Today has been an awesome day for sermons.
Both of the ones preached at Harvard were so encouraging and just what my heart needed. (sanctification)
This evening we started a new Sunday nigh series on Malachi.
One of the things Pastor Tad stressed was the love of God.
The book of Malachi is an oracle- a burden- given by God to Malachi to speak to HIS people.
God is not pleased with His people.
You could say that He is aggravated.
But look what God says.
The word for love in the original language is not past tense but rather a static condition.
God loves His people continually.
His people asked Him with haughty wicked hearts.
"How have you loved us?"
They have the wrong heart attitude but the question is good.
In today's culture love carries with it the idea of a feeling.
When God says He loves is it nothing more than a "warm feeling?"
It is so important that we know what God is saying when He tells us He loves.
When we have right thinking it is so encouraging to the Believing heart!
Pastor Tad pointed out 5 aspects of the love of God.
1. Intra-Trinitarian
- the love that exists between the persons in the Trinity.
John 5:20, 14:31
2. Providential
- the care, concern, and delight God takes in His creation.
It does use "love" per say to describe this but we know that God delights in what He has made.
He calls His creation VERY GOOD.
It is his general benevolence.
3. Salvific love towards His fallen World.
John 3:16, 1 John 2:2, Ezekiel 38:11
4. Particular for the Elect
- His love for a particular people- the ones He has Redeemed.
Ephesians 1, Ephesians 5:25, Deuteronomy 7:7-8, 10:14
5. Conditional/Sanctifying
- God is working to make His own more like Him.
Jude 1:21, Hebrews 12:5-6
How beautiful the love of God.
The aspects of His love cause my heart to rejoice.
Exploring each aspect proves the goodness of our Great God.
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD rejoice!
Hi Rebekah!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't help, but comment a BIG THANK YOU for your reflection from your gathered notes from a recent sermon. It sounds like your church is very blessed to have Pastor Tad. Even for me, just reading through the major points strike me as a powerful sermon enriched with God's Living Word.
It's true what you share, regarding God's defining love for us. He doesn't need to love us, but He chooses to love us. God's love is inescapable.
I was reminded - strangely from a passive non-Christian who shared that Christians tend to only see the baby Jesus, but often bypassing the God of judgement and the fear of God, which is true... but then we come to learn and acknowledge that the LORD is also a God of mercy, a God of forgiveness, a God who listens, a God who provides, a God who cares, a God who heals, a God who sanctifies...
I'm still smitten by the first segment in that God's love exists to honour and give Himself the glory through His Creation (and even the consequence of our sinful nature), but also in the dwelling and works of each person of the Holy Trinity. I guess that’s why Baptists focus on the urgency to do mission and to strive to live out the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20), because at the end of the day – it’s all Good News – for all of humanity, but the LORD can only be patient for so long, before He does return.
In Christ,
Richard