THE MEASURE OF GOD'S LOVE

JOHN 3:1

A. IT IS SAID, WITH GOOD REASON, THAT JOHN 3:16 IS A SUMMATION OF THE SIXTY-SIX BOOKS OF THE BIBLE; THAT THE LOVE OF GOD IS SPREAD OVER EVERY PAGE IN THE BIBLE
  1. God's love created this world:
  2. And God's redeeming love seeks to save it from sin and destruction: 1 Tim. 2:1-3
B. THE MEASURE OF GOD'S LOVE
  1. In Eph. 3:18 Paul writes about:
    1. The breadth.
    2. The length.
    3. The depth and the height of God's love.
  2. I believe that the dimensions of God's love are found in John 3:16:
    1. The breadth of God's love, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son"
    2. "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved" - verse 17 EXAMPLES -
      1. Every person born into this sinful world is included in this world-wide plan.
      2. That is what the gospel commission calls for - Matt. 28:18-20
      3. It is God's will that all men should be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth - 1 Tim. 2:1-6
  3. The length of the redeeming love:
    1. It offers eternal salvation - 2 Tim. 2:10
    2. Eternal salvation - Matt. 25:46
    3. Eternal inheritance - Heb. 9:15
  4. The depth of God's love:
    1. God's love reached the greatest depth when God's Son hung on that shameful cross; when He made Him sin, who knew no sin - 2 Cor. 5:18-21; Phil. 2:6-11
  5. The height of God's love:
    1. The height of God's love is found in Christ taking humanity into the highest heaven.
    2. By this he took sinful humanity out of the lowest depth of sin and degradation.
    3. The climax to all this will come when the saints enter heaven - John 14:1-3
C. BUT THE BREADTH, THE LENGTH, THE DEPTH, AND THE HEIGHT OF GOD'S LOVE IS ALSO MANIFEST
  1. In His long-suffering and forbearance with our rebellious world:
    1. That is His Name - Ex. 34:6
    2. He endureth, with much long-suffering, the vessels of wrath - Rom. 9:22
    3. This long-suffering was manifested in the days of Noah - 1 Pet. 3:20
  2. In the forgiveness of our sins:
    1. Meditate, please, upon the words of God found in Mi. 7:18, 19
    2. Or memorize the words of David recorded in Ps. 103:8-17 EXAMPLES -
      1. The thief on the cross - Luke 23:42-44
      2. The woman of Samaria - John 4:1-28
      3. Saul of Tarsus - 1 Tim. 1:15, 16
    3. A wonderful text to remember is found in Heb. 7:25
  3. This divine love shines brightly in the lives of God's children:
    1. They are bright shining lights in this sinful world - Phil. 2:15
    2. It shined brightly in the dying Stephen when he prayed for his murderers - Acts 7:60
    3. It shined brightly in the lives of Daniel and his three friends - Dan. 1:8; 3:16-30; 6:10-28
    4. That is what our Lord desires in the lives of the believers - Matt. 5:14-16
    5. It is God's love that dwells in the hearts of God's children - Rom. 5:5, 8
    6. That is why Paul writes, "For the love of Christ constraineth us" - 2 Cor. 5:14
  4. All this poses a very serious question to all of us, who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ:
    1. Do we reflect a measure of God's love in our speech, our conduct, and in our association with others?
    2. If not, why not?


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