Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Today we continue the series titled ‘Why?’

Where we are looking at more basic doctrines & teachings and simply explaining ‘why’ - ‘why’ we should do a thing.

The first issue that began it all was a message titled ‘Why Church?’ - where we looked at the importance of church, and why church should be a priority in our lives.

Why Church?

Because Jesus was Crucified for It

Because it’s God’s Chosen Vessel to Accomplish His Will

Because of Our Command, Our Commission & Our Concern

It shows whether we’re concerned about our Brethren, our Commission, our Command or even our Lord.

Why Train?

We looked at The Particulars, The Process & the Permanence of Training our Children

Why the Bible?

Because of It’s Author, It’s Accuracy, It’s Accessibility, It’s Ability

Topics we didn’t get to include: Because it’s Alive; It’s Applicable & Because of it’s Authority

Today we’re going to examine a rather obvious topic - Why Jesus?

I say it’s an obvious topic, because to most of us in this room it’s a no-brainer… But truthfully, most outside these walls don’t know this man Jesus, they’ve never experienced the Salvation that He offers, nor do they truly understand Why He’s Essential, What makes Him different from every other religious deity, nor what He’s all about.

So today as we begin looking into ‘Why Jesus?’, the first thing to note is simply Because He Loves Us

I.

Because Jesus Loves Us

An Unmerited Love

I’m speaking of how you Didn’t do anything to gain it

When we consider the Love of Christ, we must first consider the fact that we didn’t do anything to for it.

We did not earn His love - He loves us ‘just because’.

I was curious about something so I searched it out.

I wanted to see if the Quran spoke of ‘Allah’s’ love toward men.

This is what I found in the few passages speaking of Allah’s love we see these phrases:

Allah loves those who do good

Allah loves the God-fearing

Allah loves those who place their trust in him

Allah loves those who are good in deeds

Allah loves those who do justice

Do you see a pattern here?

Allah’s love comes with strings attached - but let me read one of my favorite passages: Rom.

5:6-8 “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

The TRUE God - the God of the Bible isn’t like that at all! God loves you so much that He sent His Son to die for you!

Jesus loves you so much to walk up Mt.

Calvary for you!

Jesus offers UNMERITED LOVE!

It’s an Unmerited Love

An Unrequited Love

Either at first or at all

1Jo.

4:19 “We love him, because he first loved us.”

Do you love Jesus?

We let me say, if you do, it’s because He loved you first!

He extended His love to you

And let me say this to all those who don’t love Jesus - He loves you still.

An Unconditional Love

Can’t do anything to lose it

Rom.

8:35 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”

Rom.

8:37-39 “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

(Ill.)

Church, if we’re honest, many (if not most) relationships in our lives are merit based.

We love people because we have a reason to do so.

When those reasons subside, so does our love.

We see this all too often in marriages that fall apart - The husband or wife begins to lose favor in the eyes of their spouse.

“They don’t do this anymore; they don’t look that way anymore; The do this now...” And because of that, their love begins to dwindle.

Church, this is NOT the way Jesus loves us! ‘While we were yet sinners...’ Understand this:

No matter where you’ve been

No matter what you’ve done

No matter what life you’ve lived

No matter what sins you’ve committed

JESUS LOVES YOU!

You can run away from Christ, but you can’t outrun His love for you!

He loves you anyway!

It’s an unconditional love

Why Jesus?

Because He Loves You.

Secondly, Because He Laid Down His Life for you

II.

Because Jesus Laid Down His Life for Us

Jesus’ Sacrifice Proved His Love

1Jo.

3:16 “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

If anybody over the course of history has ever done something to prove their love - it was Jesus.

Consider what Jesus endured: The beatings & the mockings; plucking of His beard; the Crown of thorns upon His head; the nails in His hands and feet; the shame and ridicule of hanging their between two thieves naked before all AS IF He were guilty.

He did all this EVEN THOUGH HE WAS INNOCENT!

Yet as the prophet Isaiah says: Isa.

53:7 “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, Yet he opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth.”

He did all these EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN’T HAVE TO!

As we saw in the garden, Jesus simply uttering the words ‘I AM’ caused the entire guard to fall backwards upon the ground!

Jesus didn’t have to die, He CHOSE TO FOR ME AND FOR YOU!

He Proved His Love, so that He could Provide Salvation

Jesus’ Sacrifice Provided Salvation

Heb.

10:10-14 “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”

Eph.

5:2 “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”

As the Scripture says: Isa.

64:6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; And we all do fade as a leaf; And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

We are wicked by nature, and deserving of Hell.

Yet, because Jesus loved us, He died in our place - to pay the punishment that was due unto us!