GOD's LOVE (CC)
0 (0 Likes / 0 Dislikes)
LET US RISE FOR THE READING OF
THIS MORNING'S SERMON TEXT
RECORDED FOR US IN JOHN'S
FIRST EPISTLE
WHERE WE READ FROM CHAPTER 4,
BEGINNING WITH VERSE 13:
THIS IS HOW WE KNOW
THAT WE LIVE IN HIM AND HE IN
US:
HE HAS GIVEN US OF HIS SPIRIT.
AND WE HAVE SEEN
AND TESTIFY THAT THE FATHER
HAS SENT HIS SON
TO BE THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.
IF ANYONE
ACKNOWLEDGES THAT JESUS IS THE
SON OF GOD,
GOD LIVES IN THEM AND THEY IN
GOD.
AND SO WE KNOW AND RELY ON THE
LOVE
GOD HAS FOR US.
GOD IS LOVE. WHOEVER LIVES IN
LOVE LIVES IN GOD,
AND GOD IN THEM. THIS IS HOW
LOVE IS MADE COMPLETE
AMONG US SO THAT WE WILL HAVE
CONFIDENCE
ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT: IN
THIS WORLD
WE ARE LIKE JESUS. THERE IS NO
FEAR IN LOVE.
BUT PERFECT LOVE DRIVES OUT
FEAR,
BECAUSE FEAR HAS TO DO WITH
PUNISHMENT.
THE ONE WHO FEARS IS NOT MADE
PERFECT IN LOVE.
WE LOVE
BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US.
WHOEVER CLAIMS
TO LOVE GOD YET HATES A
BROTHER OR SISTER
IS A LIAR. FOR WHOEVER DOES
NOT LOVE THEIR BROTHER OR
SISTER, WHOM THEY HAVE SEEN,
CANNOT
LOVE GOD, WHOM THEY HAVE NOT
SEEN. AND HE HAS GIVEN US
THIS COMMAND: ANYONE WHO LOVES GOD
MUST ALSO LOVE THEIR BROTHER
AND SISTER.
THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR LORD.
LET US PRAY:
GLORIOUS AND GRACIOUS GOD,
MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND
THE MEDITATION OF EACH OF OUR
HEARTS BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR
SIGHT, OUR ONLY
SOURCE OF HOPE AND COMFORT.
AMEN.
[TEXT TAKEN FROM
THE HOLY BIBLE,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
1973, 1978, 1984, 2011
BY BIBLICA, INC.]
DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD AND
SAVIOR,
JESUS CHRIST: WE'RE NOW IN
THAT TIME IN THE CALENDAR
YEAR,
IN THE CHURCH YEAR, WHEN
THINGS SEEM TO BE
EXCITING. WE HAVE GONE THROUGH
THAT PERIOD OF LENT
PREPARING US FOR THE JOYOUS
DAYS
OF EASTER. WE HAVE NOW BASKED
IN THAT EASTER JOY AND
RESURRECTION FOR THE PAST
FEW WEEKS. WE'VE WITNESSED
CONFIRMATION,
WE'VE SEEN THE ASCENSION,
LOOKING FORWARD TO PENTECOST,
AND
THE CELEBRATION OF TRINITY. SO
MANY LIFE EVENTS LIKE
CONFIRMATION,
AND GRADUATIONS NOW AND
WEDDINGS SOON TO COME.
IT'S A GREAT TIME FOR US TO
REJOICE.
IT'S A GREAT TIME FOR US TO
REALIZE
THE LOVE OF GOD. AND IN THE
MIDST OF ALL OF THAT,
IN THE MIDDLE OF MAY, FOR
CALLED WORKERS AND GRADUATES
OF OUR TEACHER COLLEGE,
AS WELL AS THE SEMINARY ...
IT'S ALSO
"CALL DAY", ASSIGNMENT DAY WHEN
THOSE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE PREPARED THEMSELVES
FOR SERVICE IN THE LORD, ARE
SENT OUT
TO DO THE WORK THAT GOD HAS
PREPARED THEM FOR.
AND THAT ASSIGNMENT DAY
IS STILL A THING THAT KIND OF
BOGGLES
THE WORLD'S MIND.
HOW CAN PEOPLE JUST GO
SOMEWHERE
BECAUSE GOD HAS PLACED THEM
THERE?
HOW CAN A CONGREGATION, OR A
SCHOOL,
GET EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED AND
WANT,
WITHOUT INTERVIEWING OR
TALKING TO THAT PERSON?
THAT THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT
THEM. HOW CAN THEY TRUST
THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WHAT
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO?
AND LET ALONE THE FACT THEY'VE
NEVER BEEN IN A CLASSROOM
OR IN A PULPIT AND WE WANNA
PUT THEM IN OURS?
IT'S AN INTERESTING TIME OF
YEAR.
BUT IT'S NOT A NEW ONE.
THE DISCIPLES HAD THAT SAME
DIFFICULTY.
BECAUSE THEY HAD TO FILL THE
SPOT
OF JUDAS. AND WE REALIZE,
THAT THEY SAT DOWN AND SAID:
WE NEED TO DO THIS.
SO THEY SET SOME PARAMETERS.
WE NEED SOMEONE WHO WAS
THERE FROM THE BEGINNING.
FROM JOHN'S BAPTISM UNTIL THE
TIME JESUS WENT INTO HEAVEN.
WE NEED SOMEONE TO BE A
WITNESS LIKE US
AND THERE WERE TWO CANDIDATES
EQUALLY QUALIFIED.
AND THEY PRAYED TO GOD.
AND SAID: GOD, YOU KNOW
PEOPLE'S HEARTS.
TELL US THE ONE.
AND GOD DID.
AND MATTHIAS
BECAME THE REPLACEMENT FOR
JUDAS.
AND THE CHURCH RELIES AND
TRUSTS IN GOD ...
HE BLESSES THEM.
WHEN WE AS MEMBERS OF THE
CHURCH
RELY AND TRUST IN
GOD'S LOVE - HE BLESSES US.
AND THAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT
JOHN BROUGHT TO THE READERS
OF HIS EPISTLE. IT'S THE
MESSAGE THAT HE
BRINGS TO US TODAY. TO RELY
ON GOD'S LOVE. TO RELY ON IT
BECAUSE GOD HAS SENT HIS SON
AND HIS LOVE OVERCOMES
OUR HATE.
AND THE LOVE OF GOD IS SEEN SO
CLEARLY IN THE FACT
THAT JESUS CAME INTO THIS
WORLD TO BE OUR SAVIOR.
JOHN REMINDED THE HEARERS
THAT WHEN THERE IS PERFECT
LOVE,
IT DRIVES OUT FEAR.
BECAUSE FEAR HAS TO DO WITH
PUNISHMENT.
AND BEFORE ANY OF US CAME TO
FAITH,
THAT'S WHAT WE HAD. THAT'S
WHAT WE LIVED IN.
A LIFE OF FEAR. A LIFE OF FEAR
OF PUNISHMENT FROM GOD. FOR
THE SIN THAT WE KNEW
THAT WE COMMITED FOR THE WRONG
THAT WE KNEW WAS IN US THAT WE
WANTED TO HIDE,
THAT WE HAD TO HIDE FROM GOD.
WE LIVED IN FEAR
OF THE PUNISHMENT AND THE
WRATH OF A HOLY AND
AWESOME GOD. BUT YET GOD
WHEN HE COMES TO US IN HIS
LOVE,
SAYS: I WILL REMOVE YOUR
FEARS.
I WILL REMOVE YOUR FEAR OF
PUNISHMENT
BY TAKING WHAT WAS ON YOU,
AND PLACING IT
ON MY SON.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO TREMBLE
ANY MORE.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO HIDE ANY
MORE.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE AFRAID.
I WANT YOU TO LOOK TO THE
CROSS
OF CALVARY AND SEE THERE
MY LOVE FOR YOU.
BECAUSE I REMOVED YOUR
PUNISHMENT.
JESUS WILLINGLY TOOK IT ON
HIMSELF
SO THAT WE
COULD LIVE WITHOUT FEAR.
TO LIVE IN THAT LOVE OF GOD.
TO RELY ON THAT LOVE OF GOD IN
OUR LIFE
SO THAT WHEN THE FEAR OF
PUNISHMENT
SATAN PUTS INTO OUR HEAD, WE
RUN BACK TO
OUR HEAVENLY FATHER PLEADING
THE BLOOD OF CHRIST.
WE TURN TO HIM FOR THE
STRENGTH
OF THAT LOVE, TO TRUST AND
KNOW THAT ALL
OF OUR SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM -
EVERY LAST ONE -
HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM US.
AND WE DON'T LIVE IN THAT
FEAR.
WE DON'T LIVE ANY LONGER IN
THE FEAR OF DEATH
BECAUSE JESUS ROSE FROM THE
GRAVE.
HE ASCENDED ON HIGH. HE KNOWS
AND SHOWS US
THAT WE, TOO, ARE GOING TO
RISE FROM THE DEAD.
TO LIVE WITH HIM ETERNALLY.
AND WE TRUST IN GOD TO TAKE US
THROUGH THAT PROCESS
EVEN WHEN WE WALK THROUGH THE
VALLEY
OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH.
WE WILL FEAR NO EVIL.
BECAUSE GOD IS WITH US.
AND WE HAVE NO FEAR
WHEN WE LIVE STILL IN THIS
WORLD.
THIS WORLD THAT JOHN SO
CLEARLY SAID
DOESN'T GET US. THE WORLD
DOESN'T LOVE
BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE GOD.
THE WORLD DOESN'T LOVE US
BECAUSE WE 'ARE' OF GOD.
AND THE WORLD IS NEVER GOING
TO LOVE US
BUT WE SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID OF
THAT. WE LIVE WITH
JESUS AT OUR SIDE. HE PRAYED
FOR HIS DISCIPLES.
RECORDED IN OUR GOSPEL LESSON
FOR TODAY.
FATHER, I DON'T WANT YOU TO
TAKE THEM OUT OF THE WORLD.
I WANT YOU TO PROTECT THEM
FROM THE EVIL ONE.
JESUS PRAYED
THAT FOR ME.
AND HE PRAYED THAT FOR YOU
SO THAT AS WE GO WALKING
THROUGH THIS LIFE
WE KNOW THAT THE SON OF GOD
HAS
ASKED THAT THE FATHER BLESS
US.
BY PROTECTING US FROM THE EVIL
ONE.
WHAT COMFORT AND REASSURANCE
THAT GIVES TO US.
WHAT A REMINDER OF GOD'S LOVE
TO TURN TO HIM, TO TRUST HIM,
TO JUST RELY ON THE FACT THAT
GOD
HAS LOVED US. AND HE HAS
BLESSED US
SO ABUNDANTLY. SO WHENEVER
WE'RE AFRAID,
WHENEVER FEAR COMES INTO OUR
LIFE,
IT'S A TIME TO GO BACK TO GOD.
GO BACK TO THE WORD AND READ
ABOUT HIS LOVE.
SEE ONCE AGAIN ALL THAT GOD
HAS DONE FOR US AND STILL DOES
FOR US AS HIS CHILDREN.
AND WE JUST RELY ON THAT
LOVE
BECAUSE IT IS THAT LOVE
THAT OVERCOMES OUR HATE.
BECAUSE THE MORE WE STUDY AND
LOOK AT
THE LOVE OF GOD AS JOHN
REMINDS US THAT COMES FROM
GOD THAT LIVES IN US ... THOSE
WHO LOVE
ARE IN GOD AND GOD IS IN THEM
AND IT'S
A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE. THAT THE
LOVE OF GOD
DRIVES OUT HATE.
BECAUSE IF THERE IS
SOMEONE IN OUR LIFE, A BROTHER
OR SISTER IN THE FAITH THAT WE
HATE,
THAT WE ARE NOT HAPPY WITH -
WHATEVER SPIN
WE WANNA PUT ON IT - THAT WE
ARE DISAPPOINTED IN, THAT
WE'RE NOT PLEASED WITH THEM,
IF WE'RE BRINGING THAT ANGER
OR HATE TO THEM
THEN WE MAKE GOD OUT
TO BE A LIAR.
BUT JOHN MAKES IT REALLY CLEAR;
IF YOU CAN'T LOVE
THE PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN SEE
WITH YOUR OWN EYES,
HOW CAN YOU BEGIN TO LOVE GOD
WHO YOU HAVEN'T SEEN?
IT REALLY IS DIFFICULT
SOMETIMES TO LIVE IN A FAMILY,
AND EVEN IN THE FAMILY OF GOD
BECAUSE WE ARE ALL SINNERS.
WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES.
WE ALL HURT EACH OTHER FROM
TIME TO TIME. BUT
THE LOVE OF GOD IS BASED ON
ONE THING:
THE SACRIFICE OF HIS SON
FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT EACH OTHER
AND WE HAVE
ANYTHING LESS THAN LOVE, WE
NEED TO START LOOKING AT EACH
OTHER WITH EYES THAT RECOGNIZE
AND SEE THE SINNER.
FIRST IN ME
BECAUSE I AM NOT PERFECT.
AND MY GOD HAS LOVED ME AND
FORGIVEN EVERY ONE OF MY SINS.
AND THEN I TURN AROUND AND
LOOK AT EVERYONE ELSE.
AND REALIZE THAT GOD HAS LOVED
THEM!
AND FORGIVEN THEM THEIR SINS!
AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO
GROW IN FAITH, TO BE
STRENGTHENED IN FAITH,
IS TO SHOW THAT LOVE OF GOD
TO THEM.
AS WELL AS SHOWING THAT LOVE
OF GOD
TO THE WORLD THAT HATES US!
AND EVEN IN OUR GREAT AND
WONDERFULLY POLITICAL
CORRECT SOCIETY, WE REALIZE
THAT DEEP DOWN WITHIN US WE
ALL HAVE
SOME PREJUDICES.
WE ARE STEREOTYPICALLY JUDGED
GROUPS OF PEOPLE
AND WE DON'T LIKE THEM.
FOR WHATEVER REASON. COLOR,
THEIR RACE, THEIR RELIGION,
THEIR FINANCIAL STATUS,
WE COME BACK
AND WE LOOK AT OURSELVES.
BECAUSE GOD TOOK ME, A POOR
MISERABLE SINNER,
AND GAVE ME THE WEALTH OF HIS
FORGIVENESS.
BECAUSE HE LOVED ME.
AND WE LOOK AT THE WORLD
WITH THE EYES OF JESUS WHO
LOOKED AT SOME OF THE CROWDS
THAT CAME TO HIM AND HE HAD
COMPASSION ON THEM.
BECAUSE THEY WERE LIKE SHEEP
WITHOUT
A SHEPHERD. THEY'RE JUST LOST
WANDERING AROUND WITH NO ONE
TO CARE FOR THEM, NO ONE TO
GUIDE THEM, NO DIRECTION IN
THEIR LIFE AND THEY DON'T
UNDERSTAND GOD'S LOVE.
AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
RELY AND
TRUST IN GOD'S LOVE
TO OVERCOME THOSE OBSTACLES
OF OUR OWN SELVES. TO PUT
ASIDE
OUR THOUGHTS AND LIVE THE
THOUGHTS OF GOD.
TO LET HIS LOVE
OVERRIDE OUR HATE.
TO SHARE WITH THEM THE LOVE
OF GOD.
TO RELY ON HIM.
TO RELY ON GOD'S LOVE AND TO
TRUST IN HIM.
THAT IS OUR LIFE AS
CHRISTIANS.
IT'S A WONDERFUL THING THAT WE
SEE HAPPENING
THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES, AND
ESPECIALLY I THINK,
AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.
LOOK AT THE EVENTS THAT ARE
COMING UP. OPPORTUNITIES
TO CELEBRATE WITH FAMILY AND
FRIENDS.
GRADUATIONS, WEDDINGS,
GET-TOGETHERS OVER MEMORIAL
DAY OR THE 4TH OF JULY.
ALL OPPORTUNITIES FOR US
TO LIVE THE LOVE OF GOD. AND
TO SHOW THAT.
BECAUSE JUST LIKE THOSE YOUNG
MEN AND WOMEN
ASSIGNED IN THE NEXT DAYS,
THEY'RE GOING OUT TO BE GOD'S
SERVANTS
TO TRUST HIM; THAT THERE ARE
SCHOOLS OPENING THEIR
CLASSROOMS IN TRUST,
AND CONGREGATIONS OPENING
THEIR DOORS AND THEIR PULPITS
TO PEOPLE TO STAND IN THEM.
TRUSTING WITH EACH OTHER
TO PROCLAIM THE LOVE OF GOD.
IT'S WHAT WE ARE! IT'S WHAT
WE DO.
SO LET US RELY ON THE LOVE OF
GOD.
AMEN.
LET US RISE.
NOW MAY THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH GOES BEYOND
ALL OF OUR UNDERSTANDING
KEEP YOUR HEARTS
AND YOUR MINDS AND ESPECIALLY
YOUR LIVES IN THE ONE TRUE
FAITH UNTO LIFE EVERLASTING.
AMEN.