“For God so loved the World, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
The unfolding series about the nature of God’s love expended in a most profound manner for humanity remains subject of interest. In the words of our text above, we can figure out the expanse and degree of this love and its justification, even for the undeserving sinner in the world. It’s really amazing that God’s love finds expression in lives and objects that are ruined and guilty.
What is there in the world that God should love it so passionately? Is there anything really lovable in the world that God should be so attracted to it? Consider that the world in its activities is naturally given to enmity to God, hatred to its truth, disregard of His law, and rebellious to His commandment. Yet God so loved the world that His heart went after her.
The million dollar question: whence came this love? Is it from anything outside of God? Not really from anything outside of God. God’s love springs from Himself. He loves those it is in nature to love. “God is love.” Nothing on earth would have merited this love, but there is much to merit His displeasure.
Nevertheless, God’s love is so overwhelming that it covers a multitude of sin. It springs from beneath the everlasting throne of love itself and it fills itself from the springs of the infinite. Friends, God’s love is always immeasurably expressed for us, but what then should we do to reciprocate Him? What is our response towards the unwarranted and unmerited favour of love?
Let us see how great God’s love is toward us. The first is the gift He gave to justify His love. Love in all ramifications of life finds fuller expression in offering of quality gift. Men who love much will give much, and you may usually measure the truth of love by its self-denials and sacrifices. That love, which spares nothing, but expends itself to help and bless the object it loves, is love indeed.
Little love forgets to bring water for the feet, but great love breaks the alabaster and lavishes its precious ointment. Think of the person of Christ, God’s one and only begotten son, unequal in value and incomparable in status. This is what God parted with. None of us had ever such a son to give. Ours are the sons of men; His was the Son of God. We see God giving out Himself for our sake. When the great God gave His Son, He gave God himself, for Jesus in His eternal nature is equal with God. What more could He give? God gave His all; He gave Himself. Who can measure this love?
My beloved brothers and sisters, as you read lines of this message, reflect on moments when you sacrificially expressed love first towards God and you justified the love. What price have you ever paid on account of love expressed in pure terms? You cannot really love God who you do not see, except you first love your fellows, your spouse, your brethren, your friends and the entire human race. The reason God poured His love on us is that we might in the same way love one another. It was love that inspired God to give all; what have you given? Love is a divine virtue expressed in the breaking of brooks and the outpouring of fragrance upon the feet of those we love.
I call upon you from this point to admire the love of God, because of the transcendent greatness of his gift to the world, even the gift of His only begotten Son. God’s love in Christ is expressed in the plan of His salvation. Jesus Christ is God’s master for salvation. Loving Him with all of your soul is as important as all that counts in God’s agenda for eternal life. God is truly love.