Love is of God
John 4:7-14

Perhaps the most ancient belief that was held of God is that God is power. Scriptures tells us that God is spirit, and God is light and by many other terms is he described but the short and best definition that has ever been given of Good was written by John. John was one of the 12, and the one who knew him best of all. John was continually praising his Lord but the most revealing and understanding thing he ever said about Diety was God is love, which means that everything God does is impelled by love. While God’s wisdom and power are self-evident and readily believed in by men. God’s love required the cross of Calvary to command it to men. Men could not believe in the attribute of God’s personality until they had the demonstration and proof of his love in the sacrifice of God’s only Son for the sins of the World. God commandeth his love for us in that while we were yet sinners. Christ, died for us. Nothing short of the giving of God’s Son to save us would ever have convinced the world of God’s love. There is much in this world that is not lovely. Life is a struggle and a warfare from the smallest animal on up to the largest, and even man with his intelligence and wisdom is no exception. The whole world is groaning and travailing in pain. The problem of evil has never been satisfactorily solved. The question is persistently being asked is: How can God allow all this suffering and heartaches to go on? How is it that the innocent seem to suffer so often while the wicked are well and prosperous?

Even the most devout Christians find it hard to cling to their faith in the presence of so much that is unlovable and revolting in this world. We might as well admit that the problem presents an unsolvable mystery. But, in the face of this mystery, God shows us one that is even greater and which when it plumbs the depths of our hearts, negates the other and sets the soul at rest.

It is the miracle of voluntarily giving his life on the cruel cross for the salvation of the world. This is the supreme argument for God’s love. It is a miracle so wonderful that men are overwhelmed by it. We cannot measure love so amazing. It passeth knowledge. No other event in history has so profoundly affected the world as our Lord’s death on the cross. When a man appreciates even in small measure, the boundless love of God that caused God to sacrifice his son no matter what happens, he can never again doubt the love of God. Belief in the love of God has the power to change men’s heart and think of these people as insignificant or hateful.

Can we even have contempt for any man after beholding the love of God in the face of Jesus Christ? Look again at your savior stretched upon the cross, hanging between two thieves. His back with bleeding wounds; his back with the spit of his enemies and the blood flowing from wounds made by the crown of thorns and the cruel spikes with which his flesh had been nailed to the cross. And the wonder of it all is that Jesus died for loveless men - men who cursed him. Yes, he died for those who crucified him. Knowing that Jesus has done all this for me because he loves me. I must exercise love and patience with my fellow men. Beloved, if God so loved us we ought to love one another.

John says if we do not love our fellow men, we do not love God, the two go together, for he that loveth not, knoweth not God. If any man say I love God and hate his brother he is a liar for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him: that he who leveth God love his brother also. If a man hates his brother, it is a sure sign that he is not converted. Love of God comes first then love of fellow men. The test to love God is to love man. Wealth, education, political power and social rank can be attained only by a few, but we all can love. There is no power like it. It heaps coals of fire on your enemy’s heart and makes him ashamed of himself, conquers him and makes him your friend. Even the worst man cannot hold out long against love. God’s love was not lost in a sin-cursed world. The greatest lover the world has ever seen says, Be of good cheer, I have oversome the world. And how did he do it? With the sword? No, with the power of Love. How much happier we would be if we loved more. You object saying, I have been wronged. So was God, worse than you ever have been, yet he sent his Son. If God so loved us we ought to love one another. How can we claim to be Christians and hate this man?

Grateful for God’s love, let us love our fellow men and help to usher in the kingdom of life and love that shall have no end.