I just come to worship God now by singing to his praise in Psalm 84 of the Scottish Psalter version.
Psalm 84, you'll find that on page 338 of the Blue Book.
A familiar psalm to us, as it's good to sing the familiar psalms with the young ones here present with us before they go next door.
From the beginning of that psalm, how lovely is thy dwelling place.
O Lord of hosts to me, the tabernacles of thy grace, how pleasant Lord they be.
My thirsty soul longs vehemently, ye faints thy courts to see.
My very heart and flesh cry out, O living God for thee.
We'll sing from the beginning of that psalm down to the end of verse Mark 6.
To God's praise, let us stand to sing.
How lovely is thy dwelling place.
Our lovely is thy dwelling place.
O Lord of hosts to me.
The tabernacles of thy grace.
How blessed Lord they be.
My heart and fleshly, my heart and flesh cry out, O living God for thee.
My heart and flesh cry out, O living God for thee.
I have seen the name of that psalm down to the end of verse Mark 6.
The heart and flesh try out, O living God for thee.
Behold the spot of thy divine, and thy strength to rest.
The swallow also for herself, a purchase of the nest.
In thine own altars where she stayed, her young was forth made vain.
O love, almighty Lord of hosts, who art my God and King.
Lest, darling, in thy hearts not dwell, may ever give thee praise.
Lest is the man who strength the heart, in whose heart are thine ways.
You passing that of me, God's will, may in due day God dwells.
O so the rain that falleth die, the pools with water fills.
Amen.
We'll say a short prayer for the young ones before they go through next door.
Let us pray together.
Our Heavenly Father, we give thanks for this day that you have given to us,
and all the privileges of it.
We thank you for the people that are gathered here,
and we pray that we would be known by you,
and that you would know us in the depths of our hearts,
the things that trouble us,
and the things that we are ever so thankful to you for.
And we just thank you for all the families that are gathered here.
We pray for the young ones that are meeting with us,
and we pray that they would come to know Jesus Christ,
and that they would trust in him for their lives.
And as they go through next door,
we pray that they would learn more about him,
and his beauty and presence with them,
that they trust in him.
We pray also for the teachers that teach them,
and ask that you too would be with them.
We pray for this time of holiday,
and we thank you for friends and family gathering from other places,
and that we have the time to go and meet with others,
and that we can just enjoy the company of one another,
and the love that we share with one another,
be restored and renewed.
We just pray that ultimately,
we would know as we gather together,
that we would meet with you this morning,
and that our love for you would be rekindled,
and that we would say that it is good to meet with you.
As we draw near to your word,
may it speak to us,
and we just ask that you would go with us
in every step that we take,
even as we gather here,
protect our minds from being led astray,
and that we would give our minds attention
to the Lord Jesus Christ,
who died at Calvary for us.
So we thank you for all that we receive through him,
and we ask all things through his name.
Amen.
I'll just say a short word to the younger,
young ones that are here with us,
and I was in the garden shop a couple of months ago,
probably about six months ago,
and I love raspberries,
and there was a wee raspberry bush there.
It just looked like sticks.
There wasn't much to it.
I thought, well, we'll buy one.
I said to the girls,
we'll buy one,
we'll stick one in the garden,
and hopefully we'll get raspberries of it.
But the man said to us,
well, I don't know,
will you get any of it this year?
You might get one or two.
But we did get a few,
and the girls found a raspberry on the bush
a couple of weeks ago,
and they were delighted coming into the house
saying, we found a raspberry.
I thought I would take one in to show you.
Now, I have a watch here.
You see it?
A raspberry there.
It's big, isn't it?
Looks juicy and yummy, doesn't it?
Yeah?
You like raspberries?
Yeah?
Yeah, they're good.
I love them too.
This isn't the one I brought in from my bush.
Let me show you the one I brought in from my bush.
That's it.
There's not much to it, is there?
No.
No, I thought I could just plant it,
and I would get loads of lovely raspberries
from this plant.
But I didn't really look after it.
I just stuck it in the ground,
and we got one or two,
but that was it.
The birds have been eating the rest.
So I wasn't really doing a good job
looking after the plant.
But in the Bible, we are told,
and we'll spend time on this with the grown-ups,
that we are branches,
that Jesus Christ is like the main stem of the branch,
like the roots,
and God is the one that looks after the plant.
And when God looks after the plant,
and that we are like branches attached to Jesus Christ,
we bring forth loads of fruit.
We look tasty like that,
nice juicy raspberry.
It's good, isn't it?
It is good.
This one isn't good.
And I'm not going to eat that one.
I won't eat it.
When we stay with Jesus,
we will be beautiful.
We will be something that pleases
the one who looks after the plant.
The one who looks after the plant is God.
I didn't look after this plant very well,
and I wasn't very pleased to see
that the birds had eaten all my raspberries.
But God looks after you.
And if you trust your lives to Jesus,
and you stay with Jesus,
and you listen to the words of Jesus,
when he tells you to obey your parents,
that's a good thing to do,
to share all your things that you have with others.
That's a good thing to do,
to love one another,
to be nice and to be kind,
to do all these good things.
God will be happy with you.
Yeah?
So when you see raspberries,
when you see these juicy raspberries,
or juicy strawberries,
remember that you can be a branch,
and that you can be something pleasing to God,
if you listen to what God says,
and you listen to all that he asks us to do.
So we'll say the Lord's Prayer together before you go.
Okay?
Close your eyes,
put your hands together.
Our Father,
which art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
forever.
Amen.
Well, thank you,
boys and girls,
for listening to me.
And remember,
Jesus,
if we stay with him,
we will become beautiful
in God's eyes.
So we'll continue in our praise by singing in Psalm 63 of the Sing Psalms version on page 80,
page 80 of the blue book.
Psalm 63 from the beginning of that psalm.
Psalm that speaks about having confidence in God in the times of trouble.
We'll sing from verse down to verse 1 to 8.
Oh God,
you are my God alone.
I seek your face with eagerness.
My soul and body thirst for you
in this dry weary wilderness.
Down to the last verse there from 7 to 8.
Because you are my help alone.
And shadow off your wings I'll sing.
You hold me up with your right hand.
To you,
O God,
my soul will cling.
So we'll sing these verses together.
We'll stand to sing.
O God,
you are my God alone.
O God,
you are my God alone.
I seek your face with eagerness.
My soul and body thirst for you
and rest my weary wilderness.
In this dry weary wilderness.
I've seen you in your holy place.
Your power and glory held my gaze.
For better is,
your love,
the light,
and so my lips
will sing your praise.
I'll bless you,
Lord,
throughout my life,
and raise my hand to you in prayer.
My joyfulness will sing your praise.
My soul is fed with riches fair.
Upon my bed,
I lie awake,
and in my thoughts remember you.
I meditate throughout the night,
and keep your constant love in you.
Because you are my help alone,
in shadow of your wings I'll sing.
You hold me up with your right hand.
To you,
O God,
my soul will play.
Amen.
We'll turn now to a reading of the Word of God.
We'll find that in the Gospel of John,
chapter 15,
from the beginning of that chapter.
Gospel of John,
reading from chapter 15 at the beginning.
And we'll read down to the end of verse Mark 17.
Let us hear the Word of God.
I am the true vine,
and my Father is the vine dresser.
Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit,
he takes away,
and every branch that does bear fruit,
he prunes,
that it may bear more fruit.
Already you are clean
because of the word that I have spoken to you.
Abide in me,
and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself
unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you.
Unless you abide in me.
I am the vine,
you are the branches.
Whoever abides in me,
and I in him,
he it is that bears much fruit.
For apart from me,
you can do nothing.
If anyone does not abide in me,
he is thrown away like a branch and wither,
and the branches are gathered,
thrown into the fire,
and burned.
If you abide in me,
and my words abide in you,
ask whatever you wish,
and it will be done for you.
By this my Father is glorified,
that you bear much fruit,
and so prove to be my disciples.
As the Father has loved me,
so I have loved you.
Abide in my love.
If you keep my commandments,
you will abide in my love,
just as I have kept my Father's commandments,
and abide in his love.
These things I have spoken to you,
that my joy may be in you,
and that your joy may be full.
This is my commandment,
that you love one another,
as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this,
that someone lays down his life for his friends.
You are my friends,
if you do what I command you.
No longer do I call you servants,
for the servant does not know
what his master is doing,
but I have called you friends.
For all that I have heard from my Father,
I have made known to you.
You did not choose me,
but I chose you,
and appointed you,
that you should go and bear fruit,
and that your fruit should abide,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name,
he may give it to you.
These things I command you,
so that you will love one another.
Amen.
May the reading of God's word
be a blessing to the hearer of it.
Let us join together in prayer.
Our Father in heaven,
we give thanks that we are gathered here again,
and that we have your word set before us,
and that by reading it,
we have revealed to us
the greatest things of you,
and the greatness of your love for us,
and how we struggle to comprehend it.
We struggle to grasp it.
We struggle to understand the depths of your love for us,
the breadth of it,
the height of it,
the length of it,
the width of it.
But Lord,
we pray as we gather this morning,
and consider your love,
that a measure of it would be made known to us,
and that we would be certain of your love to mankind,
and your love to us.
Lord,
let your word speak to us.
May the riches of it come before us,
and our rested hearts.
May your love be evident amongst your people,
that we would be fulfilling the command that is set before us,
to love one another,
to love the brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus,
but to love also those who are not in Christ,
that their heart desire would be,
and our love would be,
for the lost amongst us,
and the lost that are within our community,
and our families,
and our friends,
that we would have the greatest desire to go out,
and tell them about the greatest love of the world,
greatest love beyond the world,
that we find in Jesus Christ,
that it would be openly shared,
and not with hell,
as Christ himself shared,
the things of God with us,
and his plans and purposes for our lives,
that he will be one that will go before us,
and prepare a place for us,
and we can be assured of his love,
when we come to the cross at Calvary,
because he died for us,
and we can be certain,
and sure,
that his love,
is for us,
Lord,
as we come to these things,
we admit our weaknesses in understanding it,
but we pray that your spirit would enable us,
and if we do things of our own selves,
it says there in the words,
that we will come to nothing,
and likewise,
more so when we come to your words,
that we do not rely on our own strength,
or our own wisdom to understand it,
or to speak to the hearts of others,
or to rely on the power of your spirit,
that it would go forth from your words,
into the hearts of sinners,
convicting, converting,
persuading,
and enabling them to embrace the greatest love of Jesus Christ,
and that they may come and abide in him,
and rest in him,
receiving the greatest joy of life,
and finding in themselves the purpose of their lives,
that they are not left estranged,
they are not abandoned,
they are not forgotten about,
but the love of Jesus Christ extends to them,
as our loving heavenly father does to his child,
the father does not forget about his children,
but he calls them to come to him,
and to come and confess the pains of our hearts,
and the agonies of our hearts,
the plights of life,
and that you will hear our prayer,
and you do not withhold your grace from us,
and that you will answer us,
according to your wisdom,
and your ways,
often it is just the groaning of our hearts,
that we can echo,
but you know them too,
Lord,
we give thanks for all that you have done for us,
and continue to do for us,
we ask that you would continue to go before us in all things,
and every step of life,
which is so uncertain to us,
we do not know what an hour brings forth for any of us,
we are often surprised,
we are often shocked,
but we can rest assured,
that the love of God will ever remain,
it surprises us when it comes to us,
but it is not one that will depart from us,
we can trust in it eternally,
and even beyond this life,
for death will not end that love,
that love will continue in eternity,
for Jesus is alive,
and his love is ever present with us,
we pray for each one that is gathered here,
and our situations,
we pray for those who are sick,
we pray for those who are mourning,
we ask that you would be their comforter,
and draw near to them,
be their strength,
O Lord,
we pray,
that they would know you,
being present with them,
and abiding with them,
Lord,
we just ask that you would be with us,
in the preaching of the gospel,
whatever it be,
gathered here,
or across our nation,
that it would go with your power,
that it would go with your spirit,
that it would grow with great effect,
and we say,
that we may see,
people turning to abide in Christ Jesus,
and turning to rest,
under the shadow of his wings,
and the shelter that he gives to us,
that we are joy may be full,
and the joy of Christ Jesus,
may fill the land of Scotland,
that we remember Alex and Nina from Moldova,
we pray for him,
as he preaches the gospel also,
that he may be an encouragement to one another,
that we may strengthen one another,
as we meet tonight,
we pray for Alex and Nina,
and the boys,
as they speak to us,
and speak to the young ones,
that they may,
to likewise,
bring the beauty of Christ with them,
that dwells within their hearts,
we pray for them,
in Nisborain,
and the work that they do in the church,
and that you would be their strength,
as they welcome,
and support neighbouring Ukraine,
and the people that flee,
from the dangers that are there,
we pray,
that you would bring peace in that land,
we pray for Russia,
and their forces,
and that they would turn from their ways,
in which they are set upon,
that they may see the folly of their ways,
that they would question their ways,
and ask why are we doing such a thing,
to our mankind,
we just pray,
that you would,
be over us in all things,
we pray for the young,
as they enjoy time of holiday,
and return to schools,
we remember the teaching staff as well,
as they prepare,
to have the children come back,
just ask that you would bless the children,
in their young years,
and that they may hear the gospel,
and know it,
and not depart from it,
and their lives may grow in,
through him,
and become beautiful,
in the eyes of God,
as we too,
trust in Christ,
may our lives,
echo his beauty,
and be pleasing,
to God,
all these things,
we ask in the name of Jesus Christ,
your son,
and our saviour,
amen,
we continue in praise to God,
by singing in Psalm 45,
in the Sing Psalms version,
on page 56,
Psalm 45,
from the beginning of that psalm,
a noble theme inspires my heart,
with verses for the king,
my tongues a skillful writer's pen,
composing lines to sing,
you far excel the best of men,
your lips are full of grace,
for God has blessed you evermore,
as light shines on your face,
we'll just sing,
down to the end of verse Mark 4,
these four stanzas,
it is a love song,
a love that the king gives to his people,
and it is a noble theme,
that should inspire the heart,
of every one of us,
the love that Jesus Christ,
our king has for us,
so we'll sing these four stanzas,
a noble theme,
inspires my heart,
let us stand and sing,
praise to God,
a noble theme,
inspires my heart,
with verses for the king,
my songs a skillful writer's pen,
from the old sea lines to sing,
you far excel the best of men,
your lips are full of grace,
for God has blessed you evermore,
his light shines on your face,
O mighty one,
and find it on your thigh,
with glorious center,
and with your majesty,
sacrifice,
your badge,
glad to hend to be worthy of,
—
I can't display your deeds
of all of separate and lies.
Let me turn back to the passage that we read together.
And we'll have a focus between verse 9 and verse 13.
Verse 9, as the Father has loved me, so I have loved you.
Abide in my love.
And verse 13, greater love has no one than this,
that someone lays down his life for his friends.
Have you ever wondered if God loves you?
Have you ever questioned God if he cares for you?
I'm sure many of you have.
On often times of difficulties, when life is hard,
we ask these things of God.
We don't tend to ask it, though, when life is going well.
Maybe that's for fear that we may think that it is true,
that God loves us.
Regardless of whatever situation we are in tonight,
or today, this morning,
I hope that we will realize that God loves us
as we come to this passage.
And this passage that we have here in chapter 15,
it's the last words of Jesus Christ to his disciples.
As he met with them in the upper room
before he was taken away to be crucified.
He is preparing and strengthening his disciples,
his friends, before he departs,
and for what is to come.
And the chapters between chapter 13 and chapter 17,
we have some of the richest passages of Scripture set before us.
It is, as anyone's last words would be,
a weighty expression of his love for them.
And in it, what we have set before us today,
is love present and love practiced.
There are two points today,
love present and love practiced.
But before we take these points by means of introduction,
we look at the image briefly that is set before us here
of this true vine.
The vine that is used to express the love of God
and the love of Jesus Christ.
The vine that grows with many branches.
The father that cares for this plant.
The vine, which is Christ,
the substance of it, the stem, the roots, is Christ.
And this is the main focus of the father's devotion and love.
And out of that stem, that root, that vine,
comes the branches.
We are the branches, the people of God,
who only bear fruit when we abide in Christ.
Jesus is saying to them,
you are made as a branch.
You are made to bear good fruit.
And you can only do that when you are connected to me.
When you are connected to the vine.
And if you do not take your strength from me,
well, we learn that the branch withers.
For the branch will not be a pleasing sight like fruit.
It will be bare.
And we only fulfill our created purpose
by abiding in Christ.
What we have here,
we are the branches.
Every one of us here is like a branch.
And you are created by God
to be a part of his purposes.
And even in that itself,
your answer to your question,
does God love you?
He has created you.
And he wants you to be a part of him.
Answer it with assurance
that yes, he does love you.
This is the best place for you.
To be adjoined to Jesus Christ.
To be abiding in the love of Christ.
And if you are,
it says that your life will be abundantly beautiful.
There is no comparison
between the branch that bears fruit
and the branch that withers.
And it is a joyful thing
to have fruit.
Just like my children
came running into the house
to show me
that they had found a raspberry.
It is a joyful thing
to bear fruit for God.
And it is a joy
that you bear fruit to God.
We will find joy
in abiding in Christ.
And what is expressed in this image
is the love of God.
The love of God made known
to the branch through the vine.
The love of God
that we know through Jesus.
Just as the Father loves me,
so I love you.
It is passed on.
The love of God
we know through Jesus Christ.
And he is comforting
his friends,
his disciples in these words
by saying
that God
will remain with you.
The love of God
will be known
in your life
through me.
And when you know my love,
you will know my joy.
And it will be like no other joy
that you have ever known.
So we ask ourselves,
what sort of branch
are we this morning?
Do we abide in Christ?
Are we bringing forth fruit
for God?
Or are we a branch
that is set on its own ways
and will ultimately wither?
So love present
in this passage.
Really what I want to do first
is see how love present
in our lives.
and how we understand love
in comparison
to the presence
of God's love.
Because we are so often
the branch
that does not want
to abide in Christ,
aren't we?
We so often want
to do things our way.
We want to love
the things of the world
without Christ.
We don't want
to love Christ
in and of ourselves.
We want to live
without him.
But we are told
that that branch
withers.
life without Christ
leaves us empty
at the end of the day.
A love
without the love
of Christ
leaves us bare.
And in the sight
of God
is no good.
And you can think
of all the things
that you love
in this world,
not in a romantic sense,
but where the affections
of your heart
are drawn to.
You have many
different things.
It may be football,
it may be rugby,
cars,
bikes,
it may be your home,
it may be your bed.
You can love
the smallest of things
and you can love
the greatest of things.
As the people
around us,
the friends
and the families
that we have,
there's a vast difference
between these loves.
But love
is every bit
a part of us.
What is your
greatest love
in this world?
What is your
greatest love
in this world?
And has your love
been perfect
to that thing
or person?
Has your love
ever deviated
in its devotion
to the object
of your love?
Has your love
ever grown cold?
Has your love
ever changed?
Has your love
ever been distracted
by something else?
It probably has
if we are honest
with ourselves.
Because our love,
it's not perfect.
Our love fluctuates.
It grows.
It fades.
Our love moves.
It changes.
And our love
can decay.
We place our love
in the things
of this world.
But they are liable
to disappoint us.
And so also
we can disappoint them.
And ultimately
the loves
of this world
will come
to an end.
and that may
leave us
chasing other loves.
Our heart's desire
is to love.
Love
of the world
only temporarily
satisfies us.
And it is true
that maybe
we can say
that we can exhaust
the loves
of this world.
And sometimes
we can say
sadly
that the loves
of this world
fail us.
where do you go
then?
When every love
of the world
has failed you
where do you go?
What do you love?
So we can chase
after all the things
of this world.
We can grab
a hold of them
but our love
deviates.
Our love grows
cold.
Our love changes.
It's like
chasing the wind.
We try and grab
and hold love
but we never
quite get it.
We're never
quite satisfied
with it.
It never quite
gives us joy.
We're left
withered
when we try
and satisfy
ourselves
with the love
of the world.
When we try
to keep our love
alive
by our own strength
and our own loves
we're left
fruitless.
Someone once
said that the
loneliest place
in the world
is a human heart
where love is absent.
And there's truth
to that.
But love
is not absent
in God.
It is our nature
to love
to give love
to know love
and we can all
say and agree
together
in one voice
that love
gives us
the greatest joy
in this life
but love
so also
gives us
the sourest
of pains.
Great are the marks
of great love
and great
are the marks
of great love
that is lost.
Love
it leaves
an impression
on us
and while
so sore
and so painful
at times
it still
retains
something
of beauty.
the dictionary
describes love
as something
profoundly tender
and that it is.
John Owen
would say
that love
is a jewel
of human
nature
because it's
well it's a precious
thing.
A jewel
is precious.
It's valuable,
it's beautiful,
it's desirable
but really
the beauty
of the jewel
is only
fully seen
and fully
realised
and put
on display
when it
trusts and
abides in
Christ.
The love
of our nature
is only
fulfilled
and made
joyous
when we
dwell
in Christ
and we
become branches
that please
the vine
dresser.
our love
of itself
fluctuates,
it's not
perfect.
Our love,
what is our
love
in comparison
to the love
present here
in Jesus
Christ?
We think
of the love
of Christ,
we have it
equally
in the love
of God.
We are of
the same
thing
in verse 9,
as the
Father has
loved me
so I
have loved
you and
he calls
us to
abide
in that
love.
This is
the greatest
love we
can know.
This is
the greatest
love that
we can
receive.
This is
a love
that does
not fluctuate,
it does
not move,
it does
not change,
it does
not decay
over time.
Christ's
love and
God's
love are
firm and
sure.
The vine
Christ is
loved by
the vine
dresser.
God's
love is
continually
expressed
towards
Christ.
God's
love is
eternally
present
towards
Christ.
God's
love is
inexhaustible
and it
is a
love that
we receive
through
Christ.
And we
can be
secure
and assured
of that
love as
God loves
his Son.
love is
perfected
because love
is
untainted
in God.
God's
love is
pure.
We can
say that
love is
fulfilled
in God
and Christ.
Love is
complete.
His love
is the
greatest
love and
really his
love, it
is the
essence of
what love
is because
it is
full,
because it
is
untainted.
The
greatest
love is
the love
of God.
The
greatest
love we
receive is
the love
of God
through
Jesus
Christ.
Great
love, it
is never
alone.
It is
something that
stimulates
action.
Love is
outworked by
some means
and it is a
great confirmation
of the love
within the
heart when
you see the
actions of
it.
Jesus is
not only
telling his
disciples about
the love
that he has
for them,
he is
preparing them
and expressing
them about
how he will
show it
to them.
Love is
present and
abounding in
Christ,
but love
will be
practiced
by Christ.
You see
there,
in verse
13,
greater love
has no
one than
this,
that someone
lays down
his life
for his
friend.
Our
second
point,
love
practiced.
Christ's
life is
a manifestation
of the
perfect love
of God
and the
resulting
actions of
what you
see in
Jesus'
love.
You search
through the
gospels and
you see the
love of Jesus
Christ coming
through.
He cared
for others,
he cured
for others.
He did
not revile
or reject
others.
He called
them to
come to
him with
a loving
heart.
He compelled
them to
come.
He
compassionately
taught them
and met
their need.
The low
were not
too low
for him,
the high
were not
too high
for him.
But here
in verse
13 we have
an explanation
of what
great love
looks like
and what
the greatest
display of
love is
that a man
would die
for his
friends.
But we are
mindful as we
come to this
that this is
only a portrayal
of what great
love looks
like.
In human
terms it
is understandable
that we would
die for someone
whom we
greatly love
and the
greatest action
that we could
have for that
person would
be to die
for them.
And if
someone died
for us
out of
love we
would be
left in
no uncertain
terms as
to the
love that
that person
had for
you.
He died
because he
loved you
with a
great love
and there
would be no
doubt about
it in your
heart if he
had died
for you.
And others
would say
if they
looked at
the person
that died
they could
say well
look how
much he
loved you.
And you
could say
yourself
look how
much he
loved me
because he
died for me
and he gave
his life
for me.
Jesus is
reminding his
disciples here
before he
goes of what
great love
looks like
and what the
greatest love
of man
looks like
because Christ
was shortly
going to die
for them
and the
love of
Christ
for his
friends
drove him
to die
for them.
This is how
he would
show his
love so
that they
would not
doubt,
so that they
would not
question nor
wonder whether
he loved
them or not.
Is this the
greatest display
of love
in human
reasoning?
Yes,
that a man
would die
for one of
his friends.
But is this
what Christ
did?
Well,
not really.
You see,
the love of
Christ was
greater and
more, far
more abounding
than the
greatest of
man's love.
The death
of Christ
was a
greater display
of the
greatest of
what man
could give
and offer.
For Christ
died for
his friends
and his
enemies.
We see in
Romans 5,
it tells us
that God
shows his
love for
us,
that while
we were
still sinners,
Christ
died for
us.
He died
for his
friends,
yes.
He died
for those
who loved
him.
But he
died also
unequally
for the
people
that
condemned
him to
the cross,
the people
who spat
on him,
the one
who took
his name
in vain,
the one
who wanted
nothing to
do with
him,
the passerby
who slandered
him.
He died
for the
sinner.
He died
for the
one that
does not
want to
go to
church on
Sunday
morning,
nor listen
to this
service.
Christ
died
for you.
And you
might ask,
well,
why did
Christ
die for
me?
Well,
it's so
that you
may know
in no
uncertain
terms how
much he
loves you.
And that
I can say
with confidence
to you,
see how
much Jesus
loves you.
And that
you can
say in
your heart,
see how
much Jesus
loves me.
And we
can't
understand
really
someone
dying
for their
enemy.
We
struggle to
comprehend
that someone
would give
their lives
for someone
they did
not like,
someone that
did not
love them
back.
But such
was Christ's
love.
And so
far more
abounding
than the
greatest love
of man,
that he
died for
us while
we did
not love
him.
And that
is why the
cross is so
treasured by
Christians.
When we
come to that
place, when we
view it, when we
consider what
Christ has
done for us,
what we
see is the
greatest love
perfectly
practiced.
We come
to something
worthy of
our time.
It's the
greatest display
of love
that we
can know.
It's a love
that is beyond
our understanding
and beyond the
loves of this
world.
And even
though it is
a place of
pain and
sorrow,
it is
wrapped in
sweet beauty
and leaves
the deepest
marks
eternally.
For the
love of God
has not
died.
Jesus is
alive and
that love
still lives
and that
love is
still expressed
to every
single one
of us
today.
Jesus has
died for
you so
that you
can say
in no
uncertain
terms that
he loved
you.
If you
take the
fact that
someone dies
for another,
if someone
died for
you, what
implications
do we have
of that
action?
Why die
for someone
else?
For what
cause would
you need
someone to
die for
you?
Well,
usually it
is to
pay
punishment,
to pay
justice.
he dies
for you
so you
can go
free.
It may
die for
you to
rescue you
so you
can go
free.
By the
giving of
his life,
you may
continue to
live.
You may
not suffer
death.
Jesus is
the one
who gives
his life
so that we
can be
free.
Jesus is
the one
who bore
our punishment,
died as a
ransom for
many, as
we were
teaching the
children last
week, so
that we
may be
free.
This is
the great
action of
Christ's
love for
you, and
it bears
testimony to
the love
of God.
These
things are
not hidden
from us.
The
gospel has
been revealed
to every
single one
of us.
The love
of Jesus
Christ has
been shown
forth on
the cross,
that we
may come
and receive
it and
abide in
it, so
that we
may know
our purpose
in this
life, and
that we
may bear
fruit, and
that we
may with
confidence
rest and
remain with
him, and
assuredly
say,
Jesus loves
me.
Some of you
may be
sitting and
listening and
saying,
well, how
does all
this affect
me?
I
didn't
choose
Jesus to
die for
me, and
you're
right.
Read
verse 16
with me.
You did
not choose
me, but
I chose
you, and
appointed
you that
you should
go and
bear fruit,
and that
your fruit
should abide.
We did
not choose
God nor
Christ, but
he chose
us.
And he
is making
known these
things to
you today,
even if
you have
not chosen
him.
He is
displaying to
you and
portraying his
love for
you, so
that you
may know
how much
he loves
you, that
you may
come and
receive that
love, so
that you
may not be
a withered
branch, but
that you
may be
fruitful and
abounding in
fruit.
It is no
loneliness in
the love of
God, but
his love
gives us
the fullness
of joy, as
we see in
verse 11,
that we
come and
abide in
his love
with the
greatest
confidence,
growing in
his strength
that comes
to us,
pleasing to
God by the
fruit in
which we
bear.
love.
Jesus Christ
loves you
with an
everlasting
love, and
he has
chosen you
today to
hear these
things, to
hear that
he loves
you, that
you may
come and
abide with
him.
His love
was practiced
perfectly, but
he asks us to
practice love
too.
as the
love of
Jesus Christ
made an
impression on
you, have
you realized
just how
much he
loves you?
Well, he
asks us to
love him in
return by
obeying his
commands.
Read there
in verse 12,
this is my
commandment, that
you love one
another as I
have loved
you.
that we
in Jesus
Christ love
one another
that is here
and love the
world that is
out with the
doors of this
church, that
we practice the
love of Christ
as he did,
that we look
at him and
abide in his
word and
learn from him
and how to
practice love,
that we may
please God
the Father
by obeying
the commandments
of Christ
and likewise
the commandments
of God.
What are
our actions
of the love
of Christ?
How do we
respond to
the love of
Christ?
It's love
present in our
heart.
We are loved
with an
everlasting love,
a steadfast
love, an
eternal love,
a perfect
love and it
is for you to
hear about it
today.
He has
chosen you
and therefore
none of us
can leave this
building today
doubting that
love.
We are in no
uncertain terms
with doubts
or questioning
in our heart
whether Jesus
loves you or
not because
he gave his
life for you
and died for
you at
Calvary.
That is even
before we
consider the
sufferings of
the cross
and in such
a manner
in which
he died
but he
gave his
life for
you.
Come and
abide in
his love,
grow in
his grace
and bear
fruit to
the glory
of God.
That's what
he says to
each and
every one
of us
this morning.
May these
thoughts be
blessed to
us.
We'll
conclude
by singing
to God's
praise
in
Psalm
86
in the
Scottish
Psalter
version.
Find that
on page
341 of
the Blue
Book.
Psalm 86
We'll sing
from verse
10 down
to verse
Mark 13.
Amen.
From verse
10.
Because thou
art exceeding
great and
works by
thee are
done which
are to be
admired and
thou art
God thyself
alone.
Teach me
thy way and
in thy
truth O
Lord then
walk will
I unite
my heart
that I
thy name
may fear
continually.
O Lord
my God
with all
my heart
to thee
I will
give praise
and to
the glory
will
ascribe
unto thy
name
always
because
thy
mercy
toward
me
in
greatness
doth
excel
and
thou
delivered
hast
my
soul
out
of
the
lowest
hell.
We'll
stand
together
and sing
these
verses
from
verse
10
down
to
13
because
thou
art
exceeding
great.
Because
thou art
exceeding
great
and works
by thee
are done
which are
to be
admired
and life
art
taught
thyself
alone.
Teach me
thy way
and turn
thy truth
O Lord
then walk
will I
unite
my heart
that I
thy name
may fear
continually
O Lord
my God
with all
my heart
to thee
I
will
give
praise
and
die
the glory
well
has
died
unto
thy name
always
because
thy
mercy
towards
me
in
greatness
doth
excel
and
thou
deliver
touch
my
soul
I
call
the
lowest
hell
conclude
in prayer
as we park
our loving
heavenly
father
may we
realise
your love
as we gather
in your presence
this day
and may we
leave
abiding
and trusting
in that love
may your
grace
may
by abiding
in your
grace
may we
grow
the fruit
to the
glory
of God
and all
things
as we
live
our lives
sets
forth
love
as our
direction
and to
give
that glory
and return
to God
be with us
as we
part
which over
us
in the
evening
hours
and evening
services
may it
be a blessing
to our
hearts
and souls
forgive us
our sins
in Jesus
name
Amen