Sunday Sermon: The Love Of God. Series I

Columnist: Aiki Abiodun Gideon

Happy sunday readers! Trust you had a great worship encounter. Today, we are going to start a series which will take us three sessions to finish. This series focuses more on The Love Of God, His indispensable love towards us. I hope you'll enjoy this series and at the same time, get blessed with it. You are free to add your contributions in the comment box. Happy reading!!!


Text: Romans 5:8 
Topic: The Love of God

Introduction

1. Our Need to Be Loved
One of the deepest needs of our hearts is to be loved by others. Not only do we want to be loved, but we want also for others to make that love known to us. We want to see a demonstration of their love. We want to hear others say something or do something that lets us know they love us. We need for others to be concerned about us, to act in
our interest, and to surround us with understanding.
  Many people recognize this need for love and readily give and accept love at its various levels. However, sometimes people despair of ever being loved. Moreover, they find it difficult to love others. You may be among the people who have this difficulty. Perhaps you have grown up in a loveless environment. Neither home nor community has shown you much love. As a result, you have lost hope. Your hopelessness may even lead you to deny that you need love.

2. Our Need for God's Love
An even deeper need is to be loved by God and to see a demonstration of His love. People who believe in God usually will admit that they desire to experience His love. Even when people deny the existence of God, they need His love. They may not admit they have this need, but the need is still there. We must realize that even when others do not love us, God intensely loves us.

3. Our Text
We read about the love of God in Romans 5:8 , which is our text. Here, Paul writes these beautiful and profound words: "But God demonstrates (sunisteso) His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. " (NASB) This text ministers powerfully to our hearts. We will talk about: (1) God's Demonstrated Love, (2) God's Gracious Love, and (3) Christ's Exalted Love. My goal is to encourage you to accept the love of God and believe in Christ. You will have eternal life!

I. God's Demonstrated Love

Our texts says that "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." The Greek verb used by Paul in the first clause is sunisteso. It can mean that God "recommends" His love to us or that He "demonstrates" His love. Although either meaning is acceptable, the context favors the second meaning. God demonstrated His love for us.

1. The Triune God

Who is this God who loves us? We believe in the Triune God. God is One God, but He has three Persons. He is God, the Father; God, the Son and God, the Holy Spirit. There was, is, and ever will be perfect love and fellowship within the Trinity.
  We know that God is all-powerful, all knowing, and is present everyone. He created this vast universe in all of its mystery, splendor, and beauty. He could have created us as submissive people without moral choice. However, God in His wisdom chose to create us in His image. We can interact in intelligent and creative ways with God. We can build a relationship with Him, but that interactive relationship requires the giving and receiving of love.

2. Evidence of God's Love

When we think about it, we see many evidences of God's love for us. We see the love of God in all aspects of life.

a. Nature
In the realm of nature, the mountains, the valleys, the oceans, the land masses, the rain, the rainbow, and the sunshine--all these demonstrate God's love for us. Clearly God cares for His creation and provides beauty and sustenance for it.

b. Achievements
We see God's love in the achievements of men. The automobiles, the airplanes, the means of communication, the libraries, and the homes are evidence of God's abundant provision for us. Although men do these things, we believe that the mind of God inspires their creativity.

c. Actions
The love of God for us stands out in the actions of people who love us and the rest of God's creation. Even though it is people who express that love, it is the love of God which is the ultimate source of the love. Every time we see love expressed by fellow men, we are reminded of the love of God.

3. God Gave His Son

God the Father has demonstrated His love for us in many ways, but the supreme way was to give His
Son Jesus Christ, to die for our sins. Jesus said, in John 3:16 : "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." (NAS). Many have asked, "Why did Christ have to die?" "Could not God have forgiven our sins and redeemed us in some other way? The answer to both questions is clearly "No." God loves us, but He is also just. Only Christ was sinless. Only He was a worthy sacrifice for our sins. If another plan would have worked, God the Father so love God the Son that He would have chosen the other plan. We could only be forgiven and redeemed if God loved us enough to give His Son.
  Every father understands that giving a Son to die for others is the supreme act of love. I have two sons. One is a pastor, and the other is a missionary. The very thought of offering one of them to die for someone else tears my heart in two. Many fathers would rather offer themselves instead of a son. I think that this demonstration of God's love is nearly universally understood. Will you accept the incredible fact that God loves you? Will you believe that He is seeking you and wants you to experience his love? Will you believe that Christ paid the supreme sacrifice for you?

This ends the first series on God's Love. Be expectant of the next series the coming sunday. Do have a gracious week!!!