Sermon Reflections from LOVE| ALEX HARDT | December 22, 2024
Pastor Alex tried to bring us to a fuller understanding of God’s unconditional love and its transforming power within our lives. He used Joseph and Mary as examples of these qualities as their lives that showed the power of God’s love.
What else do you know from scripture about God’s love? Unlike our human brotherly love, God’s love has many facets and goes way beyond any love we have. 1 John 4:8 tells us the nature of God’s is love itself. “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” Do you consider yourself loving? This scripture would suggest that without knowing God we cannot really know love. The fullness of love is shown in God’s sending of Jesus. Romans 5:5 tell us “and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” This love is one we can experience when He pours it out upon us. We can give and receive love but only God can pour His love upon us.
Take a look at Romans 8:35-39. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Here the Apostle Paul tells us about God’s love and the specific power it has in our lives.
*nothing worldly can separate us from God’s love
*through God’s love we are conquerors
*nothing otherworldly can separate us from God either!
Scripture also mentions the eternal or everlasting quality of God’s love. Psalm 103:17 is a great comfort to believers. “But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children.” God speaks to believers as loving them with this everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3 “the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.”
Not only is God’s love unconditional, everlastingly eternal, poured out upon us and inseparable but His love within us transforms us. Think about this, if you don’t know God you can’t have this kind of love in your life. If you don’t know Jesus, the love you have is good and will produce good things but it will not transform you. 1 John 3:17 “But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Having the love of God within us, makes us love others. We see others through God’s eyes and see their needs. Being loved by God stirs us to seek to love others.
As you prepare for Christmas this week, think about your capacity to love. Is it from God? Is it expansive and growing as you love Jesus more and more? Let us marvel a new at the love of God that sent Jesus to redeem us. Psalm 130:7 tell us “O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.” Titus 2:14 “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”
Thank you Lord for sending Jesus to redeem us so we can experience your great love. It is an amazing love!
Linda
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