The Love of Christ

Seven Bibles together to Ephesians 3 it's been 3 1/2 years since spoke here in this pulpit July 2016 was the last time. Thankfully, the Lord allowed me to resume some other opportunities for ministry. I'm very thankful. But this is the first pulpit appointment at 3 1/2 years and some things they say are like riding a bicycle that is not so preaching in a church service. I have never been so anxious or nervous about riding a bicycle never answer a very thankful for God's goodness and allowing me to to be here to stand before you and to those of you who are within those years knew to beacon Baptist Church. I'm very thankful for you and hope that the you'll come back next week anyway and also to everyone. I really appreciate you being here because I've learned a lot of things lately but I know it takes a determination to be heroes and not in another measure resolved. Pay attention once you're here, so I appreciate your presence and I ask you for your prayers and I have the clock in front of me and I'll be very careful about that and one other thing heat rises and no disrespect intended, but Tom I'd rather not be is a little more's the 19th I turned 60 takes a little bit yesterday to hear yourself say that that's the truth. Today, however, is my 39th birthday on this day 39 years ago is the day when I have assurance that God saved me. That is when I have peace in my heart, my life changed and had to strong assurance that I was a Christian didn't know much about being a Christian, but I knew I was one and I know it is mysterious as the new birth welders that matter of them conception in gestation the birth itself in the awareness and not understand there's a lot of mystery involved with this is the date that I met called upon the Lord, and he granted me assurance that I was saving wonderfully changed my life and I will be forever grateful and yes women coming to beacon Baptist Church for 19 years and thing in August will be 19 years as members, and I really appreciate our pastors and you people God is used you to be so much help in so much encouragement to us very thankful. I recognize God's sovereignty in all things.

He's good and wise and perfect in all that he does, no matter what happens to me.

My response can always be better than I deserve is Hallandale and but as far as ministry areas, like most young preachers I had a lot of hopes and dreams, and I think like lots of those young preachers. A lot of those things may not come to pass.

I really thought about doing things for the cause of Christ and then coming here to beacon. I really wanted to be a vital part of the ministry and I have no disappointment with Christ nor with beacon Baptist Church.

Sometimes I get pretty disappointed with myself, but I realize lots of heartaches and regrets I have for self-inflicted and I do believe that the blood of Jesus Christ. God centers at the small sand. I do believe that if we sin, we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous is the propitiation for our sins. I believe that, but I also have a memory and I have often times, seasons of great regret. If I was down in time town where I came from.

I'd say it know much, but there is one thing that has far exceeded all expectations and that is the love of Christ, the love of Jesus Christ. Now this message actually has grown out of a two-part short series that I did the first two sons January in our class disciple serving Christ on the devotional life and devotion means love, loyalty and encouragement for a cause or a person and I dealt with the love of Christ for his people and the believers love to Christ in response to this message has some of that in there but you know that was how many Sundays ago, and that believe me this is a different message and it is fresh to my heart there in Paul's prayer for the believers in the Ephesian church one vital truth does stand out and it is the most valuable desirable and important thing to know and believe and come to grips with is that God loves you and because of that tour. As a result of that and evidence of that you love him so I wanted speak to you for just a while tonight on the love of Christ, explained, displayed and understood and I just want to say this to you this kind of truth calls upon us all to examine ourselves to ask ourselves, do we really and truly love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Everyone of us remember is headed same to another world. Our little blanket time on this earth is going to be over done with pretty fast and will embark upon an endless journey.

You might say are will arrive in and forever destination in either heaven or hell, and according to the Lord Jesus Christ and according to Paul the apostle does he truly truly love him bear the folks are really say those who love Christ with a sincere genuine heart with the grace of God is with their say. But those who do not love the Lord Jesus Christ. What Paul said will let him be accursed. They are not saved and will not be saved and will face the judgment of God. If they live and die without ever coming to know the love of Christ and embracing love the Lord Jesus Christ himself said first of all, and effort and attempt to explain it now.

In reality, that's like trying to explain the unexplainable. You paid attention to the passage that was read a few minutes ago, especially verse 14 through verse number 21 that love which is unique to Christ, found only in Christ and flows out from Christ is as such with length and height and depth that it cannot be fully understood by folks like us on this side of glory.

But we can say a few things about what little we do understand so first of all, and is very obvious that the love spoken of here is an attribute is an attribute of God is an attribute of the triune God. You might've picked up on policies of the father and the son, Jesus Christ, and God's spirit, and so Paul is a Trinitarian in his views of God.

That was the perspective of his theology, which is a very large matter in and of itself, but we could ask what is God like and we can answer that by saying God is love really is a God is holy God is – God is eternal God is sovereign God is everywhere present, God is all-knowing God is wise God is good and we could go on and on and on with a list of attributes about God, but our focus here is on the fact that God is love.

Love that is of Christ is an attribute of God that is to say, it's what is characteristic of him was godlike God is love is very important. Now again, you can't fully understand this, you can't accurately and completely measure this number Job in his old friend died so far. He said to Job. Can you back searching to find out God perfectly why he's higher than the heavens. He's lower than hail are deeper than hail longer than the earth and deeper than the sea you think you can really completely comprehend God and the obvious answer to that is no not fully and completely.

So God is immeasurable in his love is immeasurable. It would be like hiring a survey crew.

We have a good survey. During our next good faithful experience may supposedly put them on a rocket ship and send them out millions and billions of miles away from the earth and said brother Jay.

We want you to survey the universe and come back with the dimensions give us documentation of the dimensions of the universe, and if he stayed until he finished he would never come back because you simply cannot measure that which is God, and the same is true according to Paul the apostle, he cannot measure God's love and something you can't fully know is like saying less less know the unknowable wickedness. Thank the Lord and Christ of the love of God, but our minds are like symbols to family when I was raised in the country and I spent a lot of time at Calle sass and they would do what Colquitt and they would have a quilting frame hanging from the ceiling in the living room and four or more ladies be sitting around and maybe making a homemade quilt.

Beautiful, beautiful workmanship and they would use a thimble is like a little piece of armor for the end of your finger. As you can push the needle through the material without puncturing your finger will our minds about the size of a thimble and the love of God is like the Atlantic Ocean.

Remember the last time we went to the coast back in 2016 before Angela's health declined rapidly and I remember sitting out there looking across the horizon is looking and looking and looking and it seem like I'm not sure if this is the case, but I could see where the curve of the earth less probably not so this thing like that.

My vision could see anymore because of the shape up and outlaw that never-ending sound of those rolling way. Well, it just reminds us of the fact God's infinite and his love never ceases and to comprehend that is like trying to put the Atlantic Ocean and available at Jost can't be done, but thankfully we can know in part one day will know when fullness are really suppose it'll take us forever to know when fullness but at least now we know in part, we have the word of God. And obviously, as Paul prayed, we need the help of the Holy Ghost to teach the inner man, because the love of God is like God change is not the same yesterday today and forever does not vary in any sentence served love, the love of Christ is an attribute in attribute of God bless move all and understand this, that love is an action. Love is a verb. First and foremost love is a verb and love. Of course wants what is best for its object and that is infinitely true of the love of God and what is best determine what is best if salvation isn't salvation from sin by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. That's what the very best years and therefore that's what God wants for his people. As a reminder, the blessed truth, what God wants.

God's because he's God, and that is such a wonderful, wonderful relapse reality tuba to come to grips with. Now when we think about love being in action and the fact that love deviance we could look at it three different ways. One is that this love has a global scope for God so loved the world that he hated gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John pointed out that that means all people groups but also love has a particular design because we read that Christ loved the church and gave himself for it. So there's a focus to this particular love but also it is love that includes a unique experience because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us and so that helps us understand the action of God's love. God doesn't simply offer the best with your salvation.

God bestows God makes sure that the very best comes to pass in the lives of every single one that are within the scope of his sovereign and eternal love, that is such a blessed wonderful truth. Now the goodness of God just flows everywhere during this, but God's love and were looking here at now covenantal redemptive love is focused and effectual the love of God is not like the shallow syrupy coding and a candy apple thinking of the year. Earth is the Apple in a big old bucket of sweet doing. Love as the syrup is cooperative in their interest very shallow but it covers everything that is not the love of Christ that Paul is speaking of the to use the terminology of orthopedic. This is the love of God in Christ to us that is what Paul is talking about this love is an attribute in this love is an action. Think about it this way. This tells us what love does it is to love my choices to live with intention is to love on purpose is not merely an emotion is not is not motivated by anything superficial like appearance. It's not changeable due to any lack of depth and that brings to mind something, I ran across months ago. Well, flies, businesses years ago on Facebook so years ago because I abandoned that a good while.

Good butts are missionary Trevor Johnson's on their it was and I saw him making some statements and comments and I added a few questions and ideas.

Anyway, he was talking about the impossibility of God, not impossibility, but MCAS ability of God and I thought I need to look this up because I never even the man-hours heard that work and so I did some investigating and came to understand that in theology impossibility has to do with the fact that God adheres to his purposes is never led astray by his passion is not the same with us. Visit we make up our mind something out and we get distracted or discouraged or defeated and it doesn't come to pass. Never happens with God never cannot what this has to do with is that God will not be affected emotionally by anything in creation, not at all. Another way to say it is that God cannot be manipulated to alter nor abandon his decree. The decrees of God are said fixed time and eternity. Amen. That is the truth and said that's what we're dealing with here is an action but that raises the question so that is love something that one does or one feels the impossibility of God is that true biblical doctrine. However, sending the Scriptures examine the words translated love and you will find that love is both doing and feeling both doing and feeling. That means that love and affection. That's what I'm trying to say love is also an affection.

In fact, Matthew Henry said in his commentary from the book of Revelation, which is companions compiled from his notes after his death the last parts of his commentaries but dealing with Revelation chapter 1 verse number five. Were we were told Christ loved us and wants to ask from our sins in his own blood.

Matthew Henry's commentary says that what Christ did was out of sure affection real GNU affection. We think of affection as something shallow and that's that's how we'll know where swayed this way we like this and we don't like it anymore were swayed that way we can. Now we really love something until we don't. We really love somebody to stop. Well, the affection of Christ is sure true, real, unflinching space fastened to its object and affection includes tenderness attachment care, devotion and goodwill which raises another question. How do we know this is the truth is the cause I'm telling you this is because Matthew Henry said so the answer to that is no, all I want to tell you the truth, and I really have a lot of confidence. Matthew Henry's commentary the reason we know this. The most sure reason we know this. We learned it from the Lord Jesus Christ himself.

Which brings us now to consider this particular kind of love demonstrated so you're familiar with the gospel of John and just so I won't out of nervous.

Do you dishonor this passage of Scripture and turning dammit. Remember that the word to was God was with God, became flash, and dwelt among us. We beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth.

And this one verse 18 tells us no man has seen God at any time, the only begotten son, which is in the bosom of the father. He hath declared him is exactly what that means to declare is to exegete my folks have been attending beacon Baptist Church. You're familiar with the concept of exegetical Bible study and out of it comes expository Bible preaching and what that means. He is to make known to review to uncover two on earth today.

Get out and put on display. That is one of the desires of God in the incarnation of his son the Lord Jesus Christ to put him the sovereign, eternal God, on display that shows bodies like remember how it was when Philip said to Jesus, if you would just show us the father father out we be satisfied in the response of Christ to him was this, he that hath seen me hath seen the father wanted to think about our understanding of God here for just a minute. Jesus is not telling us that anyone ever has nor will see God's essence regularly get the glory. Somebody can correctly omit but I'm saying is that God is spirit. God is spirit to see is to perceive and to discern Jesus is not saying now watch this Philip I'm going to show you the essence of God, that you like it is God's spirit that what this means is that in Christ Jesus, we can perceive and discern the character of God and the attributes of God and the glory of God and the perfections of God and in this particular area thought the wonderful everlasting sovereign covenantal redeeming love of God was illustrated in the person and the deeds and the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.

That's how we know that love is not only an attribute is not only an action. Love is also affection yet affection we share with you some examples of this matter. Many of course been here 33 particular places we can discern the affection of Christ. The affection of God for his people. One is that a graveyard. The graveside Alaskans. A grave is a place of burial. What an unusual place for the Lord of life to be and is going to tell you about these, and I'm going to look at some commentary on these adjustment as we go along. The Bible tells us in John 11 that Jesus really did love Mary Martha and Lazarus and he was not far away. He was about a day's journey from their home. Lazarus got deathly ill.

I sent message & one you love sick and of course maintain it in the come back in feeling and keep them from declining in value but instead of coming right then Jesus waited two days and then he himself the daylong journey where one plus tape is one of the lots for many got there, Lazarus was dead graveyard. Mary then detail did he was in the sanest word got out that Jesus was nearby. Martha, as was typical for her ran out until Lord is only been here and she, laid into in a sense, will Martha, her usual contemplative self was in the house with the mother mourners, was she doing she was leaking she was heartbroken when she heard Jesus was there. She went out to him and Jesus accompanied her to the grave. This brother Lazarus and in the process. Watching her fall down before him weeping for things happen number one. The Bible says Jesus groaned in the spirit as your agent and appreciate the unbelief of some, but also he was grieved at the heart ache that CNN cost and then as he beheld her weeping. The Bible says Jesus wept and this was not some loud outbursts like the common Jewish mourner. This was a silent flow of tears and when Jesus wept with Mary, the Jews around her respond in this way, they said, behold how he loved us and we can see the depth of his affection because he wept just like Mary with any great commentary on this particular test best commentary I've ever found this book of Hebrews and in the book of Hebrews, we find that our high priest, the Lord Jesus Christ the way back to in prayer when it comes to our infirmities, our weaknesses and shortcomings. He is not untouchable that he is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, which is to say he is affected in a similar manner amazing is also known as sympathy. The Lord Jesus Christ is full and sympathy for his dear precious people. Now, thankfully not have a sibling to pass like Mary Martha back in January 2017 always have a spouse paragraph Angela had an awful confession call CDF kept her in the hospital 30 days and then required 45 more days and rest time to regain her physical strength and for two or three weeks there.

I often heard them say Mrs. Boyd.

Your prognosis is not good she looked really bad and I had to go home and sit and think like I never thought before it might be that she's never coming back.

There is the possibility that my wife without thankfully she didn't. So many people were praying for. Praise the Lord.

She didn't. But you know I did responsive at all. The best and some of you know the S but I tell you one thing I found to be true. Jesus never failed his care is sympathy is love his affection, his tenderness in his devotion never failed. Now he just like the situation of Martha and Mary in my situation could have prevented anything as drastic as they could have. They did not for the glory of God. Instead of preventing anything that caused sadness. He saw fit to manifest the depth of his love to me right in the middle of insert. We learned this from Jesus watching the clock, I gotta move fast, but I'm right in the middle of the can't stop. So then here's another.

The garden of Gethsemane is another circumstance, the Lord Jesus Christ in the garden of Gethsemane. We read moves away from the other apostles disciples he brought with him.

He was by himself and he prayed.

If you be willing father, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will but your will be done in Angel came in strengthening and then we read in Luke 2244 being in an agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground as the awesome and amazing thing Christ was contemplating taking that cup. The cup of wrath there would be poured out upon the sins of his people, which Christ would bear his own body on the tree and this was something new to him. Not that he did not know it but to go through the actual experience of the first time ever, the first time ever of his heavenly father being anything less than totally pleased with him when he would be for a while forsaken of God the father to pay the penalty that our sins deserve and when this took place. His sweat was as drops of blood. The commentary I wanted to mention is that Hebrews 5 listen to these great words that he offered up prayers and supplications, with strong client crying and tears to him that was able to save him from death that he were assigned yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. And that's hard for us to comprehend the think that the son of God, learned obedience. That is to say this, he became thoroughly acquainted with the experience of suffering by obeying the will of God and in the process. In that state of agony he experienced a rare but real medical condition.

That condition is he mock time dresses. He metabolizes Google and you'll find, and here's what it says about.

He metabolizes this condition is when the capillaries capillary blood vessels that feed sweat glands rupture causing them to exude blood occurring under conditions of extreme physical or emotional stress and hear about offshore, unadulterated affection. Devotion for the souls of his people.

The Lord Jesus Christ submitted himself to the will of God and underwent such excruciating, excruciating stress that his sweat was as blunt when other quickly is that Golgotha, the place of a skull where he was put to death. At last, in the reference I will look at is Mark 1534 but here's what I have to say about the Lord Jesus Christ is on the cross. A total of six hours, three hours before noon.

Three hours afternoon, three hours in sunlight three hours in darkness and in the ninth hour, which is 3 PM Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and he said not going to try to pronounce the Aramaic he said my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me. In so doing he was quoting Psalm number 22. Why are you forsaking me that was before saying of the cross.

The 61 was I right pronouncement of accomplishment and victory is finished. In the final and seventh one was father and provide hands I commend my spirit, but why was it that the Lord Jesus Christ cried out like this. Now that was a prolonged shout for help in the form of a tumultuous cry and noisy up prior vexation from someone who is tormented why did the Lord Jesus Christ cried out some because he was experiencing there something that had to be done. That was more intense than anything we can imagine. Now he was grieved he was sorrowed. He was stricken. He was smitten of God was afflicted. He was wounded. He was bruised. He was chastised he was forsaken and he was there all four. What purpose so that all the sins of all of God's elect for all of time and all of eternity would be fully atone for say that all the wrath of God that all of those sins were worthy of would be absolutely, and forever spent and therefore is necessary for Christ to understand what it meant to be cut off from God, mystery, above all mysteries that that is the concept in the truth now to remind you of something. What caused Christ to go through this was not the craftiness of the Jews nor was it the authority of Pilate. It was sure love for his people for Jesus said, greater love hath no man than this, that a man would lay down his life for his friends and he had just been addressing his people as his friends reminds me of a song which we sign.

Thank you. At my request by Fanny Crosby, and amazing lady should read about her life she lived to be 95 years old and is a very small ethics. He was blinded by the blunder of a physician and God saved her and she became a hymn writer, and in the song we sign their these words tell of the cross when they nailed him ride anything in anguish and pain tell of the grave where they laid him.

Tell how you live it again love in that story so tender, clearer than ever. I see nothing and not something for a blind woman that blind woman could see better than most folks can see clearer than ever I see today that we while you whisper love me. The rents for me think about love a rents for me positive Christ love me and gave himself for me. What happens when a believer understands this when he comprehends it when he comes to grasp this trace. In such a way as hazard deep powerful impact upon him well is very convicting is on this day 39 years ago spirit of God taught me a big dose of doctrine and theology at home alone on my knees, my bedroom, I found myself praying God, thank you for loving me and I am so sorry I have never loved you back in today after 39 years, I can say Lord Jesus, thank you for your unfailing love to me and I'm sorry I have never loved you like I should have comforting. This is standard a lot of things and bring about much grief and sorrow in perplexity and worry and stress mass. But there's one thing that will alleviate that in the soul of a child of God and that is to recognize Jesus loves me this time for the Bible tells myself and also this is compelling.

You know what this is compelling. This invokes a irresistibly a response.

You know what causes my heart desires the spirit of God in the inner man teaches mystery to me and gives me a measure of knowledge and understanding of it. It causes me to say Lord Jesus, I want to love you more. I will love you more will pray mystery Phillips use they feel led thank you, our gracious Lord, how good it is to know that we are loved with an everlasting love letter won't quit won't change won't vary run out and get tired of us will get distracted thank you Lord for loving sinners, sinners, who, in and of ourselves are nothing lovely Watson ever thank you so much when I pray that your spirit will take the truth and calls the reality of this to Dawn in our hearts and minds of fresh with fresh vigor and clarity hurt my some poor unsaved souls is a stranger to such wondrous love in their hearts and minds open to the truth their souls quickened my call upon you and love you back in Jesus name we pray