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THE LOVE OF GOD

by Dr. Kreighton L. Chan

A sermon preached at the Baptist Tabernacle of Los Angeles
Lord’s Day Morning, February 15, 2015

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).


Words can lose their meaning. Some words have lost their true meaning entirely. For example, the word “awesome.” It no longer has the same meaning when I first learned it. It’s become a slang word meaning “very impressive.” But today, it’s not even used in that sense. It’s now used to reply to almost anything. A young person may say, “I wasn’t late to class today.” His friend says, “awesome.” Another says, “I passed my class.” His friend says, “awesome.” Another slang phrase I hear is, “To die for.” I hear that comment made about delicious foods. Yet, in reality, the people who say this wouldn’t be willing to die for anything, much less a dessert. So many words and phrases have lost their true meaning.

I’m afraid the same is true for the word love. To many it has become another cheap word that has lost its true meaning. Love is now used to express enjoyment in anything. People say, “I love going to the movies, I love being with my friends, or I love eating this or that.” A young man may say to a girl, “I love you.” But he repeats the same words to another girl just a few weeks later. True love that holds a marriage together is rarely seen today. People are no longer impressed by the word love. Yet, the Bible says that love is the greatest word of all. And the greatest love of all is God’s love to us.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

You may have heard this verse before. But don’t close your mind, and especially don’t close your heart to it. The Bible is summarized in this one verse. The great Reformer, Martin Luther, said that this verse is “a miniature Bible.” It’s the message of God’s great love to you.

I. First, God loves you.

How do I know that God loves you? Because He said so in His Word, “For God so loved the world.” You are part of this world so I know that God loves you. Do not doubt it for a moment. It doesn’t say that God only loves some people. It doesn’t say that God only loves a few chosen people. It doesn’t say that God only loves the elect. No, it says that God so loves the world. God loves you. That’s a wonderful thing! And that’s a tremendous blessing. I want you to receive that great truth. Don’t waver in that belief. Don’t doubt it for one minute. Because it’s absolutely true. God means what He says.

The Apostle John spoke of love when he wrote,

“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth” (I John 3:18).

He is saying that true love is not just words. Love will result in action. Love will be expressed. A common phrase I heard growing up is, “Talk is cheap.” But God’s love, like any true love, is not just cheap talk without meaning. God’s love to us is very full and deep. And it is seen in everything He does for us.

How do I know that God loves you? I know it because He knows all about you and cares for you. Christ said,

“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6-7).

You are important to God. He not only knows the number of hairs on your head. He also knows all about your problems and struggles. He is the “God of all comfort” (II Corinthians 1:3). He wants to comfort you. So go to Him in prayer when you’re troubled – “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (I Peter 5:7).

How do I know that God loves you? I know it because He provides for all of your needs. Christ said,

“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?... for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things” (Matthew 6:31-32).

God knows you need these things to live. And God has provided these and more for you. Of course you must work, too. But He gives you the strength to work. He provides you the opportunity to work. You must not think that God does not love and care for you. Thank God for his love and goodness. Continue to pray to God, “Give us this day our daily bread…”.

How do I know that God loves you? I know that God loves you because you’re here in church! God wants you to be in the fellowship of His people. Christ told His disciples,

“Freely ye have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8).

The disciples freely received the love of God and the love of Christ. Now Christ tells them to freely give their love to others. And that’s what we are doing to you. We have received God’s love through Christ. Our hearts have been changed. And we love you and want to show our love to you. That’s why we encourage you. That’s why we worry over you. That’s why we’re concerned about your soul. That’s why we’re troubled that you’re not awakened. That’s why we’re troubled that you don’t have Christ. That’s why we pray for your salvation. We love you because God loves you.

II. Second, God showed His love to you by giving you Christ.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16).

One of the clearest proofs of love is shown in giving – the greater the sacrifice, the greater the love. Oh, how great then is God’s love for us when He gave us His Son! We did nothing to deserve His great love. In fact, we despised Christ. We hid our faces from Christ. We rejected Christ. We were sinners. We are sinners. We were not friends of God. No, we were His enemies. And God knew all this before He gave us Christ. Why, oh why then did God give us His Son? There is only one reason – because God loves us.

And what was God’s purpose in giving us His Son? The answer is found in our text,

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

God gave us His Son so we would not perish. God gave us His Son so we could have everlasting life. This is the greatest way that God has shown His love to you. To perish and to have everlasting life are opposite conditions. And they don’t only refer to future conditions. No, it includes your condition now. Right now, you are either perishing, or you have everlasting life. If you don’t have Christ, you are perishing in sin and judgment. If you have Christ, you have everlasting life.

God’s judgment for our sin and His great love for us meet at the Cross! The Bible said,

“Having made peace through the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20).

At the Cross Christ shed His Blood for us. At the Cross He died for our sins. At the Cross Christ showed His great love for us. We can now have peace with God through the Blood of His Cross! Oh, how I glory in the Cross of Christ!

God loves you through the preaching. You hear preaching of Christ crucified every week. His Son is offered to you week after week. He wants you to be convinced of sin. He wants you to be convinced of your need for Christ. He doesn’t want you to perish. He wants you to have everlasting life with Him.

God loves you through the counseling. It is to guide you to Christ. It is to instruct you and correct your errors. Perhaps you feel frustrated during the counseling. You may feel hopeless. You may feel that you will never trust Christ. You may forget that God loves you.

But even during the difficult times of preaching and counseling God loves you. He may convict you during these times. This is to correct you, to humble you. This is to convince you of sin. This is to help you sense your need for Christ. It’s all done in love. You know your mother and father love you. Yet there have been times when you were punished. But you still knew that they loved you. You knew down deep that they punished you for your own good. They don’t want you to be ruined. And God convicts you so you won’t perish in your sins.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

God has given you Christ. He did this because of His great love for you. What’s left is for you to believe in Christ. But this “believing” is done by the heart, not by the mind. You already believe in Christ with your mind, but you’re not saved. The Bible says, “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness” (Romans 10:10). God’s gift of Christ came from His heart. Christ’s suffering and death on the Cross came from His heart. And believing in Christ must come from your heart, too.

Pastor Richard Wurmbrand spent 14 years in a Romanian Communist prison. Two of those years were spent in solitary confinement. He was tortured so badly that he had to sit down when he preached. He tells the conversion story of one of his torturers,

“I, myself, had before me a communist officer with a rubber truncheon in his hand, and I told him about the love of Christ. I told him about heaven, about God. Forever, he put his rubber truncheon aside. He asked me, ‘Mr. Wurmbrand, how can you love me? I would never love somebody who puts me in prison and beats me.’ And I told him about the new character, about the new heart which Christ gives to men. And they become embodied love. And he became our brother. He entered in prison for having taken our defense.”

And what about you? You have not tortured a prisoner. But your sins have tortured the loving Saviour. The Bible said, “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5). Yet, Christ still loves you. Even though you’ve rejected Him, He still loves you. Christ will never stop loving you. Oh, may you be convicted of your sin.

Will you believe in Christ with your heart? Christ died on the Cross for your sins. He rose flesh and bones from the grave. He is in Heaven at the right side of God’s throne. Don’t look at yourself anymore. Believe in Jesus. Look to the loving Saviour who died for you. He will save you. He will wash your sins away in His Blood. Amen and Amen.

(END OF SERMON)
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Scripture Read Before the Sermon by Mr. Abel Prudhomme: John 3:14-17.
Solo Sung Before the Sermon by Mr. Benjamin Kincaid Griffith:
“At Calvary” (by William R. Newell, 1868-1956).


THE OUTLINE OF

THE LOVE OF GOD

by Dr. Kreighton L. Chan

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

I.   First, God loves you, I John 3:18; Luke 12:6-7; II Corinthians 1:3;
I Peter 5:7; Matthew 6:31-32; 10:8.

II.  Second, God showed His love to you by giving you Christ,
Colossians 1:20; Romans 10:10; Isaiah 53:5.