Good evening. You can open your
Bibles with me to 1 John 3. That will be our text. 1 John
3. My prayer is that God might comfort
us. through his word. I don't know
about you, but I need comfort. That's why we keep coming back,
isn't it? Need comfort. Lord, comfort our hearts with
the good news of your gospel. Let's read our text together. 1 John 3, verse 1 says, Behold,
what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. that we
should be called the sons of God. The title of our message
is Behold, What Manner of Love? What Manner of Love? Tonight
I want us to behold, I want us to see, I want us to lay hold
of the love of our great God. Look over just a page with me
at chapter four, verse seven. John writes, beloved, let us
love one another. For love is of God, and everyone
that loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not
knoweth not God. For God is love. Let us love one another, brethren.
For love is of God. But not only is love of God,
not only does love come from God, God is love. He is love. I'm not going to
pretend to understand what all that means. I just know it's
glorious. It's who he is. It's His character. Perhaps it's
His most glorious attribute. God is love. God is love. And we ought to love one another.
Everyone that loveth is born of God. I want to briefly consider
what is the love of God like? People speak much of God's love,
do they not? Let's see what God's love is
like. Turn over with me to 1 Corinthians 13. First Corinthians chapter 13. And look at verse four with me. Charity, or love, suffereth long. and is kind. As we read this,
let's consider this is what love is, this is what I strive to
love like, but this is the love of our God. Okay, this is the
love of God. Verse four again. Love suffereth
long and is kind. Love envieth not. Love vaunteth
not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly,
seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth
not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. Love beareth all
things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all
things, and love never faileth. Our God in love suffers long. The Lord is slow to anger and
of great mercy. He's so patient towards those
he loves. And the long suffering of our
Lord is our salvation. God's love is kind. It's so kind. Oh, the loving kindness of our
God, how excellent is his loving kindness. And God's love, it
says, seeketh not her own. Love doesn't serve self. And
God doesn't serve himself. God seeketh his people. He seeks and He serves those
whom He loves. God's love is good. God's love is good. God's love
is pure. God's love is perfect. Perfect. And I'm honored to get to stand
here and tell you about that love. His love is perfect. God's love, it says, rejoiceth
in the truth. Now first, God's love is reason
to rejoice. If God reveals, if God has shed
abroad his love in our hearts, we rejoice in his love. We just
can't help it. We love his love. God's love is my only reason
for rejoicing. It's the only hope I have. And
like God, we too rejoice in the truth. Christ. Love rejoices in the Lord Jesus
Christ. And as our brother just read
to us, God's love is in Christ. Nothing shall be able to separate
us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. And that goes with verse eight.
It says, love never faileth. Praise God, his love cannot fail
because he shall not fail. If God loves us, I promise, we
shall be saved. God's love is never, ever in
vain. It never fails. His love endures
forever because He loves with an everlasting, eternal love.
That's the only kind of love God has. He doesn't love some
more than others. His love is in Christ. His love is perfect.
His love is eternal. Behold what manner of love. And
I'll say this, his love is not like our love. You know, as I
read through this, as I try to prepare this message, I just
thought, owe to love like he loves. We should strive to. Pray, Lord, teach me how to love
because our flesh, we just don't know much about love, only what
God's pleased to reveal us. Behold what manner of love God
has. And look back at our text again. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us. Now this is the part I'm extremely
interested in. God has bestowed his love upon
us. Who is us? Who is us? I'm not here to tell ya, I'm
not just here to say, these are the facts, better believe I'm
here. I need to know if God, if his love is to me. It's not
enough to just say, well, God loves Jacob and hates Esau. Can
God love me? Can I put myself in this us? Has God bestowed his love upon
me? I have to know. Well, this us is certainly not
for everybody. The scriptures are clear. Look
at the end of the verse, it says, Now what that's saying, there's
a distinction. God loves the us, and God does
not love the world. In fact, God commands us to love
not the world, neither the things that are in the world. Us, the us is the sheep. The world, Turn over with me
to John chapter 15. This might sound kind of strange,
but let's ask ourselves as we look for this, for who the us
is, let's ask, am I the us? Lord, please, please reveal to
me that I'm one of the us. Let's see what God has to say
about this. John 15, verse 18. Our Lord speaking, he said, if
the world hate you, Ye know that it hated me before it hated you,
if ye were of the world. The world would love his own.
But because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you
out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Now, we were
just told in 1 John 3 that the world knows us not. Well, here
we see another distinction. The Lord tells his disciples,
you're not of the world. You were of the world, but I
chose you out of the world. And he said, and they hated me,
therefore, they're gonna hate you too. Okay? Those who are
the sons of God, the us, is those whom God has chosen. Verse 16 says, you've not chosen
me, but I've chosen you and ordained you. It's those whom God has
chosen. He did it. He did the choosing.
those whom he's chosen out of the world. And I'll read you
this, John 13 verse 18, our Lord said, I know whom I have chosen. He knows whom he has chosen. He also said, I know my sheep.
Just said the us is the sheep. He said, I know my sheep and
am known of mine. I know my sheep and my sheep
know me. We hear his voice, we follow him. Well, that's not
enough. The sheep, those whom God has
chosen, well, I need some more. That's not enough. I still don't
know. Turn over to John, or I'm sorry, Romans chapter five. Who
is this people whom God has chosen? Romans chapter five, verse six. For when we were yet without
strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. God chose to save a people from
eternity. Whom did God choose to save?
The ungodly. Now that may not make everybody
smile, but that makes me smile because God's revealed to me,
that's me. If there's something I am, that's
it. In my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing. They that are
in the flesh cannot please God. This flesh is rotting, it's corruptible,
it's everything that God hates. That's what I am by nature. I
am the ungodly. Now, who else is this? The first part of that verse
says that we were yet without strength. God chose to save those
who have no strength. You know, there's a verse that
says, without Him, without Christ, I can do nothing. We can do nothing. Nothing. We certainly have no
strength to save ourselves. Look at verse seven. For scarcely
for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good
man some would even dare to die, but God. There's my hope. But God. All my hope lies right
here in these two words. But God commendeth his love toward
us. Toward us. In that while we were
yet sinners, Christ died for us. And I'll just mention, I
heard brother Mike Walker say a few months ago, he said, who's
the us? The us is all throughout the
scriptures. Useless sinners. I find that to be a good example. Useless sinners. And anytime
we read that, the promises of God to us, this is only for useless
sinners, let me never forget that's what I am. That's what
I am, a useless sinner. Now, Verse eight tells us, while
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. The us, sinners. Those whom God said they shall
be called, that they may be called the sons of God, sinners. Sinners, sinners. Turn over to
Ephesians chapter two. Familiar passage, but I just,
I can't help but turn here. Ephesians chapter two. This is for sinners. The gospel. Gospel means good
news. Who needs to hear good news?
Good people? I don't think so. Sinners. Those who are in trouble. Those
who have no strength. Those who are ungodly. They and
they alone need good news. Well, here's some good news for
us. Ephesians 2 verse 1. 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, now make sure you see this,
among whom also we all had our conversation in times past, in
the lust 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, there it is again, there's
the good news once again, but God who is rich in mercy, for
his great love wherewith he loved us. There it is. Verse five,
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, that in the ages to come, he might show the
exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through
Christ Jesus. Whom has God chosen? Who are
these sons of God? Well, Paul tells us in verse
one, those who were dead in trespasses and sins. If we're dead, we can't do anything. You think of Lazarus. Dead. He could not come up until
the Lord said, Lazarus, come forth. That's us. And you know
what? That's the best news Lazarus
ever heard. And he came forth. When God saves, He saves. Simple statement, but the world
needs to hear it. When God saves, He saves. We're
saved. And God did this in verse 4,
because of His great love. What manner of love? What manner
of love? Now, we know this, but I really
can't hear it enough. This is a faithful saying, worthy
of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came. He came here into
this world to save. He came to save sinners, of whom
I'm chief. Best news I've ever heard in
my life. If that ever gets old to us, we better beg God to make it
fresh to us once again. The gospel is the same. Christ
is the same. He is our gospel, the same forever.
Now I just want to point out that I've heard this said that
people may think God looked through time and saw who would accept
Him, who would believe on Him, who would live for Him, so that's
why He chose them. Well, we just read in verse 5, when we were
dead in sins. In Romans 5, we read, while we
were yet sinners. It doesn't mean while we were
sinners. This happened long before we were ever born. Long before
Jacob, whom God loved, ever did any evil. This happened long
before us. I think the point here is to
show us God's love isn't because of us in any way at all. It could
only be in spite of us. Even when we were dead. While
we were yet sinners. The children being not yet born. God loved us long before we were
ever born, long before our parents were ever born, long before any
of us were ever here. God loved His people perfectly. Who are the sons of God? Sinners. Sinners. If God has not yet revealed
to us that we're a sinner, oh, I pray He would. I pray he would. Turn back to our text. 1 John 3, 1. Behold what manner
of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called
the sons of God. I just can't hardly get over
reading that. We just saw who we are. That we should be called
the sons of God. We read that God has one only
begotten son in whom he's well pleased. And now we're reading
that we, useless sinners, should be called the sons of God. That's good news. Now how, how
on earth, how, how can we become sons of God? Let me rephrase
that. How did we become the sons of
God? We just read it. Christ died
for us. God sent his own begotten son
into the world to die for us. He said, I lay down my life for
the sheep. We became the sons of God by
substitution. We just read that we're sinners. Well, God is holy. He must punish
all sin. I've sinned. I must die. Christ is my substitute. He bore
our sins. He died. He died. He made our sins his own. And God in justice killed his only begotten son.
God, forsook God. Why hast thou forsaken me? Because
God is holy. Because that's what justice demands.
Well, do you need a substitute? If Christ did not die for my
sins, I must die for my sins. I ask you again, do you need
a substitute? There's a substitute. Praise
God, there's a substitute who has made eternal satisfaction. The Lord Jesus Christ tasted
death for all his people. Not so that hopefully somebody
will be saved. He tasted death for all his people
in order to bring many sons unto glory. And our Lord Jesus, the captain
of our salvation, is the firstborn among many brethren. He is our
head. We're the body, the body of Christ. Turn over with me to 1 Peter
chapter 2. When we were born into this world,
we were the children of wrath, even as others. Well, now we're
the sons of God. But we've been the sons of God
from eternity. Look here in 1 Peter 2, verse 9. Peter writes, but ye are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, and holy nation, a peculiar people,
that you should show forth the praises of him who hath called
you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now see this,
which in time past were not a people. Children of wrath. Which in time
past were not a people, but are now the people of God, which
had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. We became the children of God,
not by anything we did. Again, this was finished long
before we were ever a thought. We became the children of God
by sovereign mercy. Turn back a page to 1 Peter 1. Look with me at verse 3. It says, to an inheritance incorruptible
and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven
for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto
salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. God has begotten
us, made us to be his sons by sovereign mercy. Our Lord said you must be born
again. When it says He's begotten us,
we've been born again. How can one be born again? With
us, it's impossible. This is the work of God alone.
We're born again by grace. Paul said, by the grace of God,
I am what I am. And I can stand here tonight
and say, by the grace of God, I'm a son of God. I'm a child
of the King, but it was all by grace. And if God has given us
faith in Christ, we can say the same thing. We can go home rejoicing. Crying unto our Father. Now this,
what we're about to see is my favorite part of this message.
Turn to Galatians chapter four. Galatians chapter four. Verse four. How can we be sons of God? If we've not seen it yet, I think
we'll see it here. How can I be a son of God? Galatians
4 verse 4 says, but when the fullness of the time was come,
God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law
to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive
the adoption Do we know what that word means?
Adoption. I don't think anybody here is adopted. I may be wrong,
but adoption is so scriptural. That's what God's done for us.
He has adopted us. God purposed to adopt a people. When the fullness of the time
was come, God sent his son. Christ came to redeem us. He came to purchase us, to buy
us back, redeem us from the curse of the law. He was made a curse
for us. In adoption, it's a very lengthy,
it's a very tedious process, and a great price has to be paid.
It's not cheap. Paul said, you're bought with
a price. Peter tells us, not with corruptible things like
silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, with
the blood of God's own Son. That's the price of our adoption.
What a price. Do you think if God sent His
Son and shed His blood to adopt a people, you think He's gonna
have them? Absolutely. Absolutely. That blood was not shed in vain,
oh no. As a result of what Christ accomplished, we have received. You see that it says that we
might receive? We've received the adoption of sons. We can
be called the sons of God. Now, notice this. Received? How do we receive Him? Freely. When you adopt a child,
that child doesn't pay anything. That child comes into your home,
he receives your home, he receives you, your family, everything
that you have freely. It's the gift of God. Salvation is the free gift of
God. Our Lord said, I give unto them.
In adoption, you're giving everything to them. Our Lord said, I give
unto them eternal life and they shall never perish. No one's
ever gonna pluck them out of my hand, my Father's hand. Look
at verse 6 here, it says, And because ye are sons, God hath
sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying,
Abba, Father, wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a
son. Because of what God in love has done for us, We are sons,
it said, because ye are sons. That's a declaration, we're sons.
We're sons. God sends his spirit into our
hearts and we cry, Abba, Father. Oh, thank you, Father. No more under the curse, no more
servants, but sons. And I cannot help but think of
the prodigal son. You know what he said? So he
took his father's inheritance, he went, he got his way. Not for long. He wasted all he
had with riotous living. Well then it says he came to
himself. God did something for him. He
came to himself and he said, I'm gonna return to my father.
He said, all his hired servants, they have food, they lack nothing.
I'm just gonna go be a servant to my father, a hired servant.
Here he comes. Here he comes. And I hope we
can put ourselves in this man's place. Here he comes. So ashamed,
I'm no more worthy to be called thy son. Here he comes. You know,
it says his father saw him afar off. The father comes out and
runs to meet that unworthy son. And he kissed him. And that son
cries, Father, I'm no more worthy to be called your son. I'm unworthy. I just want to be your servant. You know what the father did
for his son? Come here, son. He told his servants,
you go get the best robe and put it on him. You get a ring
and you put it on his hand, and you put shoes on his feet. This
is my son. He said, for this my son was
dead and is alive again. He was lost, but he's found.
The point is, that's us. If that doesn't show what we
are, wasted everything God's given us, thought we knew what
was best for us, and God gave it to us, And we're ruined. We're
to the point of despair. But God had mercy on us. And
we come to our father. I'm unworthy. We beg for mercy. And God gives us more than we
ask for. He gives everything. It also says that he killed the
fatted calf. He had a fatted calf prepared,
waiting for him. And upon that son's arrival,
they killed the fatted calf. And they ate it. And they made
Mary. They were happy. And he said, my son, my son. The last part of Galatians 4,
7 says, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. We're
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Oh, the blessing
of adoption. You know, if I hear sometimes
where someone's adopted and and wants to find out who their birth
parents are. And I guess, you know, that's okay. But when it
comes to spiritual adoption, we're, we could not be as blessed as
we are unless we're adopted. The true blessing is only for
those who've been adopted by God. Adoption is such a blessing,
such a blessing. To be an adopted son of God,
I cannot think of anything greater. Let's read our text one more
time. 1 John 3, 1. 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. Oh, what manner of love. I know
I can't do this justice. I know the more I say, the more
I'm just going to corrupt everything I touch. I know that. But I pray
that God has shown us his manner of love. I pray that we've seen
God's goodness to unworthy sinners. I really do. I want to close
by just reading verse two. Beloved, now are we the sons
of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know
that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him. For we shall see Him as He is. Even so, come Lord Jesus. All right. Amen.