THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 10-8-17<br> <br>



LESSON TITLE: “THE GREATEST MOTIVE”<br> <br>



WELCOME<br> <br>

      TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES, WE ARE TOLD “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD.” IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST, RAY SULLINS.<br> <br>

      

      THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU WITH US FOR THIS TIME OF OFFERING AND ENCOURAGEMENT, AS WE PARTICIPATE IN THE THINGS OF GOD.  WE ARE GLAD THAT YOU HAVE JOINED US FOR THIS OFFERING TO GOD. MAY I ALSO SUBMIT TO YOU THAT THIS PROGRAM REMAINS COMMITTED TO DOING WHAT GOD WANTS, IN THE WAY HE WANTS. IN FACT, IT IS OUR GOAL TO ACCOMPLISH ONLY THOSE THINGS THAT WILL BRING GLORY TO HIM AND MAGNIFY HIS NAME! OBVIOUSLY, WE DO THIS BY STRIVING TO FOLLOW HIS WILL. I HOPE YOU WILL PARTICIPATE IN OUR TIME TOGETHER THIS MORNING.   SO NOW, LET’S HUMBLY BOW OUR HEADS BEFORE OUR GOD.  <br> <br>

      PRAYER: OUR WONDROUS GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY AND FOR THE GREAT BLESSING OF LIFE, FOR THE GREAT PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN. FATHER TO SERVE YOU ACCORDING TO YOUR PERFECT WILL. AND WE THANK YOU FOR JESUS. WE KNOW THAT HE CAME AND HE LIVED AND HE DIED AND HE WAS RESURRECTED FOR OUR SAKES THAT WE MIGHT HAVE THE HOPE OF, NOT ONLY THE BLESSINGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THIS LIFE, BUT ALSO THE ETERNAL REWARD AND BLESSING THAT AWAITS IN THE LIFE TO COME. AND FATHER, HELP US TO USE THAT KNOWLEDGE OF HIS LOVE WITH GREAT MOTIVATION THAT WE MIGHT OURSELVES OBEY HIM IN ALL THINGS AND BE FOUND PLEASING IN HIS SIGHT. FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU HELP US TO USE THIS DAY, THE LORD'S TODAY, IN ALL THINGS TO HIS GLORY AND PRAISE AND IN THE NAME OF JESUS WE PRAY, AMEN. <br> <br>

      IN THE BIBLE, IT IS CLEAR THAT SALVATION INVOLVES MANY THINGS FOR THE CHILD OF GOD. IN FACT, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS MENTIONED IN RELATIONSHIP TO SALVATION IS FOUND IN EPHESIANS 2:8.  THERE PAUL SAID, “FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH, AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD.” I HOPE WE ALL REALIZE HERE THAT GRACE IS THAT WHICH SAVES US FROM THIS WORLD OF SIN. HOWEVER, NOTICE THAT THE WRITER HERE ALSO CONNECTS THIS GRACE TO FAITH AS HE SAID, WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH! THIS SHOWS US THAT GOD’S PART IS GRACE AND OUR PART IS FAITH. WE’LL RETURN TO THESE THOUGHTS IN JUST A MOMENT. BUT FOR NOW, WE WANT TO SING OUR FIRST SONG OF THE DAY, SO WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME, AS WE TOGETHER SING, “TO CANAAN’S LAND I’M ON MY WAY.” <br> <br>



DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br>

      IN OUR INTRODUCTORY REMARKS THIS MORNING, WE MENTIONED THE WONDERFUL GRACE OF GOD THAT SAVES US FROM DAMNATION. WE WERE ABLE TO ALSO SEE THAT PAUL TOLD US THAT THIS GRACE IS LINKED TO OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST. BUT NOW, I WANT TO LOOK AT A FEW MORE VERSES TO SEE WHAT THIS GRACE IS REALLY ALL ABOUT.  <br> <br>

      OUR TEXT THIS MORNING SHOWS US THAT PAUL REALIZED THE GREAT NECESSITY OF FAITH WHEN IT COMES TO THE GRACE OF GOD. IN FACT, IN HEBREWS 11:6, WE FIND THAT “WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD!”  SO, FAITH IS A REQUIREMENT TO RECEIVE GOD’S PROMISES AND GRACE.  JAMES HELPS US MORE WITH THIS TOPIC IN CHAPTER 2 OF HIS BOOK WHEN HE SAID, “FOR AS THE BODY WITHOUT THE SPIRIT IS DEAD, SO FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD ALSO”, VERSE 26. THUS, TRUE FAITH IN GOD IS BASED ON WHAT CAN BE SEEN IN OUR ACTIONS. WE HAVE ALL HEARD THE STATEMENT MANY TIMES IN OUR LIVES, “ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.”<br> <br>

      I BELIEVE THAT IS WHY JESUS SAID, “BUT WHY DO YOU CALL ME 'LORD, LORD,' AND DO NOT DO THE THINGS WHICH I SAY,” LUKE 6:46! THEN IN THE PARALLEL VERSE FOUND IN MATTHEW 7:21, JESUS ALSO ADDED, “NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS TO ME, 'LORD, LORD,' SHALL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER IN HEAVEN.” SO FAITH IS MORE THAN JUST MOVING OUR LIPS AND CLAIMING TO LOVE GOD. TRUE FAITH IS SEEN IN EVERY ACTION AND WORD OF ANYONE CLAIMING TO BE A CHILD OF GOD.  <br> <br>

      ONE FINAL VERSE WE WANT TO MENTION IS FOUND IN EPHESIANS 2, VERSE 9. THIS IS THE VERSE JUST AFTER OUR TEXT WHICH WE READ EARLIER, THERE IT SAYS, “NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANYONE SHOULD BOAST.” HERE WE HAVE ADDED THAT GRACE IS THROUGH FAITH, BUT WE ARE NOT SAVED BY THE AMOUNT OF WORKS WE DO. WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN? WELL, HERE WE FIND THAT WORKS ARE NOT GOING TO BE THE FINAL MEASURE OF OUR FAITH, BECAUSE GOD DOESN’T WANT MEN BOASTING ABOUT THEIR ABILITIES OR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. FURTHERMORE, WE COULD NEVER DO ENOUGH OR ACCOMPLISH ENOUGH TO MERIT OUR SALVATION. GOD HAS PAID TOO HIGH A PRICE TO US TO MATCH IT. SO, OUR WORKS WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO SAVE US. <br> <br> 

      HOWEVER, DON’T BE CONFUSED, THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT WORKS AREN’T REQUIRED. THEY ARE, BECAUSE THIS IS HOW WE PROVE OUR FAITH, ALTHOUGH WE CAN NEVER DO ENOUGH WORKS TO MATCH WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR US. <br> <br>

      TODAY, OUR SPECIFIC TOPIC IS, “THE GREATEST MOTIVE.” THIS IS OUR NEXT LESSON IN OUR SERIES CALLED “THE LORD HAS DONE GREAT THINGS FOR US.” SO, PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US THIS MORNING, AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER I WILL RETURN WITH THIS STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD.  THE NAME OF OUR NEXT HYMN IS, “TO THE WORK!”<br> <br>



LESSON<br> <br>

RAY SULLINS<br> <br>

      WE'RE SO GLAD YOU'VE CONTINUED WITH US NOW THIS MORNING AS WE GO TO GOD'S WORD AND LOOK AT A SPECIFIC LESSON IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE GREAT THINGS THAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US. I THINK OUR SERIES HAS GOTTEN OFF TO A GOOD START AND TODAY WE REALLY START LOOKING AT ONE OF THE GREATEST MOTIVES. WHAT IS GOD'S MOTIVE IN ALL THINGS? MAYBE IT'S A QUESTION YOU HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT A LOT BEFORE, BUT WHY DID GOD MAKE THE WORLD? WHY DID GOD MAKE MAN? WHY DOES GOD DO WHAT HE DOES AND WHY HAS HE IN HIS WORD ESTABLISHED FOR US THE THINGS HE HAS ESTABLISHED INCLUSIVE OF, NOT ONLY BLESSINGS TODAY BUT BLESSING ETERNALLY. WHY DOES IT SEEM THAT GOD DESIRED TO MAKE MAN OR TO NEED MAN IN A SENSE? CERTAINLY, WE SEE THAT GOD IS  AN ALL-POWERFUL GOD WHO IS SELF-SUSTAINING AND WHO HAS ALWAYS EXISTED BUT AGAIN THE QUESTION IS WHY? BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, I CONSIDER THIS  QUESTION MYSELF FOR SOME TIME AND WHEN I THINK OF WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT GOD, I THINK IT BEGINS TO TELL US WHY HE DID THESE THINGS. FOR INSTANCE, IN THE BOOK OF FIRST JOHN CHAPTER 4 WE LEARN THAT GOD IS LOVE. WOULDN'T LOVE THEN BE A GREAT MOTIVE OF GOD? YOU THINK ABOUT THE BIBLE TELLING US THAT GOD IS A GOD OF GRACE, THAT HE HAS FAVOR. THAT HE WANTS TO DEMONSTRATE OR SHOW THAT FAVOR TO THOSE WHO PERHAPS DON'T EVEN DESERVE IT. WOULDN'T THAT ALSO PERHAPS BE INVOLVED IN THE DESIRE GOD HAD TO CREATE AND EVEN MAKE MAN? WHAT ABOUT THE IDEA THAT WE THINK OF THAT GOD IS A MERCIFUL GOD, THAT HE DESIRES TO EXTEND MERCY? AND ALTHOUGH THAT SOMEONE MIGHT NOT BE ALL THAT THEY NEED TO BE AND NOT ALWAYS DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, THAT GOD SHOULD PUNISH THEM? BUT HE DETERMINES HE WILL NOT PUNISH THEM BUT YET GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPENT OF THEIR SINS OR TURN AWAY FROM THE EVIL IN THEIR LIFE. YOU SEE, AGAIN, THERE MIGHT BE ANY NUMBER OF MOTIVES THAT WE COULD SAY THAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED GOD TO DESIRE TO CREATE THE EARTH AND TO CREATE MAN. <br> <br>

      BUT, AGAIN, REALLY THE FOUNDATION OF ALL OF THESE, IN FACT WHAT THE BIBLE OFTEN CALLS THE GREATEST OF ALL, IS THE LOVE OF GOD (FIRST CORINTHIANS 13:13). IT IS REALLY THAT FOUNDATION THAT EVERYTHING ELSE IS BUILT ON, THAT TRUE MOTIVATION, THE LOVE OF GOD, AND SO WHEN WE GO BACK AND WE SAY, GOD MADE THE WORLD, IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. WHY? GOD LOVED. GOD HAS LOVE AND GOD DESIRES TO SHOW LOVE, TO EXPRESS LOVE. HOW DO I KNOW THAT? BECAUSE I LATER LEARN IN THE SAME TEXT THERE IN CHAPTER 1 OF GENESIS AND EVEN INTO CHAPTER TWO, THAT GOD MADE MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE. WHY WOULD YOU MAKE NOT ONLY CREATION BUT THEN MAKE MAN IN YOUR OWN IMAGE AND LIKENESS? HE CREATED MALE AND FEMALE. WELL, CERTAINLY THE REASON, THE MOTIVATION, MUST BE ALLOWED THAT GOD HAS A DESIRE TO EXPRESS THAT LOVE, TO SHOW THAT LOVE. TO AGAIN, TO SEND THAT LOVE OUT THROUGH THE MESSAGE,THE WORD, AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT THAT LOVE IS RECIPROCATED FROM MAN. YOU KNOW, ISN'T THAT WHAT GOD ASKS OF US? AS HE HAS LOVED AND THAT WE ALSO LOVE? WHAT A BEAUTIFUL THOUGHT. A BEAUTIFUL THOUGHT TO THINK THAT GOD MADE EVERYTHING THAT HE MADE. GOD DID EVERYTHING THAT HE DID. GOD MADE MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE AND LIKENESS BECAUSE OF LOVE AND HIS DESIRE TO LOVE AND TO BE LOVED, AND HIS DESIRE TO HAVE A CHARACTER AND TO SHARE THAT CHARACTER AND THAT SPIRITUAL NATURE WITH OTHERS AND TO HAVE IT AGAIN RECIPROCATED. YOU SEE, THE GREATEST MOTIVE, THE GREAT THINGS THAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US ARE MOTIVATED BY THE FACT THAT GOD IS LOVE! AND IN THE FACT THAT GOD IS LOVE, WE ALL OURSELVES SHOULD BE MOTIVATED TO KNOW THEN THAT WE SHOULD LOVE AS WELL. AND WE'LL GET BACK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER IN OUR DISCUSSION. <br> <br>

      NOW LET'S GO TO EPHESIANS CHAPTER 2. AND IN CHAPTER 2, WE BEGIN TO AGAIN FIND THE IDEA OF LOVE. IN FACT, I LIKE THE WAY THAT IT IS EXPRESSED IN VERSE FOUR THERE BECAUSE IT SAYS, “BUT GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY, BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE WITH WHICH HE HAS LOVED US.” SO THERE WE SEE THAT GOD NOT JUST LOVES US BUT A GREAT LOVE. THERE'S THAT MOTIVATION AGAIN. THAT HE LOVES, WANTS TO LOVE, AND WANTS TO BE LOVED. THAT'S HIS CHARACTER. THAT'S THE CHARACTER THAT HE ASKED US TO DEMONSTRATE. SO IT SAYS HERE THAT GOD DEMONSTRATED HIS GREAT LOVE. AND WHAT WAS THE DEMONSTRATION OF THAT GREAT LOVE? WELL, VERSE FIVE OF THE SAME TEXT SAYS, “EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES, HE MADE US ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST.” HOW DID HE DO THAT? HE DID THAT BECAUSE HE GAVE HIS OWN SON JESUS TO DIE FOR OUR SINS. SO HE LOVED US ENOUGH TO MAKE US, HE LOVED US ENOUGH TO MAKE US IN HIS IMAGE, HE LOVED US ENOUGH TO INCLUSIVELY MAKE US IN THE IMAGE THAT WE WOULD HAVE OF HIM TO CHOOSE WHAT WE WOULD DO, TO MAKE OUR OWN CHOICES, HE MADE US KNOWING THAT WE OFTEN WOULD MAKE THE WRONG CHOICE AND CHOOSE SIN. WE LEARN THAT ALSO IN ROMANS CHAPTER 5 AND VERSE 8. “GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS OWN LOVE TOWARD US, IN THAT WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US.” YOU SEE, HE LOVED US ENOUGH TO MAKE US, TO GIVE US CHOICE, SO THAT WE, WHEN WE RECIPROCATE LOVE IN HIS CHARACTER, ARE ABLE TO DO WHAT? DO IT ON OUR OWN TERMS. ON OUR OWN CHOICE. NOW, SADLY MANY MEN DO NOT LIVE UP TO THE TERMS. DO NOT ACCOMPLISH WHAT IT IS THAT GOD WANTS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY GOD STILL GIVES THAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE OF THAT MOTIVATION OF LOVE. WHO AMONG US WOULD WANT CHILDREN WHO ALWAYS ONLY DID WHAT THEY WERE TOLD TO DO BY US BECAUSE THEY HAD TO OR THEY WERE SO AFRAID OF US OR BECAUSE REALLY THEY HAD NO OTHER CHOICE? YOU SEE, WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO LOVE US. WE WANT THEM TO RECIPROCATE THE LOVE THAT WE HAVE SHOWN THEM BECAUSE WE DESIRE THAT. THAT'S THE MOTIVATION THAT MAKES US GOOD PARENTS THE SAME WAY AS WITH GOD. THAT'S HIS MOTIVATION. DID HE HAVE TO MAKE MAN? DID HE HAVE TO MAKE THE WORLD? PERHAPS NOT. PERHAPS HE DIDN'T NEED THAT BUT I THINK FROM THE CHARACTER AND ALL THAT WE UNDERSTAND AND ARE DISCUSSING THIS DAY IT, SHOWS US THAT AT LEAST IS INVOLVED AND HIS MOTIVE AS ONE WHO LOVES AND ONE WHO DESIRES PERHAPS TO BE LOVED AS WE ARE MADE IN HIS IMAGE THAT HE AT LEAST WANTED TO MAKE MAN AND GIVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO MAN. SO WHAT DOES HE DO? HE MAKES US A PERFECT WORLD TO LIVE IN. PERFECT IN THE SENSE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROGH HIM. AND THEN HE GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY EVEN THOUGH WE LIVE IN THIS WORLD TO MAKE CHOICES, CHOICES THAT MIGHT BE WRONG BUT THEN EVEN AFTER THAT HE GAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THAT WE MIGHT OVERCOME BAD CHOICES AND HAVE LIFE ETERNAL. WHY? BECAUSE HE LOVED US. <br> <br>

      NOW, TO UNDERSTAND AND REALLY I THINK A BOOK THAT PUTS IT TOGETHER REALLY WELL IS A BOOK THAT WE MENTIONED EARLIER. AND WE'LL TURN BACK OVER AGAIN TO FIRST JOHN AND CHAPTER 4. IT IS WITHIN THIS TEXT THAT WE LEARN ABOUT THE LOVE OF GOD, THAT GOD IS LOVE. IN FACT, MULTIPLE TIMES THAT CONCEPT IS MENTIONED. BUT IF YOU NOTICE THERE ARE TWO THINGS I WANT US TO EMPHASIZE. FIRST OF ALL VERSE NINE ADDS AFTER HE SAYS GOD IS LOVE, THAT THE LOVE OF GOD WAS MANIFESTED TOWARD US, THAT GOD SENT HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON INTO THE WORLD THAT WE MIGHT LIVE THROUGH HIM. SO THERE'S THE IDEA OF JESUS BEING SENT. THE LATTER PART OF VERSE 10 SAYS BECAUSE THE SON WAS SENT TO BE A PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS. SO WE KNOW THAT HE CAME AND HE DIED FOR US BUT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE ALSO WHAT VERSE 10 SAYS IN THE BEGINNING, “IN THIS IS LOVE, NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, BUT THAT HE LOVED US AND SENT HIS SON…” NOW VERSE 19 OF THE SAME TEXT SAYS, “WE LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US.” YOU SEE GOD JUST DOESN'T SAY YOU NEED TO FOLLOW ME AND YOU NEED TO LOVE ME AND YOU NEED TO OBEY ME BECAUSE I SAID SO. GOD FIRST LOVED AND EVERY ACTION THAT GOD HAS TAKEN SHOWS THAT LOVE TOWARDS MAN OR THAT LOVE THAT MOTIVATES MAN TO DO RIGHT. EVEN WITHIN DISCIPLINE, THE BIBLE SAYS GOD CHASTENS OR DISCIPLINES THOSE WHOM HE LOVES. WHY DOES THE PARENT DISCIPLINE THE CHILD? THEY WANT TO HELP AND TO AVOID MANY OF THE MISTAKES THAT THEY HAVE MADE. THEY WANT THEM TO NOT FALL PREY TO THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE FALLEN PREY TO. THEY WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND NOT TO MAKE THOSE MISTAKES OR FALL INTO SIN. AND SO SOMETIMES A PARENT HAS TO WHAT? DISCIPLINE THE CHILD. WHY? NOT BECAUSE THEY HATE THE CHILD OR BECAUSE THEY WANT TO HURT. IT'S BECAUSE THEY LOVE THE CHILD. THAT'S WHAT GOD DOES! YOU SEE THE LOVE OF GOD? THE LOVE THAT HE HAD FIRST FOR US SO THAT HE CREATED US AND HE PROVED THAT LOVE AND HE PLACED US IN A WORLD THAT PROVIDES FOR US THE THINGS THAT WE NEED. AND LOOK HOW BLESSED WE ARE EVEN AS AMERICAN CITIZENS AND ALL THAT WE HAVE AND WE'RE SO BLESSED BY GOD AND WE SEE THE LOVE OF GOD ALL AROUND US AND THE BEAUTY OF GOD'S LOVE IN THE CREATION. AND YET, WHAT DO WE DO? WE STILL LET HIM DOWN. WE STILL OFTEN REJECT HIM. WE STILL MAKE BAD CHOICES. AND SO THEN WHAT DID GOD DO? HE SAYS, ‘WELL, I'M GOING TO SEND MY ONLY BEGOTTEN SON. I'M GOING TO SEND HIM INTO THE WORLD AND, AS I SEND HIM IN THE WORLD, I'M GOING TO DO SO, SO THAT HE MIGHT LITERALLY DIE FOR YOU AS GOD IN THE FLESH, HE DIED FOR YOU, A PERFECT SACRIFICE THAT YOU MIGHT SEE MY LOVE.” NOW, THERE'S THE CONCEPT THAT IS BEING IDENTIFIED HERE IN FIRST JOHN. THE LOVE OF GOD IS REALLY MADE MANIFEST. IT IS SEEN AS EVIDENCED IN THE SACRIFICE THE FATHER MADE AND THE SACRIFICE THE SON MADE FOR OUR SINS. BECAUSE OF YOUR SIN AND MY SIN THIS WAS DONE. OH, WHAT GREAT LOVE! WHAT PARENT OFTEN WOULDN'T BEAR MAYBE THE TRIAL? I KNOW MY KIDS HAVE BEEN SICK MANY TIMES AND WHEN THEY'RE SICK I WOULD GLADLY BEAR THAT BURDEN OF SICKNESS AND ASK THAT THEY BE WELL AGAIN. WHAT PARENT MIGHT NOT BE WILLING TO SERVE PRISON TIME FOR A CHILD EVEN IF THE CHILD DESERVES IT? WHY? BECAUSE OF LOVE. SOMETIMES LOVE DOESN'T EVEN SEEM RATIONAL BUT IT'S BECAUSE WE DEEPLY CARE FOR SOMEONE SO MUCH THAT WE ARE WILLING TO ALMOST DO ANYTHING. BELIEVE ANYTHING, AS WE EVEN READ THERE IN THE GREAT LOVE CHAPTER 1ST CORINTHIANS 13. “LOVE BELIEVES ALL THINGS, BEARS ALL THINGS, HOPES ALL THINGS, ENDURES ALL THINGS. LOVE NEVER FAILS.” LOVE, THAT'S THE LOVE THAT GOD HAS. THAT'S THE LOVE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US IN HIS CHARACTER THAT WE MIGHT ALSO THEREFORE RECIPROCATE. WHAT A BLESSING FROM GOD! BUT I MIGHT ALSO, IN RELATIONSHIP TO THAT GREAT LOVE THAT GOD GAVE IN GIVING HIS SON, THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD THAT WE MIGHT OVERCOME SIN, REMIND YOU THAT IN THE BOOK OF JOHN, THAT IS THE GOSPEL OF JOHN CHAPTER 15 IN VERSE 13, THAT THIS STATEMENT IS MADE, “’GREATER LOVE HAS NO ONE THAN THIS THAN TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR A FRIEND.’” YOU KNOW, WHAT GREAT LOVE. IF YOU WERE TO DIE FOR YOUR FRIEND, WE HAVE SO MANY IN OUR ARMED SERVICES YOU HAVE BEEN WILLING TO MAKE THAT ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND WHAT GREATER LOVE COULD THEY SHOW THAN TO DIE FOR THEIR COUNTRY OR THEIR COUNTRYMEN? NO GREATER LOVE. AND TO DIE FOR A FRIEND, NO GREATER LOVE. WHAT DID GOD DO? WHAT DID JESUS DO? WHO DID HE DIE FOR? WE READ A MOMENT AGO: WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS. HE DIED FOR THE ENEMIES, EVEN THOSE WHO WOULD NEVER FOLLOW HIM, HE DIED THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF SALVATION. YOU TELL ME THAT'S NOT JUST GREAT LOVE, THAT'S NOT JUST NO GREATER LOVE, THAT'S THE GREATEST LOVE! YOU KNOW, I MIGHT READILY DIE FOR MY WIFE OR MY CHILDREN OR SOMEONE THAT I'M CLOSE TO OR THAT I LOVE OR MY BRETHREN AT THE CHURCH BUT TO DIE FOR SOMEONE I DON'T EVEN KNOW OR THAT I DON'T EVEN CARE ABOUT OR EVEN SOMEONE I DON'T LIKE OR HAS BEEN MEAN TO ME OR HURT ME OR MY FAMILY, WHAT GREATER LOVE. GOD DEMONSTRATED THE GREATEST OF LOVE HAVING MADE US AND THEN KNOWING NO MATTER WHAT THESE DIFFERENT CREATED BEINGS WOULD CHOOSE, NO MATTER HOW WICKED AND EVIL, NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY WOULD REJECT GOD, HE STILL SAID, ‘I'LL MAKE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR THE GOOD AND THE BAD THAT ALL MIGHT COME TO REPENTANCE.’ <br> <br>

      YOU SEE, THERE IS NO GREATER LOVE THAN THE LOVE OF GOD! THE MOTIVATION OF THAT LOVE THAT GOD WAS WILLING TO DO AND CONTINUES TO DO ALL THAT HE CAN FOR US THAT WE MIGHT HAVE, NOT ONLY AGAIN THOSE GREAT BLESSINGS IN THIS LIFE AND THE BLESSINGS IN THE LIFE TO COME. OBVIOUSLY THEN THAT MOTIVATION THAT GOD HAS THAT CAUSES HIM TO DO THE THINGS THAT HE HAS DONE SHOULD THEN BE RECIPROCATED BY US. SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS WHAT JESUS SAID IN JOHN 14:15, “IF YOU LOVE ME - IF YOU LOVE ME KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.” YOU SEE THE IDEA OF HOW I EXPRESS LOVE IS ALSO THROUGH OBEDIENCE AND DOING WHAT GOD SAYS. DOING WHAT GOD SAYS IS TO STRIVE TO BE LIKE GOD, TO BE RECEPTIVE, TO REFLECT THE IMAGE IN THE LIKENESS WE ARE CREATED IN THAT WE MIGHT PLEASE HIM. BUT THERE'S BENEFITS! THERE'S REWARDS! NOT ONLY NOW BUT ETERNALLY IF WE DO SUCH. AND IN FACT, PERHAPS IT IS BEST SEEN EVEN AGAIN BACK IN OUR MAIN TEXT OF FIRST JOHN. YOU MIGHT RECALL THERE AS HE HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT GOD BEING LOVE AND THE FACT THAT WE AS WELL MUST LOVE AS GOD HAS LOVED. NOTICE WHAT HE SAYS THERE BACK IN VERSE 17 OF CHAPTER 3. AFTER IT SAYS THAT WE KNOW THAT GOD LOVED US AND GAVE HIS LIFE FOR US, LOOK AT WHAT VERSE 17 SAYS, FIRST JOHN THREE, “BUT WHOEVER HAS THIS WORLD'S GOODS, AND SEES HIS BROTHER IN NEED, AND SHUTS UP HIS HEART FROM HIM, HOW DOES THE LOVE OF GOD ABIDE IN HIM?” YOU SEE VERSE 16, IT SAID, AS GOD LOVED US ENOUGH TO DIE FOR US WE SHOULD BE WILLING TO DIE FOR EACH OTHER. <br> <br>

      SO MY QUESTION FOR US TODAY IS - IS WHAT ARE WE MOTIVATED BY? ARE WE MOTIVATED BY LOVE? A GREAT LOVE, A GREATER LOVE, OR THE GREATEST LOVE? WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO DO FOR GOD? WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO DO FOR YOUR FELLOW MAN SO THAT YOU'LL BE MOTIVATED TO BE WHAT GOD REQUIRES YOU TO BE SO THAT YOU BE BLESSED NOW AND FOREVER MORE?<br> <br>



CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

      AGAIN, LET ME THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US THIS MORNING. I HOPE WE ALL HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED THROUGH OUR TIME SPENT TOGETHER. PLEASE REMEMBER, YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS SERVICE OF GOD.<br> <br>

      NOW LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON? MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A FREE CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS PROGRAM? POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR FREE BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSES? NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:  <br> <br>



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      OH, HOW BLESSED WE ARE TO HAVE A GOD WHO TRULY LOVES US AND WHO HAS PROVEN THIS LOVE FOR US TIME AND TIME AGAIN. HE CREATED US, HE BLESSES US, HE CARES FOR US, HE PROTECTS US, HE GUIDES US AND WE COULD GO ON AND ON. SO, NOW THAT WE CLEARLY SEE THE LOVE OF GOD, THE QUESTION IS HOW WILL WE SHOW WE LOVE HIM? WILL YOU OBEY HIM FULLY TODAY!<br> <br>