God Is Love

God is love. 1 John 4:7, John 3:16. Silver Service Thurs 24th June 2004

THE FATHER¡¦S LOVE

Illustr: charlotte & nose bleed last night. (don¡¦t mind as it gives a chance to show love and cuddle while they sit on your lap!)

God is described as a Father in the Bible. Full of fatherly love.

- enjoys embracing His children, too

- Illustr: the parable of the ¡¥prodigal son¡¦ may be better called ¡¥the parable of the waiting Father?¡¦

o Loving Father, waiting for son to come to senses and return to Him. There¡¦s the embrace when he does

Just to drive the picture¡K and love¡K home- God¡¦s love is often described in ¡¥motherly terms¡¦ in the Bible, as well.

- ISA 49:15 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast

and have no compassion on the child she has borne?

Though she may forget,

I will not forget you! (¡§hark my soul¡¨)

Jesus describes His love for the people of Jerusalem¡Kthose who would kill Him¡K in mother-hen terms:

MT 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.

These pictures are SO powerful.

But so are the words of the Bible, too.

- are you aware there are words used in the Bible that are really only used of God¡¦s love and Christian love?

o OT: Chesed ¡V covenant love

o Hardly used of others at all. It is often translated ¡¥steadfast love¡¦

o God¡¦s love is so unique it needs its own words!

o NT- Agape- giving love (is used by others¡K but God is seen as the ultimate source and example of it)

Oh- that you could grasp the love of God this afternoon. How much He loves YOU!

But maybe these are just words? In the Bible¡K or just words to you?

- our society has the expression ¡¥talk is cheap¡¦

- ¡§it¡¦s a nice sentiment- but love means nothing if not shown¡¨

- in the words of Eliza Dolittle in ¡¥my fair lady¡¦

Don’t talk of stars Burning above; If you’re in love,

Show me!

Tell me no dreams

Filled with desire. If you’re on fire, Show me!

Haven’t your lips

Longed for my touch? Don’t say how much,

Show me! Show me!

Don’t talk of love lasting through time.

Make me no undying vow. Show me now!

Sing me no song! Read me no rhyme!

Don’t waste my time, Show me!

THE DEMONSTRATED LOVE

But real love doesn¡¦t just speak words. Fathers demonstrate their love- I¡¦d do anything for my kids. Mothers do (hard job!). So would¡K have you

- in fact we¡¦ve recently remembered love demonstrated

o D- Day 60th Anniversary (my dad¡¦s in a book front photo)

o ¡§greater love hath no man than this¡¨

„X = true!

And our Father doesn¡¦t just talk about his love, either:

8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

It says he did not spare His only Son! ¡K but gave Him up for us all.

- Illustr: Welsh bus driver on cliff. Dilemma of all plunging to death or hitting the boy in the road. ¡¥Why didn¡¦t you beep?!¡¦ ¡¥The boy was deaf!¡¨ ¡§How did you know?¡¨- the boy was my son¡¨

1 jn 4;9 THIS is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

Oswald Chambers writes, "In the Cross we may see the dimensions of Divine love. The Cross is not the cross of a man, but the exhibition of the heart of God. At the back of the wall of the world stands God with His arms outstretched, and every man driven there is driven into the arms of God. The Cross of Jesus is the supreme evidence of the love of God."

Contributed by: Mark Beaird on www.sermoncentral.com

Ever felt unloved? Alone?

- here¡¦s the facts!

o ¡§God SO loved the world¡K.¡¨

This is a love you can base your life & eternity on

THE RECEIVED LOVE

The thing about love, though, is- it must be received

- to be appreciated

- to be of benefit (to either side) (otherwise =unrequited love)

Illustr: it¡¦s true: just think. How many people are there out there who ARE loved but can¡¦t feel it¡K aren¡¦t able to hear or receive it

- Illustr: Kevin Steiner- was never able to accept that he was loved. Ill

No ¡V love has to be ¡¥received¡¦.

- that¡¦s more than just ¡¥acknowledged¡¦

o the prodigal son ¡¥acknowledged¡¦ the Father¡¦s love when he left to ¡¥live it up¡¦

o he ¡¥received¡¦ it when he turned around and came back