1 John 4:7-12

THE LOVE OF GOD

Intro: There is nothing like the love of God! It is the most overwhelming thing I have ever encountered in my life. It is the greatest gift God ever gave us! The reason I can say that is this, because He loved us, He was moved to do everything else that He has done.

 

We are preaching from John’s first epistle. Let me mention that John’s epistle has a 4 fold purpose.

•  That our joy in Him might be full - 1 John 1:4

•  That we might not sin against Him - 1 John 2:1

•  That we might know that we have eternal life - 1 John 5:13

•  That we ourselves might love others the way God loves us - 1 John 4:11

•  There is a fifth, unspoken reason, and that is to share the great love of Almighty God.

 

This letter was written to combat a heresy known as Gnosticism. The Gnostic believed that knowledge was the way to God. They believed they had a special knowledge of God and His ways. They preached that salvation came through secret knowledge about God and His ways.

 

John is writing to put them into their place! And, as he does, he tells the rest of us about a great God with a great love for a great sinners. 1 John is the great epistle of love. Love is mentioned 46 times in 135 verses. It’s the great love of our great God that I want to speak about for a few minutes. Let me share the lessons found here about The Love Of God.

 

 I.  V. 7-11  HOW GOD’S LOVE IS DESCRIBED

A.  It Is Unspeakable - I can’t understand it, or why, but I know I have experienced it. It worked a miracle ain my heart and caused me to love Him, 1 John 4:19.

B.  It Is Unending - Jer. 31:3. There is a difference between infatuation and love! God’s love is eternal!

C.  It Is Unselfish - Ill. It asks for nothing in return! However, it leads man to repent and turn to God in love - Rom. 2:4; 1 John 4:19.

D.  It Is Unmerited - Cannot be earned or deserved! God loved us because He desired a people to love. Ill. His love is based in His grace! Ill. Jesus and Jerusalem - Matt. 23:37. God loves us because He chooses to love us. Contrast that with the way we love others!

E.  It Is Unconditional - It is not based on what we can or cannot produce, it is a product of the heart of God. Man can never reach a place when he will not be loved by God! God loved us first, He loved us anyway and He loves us eternally! Nothing can separate us from the love of God, Rom. 8:38-39.

F. His love is Supernatural, it is Sacrificing, it is Satisfying!

 

  I.  How God’s Love Is Described

 

 II.  V.10  HOW GOD’S LOVE IS DEMONSTRATED

God’s love can never be fully understood, but it can be seen! It is best seen at the cross!

A.  He Stood In The Gap - The Lord Jesus placed Himself squarely between guilty sinners and the wrath of Almighty God, Ill. Isa. 53:4-6; 1 Pet. 2:24; 2 Cor. 5:21

B.  He Saved Us From Hell - It is His death on the cross, the death that released His precious blood, that opened the door of salvation for every sinner who will come to God. 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Rev. 1:5; Heb. 9:22; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:12-14. Thank God for the Blood of the Lord Jesus!!!!! What can wash away my sins?

 

  I.  How God’s Love Is Described

 II.  How God’s Love Is Demonstrated

 

III.  V.11-12  HOW GOD’S LOVE IS DISPLAYED

Beside Calvary, the greatest canvas for the love of God is the lives of those redeemed by grace. If we are saved, and posses the love of God, it will be visible in our lives!

A.  Notice throughout the Bible, there have been men who demonstrated God’s love:

•  Forgiving Love - Joseph - Gen. 45:1-8

•  Redeeming Love - Hosea - Hosea 3:1-3

•  Compassionate Love - Barnabas - Acts 15:36-41

•  Healing Love - Paul - 2 Tim. 4:11

•  Men are limited in their ability to love, but God possesses every shade of love imaginable!

B.  When the love of God is present in the life of a believer, it will be visible in 5 different areas.   

•  Love For The Savior - Ill. John 14:15; Ill. Ephesus - Rev. 2:4)

•  Love For The Scriptures - Psa. 119:105; “I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil,” Psalms 119:162.

•  Love For The Sanctuary - Not that we honor a building, but we honor what happens in this building. Ill. Heb. 10:25; Ill. David - Psalms 122:1

•  Love For The Saints - 1 John 4:20-21; 1 John 5:1-3 Ill. John 13:35 - 1 John 4:12! When the saints walk in love, the world sees God!

•  Love For The Sinners - Pray, tell others, and live clean before. Ill. Jesus had a heart for sinners - Ill. Nicodemus, Man with withered hand, Blind man, etc.

•  God’s love is more than just being loved! It is opening our lives so that the Lord can love through us. So that He can reach a world for Himself.

 

Conc: We ought to praise the Lord for His overwhelming love! We can shout, run, turn flips and act like a bunch of rabid monkeys, but the best way we can thank Him for His love is by letting Him love through our lives and reach others for Jesus.

 

•  Let’s come before HIm and thank Him for loving people like us.

•  Let’s prove our love for God by loving Him, and by doing His will and being what He would have us be, Matt. 22:37-38.

•  Let’s love others exactly as we have been loved by God - Matt. 22:39.