{"id":514,"date":"2023-04-13T14:58:27","date_gmt":"2023-04-13T14:58:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/?page_id=514"},"modified":"2025-12-16T17:14:39","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T17:14:39","slug":"gods-great-love","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/gods-great-love\/","title":{"rendered":"GOD’S GREAT LOVE"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

GOD\u2019S GREAT LOVE!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Series: ILLUMINATE \u2014 Message #3<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 John 3:1-3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

INTRODUCTION:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love it when we study God\u2019s Word together. But, we\u2019re not doing it to gain more INFORMATION but to experience life TRANSFORMATION. So, there\u2019s a bigger goal here than just increasing knowledge. We want to increase our faith and grow in godliness. And that\u2019s one of the goals of this passage we\u2019re going to look at today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TRANSITION:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, turn with me to the New Testament book of 1st John. In this brief letter \u2014 the apostle John, uses the last of his influence (during the final years of life) to remind us that faith in Christ isn\u2019t about maintaining the rules of religion, but rather is all about knowing Christ, trusting in Him, and living in His love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And he reminds us that while there are many things that motivate us\u2026prodding us forward in life, that encourage us to excel \u2014 none compare to the power of love! And just saying that has taken some of you back to the future\u2026or at least back to 1985 \u2014 to that song made famous by Huey Lewis and the News. Right\u2026The Power of Love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Love is absolutely the greatest motivator in all of life! Think about it \u2014 HUMAN LOVE is greater\u00a0 than money, or fame, or threat or fear\u2026.it has the power to move not just the heart\u2014but a person\u2019s life. When you know you are loved, cherished, valued, and embraced \u2014 it SEEDS within you great hope and personal strength. Now, contrast that \u2014 with the belief or feelings of being unloved or rejected by someone\u2026it can be devastating, staggering, paralyzing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But here\u2019s the thing \u2014 as great as human love is \u2014 God\u2019s love is far greater! And that\u2019s the point John makes in 1 John chapter 3. So again, if you have your Bible \u2014 look with me to 1 John 3\u2026. and we\u2019ll begin in\u00a0 verse 1\u2026as John writes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. <\/em>2\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. <\/em>3\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 John 3:1-3 (NIV)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MESSAGE:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this chapter (as in the previous two), John seeks to confront the lies of the Devil.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These include things like: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 God\u2019s love is limited. There\u2019s not enough for everyone all the time. Only some people when the climate is right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another lie is that\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 You have to earn God\u2019s love. It\u2019s based on you and your performance. So do well and you\u2019re loved. Miss the mark and you\u2019re in trouble.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another lie is that\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 God\u2019s love is subjective \u2014 its totally based on the subjective feelings or emotions of God. So, if you catch God on a good day\u2026that\u2019s great. But beware if you catch Him on a bad day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there are so many things wrong with those lies and all the rest that the enemy would like you to believe. And so, John addresses these issues as he points you towards a divine pathway for experiencing God\u2019s love.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the first thing John says is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. YOU ARE GREATLY LOVED BY HIM!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Know it. Believe it. And receive it \u2014 because YOU ARE LOVED!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, the love of God is is great, it\u2019s really beyond comprehension. God\u2019s love is so great, so deep, so wide, so towering, so all-encompassing\u2026that we will never fully understand it.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is so measureless. And just when I think I might understand it, I seems as if I discover another aspect of His great love. And once again, my mind blown. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

God’s love does not come cheap. It cost Him everything. And because of that \u2014 John says in verse 1,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSee what great love the Father has lavished on us\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

John wants us to pause and think about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I want you to remember, when John wrote this letter \u2014 he was an old man. He had lived a long time \u2014 in fact, he had outlived every other original disciple. But, even as an old man \u2014 the thing that captivated his thoughts was the LOVE OF GOD. Even still, he maintained a sense of wonder for God\u2019s love.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, as he ponders the unique relationship he has with God \u2014 and it leaves him amazed.\u00a0 Shocked. Surprised\u2026and nearly, gasping for air! And that\u2019s the way it ought to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why John uses the word \u201csee\u201d <\/em>in verse 1. It\u2019s a word of astonishment \u2014 and wonder. This word is sometimes translated as: \u201cBehold!\u201d<\/em> And John is saying \u2014 come on\u2026take notice. It\u2019s like he\u2019s saying, \u201cLook at this! Think about this! Consider the significance of God\u2019s love!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, I think John is urging us to SHAKE OFF THE TENDENCY to take God\u2019s love FOR GRANTED. Instead, we need to value and appreciate it. Because, it\u2019s like a cherished gift that He\u2019s given to us.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, John wants us to remember God\u2019s love \u2014 is a great love. But\u2026not only that, John also wants to recognize GOD\u2019S LOVE IS A GENEROUS GIFT TO US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it\u2019s that the thing with love \u2014 it\u2019s best demonstrated by its giving. Think about the way you give love \u2014 it happens as you give others your time, and attention, and resources, and affection.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, that\u2019s the way it happens with God as well. It comes as a GREAT GIFT to you. I just can\u2019t seem to get past the simplicity of this point.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John said, the \u201cFather has lavished\u201d<\/em> His great love on us. Which tells us, it\u2019s totally one-sided. All we do is receive it. We can\u2019t earn it. We can\u2019t maintain it. And, we certainly don\u2019t deserve it.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why Romans 5:8 tells us,\u201cwhile we were still sinners, Christ died for us.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

God loves you despite your disfunction and imperfections, and beyond your worst day \u2014 and your greatest sin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s His great gift \u2014 or present to you! But the question for you today is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you paused to recognize the depth of God\u2019s love for you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s why John calls us to pause and take notice. As he puts it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSee what great love the Father has lavished on us\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, take notice \u2014 You are greatly loved by Him. But in addition\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. YOU\u2019RE IDENTIFIED WITH HIM!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, John continues his challenge to the lies of the Devil \u2014 when He says\u2026not only does God love you. But, He has also claimed you \u2014 and given you a place in His family. Notice the end of verse 1 \u2014 John says,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 John 3:1 (NIV)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not just something He possesses for us \u2014 but it\u2019s something He has offered to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regarding your physical birth, you are noted as belonging to someone. Each of us had a human mother and father. And in the beginning of our life, our identity was based upon who they were.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know I\u2019ve told the story before \u2014 but it bears repeating. When our first son was born\u2026we struggled with naming him. Recognizing the permanence of a name \u2014 we wanted to get it right. I say we (but it was primarily me). I struggled what to name him.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I couldn\u2019t decide between two different names.<\/strong> And so, his nurses chose to identify him with the words \u2014 \u201cBABY BOY Hill.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And here\u2019s my point \u2014 even without a name of his own, he was still identified as a part of our family. He was OUR son!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And in like manner, when we put our faith in Christ and surrendered our lives to Him, our identity changed. In that moment, we became CHILDREN OF GOD!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AND AS SUCH, we bear His name. That\u2019s why people refer to us as Christians \u2014 Christ-follower \u2014 because we are known as belonging to Him!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In life, we typically define our identity in a lot of ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n