Understanding God's Love

intro

scripture that I have preached before, but it is such an important verse, that it probably needs to be preached at least once a year

love is a word that has lost its impact, because we use the word for so many things

my mom, Mexican food

my spouse, football

my kids, to relax

so what does, “I love God” mean . . . like we love nachos, you will have to work that one out

but more importantly, what does “God loves us” mean

Ephesians 3:18 NLT

18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

“may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should”

This is a prayer of the Apostle Paul

and apparently this prayer is needed because God’s people don’t understand, or fully comprehend, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep God’s love is . . .

we can say it, repeat it, sing it, share it . . . but it seems we don’t get it, it’s not sinking in

and Paul is praying that God gives us the ability/power to grasp and to take a hold of the concept of God’s great love!

and Paul says God’s love is wide, God’s love is long, God’s love is high, and God’s love is deep

How wide is God’s love?

it is so wide means that you are forced to use the word “every”

God’s love is so wide that God loves everybody

every race, every nation, from every continent, every class, every age, every shape and size, male and female - God knows who you are and he loves you!

every type of sinners - liars, adulterers, thieves, gangsters, back stabbers, those who sleep around, those who’ve had abortions, gossipers, murderers, prideful, practicing homosexual, rebellious, addicts, selfish, there is not one group or individual God does not love

God’s love is so wide that he loves through every situation

single, married, divorced, or widowed

healthy or sick

employed, unemployed

rich or in debt

home owner or homeless

free or incarcerated

doing well or in despair

God loves everyone!

That’s good news because life has a way of putting us in different groups

some of us have found ourselves in some groups, some categories that we never thought we would be in

the trials, difficulties, and tragedies of life came our way, and we became apart of different situational groups

I never thought that would happen to me . . .

I never thought I would have to face this circumstance

I never thought I would end up in this condition

or some of us we’ve done some things what we thought we would never do, gave into some temptations that we thought we would never give into . . . .and we joined some sinner groups

never thought I would steal, lie, be rebellious

we became who we used to talk about

we joined the group of the people we used to look down on

But the prayer is that though you might have done wrong, though you might have changed, your situation might have changed, your circumstances might have changed, that you understand that God’s love is so wide that it still includes you!

the Bible says . . .

John 3:16 (KJV 1900)

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

So thankful that God has that whosoever love!

because the whosoever group includes every group!

the whosoever group includes all the groups that I belong to

that’s good news because many of us don’t love every group, not the group that

hurt us, betrayed us

not the group that is different from us

not the group that we think is beneath us

not the group that has certain faults

But God’s love is wide!

and though we have hurt him, betrayed him, beneath him, though he knows every one of our faults . . . God still loves us!

God will still accept you, forgive you, work with you, work on you, help you, use you . . . because His love is wide!

How long is God’s love?

it is so long that it reaches from the foundation of the world, into eternity, it’s infinite, it’s everlasting

that’s awesome because many of us love with a timer

I love you in the good times

I love you until I get bored with you

I love you until I don’t need you anymore

I love you until someone better comes along

I love you until your looks change

I love you until you let me down

But God loves us with an everlasting love

Jeremiah 31:3 NLT

3 Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

long ago, from of old, from way back . . I have loved you with an everlasting love . . . a love that lasts and is unfailing

God has loved you for a very long time . . . consistently loved you for a long time (unfailing)

before you were born, he loved you

before you even knew about him, he already loved you!

when you knew of him but didn’t love him back, he loved you

when you accepted him, he loved you

when you left him for a short while, he loved you

when you kicked him to the curb for a long time, he loved you

if you still haven’t come back, he loves you

if you are back, he loves you

He never stops loving you, even when you don’t love yourself.

God’s love is that long, He will love you forever . . . consistently, relentlessly, unfailingly!

God’s love is long!

High high is God’s love?

it way higher than other loves

God’s love is the purest, next level love, it’s way up there

The greek word for this pure, next level love is agape, the highest form of love

it’s more than romantic love, brotherly love, or family love

Agape is a sacrificial love that voluntarily suffers inconvenience, discomfort, loss, and even death for the benefit of another . . . without expecting anything in return

a “just because” love

That’s why God loves the unlovable, because his love is high!

God’s high love is awesome because many of us only love with an expectation of a return of investment

scratch my back, and I will scratch yours

i’m down for you as long as you are down for me

I’ll support you as long as you support me

treat me right and I will treat you right

matching love = I’ll match whatever you do for me

you took me out for my birthday, I’ll take you out for your birthday

your supported my kids, I’ll support your kids

you helped me at my event, I’ll help you at your event

but as soon as we think you are not matching what I gave you . . . we’re done, and angry about it, because our love is not high

Where would we be if God matched our love

if God only supported us when we supported him?

if God only had our back, when we had His back?

if God only blessed us, when we blessed Him

sad to say but though we say “I will bless the Lord at all times” it is more of a goal than a reality for most of us

Praise the Lord, that his love is high! (not that low love)

Also, God’s love is high because it’s more than talk

this Agape love always comes with action, it is shown by what it does - it’s not just talk or hot air

1 John 3:16 NIV

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Jesus proved his love by giving up his very life, he walked the walk

if we’re honest, we are often more talk than walk

I love my family . . . but certain members of the family, I am trying to get revenge on

I love my church . . . yet I barely come, and give sporadic financial support

I love my parents . . . won’t obey

I love my wife . . . won’t take time to sit down, listen, and talk

I love my husband . . . won’t let him watch the game in peace

we’re trying to get to that level, let alone laying down your life for your spouse, family, parents, church

but God’s love is high . . . it is the greatest love, when you lay down your life

Another way God’s love is high and pure, is because he wants us to have what he has!

Someone who truly loves you with a high love always desires that the object of his love, share all his privileges and blessings and enjoyments.

you know how it is when you have something great happen to you, you wish that loved one were there to enjoy it to

i wish so and so were here to taste this meal too

i wish so and so were here to enjoy this trip and see this view too

participate in this fun event too . . . it was good, but would have been even better to share it with them

Romans 8:17 NLT

17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Wow, we are heirs with Christ, get to inherit things just like Christ, we get to share in his glory!

we’ll share suffering too, but the fact is that the glory will outweigh the suffering, and God wants us to share in it

though all the glory belongs to God, he loves us with such a high love, that he wants to share it with us

This is something worth noting, because some of us don’t want to share any glory

in other words, we will be happy for you, until . . . . we have to share the spotlight with you, share the glory with you,

we will be glad for you until you get what we got, or get more than we have

because we don’t want to share any glory, we want to be the only one

we’ll celebrate with the friend who gets the smaller house (this is cute)

the older car (good for you, I heard these are sturdy)

the bad to average relationship (I think it could work between you two, if he says he loves you then stay with him!)

but let them pass you up

get a bigger house, “it is a nice house, but I think it’s a little too much, over the top, who needs all that”

it’s a nice car, but I don’t know how they are going to pay for it! I wouldn’t want to have to fill that up with gas!

their boyfriend is handsome, in shape, no kids, up and coming businessman, but he just looks like a cheater!

don’t want to share any glory, because our love is not that high

But God’s love is high = it’s pure, it’s a love by action, it’s a love that truly wants to share, wants us to come up, wants the best for us

How deep is God’s love?

deep = God’s love is rich, complex, full, strong, you can’t get to the bottom of it, incredible

deep like an ocean

the top only gives a glimpse = blue waves, a couple of fish jumping

but underneath, it is teeming with life and wonders and surprises and power

on the top we see, “Jesus loves me this I know” but it’s deep underneath that simple statement

for from this love springs mercy, grace, compassion, kindness, goodness, forgiveness, patience, undeserved blessings, eternal rewards

since Jesus loves me, He is my . . .

shepherd, my strong tower, rock in a weary land

fortress, help, refuge, portion

joy in sorrow, my strength for tomorrow

doctor, lawyer, banker, friend,

he’s everything I need

His love is deep!

it’s not that shallow love

I love you, so I guess we can hang out sometimes

I love you, so I will always do something special for your birthday

I love you, I will consent to wearing matching outfits

no, God’s love is deep

on the top, on the surface . . . we see a cross on a necklace/building/shirt . . . that’s just a glimpse

because underneath the surface, that cross means so much

Isaiah explains it this way

Isaiah 53:3–6 NLT

3 He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. 4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! 5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

that’s deep love!

God’s love is wide, long, high, and deep

Why is it important to understand God’s love?

The answer is in verse 19

Ephesians 3:19 NLT

19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Though it is too great to know fully, we at least need to experience his love, get some understanding of the significance of God’s love, so we can be everything God wants us to be . . . . filled up, complete

you can’t be the Christian, you should be without some understanding of the love of christ

can’t be the servant, the worshipper, disciple, church member you should be, without some understanding God’s love!

because it all starts with God’s love, that permeates everything

we would love Him more, if he understood how much he really loves us

praise him more

serve him more

give him more

trust him more

wait on him with patience (God loves me . . . .He’ll show up, right on time)

live without fear (God loves me . . . . He’ll make a way, someway/somehow)

expect without doubt (God loves me . . . . If I need it, I’ll get it)

if I don’t get it, He’ll sustain me because God loves me with an everlasting love, unfailing love

and though we might have a million questions about, “Why would God allow this”, we would never doubt that God has our best interest at heart

we would never feel alone because we would know nothing can separate us from his love . . . it’s too wide, long, high, deep

understanding God’s love will bring a change in your life . . . .When you understand God’s love, you won’t be able stay lukewarm with God!

you can’t stay lukewarm about someone who loves you so much

you can’t stay neutral about someone who’s love is wide, long, high, and deep

in my day, you could a kid some ugly names, but don’t talk about their momma

even the most timid child would fight you

they could not remain lukewarm about momma

cause momma was the first one who loved me: she carried me, took care of me, fed me, has done everything for me . . . and I can’t stay luke warm about somebody who loved me that much

Well I can’t stay lukewarm about God that loves me with an everlasting love

when I think about his goodness and all he’s done for me, and all he sacrificed for me, and all he gave up for me . . . .I can’t stay lukewarm, neutral

i’ve got to give him a praise, shout, wave of the hand

cause his love so wide, that he stretch out his arms, and allowed nails in his hand

a love so high, that he was lifted up on that crosss

his love so long, that he hung on the across until all my sins were paid for

a love so deep, that he went down to the grave

but the good news is that the love was so powerful that he rose again on the third day!

i can’t stay lukewarm when I understand God’s love!

be encouraged . . . God’s love is wide enough to accept you

long enough to stay with you

high enough to sacrifice all for you

deep enough to everything you need and more