The Greatest Love Story Every Told

INTRO: The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Still others insist that it was Saint Valentine of Terni, a bishop, who was the true namesake of the holiday. He, too, was beheaded by Claudius II outside Rome.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured. According to one legend, an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first “valentine” greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl, who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine,” an expression that we well know today.

Any day is the perfect day to talk about love, but in this day and age, we have regulated it to a specific month and day, a special day of elevation. But I stopped by to tell you that everyday is a day of love. Every day is the time to show, share and allow love to be who you are.

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”John 13:35

If you ask people what the greatest love story ever told is you may hear references such as, Romeo and Juliet or Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Maybe some would say Johnny Cash and June Carter or Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

The true meaning of love, as defined in the Bible, has been corrupted in the common usage of our language in today’s society.

Most often, love is confused with infatuation, that elated, "high" feeling we get when we "fall in love." This kind of "love" is something that does not last unless replaced by true love, and only results in broken relationships.

SCRIP: John 3:16                                              

But I come by to tell you that the greatest love story every told begins like this: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Jn 3:16

Origin of Love                                                                                                   The Bible declares that love is from God. In fact, the Bible says "God is love." Love is one of the primary characteristics of God. Without Gods love, we only have a form of love, but not true love.

The greatest love story ever told, is the one about Gods love for you and I.

A Different Kind of Love

The language of the New Testament is Greek, the most commonly used Greek word for "love" is "agape." This love is represented by God's love for you and I. This is a divine love as opposed to worldly love.

This love shows up as a gift in the personage of God's son Jesus, as a provision for our sin. Given to all regardless of who we are. Gods love is not for sale God's love is unconditional

1 Corinthians 13 Paul said it like this:                                                                                                   I may speak in different languages of people or even angels. But if I do not have love, I am only a noisy bell or a crashing cymbal.

I may have the gift of prophecy, understand all the secret things of God, have all knowledge, have faith so great I can move mountains.

But even with all these things, if I do not have love, then I am nothing.                                             

I may give away everything I have, give my body as an offering. But I gain nothing if I do not have love.

Love is patient and kind. It's not jealous, it does not brag, and it's not proud, not rude, not selfish, and does not get upset with others.                                                                                               Love does not count up wrongs and it takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices over the truth. Love patiently accepts all things.

It always trusts, always hopes, and always endures. This type of Love never ends.

This is the Love of God toward you and I.

Don't ever let the devil tell you that the Lord does not love you. Here it is in the Holy Ghost inspired words of Paul. God is Love!

This is the Greatest Love story ever told

What is Love                                                                                                    God’s love is also expressed by adopting us as His children But to all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God.John 1:12; Because of his love, God had already decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ.Ephesians 1:5

“Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another” (2 John 1:6).  Love your neighbor as yourself.

Understand, that the greatest love story ever told is one that involves YOU? I promise it does and it goes like this…

Once upon a time, there was a fallen world lost in sin, unable to attain righteousness and uphold the law as it was written. All mankind was doomed because of their inability to follow the commands of God. It was a time in which there was seemingly was no hope. The people may not have known it, but they needed someone to help them; to show them the way in which they should go.

God saw that this was a helpless situation without His intervention. He knew that His people were failing. He also knew He had to do something for His people that He loved beyond words.

God, knowing there was only one way in which to save the world, made up His mind. He was going to go to earth, become a man, and save His lost people.…

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told!

Do not underestimate the plan that God had set in motion. This plan was created out of God’s unconditional love for each one of us. As I said before, there is no love story in history that can compare to this one. “The Lord has appeared of old saying to me: ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you’” Jeremiah 31:3

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told!

So, God sent Jesus, His Son, who was God in flesh (1 Timothy 3:16) to come to earth and had one objective – to save us… ALL of us. While here on earth, Jesus traveled around and taught others, He performed miracles, He healed the sick, and cast out demons.  He spoke to those around Him, teaching the very things that He needed them to learn.

These things He taught were relevant not only then, but also today.  Although His teachings and miracles were awesome, these things were also not the basis for Him being born a man. Jesus was on earth to SAVE all mankind.

Jesus knew what He was sent to earth to do. He was and is the fulfillment of the prophecies about the New Covenant Jeremiah 31:31 & 34:  “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah… No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

As Jesus lived and breathed, He was a sinless man. He did no wrong. He loved others more than Himself and served others with a gentle and lowly heart. Jesus states in Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” He knew what He was here to do.

He knew that man could not live under the Old Covenant Law…it was impossible. Romans 7:6 says “But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.” Jesus was sent to earth to die for everyone. He took on all of our sins and was condemned to death in order that we may have eternal life. Jesus became the New Covenant. In Luke 22:20 Jesus “took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.”

This Is The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

Jesus was found guilty of OUR crimes. He received punishment for what WE did. He was brutally beaten, spit on, cursed, mocked, and nailed to a cross for US… on behalf of US. Can you think of a greater love than that? He didn’t have to do it. He wasn’t persuaded to do it. In fact, He could have stopped it if He so chose to. But He did it out of love, pure love. Jesus loved us so much that He literally DIED for us. He said “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13).

Conclusion:                                                              

No matter what we do, the love God has for us will never fade; it will never fail. It is love in the purest form and without condition. It is a promise that we all need to accept and embrace and we will never be apart from it. In Romans 8:38-39, Paul describes God’s love this way:

Yes, I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor ruling spirits, nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us, nothing below us, nor anything else in the whole world will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!

What manner of love is this? It’s the Greatest Love Story Ever Told!