God's Love

[0:00] God's love.

[0:12] John 15 verse 9 it says, As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you.! Continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love.

[0:23] Even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

[0:36] This is my commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

[0:48] Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Love. Love. It's been said that love may not make the world go round, but it sure makes the trip worthwhile.

[1:02] Love. But this is more than just human love. It's God's love. It's Christian love. Someone said a Christian love. Christian love is silence when your words would hurt.

[1:14] Patience when your neighbours curt. Deafness when the scandal flows. Thoughtfulness for another's woes. Promptness when a stern duty calls.

[1:25] Courage when misfortune falls. Love one another. Love one another. First point here is love God. These are very profound truths here this morning.

[1:37] Very profound. Very simple but very profound. Love God is the first point. One of the key things that we notice here is the love of God to man, of the love of man to God.

[1:50] As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love.

[2:07] Even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. It tells us here, verses 9 and 10, of my love, the Lord Jesus speaking, of his love, the Lord Jesus' love, and of his love.

[2:22] Jesus speaking of the Father. His love, the Father's love. The love of Christ, the love of the Father. The love of God, it's evident here in these verses.

[2:32] The love of God. What is the love of God? It's total commitment. The love of God, it's evident. It's demonstrated. It's love that goes beyond the distance.

[2:44] Beyond all human bounds. It's love sweet. It's love self-giving. Love selfless. Love sacrificial. Yet we see it is love refused.

[2:56] It is love undeserved. Yet love given. Love given. Love given freely. Love given extravagantly. Unconditional love. The love of God.

[3:06] Love God. But God commandeth his love towards us. In that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

[3:17] Romans 5, verse 8. The love of God. Of love to God. Think of the love of God to humankind. And what a wonderful relationship we can enjoy with our Heavenly Father.

[3:31] With the Almighty God Himself. As we read, Moses had such love. In Exodus 33, verse 11. In part, it says, As the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.

[3:50] Moses met with God. And it was a very close relationship. And it was a very close relationship. He communed with him. It was a very close time. God talked with him.

[4:00] And of Abraham we read too. In James 2, verse 23. Of Abraham it says, The scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, And it was imputed unto him for righteousness.

[4:14] And he was called the friend of God. Wow. That's amazing, isn't it? Abraham. Upon Abraham was conveyed the greatest possible honour that a human being can ever have.

[4:32] The greatest honour that we can conceivably consider as human beings. That we can be called the friends of God. That Abraham was considered a friend of God.

[4:44] How amazing is that? What a title. What an honour. What a privilege for you. For we to be called the friends of God. God's love is towards man.

[4:56] It's totally amazing. How about our love towards God? How is that relationship today? Our love towards God.

[5:07] James 4, verse 8. It says, Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners. Purify your hearts, ye double-minded.

[5:19] Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. The ultimate love that we can know is the love of God. And we are told to abide in that love.

[5:31] Don't lose it. So, number one, love God. Love God. Number two, love one another. Love one another. Verse 12. This is my commandment that ye love one another.

[5:47] This is my commandment. A simple command. A simple command, yet profound. And it's a command, not a suggestion.

[6:02] A missionary was preparing to go to Africa, and he was asked, How can you go to Africa and preach to them about love? There's so much injustice going on.

[6:14] And the missionary answered, We don't go in and preach to them about love. We go in and love them. Love one another.

[6:25] Love one another. That ye love one another. This is no token love. This is real. This is true friendship. Love one another.

[6:37] John 13, 34. Our Lord says, A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.

[6:51] By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. I heard of a preacher that got up week after week, and he just read, Love one another.

[7:07] Love one another. He got up and he said that, and then he sat down, and that was the sermon for the day. Love one another. And the next week he did the same. He got up and he said, Love one another.

[7:19] And he went and sat down again. And the third week, people were getting a bit tired of this kind of one line sermon, this one sentence sermon. And they challenged him and said, Come on, preacher. Give us something from the Word.

[7:32] We need to be fair here. And he was saying, Love one another. He said, I'm going to keep preaching it until you start doing it. Love one another.

[7:43] You know, it's so precious and true. Love one another. And God counts people as important. God delights in seeing people brought into fellowship, one with another.

[7:56] Something precious and vital about one another, about getting together. It's a God thing. It's a God thing. God makes it happen. As a man described the first century Christians to the Roman Emperor Hadrian, he said this, he said, They love one another.

[8:17] They never fail to help widows. They save orphans from those who will hurt them. If they have something, they will give freely to the man who has nothing.

[8:28] If they see a stranger, they take him home and are happy, as though he were a real brother. They don't consider themselves brothers and sisters in the usual sense, but brothers instead through the Spirit in God.

[8:44] Now this was a worldly commentator to the Roman Emperor of his day. Love one another is something that marked the early Christians. He commands love and he creates love for one another.

[8:58] That warms that godly fellowship, that connection in prayer, in friendships, in worship between the godly. And the Lord draws us to one another, nearer to one another.

[9:10] Church is God's idea. Church is God's idea. The assembly, the gathering, the getting together of God's people. Not necessarily in some formality way, but just the getting together.

[9:24] You know, sometimes even, in a way, I'm not worried about starting punctually at 10 o'clock, because sometimes it's about that getting together that matters. And, you know, it's not like we're governed by the clock.

[9:36] We want to have fellowship, one with another. That's important. And God wants his church to be close-knit, to be close-knit, manifesting his love. God's love translates into action in our own lives.

[9:49] I love that verse in Colossians 2. Verse 2. That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love. Knit together in love.

[10:01] What a picture. Knit together in love. I know my wife loves to do knitting. And what a picture of that intertwineness, of that connectedness, of that closeness, of that togetherness, as various strands are brought together, into one hole, into one article, into one garment.

[10:25] Close-knitted. Knit together in love. What a picture of unity. What a picture of harmony. A picture of communion. Love one another. And Colossians 2.19, it says further, of the head of the body, where all the body, by joints and bands, having nourishment ministered, and knit together.

[10:46] Knit together, increaseth where? The increase of God. Knit together. There's bonds, it says. There's bonds there that hold the different parts of the body together, just as our physical body is held together by different connections, whether bones and sinews and fibres and cells.

[11:07] The bonds that hold us together is that knitting together in love. And it makes an increase of the body, it makes a nourishment of the body. Love one another. Love!

[11:18] The world uses love in some shallow way. But we're talking about love, we're talking about self-sacrificial love, God's kind of love, unconditional love, not some soppy kind of Hollywood style love, but love that comes from God.

[11:38] And this is what someone said about love. Love is an attitude, love is a prayer, for a soul in sorrow, a heart in despair. Love is good wishes for the gain of another.

[11:50] Love suffers long with the fault of a brother. Love gives water to a cup that's run dry. Love reaches low, as it can reach high.

[12:01] Seek not her own at expense of another. Love reaches God, when it reaches our brother. Love one another. And let's not just preach about love, let's love.

[12:13] Let us love. love. And as was said earlier, there's a very precious love, when people can come from different cultures and countries, from different tribes and tongues.

[12:27] As someone has described this church, we've got a bit of a United Nations happening here. There's a love that is beyond any racial differences, or cultural backgrounds and histories.

[12:40] There's a love that God brings us together, as brothers and sisters, no matter what our backgrounds are. And we need to love one another, and be that loving body.

[12:51] One another matters. And God draws his people together, into assembly. He draws us together, into a body, into that unity, into that godly connection, that is the church.

[13:05] And when we care for one another, we hold each other in spiritual accountability. We provoke one another, to love and good works. I've had some frank words with a brother lately, and he was giving me some good talking to.

[13:19] And that's a good thing for us. We need that. We need to sharpen one another. And when we're getting a bit dull, we need that sharpening, of the iron sharpening iron, of the caring for one another, of that provoking one another, of that stirring up one another, unto love and to good works.

[13:38] So that caring, that cares enough to speak the truth in love, to bring the best out, in our brothers and sisters. And godly believers, are able to do just that.

[13:48] To stir one another up. To exhort one another on, in that gospel race, to encourage one another, to go forward. And verse 12 says, it's a direction from our God.

[13:59] Our Lord Jesus says, this is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you.

[14:11] This is love. So number one, love God. Number two, love one another. And thirdly, love like Jesus. Love like Jesus.

[14:24] Love one another, as I have loved you. That's the kind of love, that goes beyond any human, comprehension really.

[14:36] Love is important. A noted doctor listed several emotions, that produce disease, in human beings, fear, frustration, rage, resentment, hatred, envy, and jealousy.

[14:51] And he says, the only antidote, that can save people, from being destroyed, by these powerful forces, is love. Love is important.

[15:02] And the word says, love, not with human, limited love, but love, like Jesus. Love, as I have loved you. God is love, as we read, in 1 John 4, verse 8.

[15:17] He is the definition, of it. He is everything, love is. In 1 Corinthians 13, love is kind, love never faileth.

[15:28] We are to love, like Jesus. Verse 13, he goes on, in John 15, greater love, hath no man, than this, that a man, lay down, lay down, his life, for his friends.

[15:44] While we were yet sinners, Christ, died, for us. That's how God, commends his love, towards us. Christ, our master, is the ultimate, model, of love.

[15:55] The supremest, the highest, example, the self-sacrificial, love, of our God. Calvary, love. That's the love, we're talking about here.

[16:06] Not a love, that draws a line, and will not, go further. But a love, that is not confined, to what is comfortable, and what is convenient. A love, that will go, to the extent, of Calvary.

[16:19] To the extent, of that rugged hill. To the extent, of that rugged cross. That is the extent, of God's love. And God's love, knows no respect, of persons.

[16:30] He doesn't, think, oh this one's, worthy of my love, and this one's not. His love, knows no respect, of persons. And that is the kind, of love we ought to, engage in.

[16:42] That our love, is broadcast. His love, is genuine, it's real, it translates, into everyday life. Think of the love, of Jesus, and how we should love, like Jesus.

[16:54] Think of, his love today. Take a moment, to think, of the love, of Jesus Christ, for mankind. Of his affection, for souls. Of his care, of his compassion, of his tenderness.

[17:09] A preacher said, of love, joy, is love's music. Peace, is love's agreement. Long suffering, is love's endurance.

[17:20] Kindness, kindness, is love's service. Goodness, is love's deportment. Faithfulness, is love's measure. You know, the love, the fruit of the Spirit, is love.

[17:33] And it's all of that, is captured, all of those fruit, are captured in, that one word, love. The fruit of the Spirit, is love. Our Lord, is the greatest example, of love.

[17:46] His love, personified, love, incarnate. The greatest example, of love. Look at him, travel with him, as he goes, down those dusty roads, of Israel.

[17:58] And Luke 19, 41, it says, and when he was come near, he beheld the city, and he wept, over it. He beheld the city, and he wept, over it.

[18:12] It was the compassion, that he showed, over the city. That's the love, of Jesus Christ. It's the love, that we see, illustrated, in the Samaritan, the compassion, of Luke 10, 33.

[18:26] A Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was, and when he saw him, when he saw this wounded man, when the Samaritan, saw this wounded man, he had, compassion, on him.

[18:37] And he went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil, and wine, and set him, on his own beast, and brought him, to an inn, and took care, of him.

[18:49] He had, compassion, on him. The Lord Jesus, is like, that good Samaritan. We see, Christ's compassion, when an earnest young man, came running, to him, and kneeling down, at his feet, in a public place.

[19:03] Then Jesus, beholding him, loved him. Mark 10, 21. And he told him, one thing thou lackest, go thou way, sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have, treasure in heaven, and come, take up, the cross, and follow, me.

[19:22] Jesus, behold him, him, loved him. He loved him. Notice his compassion, in John 11, at the, grave of Lazarus. His compassion, for Lazarus, and his family, as they grieved.

[19:36] John 11, 36, the people watching said, behold how, he loved him. They could see the love, of Jesus Christ, they could see, this ultimate model, of love, the master, and his love.

[19:51] And our Lord's love, caused him to be mocked. The Lord Jesus, our saviour, our master, was mocked, because of his love, for sinful man, for unworthy man.

[20:03] Luke 7, 34, the son of man, is come eating, and drinking, and he said, behold, a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend, of publicans, and sinners.

[20:17] A friend, of publicans, and sinners. His love, was broadcast. His love, was generous. His love, was not selective.

[20:29] His love, was wide, and deep, and high. In loving kindness, Jesus came. In loving kindness, Jesus came. It was to the torn. It was to the bruised.

[20:41] It was to the rejected. It was to the outcast. It was to the untouchables. His love, came to the lowest, of the low. It touched every class.

[20:52] It touched every, strata, of society. It was to the very sick, in, and sick, of their sin, that Jesus came. In loving kindness, Jesus came.

[21:06] And the Lord Jesus, is the absolute, example, of love. And His, instruction, His, expectation, His, commandment, is, that, we love, as He, loved us.

[21:20] To, so love, as He, loved. Ephesians 3, think of the love, think of the love, of your God, unto you. The love, of Jesus Christ, for you.

[21:31] That Christ, might dwell, in your hearts, by faith. That ye, being rooted, and grounded, in love, may be able, to comprehend, with all the 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 fullness, of God.

[21:53] That Christ, may dwell, in your hearts, by faith, to know His love, to know His love. 1 John 4, 7, Beloved, let us, love, one another.

[22:07] For love, is of God, and everyone, that loveth, is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God.

[22:18] For God, is love. In this was manifested, the love of God, towards us, because that God, sent, His only begotten Son, into the world, that we, might live, through Him.

[22:34] Herein, is love, not that we love God, but, that He, loved us, and sent His Son, to be, the propitiation, for our sins.

[22:50] So that work, that had to stand, in our place, that sacrifice, that had to be, given, in our place, here's that, for our sins. Verse 11, Beloved, if God, so loved us, we ought also, to love, one another.

[23:07] No man, has seen God, at any time, if we love, one another, God, dwelleth, in us, and His love, is perfected, in us.

[23:18] As the Father, hath loved me, so have I, loved you, continue ye, in my love.

[23:28] If ye keep my commandments, ye shall, abide in my love, even as I have kept, my Father's commandments, and abide in, His love. These things have I, spoken unto you, that my joy, might remain in you, and that your joy, might be full.

[23:43] And this is, my commandment, that, ye love, one, another, one, another, one, another, as I have, loved you.

[23:57] Greater love, hath no man, than this, that a man lay down, his life, for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do, whatsoever, I command you.

[24:08] There's commandments here. This is not optional thing, this is no preferential thing, this is no, take it or leave it thing. This is a commandment, that you love, one another.

[24:19] Friends, to recap, love God, love God, he loves you, love God. Number two, love, one another, and thirdly, love, one another, as, I have, loved you.

[24:32] Love, like Jesus, loved. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you that, your love, was demonstrated, to men. It's commended, towards us, in that while, we were yet sinners, Christ, died, for us.

[24:47] We thank you, Lord, that your love, is shed abroad, in our hearts. We thank you, Lord, that your love, is a commandment, that we help to have, for those we love, in our, in our midst, that we would learn to love.

[25:03] Help us to love, when it's hard to love. Help us to love, when it's not, our inclination, to love. Help us to love, when it's not, our preference, to love. Help us to love, when it's not convenient, when it's not comfortable.

[25:17] Lord, help us to love, the unlovely. Help us to love, those that, not really, meriting our love. Love, Lord, like you loved, us.

[25:27] Lord, we pray, birth that love, within our hearts. Help us, Lord, to be mindful, that this will not, just be some, quaint little talk, but it will be, something that will be, a stirring, of our hearts, unto that, which you want us to do.

[25:44] That we would love, one another, as you, have loved us. Lord, help us, give us the grace, to have such love, when it goes against the grain, when it is hard, for us to love, that we would love, no matter what, and we would love, as you loved, as that ultimate model, as you loved, to the extent, to the extreme, of the cross.

[26:06] Let us love, like that. And we thank you, Lord, for the great love, with which you have loved us. We can't comprehend, truly, that length, and depth, and height, and breadth, Lord, yet, it's love.

[26:22] Love that is, that unspeakable gift, that love that, draws men, sinful men, yet men, that you have died for, to yourself, Lord, we pray, let that love, manifest itself, in our gathering together, when we, consider our brothers, and sisters, that we love one another, for your glory, we pray.

[26:42] Amen. Amen. Amen.