Sermon snippet – Messianic Meditations – Part V
INTRODUCTION – We have been considering a few of the many reasons why Jesus, God the Son, was born. Today, we will see that He came to love and to be loved.
- JESUS WAS BORN TO LOVE US
Of course, Jesus has always loved us, but He was born to show us the love of God. John 3:16 is as familiar to us as any verse in the Bible, but it is good to think about how remarkable it is that God loves “the world,” which is inhabited by rebels like you and me. Thus, God’s love is not limited to a particular time or place and is available to all people. Note that God the Father “gave” us God the Son. In other words, we have proof of God’s love. Christianity is an evidentiary faith: we have good reasons to believe. I John 3:18 points out that love is more than words. Both Romans 5:8 and I John 4:10 clarify that God’s love is especially and explicitly exhibited at the Cross of Jesus Christ, where Jesus died for our rebellion, our sins.
- JESUS WAS BORN TO BE LOVED BY US
John 8:42 provides two clear reasons why we should love Him. First, we have a revelation of the character of God; we do not need speculation or guesswork. Second, the obedience of Jesus is in complete contrast to our rebellion. As we have already seen in John 3:16, Jesus now offers salvation to all rebels.
CONCLUSION – Jesus offers His saving love to us because we all need it and because love is a fundamental basis for any good and lasting relationship. Romans 8:38-39 is a soaring statement of the efficacy and eternality of this love. Each one of us must be sure that we have entered into this everlasting love through faith in Jesus Christ. As His people, we must recognize that Jesus cannot love us more, but we can love Him more and better. A stronger relationship of love is our responsibility.