To Love and to be Loved

Introduction (3m)

Today we celebrate love, but what is it?

Group of children, 4-8:

Andrea, Age 7

You know you love someone because your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.

Dallas, Age 7

Love is when your mom makes a cup of coffee for your dad and she takes a sip of it before she gives it to him, to make sure it is okay.

Sandi, Age 8

When my grandma got arthritis, she couldn't bend over to paint her toenails anymore. So my granddad does it for her, even after he got arthritis, too. That's love.

Bruce, Age 8

Love is when you go out to dinner with someone and you give them most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.

Andy, Age 7

Love is what is in the room on Christmas if you stop opening your presents and listen.

Jake, Age 6

Love is when a little old man and a little old woman are still friends, even after they know each other so well.

Dennis, Age 5

Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on after shave and then they go out together and smell each other.

Chloe, Age 4

Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.

Johnny, Age 4

When a person loves you, they say your name different. You just know your name is safe in their mouth.

Explanation (3m)

God is Love

All say something about what love is, but John says something completely different:

1 John 4:17 The Message

God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s.

So used to hearing, it’s lost on us

A theme I have spoken/taught on so many times this year.

But startling

Remember: Jews believed Yahweh’s name so precious, they would not say it. Invented Jehovah so they could name him.

God’s image so precious, his people were told never to make a graven image of him.

Many times in OT, God is spoken of only in metaphor: Father, Light, Shepherd, Rock, Shield, Fortress, Potter.

Writers far more comfortable speaking about what God is like, rather than saying with any certainty who he is.

John, who had been with Jesus says with certainty: God is love

Not that he is loving. Not that he chooses to love. But that love is essence of his being.

How do we know that God is love? How do we know what love looks like?

1 John 4:9–10 The Message

This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.

One very specific, life-changing act

We have all done wrong in lives, we deserve to be eternally separated from God.

But God loves us so much he sent his Son, Jesus, into the world as a human, to live the perfect life we could not.

He allowed his Son to be put to death on a cross so that we could escape the eternal punishment that is ours.

And Jesus rose from the dead three days later so that we could escape death and live in loving relationship with God forever.

That’s how we know God is love.

Application (4m)

What does that mean for Rob & Lisa and for Us?

1 John 4:11–12 The Message

My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!

John has the simple answer. If God is love, then we should love one another

Simple, but we need reminding today

Simple, but there will be days in your family when you need reminding again.

Recently, annual change of officers.

New officer - corps was excited to meet them and hear them preach. Everyone came out of the woodwork to see what they were like.

It was a good sermon! The text was

1 John 4:11 The Message

My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other.

As sermon ended, heads nodded, the CSM heaved a sigh of relief. This CO was going to be OK.

Next week, CO stood up to preach again, and told them it was the same text!

Must be a good preacher, to have the confidence to preach another sermon on the same passage two weeks running!

But … realised same sermon!

Joke? Deeper meaning? Did he know repeating himself? Benefit of the doubt, told him how good it was on way out.

Next Sunday - tenterhooks. Atmosphere was electric. Soon squirming! Same text. Began the sermon with the same words for past two weeks.

CSM soon jumped to his feet: “Captain, heard this sermon twice now! What on earth is going on?”

“Nothing really. Do this, and I’ll give you another sermon next week.”

Heart of the gospel. But we need reminding. God is love. He loves us. In turn, we love each other.

Rob & Lisa - your love is founded on this verse

Sometimes, you will need to remind each other God loves you. Point to his death and resurrection and provide that reassurance.

Sometimes, may feel impatient and angry. With God’s love flowing through us, we can choose to be patient and kind.

Sometimes, may want our own way, and demand the other person puts us first. In God’s love we can choose to put the other person first and be giving.

Sometimes, a situation may seem hopeless. In God’s love we can choose hope.

And it all comes from God. Love begins with God. Rob and Lisa, you will love each other because God loves.

Rob and Lisa: God loves you

You have salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

You are able to love each other, because God is love and he loves you and has shown and taught you how to love through your faith in him.

Jesus sanctioned and blessed marriage as a gift for you and wants love to be at its centre: God’s love for you, your love for God and your love for each other.

As we ask God to bless your marriage today and dedicate your relationship to him, may your marriage be an example of God’s love in Christ Jesus and may God’s love work through your marriage to be a blessing to you, to your children and wider family and to all whom you you come into contact with.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.