"Loving God and Loving People"

Our focus last week was on the first of those last three words, “Invite!” and we looked at Luke 15 where Jesus told a parable of lost things—a lost SHEEP, and lost COIN, and a lost SON! In each of those instances, when that which was lost was found, there was great joy!

And according to Jesus, when there is party on earth when something lost is found, there is an even greater celebration in heaven!

This morning I would like to continue developing in this congregation a heart for the lost!

SPECIFICALLY, I want to influence your influencer—to motivate your motivator, to address the part of your heart and soul that gets you ticking!

I want to do so by considering, not “a story,” but looking at “the story” of one of the most dramatic conversions in the history of Christianity—the conversion of Saul of Tarsus!

You know him as the Apostle Paul, but Scripture introduces him to us in a dramatic manner:

(Acts 7:58; 8:1; 9:1-2)

How does one move from being an enemy of Christ, to loving Him more than life itself?

How does one change from a persecutor of the Church to becoming one of the greatest Apostles of Jesus to the Gentiles?

How do you explain such a change in someone’s life?

I believe the summation/explanation of what took place in his life is found in (Galatians 2:20)

I. The Love of God is First Experienced at Salvation! – (Acts 9)

A. The light shone on Christ!

Paul saw who Jesus WAS; he also realized what Jesus HAD DONE!

B. The light shone on Paul!

He saw who he WAS; Paul also realized what he had HAD DONE!

In a far less DRAMATIC, but no less SIGNIFICANT way, we all follow the SAME STEPS…

II. The Love of God is EXPLAINED in Salvation! – (Romans 5:6-11)

A. The Human CONDITION:

POWERLESS - (v.6) Not only are we incapable of living rightly, we are unable to change the situation.

UNGODLY – (v.6)

SINNERS – (v.8) A universal condition - (Romans 3:23)

ENEMIES - (v.10)

ACTIVE – open hostility toward God! PASSIVE – Divine disapproval toward man!

B. The Divine ACTION – (v.8)

The MOTIVATION: God’s love – (v.8a)

The SOLUTION: Christ’s death – (v.8b)

C. The Eternal CONSEQUENCES:

We experience eternal justification! - (v.9a) – “…justified” – aorist tense, passive voice.

We have the promise of salvation! - (vv.9b-10) – “…saved” – indicative, future, passive.

We receive once-for-all reconciliation! – (vv.10a, 11) – “…reconciled” – indicative, aorist, passive; (active voice in v.11, where “reconciliation” is a noun).

III. The Love of God is EXPRESSED in our Love for People! – (2 Corinthians 5:14-21)

A. We are COMPELLED by His love – (v.14)

B. We NO LONGER LIVE FOR OURSELVES – (v.15)

C. We REGARD NO ONE from a WORLDLY POINT OF VIEW – (vv.16-17)

D. We are AMBASSADORS, agents of RECONCILIATION – (vv.18-21)

CONCLUSION! – (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)