The Immutable Love of Jesus
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Good morning Church!
This morning, we’re going to be doing a deep-dive into the central aspect of what makes men and women Christians: The Love of God. And while it is certainly qualified to be called a deep-dive, it’s also worth calling this a spectacular romp through the waves of His goodness!
Why does this particular topic demand centrality at the heart of Christendom? We could hold up the virgin womb of Mary as the theme of Christianity, but what is the Incarnation without His Love? We could hold up the empty tomb as the central theme of Christianity, but what is that stone cell without His Love? We could look to the Cross as the central theme of Christianity, but what is an instrument of torture and death with His Love? The fact of the matter is that you cannot even begin to weigh the smallest grain of meaning of who Jesus is without first coming to the vast, endless sea of His Love.
It was His Love that brought Him from the Sea of Glass to the Sea of Galilee. It was His Love that determined Mary would be the mother that bore him and nurtured Him in His frail humanity. It was His Love that led Him to heal the sick and raise the dead. It was His Love that led Him to a Garden and a Grave; to a Tree and a Tomb; and it was His great love that led a train of captives from the depths of hell and condemnation to glory and redemption.
And who was this Love for? For Himself? No, though He dwells in perfect love and harmony with the Father and the Spirit within the Godhead.
This love was for us.
Or, to get more to the point: His Love was aimed directly at you.
“But Chris, we get God’s love. Why did you call it Immutable?”
Because for something to be “immutable” that means it can never change, it remains the same regardless of time, culture and language. And because one of the main facets of God’s love is the fact that, like Him, His love never changes. One of our central points of belief in Foursquare is found in Hebrews 13:8
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8 NASB 1995
It doesn’t ebb and flow like the tide. It doesn’t wax or wane like the moon. It never sets like the sun. It constanstly, consistantly burns brightly for you, illuminating your darkness and purging every fear and anxiety. His love never ends or changes for you.
In other words: He loves you and it’s not your fault.
Let’s dive into some scriptures as to why this is the case.
“For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake,
“For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake,
But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you,
But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you,
And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,”
And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,”
Says the LORD who has compassion on you.
Says the LORD who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10 NASB
God begins by first telling us that His love never changes. But why would He need to tell us that?
Because at some point, we all question whether He still loves us.
Perhaps you’ve thought that before in the aftermath of sin, as you stared at yourself in the mirror, wondering “How could I do that, again?”
Perhaps you’ve wondered if His love is even real when people who you trusted wounded you seemingly beyond repair, and you superimposed their cruelty over God’s face, and becoming blind to that torrent of love poured over you?
Whatever the reason, God felt the need to tell us because we are prone to question the truth. The truth seems far too good to be true when things are going bad. But whatever mountains may be in your way to fully seeing and grasping His love, those mountains will shake and fall.
Even the mountains of the Earth, those kings of stone and rock fall and are destroyed. Mount St. Helens can detonate and become a crater, other moutnains and hills can turn into muddy soup as the rains wear them down, but God’s love is not insecure like mountains! No matter what mountain of sin or pain you might possess, God’s love will never be removed from you!
Paul tells us in Romans,
33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;
33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;
34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was craised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.
34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was craised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.
35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Romans 8:33-35 NASB
Paul each time provides a rebuttal to each potential obstacle to God’s love for you! When the accuser brings a charge against you, something that you’ve done wrong, Jesus has already justified you!
When you feel that voice of condemnation telling you you’ll never be worthy of love, that you’re damaged goods and that God will never hear you Jesus is the one who intercedes for you!
Paul asks “Who can do it?” NONE!
Will sickness and trouble separate us? No!
Will hardship and difficulty block His love? No!
Will persecution and oppression wall you off? No!
Will poverty and hunger separate you? No!
Will exposure and shame hide you from His love? No!
What about danger and risk on every side? Never!
What about martyrdom and death itself? Never!
Paul continues this line of thought as he tells us:
37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.
37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.
38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:37-39 NASB 1995
In all what things? All the things we just mentioned! Not your sin nor the sins of your fathers nor the sins of your leaders and your people can separate you from His vast love!
Death can’t kill it.
Life can’t change it.
Angels and demons can’t alter it.
The past can’t eclipse it.
The present can’t avoid it.
The future can’t veer from it.
Nothing can separate you from God’s unchanging, unconditional love.
But gazing into the void of things that seem to inhibit God’s love actually does us little good. What truly captures our hearts and enthralls our entire being to the point of being unaffected and actually “conquering in all these things” is gazing into the vast sea of His Love.
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,
15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:14-19 NASB 1995
Paul knew that if his beloved church in Ephesus could experience the revelation of God’s great love, they would be unshakable. He asks that the Ephesians, and by direct succession you and I, would be able to grasp the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge. And for what ultimate purpose?
that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God
that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God
Think about that: the fullness of God, and by extension His titanic love, would fill you up completley.
And what comes after being filled up with this Love? With the very “fullness of God” inside our bellies?
John holds the answer:
9 By this the love of God was manifested ain us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
9 By this the love of God was manifested ain us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:9-10 NASB 1995
It was before you could accept His love He gave it to you. Like Paul said, But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
It was while you were still an enemy of God within in your own fallen, delusional and sinful mind that He loved you and saved you.
You had nothing to do with earning or proving yourself worthy of God’s love before you knew of it, you can do nothing to lessen or remove His love now that you’ve heard of it.
What is the result of this love living and thriving deep inside of us?
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
1 John 4:18 NASB 1995
All fear is purged at the presence of His Love. And a fearless man, a fearless woman can do amazing things on this earth.
You are that man.
You are that woman.
Today, sit and wonder at the greatness of His love for you. Let it permeate every thought and situation as you come to the inevitable conclusion that you are loved, and because HE loves you, you are made lovely.