A Love That You Can’t Figure Out [Audio]
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By Tom Shanklin
What kind of love is it that would cause a man to hang on a cross and die for people that hated Him? What kind of love would motivate someone to pray for those who crucified him? “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
That is God’s love, which we see in the person of Jesus. The Scripture says that God’s love “surpasses knowledge.” It goes beyond anything we can comprehend. You just can’t figure it out! It is incomprehensible love.
Grasping the truth of God’s love requires spiritual knowledge. It requires revelation.
In this podcast, we explore God’s love:
- God’s love for us.
- God’s love in us.
- God’s love through us.
Each of these three elements are necessary for us to comprehend God’s love. We must receive God’s love, experience God’s love, and walk in God’s love. Only as we love others with this miraculous love, can we explore the reality of the love of God.
In the world today, the love of many is waxing cold. God’s people must manifest the opposite spirit. The devil wants the Church angry. The devil wants the Church grumpy. The devil wants the Church in the spirit of the world. It’s time to choose to walk in the love and find the joy of loving and serving people with God’s love.
Enjoy these precious truths today!
Sermon Notes…
Incomprehensible Love: A Love that You Can’t Figure Out
“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Ephesians 3:14-21, KJV.
MAIN THOUGHT: By comprehending God’s love for you, in you, and through you, you can fulfill all that He plans for you in your life.
I. INCOMPREHENSIBLE LOVE FOR YOU
“To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” Ephesians 1:6, KJV.
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” Ephesians 2:1-6, KJV.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16, KJV.
“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” 1 John 3:16, KJV.
Put your roots down in love. Get grounded in love.
Illustration: When you keep moving plants they fail to get rooted and fail to grow.
Illustration: He loves me: He loves me not. NO, He loves me! Don’t allow circumstances to alter your view.
II. INCOMPREHENSIBLE LOVE IN YOU
“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Romans 5:5, KJV.
“Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,” Ephesians 1:15, KJV.
“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:20-26, KJV.
Illustration: You can tell people about how the pastor is such a man of love, but until they experience that love, they don’t truly comprehend that love. Likewise, we must experience God’s love through relationship.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17, KJV.
“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” Colossians 1:27, KJV.
“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” Colossians 2:10, KJV.
III. INCOMPREHENSIBLE LOVE THROUGH YOU
“As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” John 15:9-15, KJV.
He said we are to love with HIS love, not with natural human love.
You will never comprehend God’s love until you begin to walk in His love. Practice loving, forebearing. Anyone can love someone that treats them right, but loving someone who is difficult helps you to grow.
1 Corinthians 13:1-8 Amplified Bible (AMP)
1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not [a]love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction]. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy [and speak a new message from God to the people], and understand all mysteries, and [possess] all knowledge; and if I have all [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love [reaching out to others], I am nothing. 3 If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body [b]to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all. 4 Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. 5 It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. 7 Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening]. 8 Love never fails [it never fades nor ends].
CONCLUSION
Receive God’s incomprehensible love. Live in God’s love. Walk in God’s love.