Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

A.W. Tozer struggling to explain God’s love said: “I can no more do justice to this awesome and wonder filled topic than a child can grasp a star. Still, by reaching toward the star the child may call attention to it and even indicate the direction one must look to see it. And so, I stretch my heart toward the high, shining love of God so that we may be encouraged to look up and have hope.” As we look up toward His love we see that it is the supreme expression of who He is for it affects all of His other attributes, His love is the only reason we exist. His power is the “how” of creation but His love is the “why” which demands a focus, you and I are the focus of His eternal affection. What amazes me is that His love flows uninterrupted like a pure river of grace and mercy without detracting in any way from His holiness and righteousness. As we experience His love we discover that it is this attribute that is the open doorway to knowing and understanding God intimately.

In our culture we have many phrases that are not literal but are used to express our thoughts and desires. Men will say “I have nothing to wear” meaning they have no clean clothes and need the laundry done, while women repeating the same phrase mean that there is nothing in their wardrobe that they like and what they really want is to go shopping! There is a very interesting phrase that we use to express something that we really love, we will say it is so good, it’s “to die for” like “That dessert is so good, it’s to die for!” “Or look at that vehicle, it’s to die for!” We say that because when we are trying to find a way to convey the height of our love for something there is no stronger language than sacrifice.  Yet the truth is that this is really just a phrase because when it comes right down to it no one would actually be willing to die for a dessert or a great car, it simply vividly expresses the height of our appreciation for those things. When we think of those closest to us, the ones we really “love”, we could express that by saying “they are to die for.” But would we or is that just a phrase, an empty expression without action?

Jesus said that true love is demonstrated in its sacrifice, the giving up of what is ultimately most precious to us in this life, life itself. John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” It’s easy to say “I’d die for you,” when we don’t intend to back it with any action and we’re pretty sure we won’t ever be called upon to fulfill our vow. It’s like the guy who says to his wife, “I’d climb the highest mountain for you, “I’d swim the deepest ocean, “I’d give my very life for you” and she says, “Oh, honey, that’s so wonderful, but what I really need is for you to help me clean up the garage on Saturday.” To which he replies, “Are you kidding? Now you’re just trying to take advantage of me!” We say that we love but if it requires more than words often we are quick to back out and especially if it requires sacrifice.

We talk about love but Jesus lived love and He didn’t just express His love for you in the words “you’re to die for” He expressed it literally in His actions on the cross.  He died for you because of His love but the most amazing part is that He did it “while we were still sinners” not once our good deeds had outweighed our bad ones. While we were still sinners and didn’t have the slightest interest in Him He died for us. We might be willing to die for someone we feel is worthy which is usually based on their relationship to us. We would be willing to die for someone in our own family but He loved us enough to die for us simply because He loved us, not because we were family but so that we could become family.

John reminds us that it was the night before He died when Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” These were not empty words void of action but the ultimate demonstration of God’s love the night before the cross, yet when it comes to God’s love for us many of us we say “Yeah, right, ‘God loves me.’ Prove it!” The cross is the proof that God loves you. The problem is that it’s easy for us to forget the greatest truth we could ever know, that God loves us. Too often we doubt or forget God’s love but what do we see when we are willing to gaze into the heart of God? Is it judgment? No, although those who reject His love will be judged.  Is it “You lousy sinner!”? No, even though “all of us have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.” When we look deeply into the heart of God it’s more than what we see, it’s what we hear, “I love you.” Today God is saying through His word “When I think of what I love the most, I think of you, you’re to die for” Will you respond to His love?

2 Amazing Love Part II

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

As we have already learned from John 3:16 God’s love is, Unconditional, Sacrificial and Valuable, today as we continue to look at His love from the greatest verse in the bible we see that God’s love is:

• Personal

 “Son”

God’s love is not merely some abstract concept, it isn’t just a philosophy or a theological construct it is personal. It is personable first because it was made manifest through a person, His only Son, Jesus and second because it is bestowed on a person, you. God revealed His love in all of its depth to us through the person of Jesus Christ in a way we could see and touch when He showed us the love of God in human form. Christianity is different because it’s about God reaching down to us instead of us trying to reach Him. He is a God that not only stepped into our lives but clothed Himself with skin so we could see Him. God has gone to great personal lengths to love us in a personal way, Max Lucado said if God had a refrigerator your picture would be on it, if he had a wallet your photo would be in it. The Bible says He has a book and your name can be written in it. What will you do with the Love of God’s Son?

• Accessible

“that whoever believes in him”

Just when we think it couldn’t get any better we discover that God’s love is not only available to all but it is not difficult to obtain. God’s love is not limited to a select few, available only to those born with the right color of skin or on the correct continent. It is not reserved for only the intellectual elite or athletically built or the power brokers or the financially competent. No, the love of God is accessible to “whoever believes in him” Jesus. The reality is that God came down to our level, not in the sense that He has lessened his holiness or lowered His standards, but in the sense that he has made his love accessible to us the ordinary. He is not some distant God who loves us from some faraway place that is completely removed and inaccessible to us. Instead He stepped into our world so He could enter our lives. Will you believe in His Son who revealed the ultimate expression of God’s love by giving His life on the cross for your sins? When we choose to believe in Him you access the love of God, the grace of God and the forgiveness of God. By believing in Him receive the new life He provides.

• Saving

“should not perish”

God’s goal in sending his Son from heaven to earth was not condemn you or show you how bad, unworthy and helpless you are but to save you. His desire is to show you His love and invite you into a love relationship with himself. Jesus didn’t come into the world in order to rebuke you but to rescue you. He didn’t come to criticize you but to cleanse you. He didn’t come to punish you but to pardon you. He didn’t come to destroy you but to deliver you. God didn’t come to be judgmental but that doesn’t mean that He is not a God of judgment. There is a huge difference between recognizing right and wrong and being judgmental, there is a difference between judging the unrepentant sinner and being judgmental. One who is being judgmental has a critical spirit that only looks for the bad in people and then is quick to condemn them when it is found. God on the other hand will judge us for our sins.

• Gift

“but have eternal life.”

God’s love is all about His work, we are just the recipient because God’s love is a gift. Three of the greatest realities of a gift are 1. it is free, you can’t buy it, 2. it its yours and you get to keep it forever 3. It has to be received and accepted. As much as the reality that this gift of love is ours for all eternity and that it will never run out is an amazing truth, the fact that it is free becomes overwhelming. The question becomes will you receive or reject God’s gift of love?