout the scriptures.

We starting the book of Romans after Easter and we'll go consecutively through that book. The first John chapter 4 gives us a defining statement of what love is and then a description of it afterwards and this will begin to solidify what the Bible's teaching on love is versus what's the world's teaching on love is for Sean for take a look at 7 to 12. Who says this beloved let us love one. Another for love is from God and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love in this the love of God was made manifest Among Us that God sent his only son into the world so that we might live through him in. This is love not that we have love God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins beloved. If God has so loved us. We also ought to love one another no one has ever seen God if we love one another God abides in us and his love is perfected in US. What a fascinating statement on the love of God. We are beloved. We've been loved by somebody and because we've been love that way. There's something put upon us. We need to love one another why because love is from God and anyone who does not love does not know God because God by definition is love. What is incredible statement to think about? Now we have to be very careful here because John earlier remember in 1st John warns us do not love the world or the things of the world for all that is in the world. The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the boastful pride of life is not from the father, but it's from the world. So if we ascribe to a worldly system of love a worldly definition of love, we're in we're going to be tempted to fall into an egotistical narcissistic more emotion-based view of what love is to wear if I say, I love somebody and then they hurt me. I cannot say I falling out of love for you and now that's why divorce rates are so high in America or people, you know, celebrities say things like unconsciously uncoupling from this person that I I said I'd loved but even think of using things like this we're getting divorced but we still love each other. How can that be made to be made any sense? It doesn't doesn't make sense. If you define love the way that the Bible does to the world of say It's an emotion that you can fall in and out of the Bible says it's an empty and of yourself for the good of another person. What a powerful statement. That is that's why John in the rest of the scriptures speak to people being enthralled by God who loves people this way. So we want to think through this says that God is love. What does that mean? I want you to know that it's it's active you heard that the definition of lots of actions. You saw that in this the love of God was made manifest in 1st John 4. And these actions are not just arbitrary actions their actions based on promises commitments go to the book of Deuteronomy. Okay to make sure that we're understanding this rightly Deuteronomy to understand the concept of God's love. Deuteronomy chapter 4 I do not know what that was.

if it was the the love police making sure I speak biblically about God's love. I hope I fall in line with it and that doesn't go off again. I honestly have never heard that come out of my iPad before I'm a little freaked out right now.

If my face gets sucked down on to this iPad, please somebody come and Rescue Me. Deuteronomy chapter 4 what on Earth was that? Deuteronomy 4 verse 36 and 37

what services are out of Heaven he let you hear his voice while it a phrase. That he might discipline you and on the earth. Let you see great fire and you heard his words out of the Mist of the fire. Listen to these words in verse 37 and because he loved your father's and here's a phrase shows their offspring after them and brought them out of Egypt by his own presents and by his great power. You see that love and choice God love these people and shows them love is not kind of arbitrary fickle. I could do this or that it's based on a commitment that I'm making to somebody and that's what God made with Israel. I I chose you. I set my love on you you are mine. I'm making promises to you before the chapter 7 can see this three times in Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 7 vs. 6 to 8

Deuteronomy chapter 7 verses 6 to 8 What's this for? You are a people holy to the Lord your God the Lord. Your God has chosen you to be a people treasured in his possession out of all the people on the Earth out of the face of the Earth. And why did that happen for 7 it was not because you were more number than any of the other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you for you or fewest of all people but it is because the lord loves you and is keeping the oath that you swore to your father's that the Lord brought you out of the with a mighty hand and redeems you from the house of slavery. Do you hear the words of deliberateness in their God set his love on you chose you kept promises with you. This is what the Bible is stressing love is and why love is so powerful life love is so secure. My love makes people feel safe because when it's carried out, these are commitments being made for the good of another person. It's not fickle. It can't go back and forth. It's not arbitrarily approached it is Somebody in the determination saying I am setting love on you to care for you to affectionately act for your great good for the love of God is one more turn to Deuteronomy chapter 10.

Deuteronomy chapter 10

Take a look at verse 14.

Deuteronomy 10 verse 14 says that's the hold to the Lord your God the long Heaven and the heaven of heavens and the Earth with all that is in it yet the Lord set his heart in Love on your father's and shows their offspring after them you Above All Peoples as you are to this day. Because over and over again the Lord set his heart in love and shows that's a foundation that you can build upon that they Solid Rock God is setting affections. God is choosing God is granting these promises to these people not because they did anything great, but actually because he is great. Did you see the Transcendence of God Converse XIV behold to the Lord your God speed along the heavens and the heavens of heavens and the Earth and everything in it. And because God owns everything it should have made you that he sets his heart in Love on people and give them those promises that they might have a relationship with them. That's incredible to think about. Another love of God is often done that way as we see not based on what the person is giving them. Not on the person doing something to earn that love. In fact, have you heard the phrase love is blind or that before love is blind people say that a lot between me and my wife. I don't understand what that means. I know what you are saying by that love is blind meaning like love doesn't view the object. It's just going to give love. I don't know if it's the definition of biblical love though. Cuz God does see who he's loving. He does know them and their transgressions. vacuum return to Hosea noticed this the book of Hosea

Pastor Daniel Daniel Hosea in the Bible

This is a picture of God's love for the children of Israel. And it's shown through a person Hosea who's loving his wife Gomer who is doing things that are unspeakable? Love is not blind according to scriptures.

Hosea 1:2

how long is a reed? When the Lord spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea go take to yourself a wife of whoredom Neff children of whoredom for the land commits great for them by forsaking the Lord. So he went and took Gomer. Understand what God is asking the prophet to do here. I want you to marry this woman. She's going to commit adultery on you. over and over again She's going to play the horror. But I want you to love her. That can't happen if love is fickle that can't happen if love is about what I get that type of love will never sustain a relationship like that. But if love is based on a promise loves based on a commitment if love is based on seeing something and even though it's receiving sin back God Is Still Loving through this people love is not blind it actually sees what's wrong ticket chapter 3

chapter 3 verse 1

And the Lord said to me go again love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulterous even as the lord loves the children of Israel. So they turn to other gods and love cakes of Raisin. an incredible statement How do you understand my God's love is so incredible. The steadfast Covenant to love of God even as he observes love is not blind observes the wickedness in front of him and yet still loves because he's promised. Incredible statement on the love of God. Do you know there's actually a show out there on Netflix Called Love is Blind if you heard of that. The clitoris what to do to get people together, they put a person in a pot. I don't know what it looks like and they put a person in another pod and they talk to each other. They can't see one. Another to say love is blind quote on quote. And I don't know maybe maybe if they make like a connection maybe the same sound that came out of my iPad goes off. So they know that there's a connection right? They're not sure if that's how it works out together never seen the show, but I looked it up on Wikipedia what to do if they try to talk to each other. I don't know if there's like a certain. Of time but they're trying to determine if they're compatible without looking at one another but then do you know what happens they get out and they have an opportunity to meet each other's families and then go to the ultra and they still have an out there even though they've said love is blind and they've committed to it. Once the in the chamber outside the gym if they still have an opportunity to go. You know what this is not for me love in the world is so fickle. Like all I'll k u r i really intrigued by what I hear. So now I'm going to come to you. Okay, if I don't like what I see though, then we're not going to the altar. But that's not the type of love the Bible talking about. Give me another name BB Warfield to Old Theologian from Princeton. He is a picture of what Biblical love is BB Warfield did so much for the kingdom of God before Princeton went liberal. He's a great Theologian there. And he and his wife. I think it was an Anna Anna one of the two. They got married and very early on in their marriage. They went on a trip and something happened to her on the trip that cost her for the rest of their marriage to almost be an invalid couldn't take care of herself. She was constantly needing to be under doctor supervision and all these different treatments. For the rest of his life from the beginning of his marriage on BB Warfield day after day took care of his wife. Without divorcing her or leaving her but left her exact. It said I think he was never away from her for more than 2 hours a day cuz she needed so much constant care. But he would go to class and then come back and take care of her and read to her and love her and then go back and go back and forth never complaining. Why because he made a commitment. I love in good times and bad sickness and in health and when you make a commitment like that based on love and it shows out. I think you and I if we have the two pictures of the Love is Blind love and BB Warfield love Eco. I know what real love is the one who's getting nothing but giving everything because of a promise made that's the love that God gives to us and that's why it's so amazing. I don't want you to think that I'm what I'm saying is that love is devoid of all feeling and affection cuz it's not. All I'm trying to say is that affection and emotion and sentiment can't Define love that's what the world wants to do to find it. That way. They want to do it this way. Maybe could think about this phrase? They want to Define Love by the reward rather than the requisite. The world wants to say I'm going to Define Love by the reward that it gives me how it makes me feel and that's why I can go in and out of it, but you can't do that according to scriptures. You have to Define Love by the requisite the thing that if it's not there, it's not really there. The requisite of Love is giving sacrifice commitment and promise and you know what you get when you do that. The joy and delight and pleasure that comes from love looking at God's relationship to Israel. Can you turn to Isaiah? Go back a couple of books and just listen to how God talks about the nation of Israel.

Isaiah 62

Isaiah 62

Isaiah 62 take a look at versus for I think about the verse 3 through 5 is a 60 to 3 through 5. So God has dealt with this nation that he's made promises to that. He has loved that he a bouncing steadfast love for. And they have forsaken him but he's never forsaken them looking for 3, you should be a crown of the beauty of Beauty in the hand of the Lord a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no longer be termed Forsaken and your land shall no more be turned desolate. But you shall be called. My delight is in her and your land married for the Lord Delights in you and your land will be married as a Young Man marries a woman. So she'll your son's marry you in as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride social your God Rejoice over you. Cita commitments I've gone to the people of Israel is going to culminate we believe in the millennial Kingdom in this uniting of all the promises of God with the people of God worship God this way and all the commitment and all the the sacrifices that God provided for the people so they can have a relationship with him will lead to this delight enjoy but it's the reward not the requisite. The requisite is the commitment. The requisite is a promise. so that the blessings in the reward that you want or forged through the commitments in the giving in the promises that you make which is the essence of what love is this is the love of God in the Old Testament the new Sandra Fusion chapter 1

Ephesians 1

think about how God loves us the fusions chapter 1 same type of language that we heard in the Old Testament.

Ephesians chapter 1 first three

says this blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places. Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him. There's the phrase in love. He predestined us for adoption as Sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will to the praise of his glorious Grace with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. That's incredible statement right there at the end. He's blessed us in the Beloved. So Jesus is Love by God and we know that that love produces the light, right? This is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased and blessing through Jesus to us in love. He predestined us for adoption in adoption that becomes another great picture to show somebody setting their heart in Love on something not based on what the object is doing for them. My wife was adopted I praise God for the process of adoption. If you ever been a part of an option before what are the parents doing to it an orphan child, they're bringing it in not because the child is performing good tricks are doing amazing things and they're amused by it. They're setting love on someone who needs it. They're looking at this. It's not blind or seen someone in need and they are promising covid-19 to care for the child. And what is that do provide security? What if adoption was based on you know the goodness of the child like each and every day they had to perform a certain amount of good to stay in the family. Is that an environment of security know but if you're brought in by love not based on the potential of what could be I think I'm like, what if what is my wife's parents had made the decision based on her potential night. They couldn't know that it wouldn't know what kind of charming woman she would turn out to be later on how beautiful she would be how great her taste in men was you didn't know any of those things. There's no way to know that at the beginning that happens when it goes up, but they set their heart and love to provider an environment that she could grow up in that's what we want to do when we're talking about loving people. So back to 1st John now, that's what we mean by God is love. He is choosing promising even in spite of what he sees to help people in need for their highest good and 1st John 4 tells us What that need is 1st John 4? Remember seeing that first John 4.

Success whoever loves has been born of God and knows got anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love in this the love of God was made manifest Among Us that God sent his only son into the world. That's what God is doing for us. We were separated from him we could do nothing to earn his love yet teeth sets his heart and love and that sets us apart for salvation, which is incredible thing for us to think about but notice what it says there again just to be clear. It's nothing that we're doing. It says whoever whoever loves God has been born of God and knows God that's a very important thing for us to kind of breakdown because it's not to say that the Criterion or the you know, the condition is you love other people first hand of God sees that you're loving then he's going to love you. That's not what this passage is talking about notice the phrase who ever loved has been born of God. That's past tense. Do you use the word this anymore? Because use the word dis is that what they say nowadays the kids now, it's like shade or whatever it is. They who turn on shade on somebody. What do you say you're a has-been right has been that means you're referencing this person in the past. You're not relevant. Now you're a has been in the past. So what are you looking at? The phrase has been you think that's a past thing. So this is a a past tense perfect past tense verb and it's a passive verb meaning something happened to the object not done by the object. So they were loved by God or they were born of God in the past not because they did anything but because God did something and when that happens now, they present tense they know God and so anyone who does not love guess what they can't know God because God is love. It's not the Criterion. It's not the condition. What is the consequence right us loving other people is the consequence of having received this coven Dental promised. Love of God that changes us and now our character and our conduct is transformed by this loving God to love other people. That's why it's so important for us to be enthralled by the love of God. We can't get it mixed up with a counterfeit love of the world. Cuz if not, we're not going to go the commands that God is telling us to do and be amazed by his love. Guessing where the Secret Service was started. Around the time that world were civil war ended. It was originally started to get smoked out all the counterfeit money that was in the United States economy. They said third or even a half of the money was was counterfeiting. That's horrible for the economy is going to destroy it if it's all this counterfeit stuff being tossed around. I think the same is true in the church, right good counterfeit. Love for one another when things are going well. Guess what? We're going to be buddy-buddy. But when they're not what do we do? We break down. We stopped talking. We don't have relationships that can't happen. If we received this love the Bible's now going to call us to apply this love in our lives as we love other people don't write that down outline K. If we're going to avoid counterfeit Loveless to apply biblical love. If we understand it the way it's defined in the scriptures self-sacrificing commitment and affectionate action. To do the highest good for another person. Just the way that God has loved us. We do applied biblical love.

It says that for us 1st John 4:9 in this the love of God was made manifest Among Us that God sent his only son into the world so that we might live through him in. This is love not that we have love God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Incredible Stephen right there. So if we are to apply biblical of what would be great for us to do and what John constantly want tells us to do is that we should meditate on the greatest example of love. What you seen in what Jesus did for us on the cross. In this the love of God is made manifest. You want to find the book of love? You're going to constantly think about that. Notice of tangible nature of what love is it's not this feeling in this the love of God was made manifest. It's not just words that I say to you. He's our actions. These are things that you can see these are deliberate sacrifices that are being made in this the love of God was manifest Among Us that God sent. It's giving it's the sacrifice his only son into the world. So that we might live through him in. This is love not that we have love God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. So you see sending twice love is about sending giving sacrificing and notice the initiation. We're not waiting for the person like God. God said, it's not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son. You just write it down Romans 5628, right? God demonstrated his love towards us Romans 5:6 rate that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. That's the demonstration of the definition of love that we've been giving and we see it here to not that we loved God, but that he loved us and he sent his son to be the propitiation. for our sins This is what love does it does the highest good the highest good as we were dead in our trespasses and sins. This text says that were alive in God because of what Christ did so this love is effective. It accomplishes what it sets out to do. And it here it says here. There's also the propitiation for our sins. This is the greatest act of love. What did Jesus say greater love has nothing in this than one would lay down his life for his friends. 1st John 3:16 Says this by this we know love that. He laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. We know love because we've seen love in Jesus and what it's done. Because understanding the fundamental nature of that I think hinges upon our understanding of that word propitiation right there. You see that in the text. God sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. This is the essence of our Christian faith. Are the word propitiation The Big Field logical word to go to NEC logical parties one. You're probably a nerd but to decompress your friends to talk about appreciation. Appreciation means this you put the sound in your mind write it down somewhere preciation means wrath absorber. wrath absorber We never want to lose that. Because what we say when we say salvation according to Bible, you are saved from something you are saved from the wrath of God the scripture say and the only way for that to happen is if that wrap is absorbed by something or someone in this case. It's a propitiation. We see in the scriptures shows how God his wrath that was rightly judged Upon Us was wrapped up in Christ. There's another reference just read write down Hebrews 9 6 we don't have time to turn their Keepers 96, but it talks about the different things that were in the temple including The Mercy Seat Hebrews 9 6 And that word mercy seat is translated from a word that's very similar the same root of this word propitiation Mercy Seat was like a propitiation see where you would sprinkle Blood On The Mercy Seat in the temple and that would atone for the sins of the people in the Old Testament. So it gives us an idea of K. It's a sacrifice a bloody sacrifice that is going to propitiate the wrath of God like it did in the Old Testament and that's what Jesus does for us when he dies on the cross. But maybe this is picture of Wrath absorbing wolf will capture you better cuz I think it's something you and I comprehend. Have you ever heard the term before falling on a grenade?

You just picture that you're mine. Falling on a grenade. What is a person doing? They are sacrificing themselves. for other people by absorbing the wrath of that grenade Is that it looked up a story in World War II there was a US Marine named Jack Lucas in the Battle of Iwo, Jima. And two grenades were thrown around him and his platoon. He takes off his helmet and covers the two grenades and then jumps on top of his helmet and lets it explode on him. He absorbed the Wrath so the people around him were saved. Do you know what Jack Lucas did he survive that? And for the rest of his life. Add 200 pieces of shrapnel in his body. Because he was willing to absorb that wrath. Does marks on his body for proof that he was willing to sacrifice for his Platoon? About the marks on the body of Christ, right? He shows up after suspected guys to me do what touch touch these. This is proof that I died for you. In the net death, I absorbed the rat that was going to you so you no longer get wrath but love from the father. You want to love with the people you have to be thinking about that because there is nothing greater than that example of love. And now when the scriptures, they they give us commands that you're going to look at the moment. Those commands are not burdensome. Like first round will say later on those commands are now what we say. If I've been loved that way. I should give love that way. I should show love that way. So we go from the greatest example to the greatest obligation take a look at verse 11. The love it if God has so loved us. We also ought to love one another. Cuz you get that in the church. That's huge. Do you understand that why it's hard for churches to talk about love and talk about it in terms like this that have words obligations Associated to it cuz it doesn't make sense if love is fickle and feeling oriented and self-serving because that frees me from commands that frees me of obligation. I don't have to do anything. I do it pleases me, but when I come to the fine love the way the Bible says so well now I understand why there are obligations why there are demands placed upon me. She's at work. That's so weird that she's got responsibilities Duty given to somebody an obligation and that's not antithetical to love that goes hand-in-hand with love that's described as promised giving Covenant making in fact, you can just write the reference down the fusion 528i Fusion 528 says husbands should or ought to love their wives as they love their own body. What does that mean that the husband is stifled because he can't you no feel himself. No, cuz we understand that love and that marriage context is the husband giving himself to his wife for her good and so there is a shoot an obligation associated with the promise of love. It's how we judge. What is loving and what is not loving Athena Roman 1300 nothing to anyone except to love them Romans 13. I think it's 8 there are these obligations that come for parent-child relationship obligations. You should honor and love your parents because they love you. We had that responsibility given to us. We saw that in 1st John 3:16 right by this. We know love that. He laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. There's that botanists there. And doesn't that make our church Community more secure? And more safe and more helpful and provide a greater sense of protection because we love this way. That's what you want to do is very hard if we're going to Define love according to the world, but we Define love according to the Bible. I think we can we can comprehend it. We can do it and live for his honor and His glory makes me think of Galatians 2 20 and 21. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives Within Me and the life I live I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me. That is what drives Paul is. What should drive us on this obligation to love one another because we receive such great. Love remember the old hen love. So amazing So Divine, what's the next word demons my soul my life my all That's what happens. When you receive real Transcendent love from God it to me and everything of you and those demands are good to me. It's because they protect you and that's what we want to do is we love one. Another Ephesians 5:2 says this walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us a fragrant offering sacrifice to God. That's what we do. We walk in love with one another and that's a great obligation. This is how we apply God's love want to do something a little different to the kind of test this out and we have done this with any of the other attributes, but I thought I'd be helpful because again the confusion that we have God's love I want to bring up maybe what would it be from the outside maybe a criticism of critique about the love of God and maybe one that could come from inside regarding the love of God the first of all we've been talking about the love of God how he relentlessly pursues how he loves and makes promises. Imagine you're sharing your face of somebody you're talking to them and you're saying God has loved you. He has sent his son to die for you so that you don't have to go to hell if you don't believe in you go to hell and they say this to you. How can God be loving if he sends people to hell? Your thought about that before I think it's an hour to rejection that you might get if you're talking about the love of God. How can a loving God send someone to hell? Now I think we would understand why some people might make that assertion but I think from the pages of scripture. You see very clearly that there is love given by God, but there was also punishment we heard it in someone Exodus 34. Sorry gracious merciful slow to anger abounding in steadfast love, but who will by no means that the guilty go unpunished. Remember Psalm 145 the Lord preserve's the life of those who love him was an x-rays, but all the wicked he will destroy. So we're seeing this contrast like there is a God who loves and he does these amazing things and yet there still is punishment there. How do these things go hand-in-hand if you one more thing to look at I want you to look at John 3:16, cuz this is probably what you'd be sharing with somebody. John 3:16 by there will be confusion.