By Michael D. O’Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 3:14-19
Text: Ephesians 3:19
Ephesians 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Introduction: “The love of Christ” can refer to either our love for Christ or His love for us. Our thoughts tonight are upon the love that Christ has for us.
I am so glad that our Father in heaven
Tells of His love in the Book He has given.
Wonderful things in the Bible I see,
This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me!
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
A. He came to die for you personally
B. He calls for you in salvation personally
C. He cares for you personally
1. The hairs of your head are numbered; He is watching over your every need.
II. CHRIST’S LOVE IS PROVEN
Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
A. Consider the place that He left in order to come to us He left:
1. His glory to experience shame
2. His Father to save the Father’s enemies
3. The music of angels to dwell among blasphemers
4. Perfection to walk among sinners
B. Consider the price that He paid to redeem us
1. Humiliation
2. Pain
3. Blood
4. Slander
5. Weariness
6. Death
C. Consider the promises that He gave to us in the Bible
He wrote us a love letter containing 66 books, 1,189 chapters, and 31,101
verses. In that Book He promised:
1. That He would never cast us out
2. That He would never leave us
3. A place for us in His Father’s mansions
4. Peace for us
III. CHRIST’S LOVE IS PERPETUAL
Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 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.
A. He loved us before we were born
B. He loved us before we were saved
C. He loves us all our lives
D. He loves us in death
E. He loves us throughout eternity
IV. CHRIST’S LOVE IS PERFECT
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
A. It is unselfish
1. Bible love is called charity, because true love GIVES; lust, on the other hand, GETS.
2. Jesus gives:
3. His life
4. His blood
5. His protection
6. His salvation
7. His Spirit
8. His peace
9. His provision of needs
B. It is unconditional
When we have trusted Christ as Savior, He loves us:
1. Even when we backslide
2. Even when we grow cold
C. It is unchanging
1. Jesus never falls out of love with His people
2. Jesus never has even a moment of unfaithfulness to His bride
THANK GOD FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST
Ephesians 3:17-19 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
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Michael D. O’Neal (Proverbs 11:30), Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church |