“THE GOD IS” SERIES

“THE GOD IS” SERIES

GOD IS LOVE!

November 2, Mike Barnett

1 John 4:13-18 says:

13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16And 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 him. 17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There 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.

THE BIBLE SAYS THAT GOD IS LOVE AND LOVE CAST OUT ALL FEAR!

FIVE OBSERVATIONS ABOUT BIBLICAL LOVE:

1) GOD LOVES EVERYBODY BECAUSE THAT’S WHO GOD IS – GOD IS(LOVE).

Matthew 5:43-48 (pg. 684) says:

43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor^[h] and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies^[i] and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

1 Corinthians 13:4-13 (pg. 813) says:

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

LOVE (GOD) IS:

· God is patient

· God is kind

· God does not envy

· God does not boast

· God is not proud

· God is not rude

· God is not self-seeking

· God is not easily angered

· God keeps no record of wrongs

· God does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth

· God always protects

· God always trust

· God always hopes

· God is always perseveres

2) LOVE (GOD) DOES NOT CO-EXIST WITH (FEAR) – WHERE THERE IS LOVE THERE IS (FAITH) AND (HOPE).

· Fear is the opposite of faith.

· You cannot be in faith and be in fear at the same time.

· Either you are in faith or you are in fear

NOTE: IF YOU ARE FEARFUL, IT MEANS YOU ARE NOT BASKING IN GOD’S LAVISH (LOVE) BECAUSE PERFECT LOVE CAST OUT (FEAR) AND WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS THERE IS (FREEDOM) FROM (FEAR)!

1 John 4:16-18 says:

16And 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 him. 17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There 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.

· God is perfect, infinite love. His love is given freely without any consideration of the loveliness or merit of the object.

· Godly love is that which seeks good for the object loved.

3) WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE GOD WHO IS LOVE, YOU ALSO EXPEREINCE JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, GENTLENESS AND SELF-CONTRIL – ALL THE (FRUITS) OF THE (SPIRIT).

Galatians 5:16-24 says:

16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

WHEN YOU GET LOVE, YOU GET IT ALL!

4) LOVE IS BOTH THE (ROOT) AND THE (FRUIT) OF EVERYTHING (GOOD) IN LIFE!

Luke 10:26-28 says:

26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'^[a]; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'^[b]"

28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

· LOVE SUMS UP GOD’S LOVE!

5) LOVE (EXPRESSES) ITSELF IN (ACTION) LIKE WHEN GOD SENT JESUS TO DIE IN OUR PLACE SO WE COULD LIVE!

Romans 5:8 says:

8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Luke 15:11-32 (pg. 740) says:

11Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

13"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

17"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20So he got up and went to his father.
"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.^[^a]'

22"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

28"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

31" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "

LOVE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE PARABLE OF THE LOST SON:

1. God gives his children way (more) than they (deserve). Vs. 11-12

Luke 15:11-12 says:

11Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

2. Sometimes God’s children (squander) God’s love and are bad stewards of it. Vs. 13-14

Luke 15:13-14 says:

3. God allows his children to “reap what they sow” so that they can lean valuable “(life)” (lessons) and thereby (humble) themselves and take (responsibility) for their actions. Vs. 15-19

Luke 15:15-19 says:

15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

4. God loves his children even when they are “(unlovable)” according to (human) wisdom and (logic). Vs. 20

Luke 15:20 says:

20So he got up and went to his father.
"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

5. Often times we do not feel (worthy) of God’s lavish love but God uses such (grace) to lead the sinner to (repentance).

Luke 15:21 says:

21"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.^[^a]'

6. God chooses not to see you for what you were, he sees you for who you are in (him) – Royal blood lives in you. Vs. 22-24

Luke 15:22-24 says:

7. Human beings have a hard time understanding God’s (lavish love) with (rational) (thinking) – Love is (felt) from deep within your (soul). Vs. 25-32

Luke 13:25-32 says:

25"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' 28"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

8. God loves all his children without (comparisons) to others – his love for you is not contingent upon your behavior, but on your (being) – so be still and let God love you! Vs. 25-32

Romans 8:37-39 says:

37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

9. God’s love received by you, (changes) your (conduct) – God’s grace leads to repentance. Vs. 11-32

Romans 2:1-4 says:

1You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? 4Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?

10. Receiving God’s loves should empower us to give his love to others – choose to be a (river) of God’s (love) and not just a reservoir that holds it.

1 John 3:16 says:

16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

WHAT IS THE FASTEST WAY TO RECEIVE GOD’S LOVE?

ANSWER: Be Still and (meditate) and (contemplate) God’s lavish love to you often and especially before you go to (sleep) at night and then again upon (awakening).