That's a great hymn and the love of God is spoken of four out of five verses there. Good. Great hymn. Romans chapter five now. Romans five. I've been reading through Romans for my own personal enjoyment and benefit. And we preached from Romans last Sunday. And reading here, these words really caught my attention. I actually read this three or four weeks ago. Romans 5, read the first eight verses with me.

Romans 5, one through eight, therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace, this gift of eternal life, wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God or being with him in glory or see Christ's glory, and not only so, with glory and tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience.

Our scripture says of God's people, you must through much tribulation go through this world. And in Revelation said, John said, who are these people? They're they that went through tribulation, washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. Verse four, impatience is waiting on our Lord, experience. experience hope, and hope in Christ maketh not a shame, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us.

When we were yet without strength, at due time, Christ died for the ungodly. Scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perventure for a good man some would even dare to die, but God. commended his love toward us, and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for it.

The love of God. I hope to preach something, a little bit, of the love of God tonight, the subject impossible to fully declare. We preach in part. I suppose we should preach Think about this more often than we do. It's a shame that this religious, false religion has fed us. Because this is all they talk about, and falsely so, isn't it? The love of God. We should consider it more. But it's a great, greatest of all subjects. The love of God, the hymn says, is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell. It goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell. Brother Jeanette sings this. Sister Jeanette sings this.

Says, could we with ink the ocean fill and were the skies of parchment made? Were every stalk on earth a quill and every man a scribe by trade? To write the love of God above would drain the oceans dry, nor could the scroll contain the whole. Go stretch from sky to sky.

What a great hymn that is. The love of God. So two things I want you to see with me. Now verse five is where we get the text and the subject. The love of God that's shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Two things, the love of God for his people. First and foremost. And we want to dwell on that more than the second. the love of God for his people, and the love of God in his people. Okay? The love of God.

The second is because of the first. We love him because he first loved us. And we don't talk much about our love for him. We do love him, but we glory in his love for us. All right. But first, let me do this. and I don't wanna dwell here, but we must distinguish the love of God, the God of the Bible, from the love that men are saying about God today. You know that? We've got to talk to men where they are.

Don't wanna dwell here, but all false religion builds their theology on one verse of scripture, taken out of context, John 3, 16. They don't know John 3,

14. They don't know John 3,

18. They don't know John 3,

36. One verse. And they built a whole system of theology. And this is God and His only attribute. Didn't it? We love the love of God. But the love of God is quite different than what men are saying. And we need to distinguish the true love of God. The true love of God. God does not love every person in the world. That word world doesn't mean every single person. It means mankind as a species that he made in his image.

There are too many scriptures that speak of God's hatred of some people. Too many. Did God love Pharaoh? Did God love Egypt? You don't destroy people you love. Did God love Herod, Pilate? Did God love all these kings and people that rose up against him and his anointed and his people? God love all those Rome, Romish popes that killed all of his martyrs, did he? Come on. No, no, no, no, no. God loves his people, his elect. Many scriptures, too many scriptures.

If God loves all men, why didn't the prophets say so? Nowhere do the prophets say that. Not one time in all the Bible did a prophet stand up and say, God loves you. Not once. If God loves every single person, why didn't the apostles say so? They went throughout all the world preaching the gospel. Why didn't they stand up and say, God loves you, Jesus loves you? Not once. Not once. And above all, the Son of God came.

Why didn't he? stand up in front of everybody and say, I love you, I love you all. Not once did he say that, not once. Probably it's not in this book, why? Because he doesn't love everybody. But God, see the false notion is that God ought to love us, that we're lovable, that everybody deserves a chance to be saved. Nothing could be further from the truth. But God, rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us.

That's Ephesians, isn't it? Two, who's he writing to? Who's us? Who's this written to? Us, we looked at it, Romans 1, we looked at it Sunday, didn't we? To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank God through Jesus Christ, your faith, you believe. This is for believers, us, we, our. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts. by the Holy Ghost has given unto us. Didn't Christ say, the world doesn't know the Holy Spirit, but you know him because he dwells with you. Didn't he say that? I love, Brother Bruce always says this, read your Bible.

Well, God's people do. God's people do. And it dishonors God's love, what men are saying about it. We love people. We love our own more than what they say about the love of God. If you could keep bad things from happening to those you love, would you do it? Yes, you would. Well, they say things like that, that God didn't want that to happen. Enough of that, okay.

Let's talk about the true love, the love of God. The love of God. This is to God's people. It says in verse one, therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Who's this speaking? The ones God loved, the one God gave to Christ, the one Christ came to to die for, to pay for their sin, be made sin for them, to give them His righteousness, and give them the Holy Spirit who gives them repentance and gives them faith. All God loves, He provides everything for them, does everything for them, everything they need. He gives them this faith, justified by faith. I knew a man that didn't like this verse, but Grace Preacher, he said, there ought to be a comma. therefore being justified, comma, by faith we have peace.

That's not how it reads. You see, faith is just another word for the sovereign grace and mercy and gift of God. Faith is not of ourselves. It's not our work. It's the working of His mighty power. So we're justified by the faith that He gives us. Right? It's not our faith. Well, it is when He gives it to us, but we didn't, He gave us this faith. He gave it to us. Not of yourselves, the gift of God.

To who? Those He loves. The goodness of God leads to repentance. The love of God leads to faith in Christ. Justified by faith, we have peace with God. The Holy Spirit tells us these things. It's shed abroad in our heart. How do we have peace with God? Every person in here, every true believer knows how we have peace with God. We didn't make that peace with God. Christ did, didn't he? By the blood of his cross.

This is what the Holy Spirit gives and tells and teaches all of his people that God loves. Those he doesn't love, he hides these things from them, leaves them in their false profession, thinking they're righteous, thinking they're good, going straight into the face of God, thinking we've done many wonderful works. But those God loves, he convicts of sin, of righteousness, and judgment, and shows them your hope, your help, your salvation is Jesus Christ alone. That's who God loves.

Verse two, he says, by whom we have access by faith into this grace, by whom we have access. Huh? The Hebrew, the whole book of Hebrews, John, about that, isn't it? How are we gonna get into the holy of holies? One way. Christ's taken us there. Through the veil, he rent the veil. Well, I gotta go on.

Accepted in the beloved and rejoicing hope of the glory of God. What's our hope? Who's our hope? Christ is our hope, the glory of God. We already see His glory. We know what God's greatest glory is. Yes, we do. Like Moses. Show me your glory. What is it? Sovereign mercy, sovereign grace, all the goodness of God passing before it is Jesus Christ. That's the gospel. It's a place by me and we'll put you on the rock and put you in the rock. And I'm gonna pass by and you're gonna see my hind part. That's to Moses, but we've seen his face. That's who God loves.

To the rest, he hides it though. He didn't show Pharaoh and others to Egypt these days. Showed him to Jacob. He made known these things to Jacob. Psalm 147 talks about all the things God does in his creation and all that. And the last, he saves the last for best. He said, made known his ways unto Jacob. His word, showed his word. With glory and tribulation.

Now when tribulation work with patience or tribulation is chastening, is trials and troubles and God sends these to those he loves. There's no bad things happen to God's people. No evil falls out. None, it's all good. All things are good to them that love God. who are the called according to His purpose.

And patience, that is waiting on the Lord, believing Him, trusting Him, submitting to His sovereignty, waiting on Christ to come. Experience, our whole life is an experience of God's mercy and grace and God's love to us, of His providence, His providential dealings with us. And hope, hope, and hope maketh not ashamed.

Paul said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel. It is the power of God and salvation. He was before the Lord revealed it to him. He hated it. And boy, when the Lord came out of love, saw, saw, he said, no, now, I'm not ashamed of the gospel. It's the power of God. Slew me, killed me, and made me live, wounded me and healed me, brought me down, lifted me up, blinded me, but gave me up.

Because the love of God, here it is, the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us. The love of God is talking here primarily about God's love for us. how it's just the scriptures, it's shed abroad to me, it's poured forth, it's full from cover to cover, cover to cover. The love of God by the Holy Ghost shows us the love of God. Now the love of God is just, is the story of the gospels.

The gospel is the story of God's love for his people. That's what it is. Greater love hath no man than this, and he lay down his life for you. He said, I laid down my life for the sheep. Christ came to lay down his life for those who God loved and gave him. God chose a remnant according to his eternal election of great and set his love on those people. Look at Deuteronomy 7. Deuteronomy 7. God chose a people.

You see, God destroyed this world, not out of love, but anger and wrath, didn't it? Didn't it? The world, the flood. How many died in that? Did God love them? No, he didn't. He was angry with them. The wrath of God was poured out on them. Who did God love? Where were they? Those that God loved in the ark. How'd they get there? God said, come thou in the ark. Noah found grace in all his family. And they were found in the ark. Why? Because God loved them. And that ark, like Christ on the cross, bore the wrath of God, the anger, the hatred of God against sin and punishment, the wrath fell on them. Fell on that ark, fell on Christ on the cross. But, So God set his love on a people.

I have you turn to Deuteronomy 7. I gotta turn that. He set his love on a people, a remnant according to the election of grace, saved out of the world. And he gave them to Jesus Christ in a covenant. I know you've heard these things. This is amazing. This is all about the love of God. He gave them to Christ to come down here to do, to save them all, to redeem them. God in love chose, gave, put them in Christ, imputed His righteousness to them, their sins to Him, sent His Holy Spirit, regenerated, gave faith, hope, love. It's all of God. It's all of God. God's love, first of all, is sovereign.

Look at Deuteronomy 7, verse 7. Look at that. Deuteronomy 7, look at verse 6. Thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God. Now you think about that. These Jews, do you remember? But he said, you're holy. Didn't he? That's what he said. How? Through another.

The Lord thy God had chosen thee to be a special people. That's what Peter wrote, didn't he? Peculiar people, that means redeemed. Above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you because, or choose you because you are more a number than anybody. Do you see that? He set his love upon you. Didn't fall in love with you. He set his love upon you. Do you see that?

That's sovereign love. We can't do that, we don't do that, do we? We love our own, our families, it's just natural loving. We love ourselves. We fall in love with people. No, we don't, I'm gonna decide to love that person. That didn't happen with me and Mindy. It didn't happen, did it? We fell in love with each other.

But God said his love before the world began. He said, I'm gonna love John Sheasley. I'm gonna love him. And I'm gonna love him to the end. Isn't that something? How can it be? That song, were you playing that? How can it be? You should have. You played everything else. How can it be? that thou, my God, that God should love a soul like me. Oh, how can it be? How? I'll tell you how.

He set his love on you. Look at verse eight. Because the Lord loved you, because he would keep the oath which he swore unto your fathers, that the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondage. It's all him, isn't it? It's his love. He didn't love you because you love him. No, the opposite is true.

Malachi 1, just real quickly, Malachi, you know these scriptures, but it helps to be reminded where they're at. So you can give every man a reason, answer. Malachi 1, look at that. And then I'll just have you turn to one more. How's that? Go to two more. Malachi 1. The burden of the word of the Lord, Israel. See that? Israel. By Malachi. Who's Israel?

Jacob. All right, verse two. I have loved you, saith the Lord. Who's he speaking to? Israel. Not the world. Jacob. You say, wherein hast thou loved us? Or how have you loved us? He says, was not Esau Jacob's brother, saith the Lord? Yet I loved Jacob and I hated Esau.

Those that God does not love, hate that verse. Those that God loves, love that verse. Don't they? Don't you? Those that hate God, That's what the scripture says in Romans 1. Haters of God, the God of the Bible. Those that hate God, hate Malachi 1. They hate Romans 9. Those whom God loves, they love Romans 9 and 10 and 11 and 12 and 13. Yes, they do.

Jeremiah 31. And boy, if you wanna read about the love of God, just start in chapter 29 of Jeremiah and just keep reading. It's amazing. Jeremiah 31, look with me, look at this. Jeremiah 31, look at verse, Jeremiah 30, verse 23. See if this sounds like the love of God. Jeremiah 30, verse 23, the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with a fury, a continuing whirlwind, and shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return till he have done it, till he have performed the intents of his heart.

In the latter days, you're gonna consider it. Is that love? Mm-hmm. At the same time, verse one, saith the Lord God, The Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel? They shall be my people. Thus saith the Lord. The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness, even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. The Lord appeared of old unto me, saying, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn thee. And boy, you just need to keep reading. Who is he talking to? Israel, Jacob. Sons of Jacob. The love of God is sovereign. The love of God is in Christ.

Isn't it? Romans 8. Romans 8, go over there with me. I was gonna turn for you and read all these scriptures, but you got nothing better to do, do you? Romans 8, there sure isn't anything better to do. Romans 8. So many quote this, it doesn't apply to them.

They quote Romans 8.28, but they sure don't quote 29.30.

Boy, we do. Romans 8.28, we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to what?

His purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate, to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called. Whom he called, them he also justified. Whom he justified, them he also glorified.

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Who's us? Go back to Romans one. These are justified, Romans three, Romans four, Romans eight, us, those are foreknown and predestined and called and justified and glorified, seeing Christ, that's who God is for.

Have you been called? The question is, does God love me? Does God love you? Okay, well, I'm getting ahead of myself, but have you been called? That was Sunday's message, the call of the gospel. Have you been convicted of your sin? of righteousness, you know there's judgment to face, and you don't wanna face it yourself, that unless Christ stands for you, you won't stand in the judgment, you know that. That's the Holy Ghost that's given unto you. That's the love of God. God loved you, taught you these things. They'll all be taught of God. and great shall be the peace. He teaches them all these things, and God is for it.

I could keep reading, but it says in verse 35, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation, distress. This plainly says that nothing will separate God's people from him who he loves. They're not gonna go to hell, that's separation from God, isn't it?

Look at the last verse. Not height or depth or any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. In, by, through, because of Jesus Christ our Lord. You know that, don't you? God doesn't love us because he saw something lovable, oh no. We're altogether unloved by nature.

Oh, the new creature is created in his image, but we had nothing to do with that. So the love of God is in Christ, the love of God is effectual. That means he saves those he loves. He doesn't destroy anybody he loves. He doesn't damn anybody he loves. He doesn't leave anybody he loves. They will not perish. He said, I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish. Didn't he say that? Didn't he say that?

The love of God is effectual. Jeremiah 31 three says, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, meaning loved you before the world and love you after the world's over. World without end. Therefore, With loving kindness have I drawn thee. No man can come unto me, Christ said, except the Father which hath sent me. Do what? Draw him. He said, those I love I draw. To whom? To where? To Christ. Draw us, we'll run to you. He's drawn us, Jose, I want to go there. He's drawn us with cords. Cords of love. Chords of a man. Rahab, you know what that chord is, don't you John? Rahab, John Rahab? Kara, you know what that chord is?

That's that scarlet light. The blood of Christ, that's what draws us. It's the tie that binds us in it. that binds us, that God has bound the sacrifice to the altar and bound us in him and we're crucified with Christ, buried, dead, buried, yet risen with him, seated in heaven.

The love of God is effectual. Found us in the gutter, gonna take us all the way to glory. Took us from a hog pen to sit among princes. From the muck and the mire, from the mirey clay, all the way to the right hand of the majesty on high. That's love.

The love of God is eternal, I've already said that. Who shall separate us? The love of God is shed abroad, the scripture said. Poured forth, revealed to his people. Well, but I preach, I believe all these things you tell me. Now how can I know Can I know that God loves me? Can I know that? How can I know that? Well, listen, okay? God cannot lie. Listen to it.

Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, but it doth not yet appear what we shall be. But we know that when we see him, we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Now listen to this. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us. Listen to this. First John four, verse nine. And this was manifested the love of God toward us. because God sent his only begotten son into the world that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us. And here it is. He sent his son to be the propitiation. That's that pitch on the side of that ark. That's the pitch on the inside of that ark, isn't it? Propitiation, covering for our sins. That's who God loves.

He sent Christ to die for. And we see the love, God's people that he loves, they see that the love of God is in Christ. Are you listening to me? God's people know that God cannot, would not, could not possibly love them except in Jesus Christ. They're loved in the beloved, they're accepted in the beloved.

You see, in Ezekiel 36, he keeps saying, what all he's gonna do, what all he's gonna do, I'm gonna give you the new heart, I'm gonna wash you, I'm gonna redeem you, I'm gonna clean you. And he said, I'm not doing this for your sakes, but for mine and the Holy name's sake, for Christ's sake.

Mephibosheth knew why he had mercy from David, didn't he? It was for Jonathan's sake. And so do all of God's people. Yes, David loved him, but he didn't know it until, Mephibosheth didn't know it until he was sitting there. And the wrath of God, the wrath of David didn't come down on him. And David made all those promises, all his yea and amens for Jonathan's sake.

He said, now I know, I see. He loves me for my father's sake. And you and I know, all God loves, we know it's for Christ's sake. So we plead his love, we plead his blood, we plead his righteousness, we plead him. Christ said, Lord have mercy for Christ's sake. So all of God's people see that the love of God is in Christ. We're accepted in the beloved, we're redeemed in the beloved, we're forgiven in the beloved, we're justified, sanctified.

Access, hmm. Who does God love? Sinners. We read there in Romans 5, if you're still there. God, you know, a man might die for a righteous man or one that thinks he is. Burt Vitcher, a good man, some might even dare to die, but God commended his love toward us while we were yet sinners. What kind of sinner? What kind of sinners? What kind of sinners does God say? Rahab the harlot, Mary Magdalene, seven devils, a thief on the cross that never did one good thing in his whole life. Paul. injurious, a blasphemer, a persecutor, hatin' God.

What is there lovely about Saul of Tarsus? He's the one that wrote this. He said, I'm a pattern of salvation, who God loves. There wasn't anything lovable about me but God. Rich in love. Sinners. God's people, it's not just a general term. Yes, we're all sinner, I'm such a sinner. No, it's a wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me from this body of death? In my flesh dwelleth no good thing.

If God saved me, Even now, after I'm a believer and all these years, if God saved me, it's gonna be 100% for Christ's sake. Do you believe that? That's who he died for. That's who he saved, came to save, our sinner. Oh my, the Lord sends his gospel to those that he loves. Listen, this is how you know that God loves you. He sends the gospel. He sends the gospel, good news.

He hides it from the world, makes them think they're righteous, makes them think they're good, like I said, like our Lord said in Matthew 7, they're gonna stand right in front of God in the judgment and plead their works. We believed on Jesus. We're not gonna plead anything but the blood of Christ, are we? In fact, we're not gonna have to plead it at all. His blood pleads for us. It's on us.

God knows that. Listen to Job 33. If there be a messenger with God, an interpreter, one among a thousand, a true preacher, one among a thousand, to show unto man God's uprightness, then God's gracious unto that man. And God says, deliver him from going down to the pit. I've found a ransom. This is what the preacher preaches. This is what God's people that he loves hear. I found a ransom. What is that? Jesus Christ.

Oh, his flesh will be fresher than a child's. He'll return to the days of his youth. He'll pray unto God and God will be favorable unto him. He'll see his face with joy. He'll render unto that man his righteousness. I gotta holler that John, I gotta holler that. He looks upon men, if any men say, I have sinned, I've perverted that which was right, it profited me not. He'll deliver his soul from going down into the pit. His life will see light. That's who God loves, he sends the gospel to. You understand that? And it says, lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man. He does it a lot. He keeps doing it to those he loves, Brother Kelly. He keeps telling you, I've loved you. Well, how can I know that?

Christ died. Don't you see? Who for? Sinners. Judges 13, anybody wants to hear that preach from? Don't turn, let me turn it for you. Well, you can turn. But in Judges 13 is a story of a man, Samson's father and mother. One of my favorite stories in the Bible. Robin, it's yours too. And Manoah was a man's name. We don't even know her name. Doesn't matter, does it? But they both saw the Lord. And Manoah, knowing what a sinner he is, that's why he thought, I'm gonna die. He's gonna kill me. But his wife believed God. And here's what she said. And this is what all of God's people hear, all whom he loves.

If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering in our hand. He wouldn't accept you in Christ. You plead Christ in his blood, he wouldn't accept you if he didn't love you. He wouldn't have sent Christ to die for him. He wouldn't have showed us all these things. He wouldn't keep telling you. He'd leave you alone.

You'd leave the gospel. If God doesn't love you, you will leave the gospel. You'll get tired of it. Yes, you will. Yes, you will. If God loves you, he won't leave you and you won't leave him. Nor as at this time would he have told us these things. You wouldn't have heard this tonight if God didn't love you. Is this building full? No, it's not. Why not? Am I preaching the truth? Is this good news? Is this the gospel? There is no other. Then why isn't this building full? Because everybody doesn't know God and love God. Who does? You do. Isn't that something? This is how you know God loves you. You know what? It really is.

He said, I call you friends because I show you things. And he lays down his life for his friends. He wouldn't keep showing you these things. You have pictures of your children and grandchildren, do you? Who do you show them to? You're not going to show them to everybody. Are you? Or your dog?

They don't want to see it. People that don't love you and don't love them, they don't want to see these things. The people that know you and love you and love them, love your children, oh, look there. There's Corbin, look at that. Show me another picture. This is when he was born and this is when he was two and oh. They love you, you love them, you keep showing them these pictures. That's what God does to those he loves. Let me show you a picture of my son. That's what the whole, let me show you a picture of my son. Let's go all the way back here. There's a bunch of them. You never get tired of it. That's who God loves. He wouldn't keep showing you these things and you wouldn't keep loving them.

Hopefully we're gonna look at the surety. And I heard a man preach on it, best message I ever heard in my life. And we're gonna look at it Sunday. You've seen it before, Melody, you've seen it before, haven't you? Well, she just lit up when I said I was gonna preach on the surety last week. Just grinned from ear to ear. You've heard it before.

God must love you. You see that? You love these things? Now, a few minutes on the love God puts in his people. And he does, that love of God is shed abroad in the hearts of God's people by the Holy Ghost, a love for God. All things work together for good to them that love God. Who are they called? They love Him because He first loved them. They do love God. They love the God of the Bible. They love the true and the living God. They love God. They love Christ. They love His Son. What is the love of God? He loves His Son. Supremely, doesn't it? If the love of God is shed abroad in your heart, you're gonna love Christ too.

Because he loves his son. This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. What about you? Is that what you say? Oh, this is God's beloved son, whom I am well pleased. The Lord's well pleased for his righteousness sake, isn't it? I am too. I am too. So glad that he's my righteousness. That's his name, and that's mine. They love his word. David said, oh, how I love thy law, Lord. Didn't he? How much of it? All of it.

They love his salvation. Let such as love thy salvation say, The Lord be magnified. They love the salvations of the Lord. They love it. They're so glad. This is the love of God shed upon their heart. They love his kingdom. They love his church. They love the house of his abode. They love his worship. They love the ways of God. They love the word of God. They love the songs of God. They love the worship of God. They love the people of God. Yes, they do.

It's not in word only. It's in truth. It's fervent love. It's pure love. It's true love. Yes, it is. It's the love of God. They love his people. They're God's children. And they're our brothers and sisters. I was gonna go to 1 John and go all the way through there and show how that God not only commands us, but exhorts us to love one another. And this is a commandment. And tells us if you don't love one another, you don't love God. Over and over again, he says that. What kind of love is that? It's 1 Corinthians love. Hope with all things, believe with all things. Never failing. The love of God. Always loves, doesn't quit loving. Okay?

You know, the Lord asked, and Paul in 1 Corinthians, the last third, the last verse in his letter, he says, if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema maranatha, accursed when the Lord comes. In another place, he said, don't you know your own self, how that Christ is in you, except you be reprimanded? What does that mean? It means faith in Christ, hope in Christ, a love for Christ. What if Mindy asked me, Paul, do you love me? And I say, I think so. I hope so. Huh?

The Lord asked disciples a question in the beginning. Who do men say that I am? He said, whom do you say that I am? Peter said, thou art the Christ. We believe and are sure that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. When it was all over, after Peter's denial of Christ, after his awful sin, after he thought I'm lost, I'm undone, surely I don't belong to the Lord, he heard the Lord call him back. And the Lord asked him one question. Didn't it? Simon, son of Jonah, son of Adam, the sinner you, lovest thou me. More than this. Did he have to stop and think? Did he? I think so. Yea, Lord, thou knowest. I sure am ashamed of my love. I don't talk about it because it's so weak, so fickle. I don't talk about it. I'd rather talk about his. But if you ask me if I love him, yes I do. Why? Because he made me love him. There was a time I didn't. Right? There's a time I didn't. His people, there's a time I didn't. I didn't want to be with you, you bunch of squares, you. What's a square on it? That's what we called it. I was cool.

Love never fails. And here's what Jude says, and I close it. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord. Keep yourselves under the gospel that speaks of God's love. Keep yourselves under the gospel. Keep loving, keep forgiving, keep love covereth, love forgivereth. If you don't forgive your brother, you won't be forgiven. Keep covering, keep gathering, keep exhorting. If you're not gathering, you're scattering. You understand? If you're not building up, you're tearing down. If you're not uniting, you're dividing. If you're not striving for together for the faith, you're against. Are you with me?

This is what the scripture says. Keep yourselves in the love of God. The Holy Spirit leads his people to love one another. He doesn't leave you from them. He leads you to them. Are you with me? How? Always keep in mind his love for you. We may get mad at each other. Well, we do. We're sinners, aren't we? Like a husband and wife. What's gonna keep them together? They get mad. They know each other better than anybody knows them, don't they? They know almost all their bad points. They do. What keeps them together? Love. getting mad, put out, might not speak to each other for a little while, but they don't leave.

Right? Right? Right. Our Lord said, I will never leave thee. He should, shouldn't he? But he won't. Now you keep that in mind. I'm not mad at you. I'm begging God to keep us in loving one another. And the way that he'll do that is remember his love for us. Always keep in mind, if God He doesn't have mercy on me and cover my sins with his blood and keep forgiving me and keep forgiving me and keep forgiving me. I deserve to be cast out. If he doesn't keep me, I'm gonna leave him forever. Right? So, the love of God, shed abroad in our heart. Now, I want you to greet one another with a holy kiss. Okay? And thank God and go home and pray for each other, okay? All right, you're dismissed.