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The Love of God



Ephesians 1:4, 5


But God being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, Even we being dead in sins, He made us alive together with Christ.

There may be times in our life when we feel abandoned and alone but this verse assures us that we have a great lover all the time in spite of our circumstances here on earth. The devout Jews knew about the love of God and one of the words which is translated love in our English bibles is repeated in a thanksgiving Psalm 136. In this Psalm the phrase “His love endures forever” is repeated in every verse. Some translations however use the word - mercy instead of love. This is an indication that the Hebrew word “chesed” has both the sense of mercy and love. As in the Psalm so too the idea of mercy and love are connected in our verse this morning.

There are hundreds of verses with the word love in the Bible. God’s love is seen from the creation of mankind to the future He promises. Some people question the love of God when they see the pain in society. They ask the wrong kind of questions and become bitter toward God. They ask, “ If there is a God of love who is all powerful then why is there so much suffering in the world?” But God in his love has given us freedom and restrained his power to allow mankind to make mistakes and misuse his power. God has given us love as a weapon to destroy the selfishness and greed of the world. The context of our verse today gives us the balance of love in Mercy. Why is there a need for mercy if God is always just loving. God is also righteous and just. This means that God keeps his Word which says that sin must be punished by death. How does God then reveal his love.

God made a decree and stood by it, but he also made it possible to reverse the effects of that decree if we break it. John 3:16, 17 says, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world might be saved.

God has emotions but his emotions do not rule Him. When we speak of the love of God we are speaking of His heart. The very core of the gospel. God is not some distant angry being waiting to punish us as soon as we do something wrong. He is not some powerless, gutless devil. We serve an almighty, everlasting, loving daring God. A young boy was asked to read the plaque on the wall which read, “ THOU GOD SEEST ME” Then any old woman explained to the boy, When you are older, people will tell you that god is always watching you to see when you do wrong, in order to punish you. I do not want you to think of it in that way, but I want you to take the text home and to remember all your life that God loves you so much He cannot take His eyes off of you. (Knight p.431)

God wants to protect and care for us. After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest ranger began their trek up a mountain to look over the damage. One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick. When he gently struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother’s wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise and kill the young if she remained on the nest in the tree. She could have flown to safety but refused to abandon her babies. When the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast. Because she had been willing to die, those under the cover of her wings would live. Ps. 91:4 says, He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.” Being loved this much should make a difference in your life. Remember that the One who loves you and then be different because of it. (email)

Greater love has no man than this than that a man will lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends. Love is shown in this - that you keep my commands. What are they and are you keeping them?

I am haunted by a song by Kevin Brier 'Jesus blood has never failed me'. I have heard twice in my life. The story behind the song is that a musician heard a homeless man underneath a bridge singing this song so he ran home and got a tape recorder and recorded the man singing. He then took the recording home and composed a symphony to go with the song. The words that this homeless man was singing were the following;” This one thing I know Jesus loves me so, Jesus blood has never failed me yet, failed me yet, Jesus blood has never failed me yet.“

During the Revolutionary War in the United States, there was a faithful preacher in Pennsylvania named Peter Miller. Near him lived a man who was violently opposed to Miller and openly abused both him and his followers. This man was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. No sooner had the preacher hear of the sentence than he set out ton foot to General Washington to intercede for the man’s life. He was told that his prayer for his friend could not be granted. “My friend! He is not my friend , I have not a worse enemy living than that man.” replied Preacher Miller. “What,” said Washington, “you have walked sixty miles to save the life of your enemy? That , in my judgement, puts the matter in a different light. I will grant the pardon.: The pardon was made out and Miller at once proceeded on foot to the place, fifteen miles away, where the execution was to take place. He arrived just as the man was being taken to be hanged. The man on seeing Miller in the crowd, exclaimed, :Why there is old Peter Miller! He has come all the way from Ephrata to have his revenge gratified to-day by seeing me hanged.” Miller stepped forward, produced the pardon and the life of his worst enemy was spared. Romans 5:8 God has demonstrated his love to us in this, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 10. For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

What is our response God’s wonderful love? I John 5:3 says, “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” Jesus summarized the commands in Matthew 22:37, 39 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind...The second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” How much do you love God? Do we know what God wants us to do? God has given us His precious Word so that we could know what is best for us. Obeying his commands should not be burdensome because God has given us all his wonderful commands to give to us a healthy live full of joy and peace. If we are not experiencing this wonderful life it is not because God has not told us how to live but it is we who have not listened and obeyed God.

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