Love Wins

A Minor Christmas  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  36:21
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We all love, love stories.

We may not want to admit it but deep down we like the love stories of life. Now that doesn’t mean we will all watch a bunch of Hallmark this week, but love stories can be compelling.
What is your favorite love story?
I know a love story which starts like this…(tell a portion of Aleesha and I’s story).

How do you define love?

Go ahead and write down some thoughts, whether you are in person or online. This is an important definition to think through. Yet, how do you define something which cannot be easily defined?
1 John 4:8 The Message
The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love.
By defining love we are starting to define and describe who God is. Now, he is not just love but this part of the core of his being according to the apostle John and all of Scripture.

Christmas reminds us of love.

Yet, Christmas was not a “new” thing for God. The events of Christmas definitely were new and never before taken place events. Yet, the reason and purpose behind the events of Christmas are tied to God’s love for Israel (specifically) and mankind (generally).
In the Christmas story we read these interesting words in the Gospel of Matthew:
Matthew 2:15 NIV
where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Matthew makes it known that Jesus going to Egypt becomes the fulfillment of a prophecy made many hundreds of years prior, possibly closet o 750 years. How can this be? Where is this prophecy. If you have access to a study Bible you will see the reference to the prophet Hosea.

Love begins by a choice.

God chose the nation of Israel. This choice became the foundation of how God would interact with the nations for the rest of time. The tricky think about a choice is the other person may not have the same choice. There is risk in choosing. Hence why we struggle with making choices today. We do not like risk. Our culture wants security and contentment. So, we try to have others choose for me.

Love must be experienced.

God did not just love his people by telling them something or having them learn truths. He was actively part of their life. He bent down to be with them.
One of the primary ways in the OT God helped the nation of Israel experience Him was through the covenant made in the dessert after coming out of Egypt.

Love stoops down to serve.

We see in verses 3-5 that because of God’s choosing of Israel He decided to serve them. The imagery is that of a parent-child relationship. A powerful depiction as any parent or child has experienced.

Love releases.

Love never forces a person to do what they want. This has always been one of the ways I have defended the Biblical concept of free will. If I was forced to love Christ, it would not be love. I do not always understand how this can be true but I know though God’s love is irresistible in some ways, I must choose to accept his love. Though God is sovereign over all and controls the events of the world, He uses free will and human decisions to complete His will.
Just like the story in Luke 15 of the Prodigal sons so too in Hosea God allows the nation to choose to go into exile because of their sins. Love does not stop natural consequences from happening always.

The dilemma of God.

Hosea now gives us God’s dilemma. Because of his love and justice can he just get rid of the people of God? Can he give them what they deserve? Does love or justice reign supreme? The answer is both. In God’s justice he allows the exile to happen because of their choices. But in his love he does not leave them alone. In his justice the nation of Assyria comes and destroys their cities. In His love, he provides a future.

In love, God became man.

By becoming flesh love could be experienced in many ways. By dwelling among us in the person of Christ Christmas was born.

Christ is the fulfillment of everything.

Who will you choose to experience the love of Christmas this week?

This is where our application comes to fruition. Who will you choose? Maybe it is someone who “deserves” it. Maybe it is someone least deserving.
2 Corinthians 5:14 The Message
Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do. Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat.
Other translations say “compel”. Be compelled by the love of Christ to such extremes that others notice Jesus. Be compelled by the love of Christ who came as a baby born in the manger so you may know and experience the love of your creator.
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