Advent - "B" - "Because of Love"

December 1, 2011

“B” – “Because of Love”

The skeptics always want proof of Jesus’ magnanimous love and His complete sacrifice for mankind. Without faith in the fact that Jesus was born, lived and died for "who-so-ever will," nothing can convince the skeptics. What proves Jesus’ love, humility and mercy was sufficient for our salvation? First of all, because “He stooped so low” to fulfill the Father’s plan of salvation. Only God could love this much! Some glibly talk about the "sacrifice of Jesus" as if He was just inconvenienced for a while here on earth. Have you ever meditated on the condescension of the God of the universe Who guided the stars and galaxies through the skies He had created; Who ruled over myriads of angels (some of them fallen); and Who prearranged the plan of salvation for His one creation that was created in His image. He sat on a throne, He walked on golden streets, He was all knowing, all wise, ever-present and all powerful -He left all this because He loved us and wanted to have fellowship with us. Still He came to the earth He had created, He became a human like He had created, experiencing an immaculate conception, gestation, and birth in a dirty, smelly cave, which served as a stable which housed the farm animals He had created. This tiny baby, Creator of all, was born of a very common mother, and into a hostile world of sinners who were irreconciled to God, His Father. When He was a small child He was the object of a search to kill Him by a jealous king, because He was also a king Who had stooped so low as to be born into a world of enemies who hated Him; all this heartache because He loved us. Another truth that proves His love is that He lived with, and forgave, the undeserved hatred, rejection, betrayal and eventually death as a criminal on the cross – because He loved us so much and wanted us to be reconciled to the Father and have eternal life in heaven with Him and the Father. He wanted us to sit on the throne with Him at His right hand, as He sits at the right hand of the Father – all because He loves us. Actions speak louder than words – He told us, then because He loved us, He stretched out His hands to be nailed to a cross - to show us.

Because He Lives
Gloria and Bill Gaither

God sent His Son – they called Him Jesus, He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon, an empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow, Because He lives all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future and life is worth the living just because He lives.

Such Love

“God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.” (John 3:16) If you had to pick out a one word definition for “love,” what would it be? Since God is love, He demonstrated the best definition for love and this verse tells us what it is – “giving.” God so “loved” that He “gave.” He gave the best of all He had – His Son. He gave His very “self.” He loved us that much! Can you imagine giving one of your children to save the life of someone who was your enemy? We cannot comprehend that kind of love – a God on whom we have brought reproach, and on His name, and have been a part of those who crucified Him, (and still do with our rebellion) and yet He continues to love us.
“Neither death nor life, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:38-39). If you will read the entire passage you will see the many things that cannot separate us from God’s love: angels, principalities, things present, things to come, powers, height nor depth. Nothing can separate us from God’s love. God will not love us any less no matter how much we sin, and He will not love us any more no matter how good we are. His love is perfect and unconditional toward us. He wants to shower His love and good gifts upon us and to live with us forever. Who could refuse such love? I know nothing about the future but I live with hope for today and hope for tomorrow knowing that nothing can separate me from God’s love! I have found that to live in joyful obedience is a way to communicate my love to Christ.
SUCH LOVE C. Bishop That God should love a sinner such as I, should yearn to change my sorrow into bliss, Nor rest till He had planned to bring me nigh, how wonderful is love like this! That Christ should join so freely in the scheme, although it meant His death on Calvary. Did ever human tongue find nobler theme than love divine that ransomed me? That for a willful outcast such as I, the Father planned the Savior bled and died; Redemption for a worthless slave to buy, who long had law and grace defied. And now He takes me to His heart – a son. He asks me not to fill a servant’s place. The “Far-off country” wand’rings all are done, wide open are His arms of grace. Chorus: Such love, such wondrous love, such love, such wondrous love, That God should love a sinner such as I, How wonderful is love like this!