Assured Because of Our Love for Others, Part 2

Today on Summit life Jenny Pierce says there are only two responses to the gospel. When you believe the gospel simultaneously. These two things you lose fear and love the other, you're not really save you both because someone who understands the gospel to things always happen they lose their fear and to begin to grow in love because their tasting of how much God is actually love as always, I'm your host Molly made a batch to come to the conclusion of our teaching series called short discovering how we can know with absolute certainty whether or not we are part of God's family. The underlying truth of this whole teaching series is that he doesn't want you living in fear and doubt you can know that your Satan you can live with the power of the gospel as your fuel if you like to catch up on the previous messages in this study. You can find them@jvclear.com. Now let's get started with the final message titled short of our love for others, it is inconceivable that you could encounter the power to love the grace God has not become filled with that love and grace yourself. Anyone who is given a glimpse of by the Spirit into the love of God walks away, staggered without words really describe it. Psalm 103 for as high as the heavens are above the earth.

That's how great is God's steadfast and ever-changing love for those who know him measure that. How do you measure the height of the heavens above your that would take an awfully long tape measure.

If you were traveling at the speed of light hundred 86,282.2 mph it would take you 100,000 years to get to the edge of the Milky Way galaxy to get to the edge of our universe. They say if you were traveling at the speed of light would take 15.5 billion years.

That is the analogy that God chose to measure his love for you to blow your mind also that the love of God surpasses our knowledge, and if we could just get a glimpse of the height brought the length of the depth of God's love for us.

Height height as high as the heavens are above the earth but the links and pulses length I think of the fact that Jesus chose you before the foundation of the world. It says, which means that were before there was ever even a creation before you whatever following Jesus had set his love on you and chosen you, and purpose to die for you revelation. I say behold the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world is reasonable for diacritical world. Father noted purpose to crucify Jesus to save you.

It's a love that will extend for all of eternity never known, never will I turn my back on you says God the breath of God's love. Exactly what Paul means by that. But what always think about is the extent of control that he exercises in our universe to work his plans for the ends that he has them all things Paul says in Ephesians 1 all things are working for the purposes that God has ordained good and loving purposes in your life, the breath of God's love of God's love how far God had to reach down to actually save me my my faults my dysfunctions my since they were not a surprise to God God and I go, I did know that you were like that. He saw all that when he purpose to save me while I was still a sinner. Christ died for me.

Nothing about that this week. Imagine that when you are single you had to wear a little warning label around your neck that just listed out all of your faults like a warning on a carton of cigarettes you say just displayed everybody warning Moody ferocious morning breath snores lazy anger problems occasionally lies reset aware that's anybody they got close to you when we would got to take a look at what they were. You never get a date right this dating is by definition unconditional love.

I'm dating you deceive your worthy of my love.

Nobody goes into a dating relationship unconditionally, you know, I cannot hear what is revealed by you in the next.

Our first day here I'm with you for the rest of your life for nobody does that because that is kinda creepy.

Dating is by definition unconditional love because you see that this person is worthy of your love. I've only experienced in my lifetime, one love, earthly love, that was different than that.

When I looked at my child, the first child. I did not look into her face and say now is this one. She worthy of my love and I love her because she was mine. At no point in her childhood with any of my children why ever sit down and say your terraces is not working out is not you it's me. It really is, but I just got some different things that are going on in my life right now.

Men are actually her faults.

If anything, make me love her more.

I have compassion on her and I want to help her in her weaknesses. I have set my love upon her in the depth of my love for her is different than the love that I have for anybody for any of my children.

That's how I feel about them. That's how God's love is for us, tender, compassionate, unconditional, like a father with the child who knows the faults who chooses to love it anyway except a few billion light-years times more intense than any love you ever had for your kid how could you possibly encounter a love of that magnitude, and not become loving yourself. Paul said that the first fruit of the spirit is what love the sign that you have encountered the spirit of God is giving you insight into the heart of God is that you become a loving person because it is inconceivable that you could experience that kind of love and not become loving yourself Richard Baxter that that the Puritan is it a small thing in your eyes to be loved by God to be the son.

The spouse, the beloved, the delight of the King of glory Christian believe this and think about it often, you will be eternally embraced in the arms of the love which was from everlasting and will extend to everlasting of the love which brought the son of God's love from heaven to earth from earth to the cross from the cross to the grave from the grave to glory.

That love which was weary, hungry, tempted, scorned, scourged and spat upon, crucified peers love which fasted brave toy field web sweated bled died for you that love will eternally embrace you, it is inconceivable that you could encounter the power that love and grace and not be filled with love yourself. That's what the point John is making is G it's like imagine that that when it came time for the message here we can. After the video done not on stage. There is nobody on stage and five or six minutes are based on a look around like what's going on's awkward show up.

And suddenly, just when you think that I'm not showing up in the side door of audit when I bust in I am out of breath.

I got sweat all over my face mud my hair is all messed up my shirts on talks which is pretty common. But I just look like a mess and I woke up here in my got I'm so sorry I'm late with ugly would have merely rear house out there. I give Alexander I was driving here and I had a flat tire and you know/not to change a tire and I'm not taking up the lug nuts and the lug nodules on the road truck turn I go get Aetna to pick it up and honk the horn and look up and when you know it there's a tractor-trailer I'm going 75 miles an hour just want run me over to Remy over and I just didn't know what he gets. Could he backed up Remy over again twice by tractor-trailer men that hurt, but now I cannot dust myself off the bed and tried to call you know it and so I that's why I'm late. I'm sorry what your response that you will I that's right you're a liar you got hit by tractor-trailer 175 miles an hour, you look different. You won't different you talk different about you. Be different. Right John says is no way for you to get hit with even a taste of the force of God's love not become a loving person yourself is inconceivable.

The other story I use a lot of this is the story. The story Jesus told one my favorite parables were Jesus talks about the man. Maybe this is been forgiven of 10,000 talents by another man. Now talent was a unit of money is not $75 in first century Israel 10,000 was the highest number you can count to a Greek so you said 10,000 something like say and an infinity of something so this guy was this other guy an infinity of money. Think national debt.

Okay, this guy was this other guy, the national debt and so the day comes for the debt to be paid in those days if you couldn't pay off the debt you would become a slave to the person that you are the moneychangers of you work them for the rest of your life and by the end of your life. You nailed the dead, and your kids will become the slaves of their kids, and that's how one family llama get enslaved to another family life to this guy was this guy an infinity of money.

$16.2 trillion and this other guy is ready to collect it and on the day that it's going to be due there boasting in court when the guy who owes the money breaks down and he gets down on his face to source the way but he says please sir, don't put me in prison. Don't take me for my kids don't put my kids in prison. Give me one more week and I will pay off the $16.2 trillion, which is a ridiculous statement as he could never pay it off everybody's watching the scene in the courtroom and Jesus story and you can almost feel the awkwardness that would've swept over the courtroom, could you not because people who are positioned alone other people. $16.2 trillion. Don't get there by being a pushover. I don't get there by having a soft spot right people who load other people money. What we call them loan not loan puppies or loan bunnies loan sharks to the real pay back your money in a timely way they serve some guy named Bruno to your door with a stick to break your kneecaps everybody's like this is so pathetic when the most unexpected thing happens. Jesus story this man. His is also a motion that Jesus calls supplied by, which is another one of my favorite records supplied me means a gut level compassion. We don't know why. Maybe it's got a mind of his son, who knows, but this many says standup is you not have another week to pay me back because as of this moment your $16.2 trillion dentist is wiped away. A man can't believe the first time, as long as he can remember he doesn't owe somebody else money. He feels as light as air. Imagine what that would have been like to forgiven an infinity of money to escape slavery viewing and listening to Senate life career. Visit us online@jdgreer.com, you know, the ability to be holy comes only by focusing on Christ to replace empty religious practice with transformation and develop better understanding of the gospel message and its implications for your life. We want real, lasting change. Don't we help you down that road. We'd love to send you an eight session Bible study including DVD video teaching and study guide.

Find a group of friends and study God's word together. It comes with our thanks for your generous gift to the ministry today reserve it right now by calling 866-335-5220 or visit us online. JD Greer.com. Thanks for being with us today.

Now let's get back to the final moments of our teaching theories man will tell the court review and as light as theirs is walking out of the courtroom. Another man cross industry that he knows who owes him $12 because of some money to got barred three weeks ago and the guy who just got forgiven.

$16.2 trillion as a member of my money because a man of sorrows been rough week. I have given Ashley up at your $12. No, says the guy you will not have till next week I'm taking you to debtor's prison right now to you work it off to pay me back just as Haman chill out its $12 I will pay you next week and the guy says too late for that. And he grabs and Jesus is by the throat and drags him and throws him in prison. Can you imagine when Jesus is at this point the store that everybody starts rolling her eyes say come on man, be serious. Nobody that had just been forgiven.

$16.2 trillion would hold somebody else accountable for 12 and Jesus says exactly. Therefore, if you are not the kind of person who naturally is generous. If you're the kind of person who naturally does not forgive others.

That's probably a pretty good sign that you have never encountered the love of God and have no concept of what he's forgiven you off. What I'm simply trying to say to you is maybe the fact of how and gracious some of you are in your marriage might be a better proof that you don't actually know God than anything else would look at in your life because people who encounter the loving grace of God to A1 by definition always become the kind of people who are loving and gracious toward others, so test number one. We know that we know God, because we love one another sources to some diagnosis here. How much do you love people. How much you sacrifice for people. John said there's one chapter before. If anyone has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against them. How good God's love possibly abide in that person. How could you sees more than me that you give me just close your art to it. There's no way that you could have encountered the love and the grace of God that rescued you when you have that kind of need not become the kind of person who naturally gives away your things other people when they have a need. Where would you believe Jesus had chosen to leverage his resources for you what you are leveraging yours for the salvation of the world what you're giving like what you're giving like the whole trajectory of your life is to love and serve people for the whole trajectory of your life to promote yourself. Listen, I know not everybody supposed to be a pattern, a missionary and I might say that in the slightest, but I am saying there. Some of you that need to do a fundamental rethinking of your life as you chose a career you're in and you are pursuing the goals that you're pursuing and it is all about you building a small kingdom for yourself and it is hard for me to get my mind around how you would possibly know Jesus because he gave himself for you. He became poor, you could live. How could you not turn around and say how can the gifts and the talents and the opportunities I have, how can they not be used to serve the world that is as lost as I was before Jesus saved me how quickly do you forgive how quickly you forgive you place more value on nursing your wounds or is seeing someone reconciled and come back to good and restored to God have a real basic which are you interested in other people person like Dave when I thought about me. Emily is talking about me know what you talk about me for a while person serves other people you pay attention to them was his get all of that and now the last person you talk about Jesus, only a lot really bad excuses for her lack of sharing Christ to the belittling logical know-how to model but about F-2 reasons. One cohort is if you're on top of a 10 story building is on fire and firemen break the glass. I could write you can story down to safety put you on the sidewalk and goodbye gin for somebody else. You even know his name. Somebody walks by the streams is what is happening you're like that but it was on fire and that did save me. How hard is it you were dead in sin, you were deserving of going to hell. And Jesus died in your place. Now I love him bone. That's it. That's is not hard to share. Or here's another thing I said I could not want to learn how well this is hard. You figured out the remote on your TV, which took the brain to rocket scientists you can figure out how to tell somebody about the love of God which defines and is saved your life.

Having the real reason we don't tell people about Jesus has more to do with the fact that were more concerned about our convenience and we are there conversion and it all goes back to the lack of love because you love people. You figured out over Charles Spurgeon. When asked him people who never heard about Jesus, can they be saved.

Spurgeon said well that's a good question is about a more pressing question for our church and that is can those of us who have heard about Jesus believe in him and are doing nothing to take in the people that are never heard. Could we possibly be saved.

How could we say we know Jesus and not have hearts that just go the sign that were filled with God is that we love like God loves and that reveals itself and how we give and how we self-sacrifice and how we forgive others, like Jesus did for us not think it probably that might send some of you into despair. What's the measure. How do I know that I love enough. The answer to those questions is no, you don't love enough. Which is why the basis of your salvation is not and how much you love the basis of your salvation is and what Christ accomplished for you. He loved enough and that he died for your loveless mess in your place, but as you see that and as you believe it. You should see God's love beginning in you. Do you see love growing in you, which leads me to one more thing I want to point out before I close there's one other thing that having our eyes open to the love of God does for us and I am so glad that John just tucked it in here is the first I can figure out why he didn't seem like you to change directions, but there's her it's very important that he taught these two verses that I skipped verses 17 and 18 little bit for John four by this is love perfected with us so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment.

As were talking about. I want to know that I'm say that I have confidence for the day of judgment.

There is no fear in love, perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with what church punishment. Whoever fears has not been perfected in love. Number two test number two. We know that we know God, because God's love is driven out of fear ship phrase fear has to do with punishment when you are afraid of death. When you're afraid you're not say it's because you fear punishment, fear rejection and uproot whose lesson that you have not yet understood or believed or grasped the gospel, which is that all sin and all judgment and all condemnation have been removed forever in Christ when you grasp the finished work of the gospel. Fear vanishes because you are embraced by perfect love, perfect love that is not simply a feeling, perfect love that perfectly satisfied the claims of God's wrath against you and perfectly saved you so that there is no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus you like to have.

It is no longer based on how loving you are. It's based on Jesus finished work and that drives out fear.

Most Christians that I talked to were still scared to die and I asked them questions like this. If you.do you know for sure that you go to heaven.

And the answer I get back is always were not always is a lot of times this yeah I think I think I didn't abandon better now that I go to your church, bring my Bible every week and I know some of the God songs in my radio dial 7106.7 and I'm just listening to K love and I'm doing that by Girl Scout cookies. I never did that before you know something I'm pretty sure that you go to heaven and at that point the heartbreaks is unknown what they still get it. They still don't get it because they think that injury to have. It is something you earn.

Where is entry to have. It is something Jesus earned in your place again to you was a gift and when you embrace that there is no condemnation for those of us who are in Christ Jesus.

Nothing to separate me from his love some of you will hear this the wrong way but I will say it anyway.

I am as sure of heaven. Right now I am as sure if you put out a gun and shot me the time. My body hit the floor. My spirit would be in heaven with Jesus. I am so sure about. I am as sure of heaven is Jesus himself is Jesus became a salvation he took my place. My salvation is a security is how to know will be thrown out of heaven that Jesus could lose his position of the right hand of the father. Therefore there is no fear left in my relationship with God because my salvation is not based on how much I love. It's based on his finished work.

So when you believe the gospel. You have simultaneously these two things you lose fear and you grow in love. If you have one without the other you not really say, but if you both your saved because someone who understands the gospel to things always happen they lose their fear because they know and trust the finished work of Christ and begin to grow in love because their tasting of how much God is actually love them. The two things that John identifies that review been genuinely born again is that you have fearlessness about God because you know the gospel and love is growing in your heart because you have tasted of the love of God in the gospel are these things true of you if they are not what you do you believe the gospel because the gospel is the conduit of God's power of salvation in your life, whatever is wrong whatever your whatever you're afraid you do one thing believe the gospel in rock compared in the first week to a chair and I told you that you can only be in one of two positions in relation to the chair you're standing beside the chair or your having set down in the chair. You can only be in one of two relationships of Jesus Christ right now. Right now you are and want to relationship your standing beside him as your own authority or you have sat down and submission to him and you have sat down in your trust in the finished work of salvation he did on your behalf to believe the gospel that used to be set down, I told you not to obsess about when you made the decision to sit down because when you made the decision is not as important as the posture that you're in right now in relation to Jesus all you that I'm looking at right now are sitting. How do you know that you made the decision to sit down when you came in number is because remember making a decision know you know that you made the decision to sit down with the fact that you were seated in that posture right now. That's how you know how you know you made the decision to trust Christ because remember praying the prayer know this because right now surrendered to Christ Lordship in your trust in him as Savior. Two categories of people in his room. Those who are standing as their authority and statement of heaven and those who have sat down in Jesus righteousness and submission which are you I can answer the question, what are your saved in one question what is your present posture and relationship Jesus Christ towards are you leaning on hand trusting him to lead and give strength or are you still trying to do life on your own important distinction that we've learned today on Senate life with pastor Jeannie Greer, now pastor Jeannie today is also the final day for our listeners to reserve a copy of your gospel Bible study. Can you tell us what we can expect from this video-based study was an eight session video-based Bible study is something we repeat so often hear some life. I think some of our listeners will really enjoy what I think might be the most transformative and powerful concept in the Christian life care, which is that growth in Christ is not growth beyond the gospel, its growth deeper into the gospel or the ways we always say here is the fire to do in the Christian life comes from being soaked in the fuel of what has been done to give you this whole kit eight sessions, five study guides go along with a copy of the book gospel only a limited number of these gospel kits though so you want to go right now, today, right now, go to Jager.com and you can reserve your copy more than anything else you've been placed here on mission to exemplify the love and grace you've been given a big part of town Bible study and you can get it today with your gift to the ministry.

Don't forget today is the last day to reserve your copy so let's focus out the gospel every day in every way Greer.com today to support Senate life generous donation rather call number is 528-663-3520 and Molly for you to listen again tomorrow when pastor Katie started coming up Wednesday night prayer ministry