Sermon Central
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The Depths Of God's Love
Contributed by Dennis Deese on Aug 7, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: The Bible is God’s love letter to us. When is the last time you wrote a love letter to Him?
“THE DEPTHS OF GOD’S LOVE”
By: Dr. Dennis Deese - www.dennisdeese.com
Ephesians 3:17-19 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.
2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
1 John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.
The Bible is God’s love letter to us. When is the last time you wrote a love letter to Him?
There are three things I want you to consider about the love of God. It’s:
1. DECLARED 13:1
1. Sacrificial 13:1 “When Jesus knew His hour was come”
2. Sincere 13:1 “he loved them”
agapao, perhaps from agan (much) [or compare Hebrew 5689 (`agab)]; to love dearly.
3. Steadfast 13:1 “he loved them unto the end”
2. REJECTED 13:2, 21-30
John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Proverbs 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
1 Samuel 8:7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
Why would anybody reject God’s gracious love?
1. Satanic influence 13:2 “the devil having put into his heart”
John 8:44 Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
2. Flesh Controlled
Matthew 26:15 And said [unto them], What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
Romans 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Romans 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
3. Demon Possessed 13:27 “Satan entered into him”
Mark 16:9 Now when [Jesus] was risen early the first [day] of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
4. Temporary Satisfaction
Jeremiah 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, [and] hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
5. Spiritual Blindness
2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
6. Death Skepticism
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for [there is] no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
1 Timothy 6:7 For we brought nothing into [this] world, [and it is] certain we can carry nothing out.
Ecclesiastes 8:8 [There is] no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither [hath he] power in the day of death: and [there is] no discharge in [that] war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
3. EXEMPLIFIED 13:4-17 *4-5, *15
The depths of God’s love is clearly seen and exemplified in His:
1. Humility 13:3
Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
2 Corinthians 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
