God is Love 1 John 4:8

God's love is so hard for us to fully comprehend. There really are no words to describe it's full reality. During medieval times a monk announced that he would preach on the "Love of God," the following Sunday evening. As the time came, shadows fell and sunlight grew dim. In the darkness of the altar the monk lit a candle and carried to the crucifix. First he, illumined the crown of thorns, next the two wounded hands, then the marks of the spear wound. In the hush that fell over the congregation, he blew out the candle and left the chapel. There was nothing else to say. [1]

God's love is a Universal Love - I love that the Bible is clear, that God's love is not just given to a select few people. But to anyone who will. Undeserved - His love is undeserved and unearned. God doesn't love us because we love him. We love him because he first loved us. Philip Bliss that tremendous evangelistic singer and composer as a young man wrote that beautiful hymn, "Oh How I Love Jesus." But as he grew older he realized how much more God loved us and so in his later years he wrote that moving hymn:

"I am so glad that our Father in heaven, Tells of His love in the Book He has given; Wonderful things in the Bible I see , This is the dearest that Jesus loves me. I am so Glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves even me. [2] It's undeserved and unearned. God loves you because he created you in His image. You are His image bearer. He loves you because you have a soul. He loves you because you matter to Him. He loves you and he showed that loved by his death on the cross. Just as the Monk of the Middle Ages showed the scars and the marks of Jesus - If you could see that this morning as a sign of how much God loves you, it would change your perspective and outlook on life. An older saint who had been a Christian for years became terminally ill and as is often the case the old accuser came by and began to trouble him about the little love he felt in his heart for God. He told a friend who came to visit him. His friend no doubt inspired by the Lord began to tell him about his baby girl at home, he would as soon as he got home, pick her up, look into her eyes, listen to her sweet little prattle, and even though I am tired her presence will rest me; for I love that child. I saw the sweetest thing the other day, Angie showed me a clip someone had shared with her, of a young dad who held his baby on his lap, and was talking to her like dads do sometimes, telling her how much he loved her, how precious she was to him, the tears rolling down his cheeks, as she just sat there and accepted his love.That baby couldn't respond with much love, and doesn't understand when mommy or daddy doesn't feel well, or are in pain, or if such is the case, even passes away, they can even forget or not remember their parents. But Mommy and Daddy love that child. They don't bring monetary gains, in fact they are quite an expense, Who loves who? Parents love baby first, without waiting for her to do something worthy of their love.The dear old saint began to realize the truth and the tears came to his eyes, "Oh It's not my love to God, but God's love for me, that I should be thinking of." [3]Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us. 1 John 4:10 Whosoever - John 3:16 is one of my favorite verses and I love the first few words - For God SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON - THAT WHOSOEVER - THAT WHOSOEVER - THAT WHOSOEVER I like that song we sing occasionally "Whosoever surely meaneth me" God's love is an everlasting love - A little girl who had been extremely ill and making slow and poor progress toward recovery. The sickness had been checked, treatment applied and no reason why she should not quickly improve. But for some reason it wasn't happening. The doctor in charge was curious and wanted to know why. She was a very sensitive child, easily scared, responding quickly to kindness. The doctor decided it was the lack of understanding and love that was slowing her recovery, so he wrote a prescription upon her chart; "This child requires loving every four hours." God's love is even better and greater than that. God says, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love."[4] God's love is aggressive - It is an active love, not waiting on us to act. But God gave his Son to show His love. A love that is seeking a love that is saving. Cyril Richard Rescorla was born in the British town of Hayle, Cornwall in 1939. As a boy "Rick" as he was known, like many British youths, idolized the American soldiers. Rescorla enlisted in the British Army in 1957 and saw duty in Northern Rhodesia. After leaving the military, he found out through a friend that he could enlist in the United States Army. In 1963, Rick went through officer training and became an American military officer. He served in the Vietnam War and in 1968, Rescorla became a U.S. citizen. He continued to serve in the United States Army Reserve, retiring in 1990 as a colonel.In 2001, Rick was the working as the security chief for the financial services firm Morgan Stanley in New York.At 8:46 a.m. on September 11, American Airlines Flight 11 struck World Trade Center Tower 1. Immediately Rescorla recognized that the Morgan Stanley employees in World Trade Center Tower 2 were also in danger. He ordered the evacuation of Morgan Stanley's 2,800 employees on twenty floors of World Trade Center Tower 2, and 1,000 employees in building 5. Rescorla reminded everyone to "...be proud to be an American... everyone will be talking about you tomorrow", and he sang "God Bless America" and other songs over his bullhorn to help evacuees stay calm as they left the building.Rescorla had most of Morgan Stanley's 2800 employees as well as people working on other floors of Tower 2 safely out of the buildings by the time United Airlines Flight 175 hit it at 9:02 a.m.After having led many of his fellow employees to safety, Rescorla returned to the building to rescue others still inside. When one of his colleagues told him he too had to evacuate the World Trade Center, Rescorla replied "As soon as I make sure everyone else is out".He was last seen heading up the stairs of the tenth floor of the collapsing Tower 2. His remains were not recovered. As a result of Rescorla's actions, only 6 of Morgan Stanley's 2800 employees working at the World Trade Center were killed on September 11th, 2001, including Rick and three of his deputies who followed him back into the building—Wesley Mercer, Jorge Velazquez, and Godwin Forde.

God did not wait for us to come to Him; He came to us while we were sinners and rescued us from our sins.[6]

God loves you with an everlasting love this morning, he loves you so much that he gave his Son to die for you - just think of the price he paid - the cost of His Son, the Death and Suffering, It was for you, because he Loves You. All we have to do is to take that love - "He that believeth on Me" he says. Will you accept that love this morning? Then would you show your acceptance of God's love by coming forward to this altar and giving Him your life this morning?

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[M]— 10,000 Sermon Illustrations [M]Walter B. Knight, Knight's Master Book of New Illustrations, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1956), s.v. “Love of God,” WORDsearch CROSS e-book. [M]Ibid[M] Winship Storey, in the Methodist Recorder

Walter B. Knight, Knight's Master Book of New Illustrations, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1956), s.v. “Love of God,” WORDsearch CROSS e-book.

[M] Peter Kennedy, Preaching Illustrations Vol 1., WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 650.