You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
Our passion is to experience and express grace. Join us.
It is an honor and a privilege to be here this morning at Southwood.
Thank you so much for having me.
And I also want to mention, he's exiting the stage here to the right,
not only did George and Kathy Mayer play a big part in my life,
but Blake Stewart, who is here in your worship group,
was very instrumental in helping me start a church, plant a church in Madison, Mississippi.
It's a suburb of Jackson.
And I remember he was with us in the very early days,
and we were desperate for people who could sing.
And I remember when he came and visited us the first time,
and I found out that not only was he from Alabama, but that he could sing.
I knew I had to do everything I possibly could to keep him at our church plant.
So I'm very grateful for Blake and what he meant to Madison Heights
in the early years of helping start the church.
It's great to be in Huntsville.
I grew up down the road in Gadsden.
My uncle worked here and lived here for many years,
played Westminster in basketball many times,
was beat every single time.
So those are not fond memories.
But most importantly, I remembered as I was sitting there with my wife
that one of our first dates almost 20 years ago
was to Huntsville when we were students at Samford.
I brought her to the Space and Rocket Center.
No, I'm just kidding.
We came to a play.
So it's good to be here.
Again, thank you for having me.
Our text this morning is 1 John 4, verses 7 through 19.
1 John 4, verses 7 through 19.
Let us hear the word of the Lord.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God,
and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
In this the love of God was made manifest among us,
that God sent his only Son into the world,
so that we might live through him.
In this is love.
Not that we have loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us,
we also ought to love one another.
No one has ever seen God.
If we love one another, God abides in us,
and his love is perfected in us.
By this we know that we abide in him and he in us,
because he has given us of his Spirit.
Verse 14.
And we have seen and testified that the Father has sent his Son
to be the Savior of the world.
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God,
God abides in him and he in God.
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.
God is love.
And whoever abides in love abides in God,
and God abides in him.
By this is love perfected with us,
so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment,
because as he is,
so also are we in the world.
There is no fear in love,
but perfect love casts out fear.
For fear has to do with punishment.
And whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
We love,
because he first loved us.
The grass withers and the flower fades,
but the Word of our God will stand forever.
Before I started the Mid-South Church Planting Network,
I planted a church,
as I told you earlier,
in Madison, Mississippi,
and was the pastor there for nine years.
And before we bought land and built,
we met in a Catholic school.
And in the beginning,
we met in a very ugly,
just really distasteful gym.
Thankfully,
the school built a wonderful performing arts center,
and we were able to move the church
into the performing arts center.
Now, it was not designed like a sanctuary.
It was designed like a place that you would go to see a play.
And so there was a middle aisle,
and you could enter the auditorium at the halfway point,
and you could make your way down the middle aisle
before almost anyone in the auditorium would notice.
But those who were on the stage
would see a person come in immediately.
Well, it was one Sunday morning,
and my wife's uncle was gravely ill.
And we had worked out a plan
whereby if she got a call
that she needed to drive to Tupelo,
she would take my daughter,
who was three years old at the time,
and would immediately leave.
If I saw her leave from the sanctuary,
I would know that I needed to wrap things up
and that I needed to get on the road to Tupelo.
So I'm preaching,
and I see my wife get up and leave with my daughter.
So I know what is going on.
A few minutes passed,
and the doors of the back of the auditorium
suddenly open.
And a curly-haired, brown-eyed little girl
comes walking in the back.
And she is afraid,
and she is scared.
You can see it written all over her face.
And she comes running down the middle aisle
with her arms outstretched to me.
The next thing I know,
I look down at the stage,
and I see these little fingers
on the edge of the stage,
and I hear,
Dad!
Daddy!
Well, I do what any father would do.
I reach down,
and I pick her up,
and I keep preaching.
Now,
guess what my sermon was on that day?
The Father's love.
Every woman in the auditorium
was wiping her eyes.
And every man in the auditorium said,
I can't believe that he staged this.
But I promise you,
it wasn't staged.
She was lost,
and she was scared,
and she was afraid,
and what did she want
more than anything in the world?
She wanted her dad.
And so I held her,
and I loved on her,
and I kept preaching
until our youth director came
and got her from me.
Isn't that true of us?
Now look,
I know that there are some big,
strong,
strapping men
in this congregation.
But isn't it really true
of all of us
that because we live
in a broken,
and fallen,
and sinful world,
we are like a small child.
We are afraid,
and we are scared,
and we are lost,
and what do we need
more than anything?
The Father's love.
Let's pray.
Our Father and our God,
we thank you for this opportunity
to be here this morning.
Lord, we pray that
you would reach down
into the very depths
of our soul,
and that you would plant
your word there.
Father, help us not to hear this
merely as information,
but help us to hear
you and you only.
Father, may we leave this place
this morning,
not only with a greater desire
for your word,
but a greater passion
for your Son,
Jesus Christ.
Lord, let your Spirit
work in us
so that we look more
and more like
our older brother.
Father, give us eyes to see
and ears to hear.
Do not let your word
return void.
Father, I pray that you would
be with us this morning.
May your presence
sit heavy upon us.
Father, forgive the one
who speaks,
for my sins are great.
Set me aside
as you speak
this morning.
For the glory of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Our text this morning is
from, excuse me,
I just drew a blank there,
from 1 John chapter 4,
7 through 21.
We're not going to go
verse by verse
through this text.
There are a couple of things
that I want us to look at,
and there are two questions
that I want us to ask
as we reflect
on 1 John.
The first question is this.
How special
is the gift
of God's perfect love?
How special
is this gift?
God desires
for us
to know
and experience
the perfect love
that exists
between the Father
and the Son
and the Holy Spirit.
He longs for us
to enter into
that perfect communion.
I want you to think
about that.
In the throne room
of heaven,
the Father
and the Son
and the Holy Spirit
exist
in this perfect,
perfect,
eternal
relationship
of love
and fellowship.
And what they want
more than anything
is for us
to be a part of that,
to experience that,
to know that,
to understand
that truth.
And so,
God gives us
a special gift
of love
by making that
a promise
that is certain
in Jesus Christ.
But I think
sometimes
we fail to realize
the lengths
that our God
has gone to
to give us
this gift.
gift.
So let's
focus in
on verse 9.
In this,
the love of God
was made manifest
among us
that God
sent His only
Son into the world
so that we
might live
through Him.
How special
is this gift
of God's
perfect love?
It is so special
that the Father
loves us
and He serves
us
by giving up
His Son.
Now,
we are moving
into the time
of year
where we will
begin to think
more often
about the coming
of our King.
But do we
really understand
what God
the Father
has done
for us
in giving up
His Son?
do we really
get it?
So,
my father
died of cancer
when I was
one.
I don't know
that I thought
much about that
as a child.
But I do
remember
the first time
that I thought
about it.
I was
five years
old
and I played
soccer
for the first
time.
and I
specifically
remember
running out
onto the
soccer field
and noticing
that something
was different.
That most
of the other
little boys
on my team
not only
had mothers,
but they
had fathers.
And I
never thought
about that
before.
And I
remember
that.
Looking
around
and seeing
fathers
cheer on
their sons
and thinking
to myself,
I want
that.
I want
that.
So a few
months ago,
we signed
my son up
to play
soccer.
He's in
children's
church this
morning.
His name
is John
Hunter.
I am
Hunter
Townsend
Brewer.
He is
Hunter
Townsend
Brewer
Jr.
Why we
call him
John Hunter
is a long
story.
And I
remember
taking him
to his
first game.
And I
can't tell
you how
emotional
that was
for me.
I remember
one of my
good friends
at the game
looking at
me going,
I know he
had to be
thinking,
it's just a
five-year-old
soccer game.
He didn't
know the
back story.
It was a
very emotional
moment for
me to
watch my
little guy
run out
onto that
soccer field
with his
shorts hanging
down to his
ankles,
with shin
guards underneath
those shorts
somewhere,
sitting on the
ball more
often than he
kicked the
ball.
You're a
wonderful group
of people.
And I know
some of you.
And I
don't mean
this to be
offensive.
I don't go
around offending
people.
That's not
me.
I hope you
will understand
this in the
right tone.
But I'm
not sacrificing
my son for
any of you.
I'm not
thinking about
it for a
nanosecond.
I wouldn't
do it.
No way.
now,
think about
the father.
He gives
up his
only
begotten
son
for a
group of
rebellious
people
who wanted
nothing to do
with him
and his
word.
A group of
people that
turned their
backs on
him.
A group of
people who
would murder
his son.
In the throne
room of heaven,
God the father
looks to the
son and he
says,
go.
Because I
want them
to experience
and to know
and to be a
part of this
fellowship and
this communion
that we
have.
I want
them to
be integrated
into this
relationship.
I want
them to
receive all
the blessings
of the
covenant.
I want
this for
them.
And so
you must go
and you
must be
sacrificed.
That is
who our
father is
and that
is what
he has
done for
us.
But we
also see
the son
at work
in giving
us this
perfect gift
of love.
Not only
is the
father involved
but the
son is
involved.
Look at
verse 10.
And this
is love.
Not that
we have
loved God
but that
he loved
us and
sent his
son to
be the
propitiation
for our
sins.
Let's go
back to
the throne
room of
heaven.
And the
father asked
the son
to go.
And the
son willingly
goes knowing
that he is
going to be
the propitiation
for our
sins.
I love
reading the
gospels.
I love
going through
Matthew,
Mark,
Luke,
and John
and seeing
all the
examples
when Jesus
says that
I am here
to do the
will of
my father.
He was
so obedient.
He was
perfect in
his
obedience.
The cross
is a
terrible
thing.
The cross
is a
horrible
instrument
of death.
But you
need to
understand
that
it's not
the physical
violence
that's
inflicted
upon
Jesus
that makes
the cross
so difficult.
That is
not why
Jesus
fell to
his knees
in the
garden of
Gethsemane
and sweated
blood.
The reason
the cross
is so
difficult
is because
he is the
propitiation.
Because on
the cross
all of
our
punishments
the punishments
of all
of God's
people
for all
eternity
at that
very moment
those
punishments
are placed
on Christ.
So he
experiences
hell
for us
right there
on
Calvary.
it's
hard to
get your
mind
around
to be
truthful.
The
internal
punishment
that we
deserved
for sin
and rebellion
and treachery
is placed
on Christ
and he
fills it
and he
experiences
it
and he
knows it
and even
though from
an earthly
perspective
it's only
a moment
from
a kingdom
perspective
he fills
the eternal
wrath.
So not
only is
the father
involved in
giving us
this perfect
gift of
love
but we
see in
verse 10
that the
son
is intimately
involved
in giving
his life
so that we
can have
this perfect
gift.
we
know what
our creeds
and our
confessions
say
that our
God is
three
in one
that is
why
it's so
important to
know what
you believe
not only is
the father
involved
not only is
the son
involved
but guess
what
the spirit
is involved
the holy
spirit
is involved
in giving
us this
perfect
gift
look at
verse 13
by this
we know
that we
abide in
him
and he
in us
because he
has given
us of
his spirit
the spirit
loves and
serves us
by giving
us
new life
that is
holy
spirit
power
it's
something
frankly
that we
don't talk
enough about
as those
who belong
to the
reformed
tradition
those who
are
presbyterian
we talk
about the
father
and we
talk about
the son
but we'll
let others
talk about
the holy
spirit
we can't
do that
because the
holy
spirit
is god
and the
holy
spirit
gives us
new life
the holy
spirit
rescues
us
and changes
us
and enables
us to see
and to hear
and to know
and to believe
without the
holy
spirit
working
in us
we can't
enter into
that perfect
love relationship
we cannot
walk
boldly
into the
throne room
of grace
without the
holy
spirit
we cannot
know
that perfect
communion
it takes
the father
and it takes
the son
and it takes
the holy
spirit
our
triune
god
goes
to
great
lengths
to rescue
us
and redeem
us
and to
make us
his own
are you
overwhelmed
by that
this morning
holy
i hope
you are
i hope
you are
i hope
you leave
this place
and you
go throughout
your week
and you
reflect on
and you
pray about
and you
worship
the fact
that your
god
has done
something
incredible
for you
first question
was
what
links
does
our
god
go to
to give
us the
perfect
gift
of love
second
question
is this
what
is our
response
what
do we
do
with
this
what
do
we
do
knowing
what
god
has
done
for
us
in
christ
by the
power
and the
work
of the
holy
spirit
look
at
verse
19
of
chapter
4
this
is one
of those
kindergarten
verses
one of
those
verses
that you
learn in
vacation
bible
school
but it's
one of
those
that you
need to
highlight
and
underline
fold
the page
down
because
this is
one of
those
verses
that you
go back
to
over
and
over
and
over
again
during
the
more
difficult
times
of
life
we
love
because
he
first
loved
us
we
love
because
he
first
loved
us
so
what
is
our
response
to
this
perfect
gift
of
love
what
do
we
do
with
the
fact
that
from
all
eternity
God
has
loved
us
and
he
has
been
thinking
about
us
and
he
put
a
plan
in
place
to
rescue
us
from
sin
and
death
what
do
we
do
with
that
what
do
we
do
well
the
text
is
very
clear
it
says
we
love
we
love
we
will
love
our
family
members
we
will
love
those
in
our
family
that
are
difficult
to
love
we
will
love
our
neighbors
we
will
love
our
co-workers
we
will
love
our
community
we
will
be
known
as
a
people
who
exude
the
love
of
Jesus
Christ
because
we
understand
the
rescue
mission
that
has
been
carried
out
for
us
when
we
realize
how
great
the
Father's
love
is
how
great
the
Son's
love
is
how
great
the
Holy
Spirit
love
is
our
hearts
will
break
let me
explain
that
you
probably
all
heard
this
our
hearts
because
we
live
in a
fallen
and
sinful
and
broken
world
tend
to
produce
idols
they
manufacture
idols
our
default
mode
is that
we
want to
be
our
own
God
we
want
to
be
high
and
exalted
we
want
to
be
in
charge
we
think
we
know
best
and
our
hearts
are
busy
producing
idols
and
so
when
we
fall
desperately
in
love
with
Jesus
Christ
and
we
understand
the
love
of
the
Father
here's
what
happens
to
our
heart
it
is
so
filled
with
love
that
it
cannot
be
contained
and
it
breaks
and
the
love
of
Christ
spills
out
everywhere
in
all
directions
God's
love
will
consume
us
and
so
we
will
love
the
people
in
this
room
we
will
love
the
people
in
this
room
because
these
are
our
brothers
and
sisters
in
Jesus
Christ
we
will
love
starting
churches
because
new
churches
reach
people
who
are
not
in
church
and
they
don't
know
the
love
of
Christ
we
will
love
this
community
and
we
will
go
out
into
this
community
and
we
will
tell
people
about
Jesus
because
he
is
our
only
hope
and
we
are
desperate
we
are
going
to
be
so
filled
with
love
that
we
are
going
to
do
radical
things
this
challenges
me
because
I
know
more
often
than
not
that
I'm
not
consumed
with
the
love
of
God
for
others
God
help
me
to
be
overwhelmed
by
your
love
help
me
to
be
overwhelmed
by
your
love
mentored
by an
older
pastor
and
I
asked
him
one
day
after
50
years
of
ministry
what
is
one
of
the
things
that
is
most
surprising
to
you
he
looked
at
me
and
he
said
oh
that's
easy
how
few
people
are
actually
consumed
and
blown
away
by the
love
of
Jesus
Christ
that
was
challenging
to me
made me
examine
my own
heart
I hope
this morning
that we
will all
approach
the cross
of Christ
and that
we will
dig down
deep
into the
dirt
at the
base of
the cross
that we
will offer
up our
hearts
and our
lives
to King
Jesus
and that
we will be
consumed
with him
and that
we will love
others
because we
rightly
understand
all that
he has
done
for us
this is not a
ten point
profound
theological
sermon
this is a
nuts
and bolts
heart
issue
sermon
think about
how
amazing
his
love
truly
is
and let
it wash
over you
this week
let's pray
our father
and our
God
we thank
you
that your
love
for us
is so
real
and so
active
and so
powerful
and so
lasting
father
God
Lord
Jesus
and Holy
Spirit
we
we stand
amazed at
all that
you have
done
to save
your people
to rescue
us
to redeem
us
to adopt
us
may we
worship
you
with a
greater
intensity
and may
we love
others
so that
you receive
all the
glory
may your
spirit
be at
work
changing
us
and
drawing
us to
you
Lord
Jesus
help us
to drink
deeply
from
the
fountain
of
grace
it's
in your
name
we
pray
for more
information
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online
at
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