Passion Message 07
Passion Message
Big Idea: The cross reveals the greatness of God’s Love.
We are asking the question, “Why did Jesus die?” One of the answers is because of our sin. When we understand our sin, we are led to repentance. But that is not the complete picture. The ultimate answer is found in John 3:16:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
To understand God’s love, we have to understand it in context of our sin. To really appreciate the fact the Bible says, God loves us, we need to understand what’s at stake.
The word “love” is used so much that I think it loses some of its meaning. The word love especially related to God should pack a punch that knocks us off of our feet.
Some examples of using love: Nothing says I love you like…
- Lingerie
- Framed genetic code
- Decapitation
- A mammogram
Scripture says, nothing says I love you like giving your life for someone else.
1 John 3:16
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.
Jesus death is the ultimate expression of God’s love for us.
Most of how we use the word love is benign. But when used in reference to God it is essential to His very nature. Love is a part of who God is. But so is holiness. God lives in this tension of holiness and love, of righteousness and kindness, of needing to deal with sin but wanting to be in relationship to His creation.
Can a holy God overlook our mistakes?
Can a kind God punish our mistakes?
The cross is where God forgave His children without lowering His standards. God had to live with the tension of being holy and loving. And the cross is where both are satisfied.
How can God take care of sin yet remain loving towards His children? The cross. He took it upon Himself to substitute Himself for us.
The closest example we can get is if a teenager steals a car but the parent goes to jail.
The cross gives us the fullest picture of God’s love. On the cross we see the greatness of God’s love.
“For God so LOVED the world, he gave His son.”
There’s this phrase that has circulated for years concerning gifts:
“It’s the thought that counts.”
I think someone created that phrase to make people who don’t buy gifts feel better because it is not the thought that counts:
- Husbands, try that one with your wife. “Honey, I thought about getting you a gift for your birthday, but I didn’t.”
- What if God said that? I thought about doing something about your situation. I feel bad, but I really didn’t do anything.
NO, God doesn’t just think about love. He doesn’t just say He loves us. He did something about it. It’s the gift that matters. And the gift shows us the greatness of God’s love.
God’s love packs a punch that hits us right here. To think there is a God who loves us so much no price was too high for our salvation. That’s a love that should lead to repentance and worship.
Romans 2:4-5:
Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?
Guilt is good in that it points out our sin. But true repentance comes form seeing God’s Love. We are drawn to Him because of what he has done for us.
We are going to do that right now. We are going to enter a time that is designed to help us repent. The nation of Israel had periods of repentance. We need these periods of repentance as well. Under your seat you will find a slip of paper and close by you should find a pencil or pen. I invite you to consider what sin do you need to repent of. What is it that you have been holding onto that you need to nail to the cross and let Jesus deal with it. May God’s kindness lead you to repentance.
In a moment I invite you to take that slip of paper and go to one of the crosses at the front and nail it to the cross as a physical expression repentance.
Along with that I invite you to take the symbols of Christ’s sacrifice. We have tables set up in the 4 corners of the room. If you would like to take communion first and then go to the cross, that is fine. Some of you need to go to the cross first and nail your sin there and then take the bread and juice to remember Christ’s sacrifice.
May you be overwhelmed with God’s love.
Because of God’s great love, we worship Him.
How can God be both just and kind?
Can a holy God overlook our mistakes?
Can a kind God punish our mistakes?
The cross is where God forgave His children without lowering His standards.
2 Cor. 5:21 –
Hosea 11:8-9 – God felt the tension as any parent between rightness and love.
1 John 4:8, 16 – God is love
- No other religion expresses their “god” this way
- The Love of God is not an attribute, but the fundamental Nature of God.”
John 3:16 – whole world is the object of His love
The cross teaches us what true love is. It shows us the full extent of God’s love.
Analogies of God’s love:
- Father-child – Rom. 8:15
- Mother-infant – Isa. 49:15
- Husband-Wife – Hosea 2:1-20
- Shepherd-Flock – John 10:11
God not only loves us, he likes us.
Form of God’s love:
- Mercy – Eph. 2:4
- Patience – Romans 2:4-5
- Grace -
Because of God’s great love, we worship Him.