That's a great hymn. Great. You look closely at the words
of some of these hymns, my, my. So God-honoring. We won't sing
any other kind. John 15. John 15. I fully intended to go from verse
9 to at least verse 20, but I didn't get past verse 9. What he says
here is, who is sufficient for these things? Paul said that. Where does that
leave us, John? Who can declare? Who can talk
about, declare, and set forth the love of God for His people? The love of Christ. The sacrifice
of Christ. Who? Who? And I come, the Lord talked about
Loving one another as I loved you, and I've come so far short
of that, and I'm trying to teach you. So, but necessity is laid upon
us. This is what I've got to do. Verse 9, here it is. Our Lord
said to his disciples, as the Father hath loved me, so have
I loved you. Continue ye in my love. Now, our Lord forty times in
the Gospel of John talks about love. Love of God is love. Forty times. Begins in John 3,
16. Go there. That's the first time
He mentions God loving. Okay, go there. John 3, 16. And I don't want to spend too
much time talking about who God does not love. Had a man recently
write me and he said, I'm thankful you don't spend all your time
or too much time just attacking or renouncing false religion. And I hope I don't, but I've got to. Martin Luther said
this, and I put this in my notebook. If I profess with the loudest
voice and clearest exposition every part of the truth of God
except that point which the world and the devil are attacking,
I am not confessing Jesus Christ. And you know and I know that
the message of this whole world is that God loves every one of
you. The message of all false religions
is God loves you, Jesus died for you. And it's like Brother
Barnard, when the Lord sent that evangelist to reveal the true
God to my father and many after him. Barnard got up and said
the two biggest lies ever told. And neither one of them was settled.
And God loves every person and Jesus died for every person.
He said that neither one of them sinned. And people have made a whole
religion, a whole theology out of one verse out of the Bible.
Taken out of context. But John 3.16 is a blessed verse,
a glorious verse, okay? Isn't it? And I have to say,
you know, what they say is the greatest, the greatest blasphemy
that can be done against our God and dishonor is to say that
he loves every single individual. All right, look at verse, that
means he loves, that he loved Pharaoh. Our Lord loved Herod. He loves
Adolf Hitler. He loves the devil. Right? All right, John 3.16,
look at that. Now, my pastor used to say, to
understand Scripture, the Holy Spirit has to give you understanding,
but to understand Scripture, three things. You must know who
is speaking. You must know who he's speaking
to. You must know what he's speaking
about. The whole subject here, our Lord
Jesus Christ, it's our Lord speaking to a Pharisee named Nicodemus. And he's speaking about the new
birth. And he begins very clearly by
telling this man who thought he knew God but didn't know God.
He said, You must be born again. Look at it. Verse 3. He said, Verily, verily, this
is true, I say unto you, you must accept a man be born again. He cannot see the kingdom of
God. Nicodemus said, How? How can
a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his second time
in his mother's womb and be born? Our Lord said, Verily, verily,
I say unto thee, Let the man be born of water and of the Spirit,
the Holy Spirit. He cannot enter the kingdom of
heaven. That which is born of the flesh
is flesh. That which is spirit is spirit. Holy Spirit. Marvel
not that I said unto you, you must be born again. Now, did
you contribute to your first birth? Anybody in here, help
your parents out. Did anybody's parents in here
ask you if they could give you life? That's absurd, isn't it? So is the absurdity, or worse,
that man gives birth to himself by his will or by his decision.
We're born of God, and God gets all the glory. All right, read
on. Our Lord said, Verse 8, The wind bloweth where it listeth,
thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it
cometh, and whither it goeth. So is every one that is born
of the Spirit. Meaning the Spirit comes and
saves whom He will, when He will, because He will. That's what
our Lord is talking about. And Nicodemus said, I don't understand
this. Our Lord said, Are you a teacher at Israel? Now it goes down to verse 13,
it says, No man ascended up to heaven, but he that came down
from heaven. You can't get to heaven. Anything you do or say,
you can't do it. Or believe, you can't do it.
The Son of Man had to come down. And as Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.
That's Christ crucified. Nobody's going to get to heaven
but through the blood of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who put Him on that cross? Harry, Pontius Pilate, the Jews,
the Gentiles, they all crucified Him, but they did what God said
to do. God did it. Alright, who did
He do it for? Was it an offer? It was an offer to Him, and it
wasn't an offer to man. Read on. And whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish. Who's He talking about? Believers. Right? Who's to ever believe
it? Why does anybody believe? What
does Ephesians 2 verse 8 say? By grace are you saved through
faith. And that's not of yourself. It's the gift of God. Ephesians 119, you believe according
to the working of His mighty power. You believe because God
said, believe. He didn't ask you, He gave it
to you. It can't happen. You had no choice
in the matter. I'm glad. I was given a choice in the beginning
and I chose evil, rebellion. That's all men will choose, but
God has chosen some of these revelers. Four, God so loved the world,
that is, as Moses lifted up the serpent, Christ was hung on a
cross for these believers. He was hung on the cross, crucified. He gave his only begotten Son
as a sacrifice, as a substitute. A sin offering, a burnt offering,
that whosoever believeth in him should him. Who's he talking
about? Believers should not perish but
have everlasting life. God sent not His Son into the
world to condemn the world. He's coming again to condemn
the world. The first time He came to save that the world through
Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not
condemned. There is no condemnation of them
that are in Christ. He that believeth not is condemned
already. Can you be in the love of God
and under the condemnation of God? Look at verse 36, verse 35. God loveth the Son, giving all
things into His hand. That means His people. He that
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. He that believeth not the
Son shall not see life. The wrath of God abides on him.
Can the love of God and the wrath of God abide on the same person?
No way. He's talking about believers.
He used the word world in it. The word world. Why? Who's he
talking to? That's the second point. Who's he talking to? God is talking. Who's he talking to? A Pharisee.
A Jew. Jews believe that there's nobody
in the world saved but Jews. That's what they believe. It's
the Jews and the whole world, and God doesn't love any of them.
And our Lord said, God so loved the world, not just Jews, but
He has a people out of every tribe, kindred, nation, tongue
under heaven that He saves out of the world. He's not saying,
very clearly he's not saying God loves every single individual
in the world. No, no. I don't know. Because other places he plainly
said, if God were your father, you'd love me. But he's not.
He said, you're of your father's devils. All right? So, who receives Him? Who believes? John 1. Who receives Him? Huh? Those that are born of God. Those
that are born, not the will of the flesh, not the will of man,
but born of God. All right? And, uh, look at,
uh, back in, look at Chapter 8. Go over to Chapter 8. In Chapter
5, He said, to some Jews. I just quoted it. He said, if
God were your father, you would love me. You would love me. In chapter 8, verse 42, this
is it. Chapter 8, verse 42. He said,
if God were your father, you would love me. Look at verse
44. You're of your father the devil.
That's what he said, isn't it? That's what he said. Now the
truth is this. The truth of God's love. The
truth of Christ's love. Bear with me to Ephesians 1.
Ephesians 1. The truth of God's love and Christ's
love is if God loves someone, and He does. He loves many. Those
He loves, He loved before the world began. That's what this
book teaches. He chose them, He elected them,
He gave them to Jesus Christ in a covenant that God made,
ordered in all things, yes predestined, every single thing about His
children. Anybody in here, when your children
were being born, did you get a nursery ready? Did you? You chose their name and got
the nursery ready and all the little toys and you made plans
about what all you were going to do with that child. Well,
you didn't ask the child. The child didn't have anything
to do with anything. And you prepared everything for them,
didn't you? And you gave birth to that child. You didn't ask
it, you gave birth. All right, when He came into
the world, He had everything all prepared for them. Who? Your child. Did you love them? Do you love them? Will you ever
quit loving Him? The love of God. He ordered everything. He loved
his people before the world began. He gave them to Jesus Christ,
the covenant head, the one whom he could trust, the one with
all power in heaven and earth. He said, you go save my people.
He said, I will. And John, he did. Every one of
them. He said, no other sheep I have,
I must bring them, or he's not the good shepherd. Whoever he
loves, he saves. If he doesn't, he's not a savior. Love never faileth. If he ever
quits loving them, then he didn't love them in the first place.
What good is that love? Look at Ephesians 1. Ephesians
1. They're loved eternally. They're
loved effectively. Effectually. Savingly. Ephesians 1. Blessed. Verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us. Who's he talking
to? The saints in Christ. Chosen. He's blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places or things. It's in Christ. He's
given us those He loved. John, He put into the hands of
His beloved Son. And it's all according, verse
4, as He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that
we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. He did this out of His love to
His people, His love to His Son. And we're all going to be in
His love, we're going to be beholding Him in that day in love with
the Lamb, in love with one another. Now look at our text. Our Lord
says in our text, John 15, and it began, our Lord began talking
to His disciples In the next three or four chapters, 37 times,
he talks about love. And he's only talking to his
disciples. You hear me? He is only talking. to his disciples about the love
of God for them, for him, and his love for them. Who's he talking
to? The disciples. That's who he's
talking to. In chapter 13, it says, When
Judas left, our Lord, like a dog, said, Get. And he went out there. All right? Then he started talking
about the love of God. He said, A new commandment I
give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you. And from then on he's talking
to them, his disciples. Did they believe him? They sure
did. Did they love him? They sure did. Why? Because he first loved them.
He kept telling them You did not choose me, did you? You did
not choose me. I chose you. Oh, brethren. God gets all the
glory, you know that? He gets all the glory. That's
why we must repudiate. We must refute. We must denounce. We must call it heresy and dishonor
to our God. It's casting the pearls before
swine. The blood of Christ, the love
of God under the feet of men to do with as they bleed. No,
sir. We're going to exalt His sovereign love and mercy and
grace. He said in John 15 verse 9, As the Father hath loved me,
so have I loved you. How does the father love the
son? Proverbs 8 talks about Christ
being with him from the beginning. He said, I was daily his delight. Do you love your sons and daughters?
Sure you do. You even love the wayward one,
don't you? You even love the rebellious
one. You do, don't you? How much more? How much more does a father love
his children? Even the wavering ones. Like
that prodigal son. I had that written down at the
end of this chapter. It can't wait. The prodigal son. He was a worthless son, wasn't
he? And God brought him to himself to see what he was in a hog pen. And you granted him repentance.
And he came back, and, Father, I'm not fit to be called a son.
And before he reached the Father, the Father ran to him and fell
on his neck and kissed him. How could you love, Father? How
could you love such a wayward son? Because he's God, not a
man. Because that's the love of God. He said, As the Father hath loved
me, so have I loved you. How does God love His Son? He said over and over, Thou art
my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. God never spoke
out loud. He never spoke out loud until
Christ walked the earth. Until His Son was born of a woman.
And then God spoke, Angels! Go down there and sing to the
praise of my Son's glory. He said God created a universe
to the glory of His Son. God created all things for the
glory of His Son. God made man for the glory of
His Son. God made a church and a people
for eternity to glorify His Son, their bride and runner. Yes,
that's what it's all about. That's why God did everything
and anything. It's for the praise of the glory
of His Son, because He loves His Son supremely. My beloved
Son. He never spoke out loud. But
when Christ walked this earth, He said, Thou art my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased. And the only thing He's got to
say to man is, You better hear Him. You better come to Him. And believe on Him. Come through
Him. He said, As the Father hath loved
me. How does God love His Son? Well, God said, Thou art my beloved
Son, and thee am I well pleased. And the Lord glorified, God glorified
His Son. God gave Him a name above every
name. God set him at his right hand
forever. And our Lord says, as he loved me, I love you. John, he talked about he glorified
his disciples past ten, didn't he? In John 17. He said, I've given them my glory.
The glory Thou gavest me, I've given it to them. What's that? It's a sign to behold His glory. Are you with me? Don't let me
lose you here. Okay? All right? He gave him a name
which is above every name. There's not one name on earth
that's going to be remembered. Not Lincoln, not Washington,
not Jefferson, no name. But behold what manner of love
the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called sons
of God. He's given us a name above every
name. Hasn't he? He's given all things
into Christ's hands, all things. You know what he said about his
people? He's given us all things to richly
enjoy. All things are yours, Paul said.
Why? Because we're joint heirs with
Christ. He set his Son at his right hand. Are you with me? Prepare to jump
your pew. He set his Son at his right hand. The Scripture says we're seated
together with Him. We're going to sit with Him in
glory. Let me give you a story. Over
in 2 Samuel 9, 2 Samuel 9, David said, David the king, the mightiest
man on earth said, I have decided, I have purposed to show mercy
to someone of the house of Saul, my intimate, a covenant I made
with my beloved. I purpose to save and have mercy
on one of these rebel sons. To any of the house of Saul that
I might show kindness, for Jonathan's sake." They said, there's one
down there, he's lame on both his feet, he can't come, he can't
come. Fetch him! So he sent two mighty men down
there and picked him up. Mephibosheth was his name. Brought
him all the way to the throne of David and sat him at the throne
of David. And David said, Mephibosheth,
how do you know my name? I've known you before you were
born. And here's what he said to Mephibosheth. I'm going to
give you back everything you lost. He said, you're going to sit
at my right hand. forever as one of the king's
sons. And it says he sat right there,
just like the king said, forever. David had six sons, Kelly. Six
sons he loved dearly. Absalom was the son of his loved
one. Absalom. But he said to Mephibosheth,
his chosen, his elect, you are one of my sons because I said
so. And I love you. I love you. And you're going
to sit right there, and everybody and everything is going to wait
on you hand and foot. And God said that in Isaiah.
He said, I gave Egypt for thee, Ethiopian sea for thy ransom. You were precious in my sight.
Who did He say that to? Jacob. Jacob, have I done. As the Father hath loved me,
So have I loved you. So have I loved you. Now look
at the next line. I quit. Look at this. He said here, and you know, John
wrote, and we're going to turn there, 1 John. Greater love hath
no man than he. Our Lord wrote, and in 1 John, He said in verse 9, so have I
loved you, continue ye in my love. Continue ye in my love. What does that mean? Turn to
1 John 4. 1 John 4. And I'll close here. 1 John 4. What does that mean? Does that mean there's something
we can do to take ourselves out of the love of God? Does it mean
there's something we can do to make God quit loving us? He said, I've loved thee with
an everlasting love. Having loved his own, he loved
them to the end. He said, has the Father loved
me? Has God the Father ever quit loving his son? Huh? Well, Christ said, you'll never
quit loving us. He said, I will by no means,
in no wise, cast you out. Aren't you glad? That's the love
of God, not the love of man. Well, He says, continue in my
love. You know, Simon denied Him, didn't
he? Simon Peter. Did our Lord quit
loving Him? All the disciples forsook Him.
Did He forsake them? He can't. He can't. What does it mean to
continue? It means continue hearing, believing,
looking to, trusting in His love for us. There is not one single child of God
who will say out loud, Oh, how I love Jesus. Not one. There's not one of God's true
people that put on their bumper sticker or on their t-shirt or
anywhere, I sure love the Lord. We're ashamed of it, aren't we?
Ashamed of it. we must keep ourselves under
the sound of the gospel which tells us of his love for us. When Simon Peter denied the Lord,
and the Lord loved him and would not deny him, and so the Lord
sent word and sent somebody to bring him. Go tell my disciples
and Peter, bring him. And they did, they brought him
back, and he's taken For three days after he denied him, he's
thinking, I cannot possibly be his disciple. Can't possibly. I denied him
terribly. All disciples are thinking, he's
not coming back. Look what we did to him. But
if they had stopped and thought about everything he said before
we went to that cross, he kept telling you, as God loves me,
I love you. John, if they'd all thought,
we've denied him, but he said he wouldn't deny love. We act like we don't know him.
He knows us. We act like we don't love him,
but he said he'll never quit loving us. That'll keep your
mind, your heart, and your soul in perfect peace. 1 John 4, look
at 1 John 4, 8. He that loveth not knoweth not
God. God is love. And this was manifested,
the love of God toward us. See who's loving? He's exalting. God sent His only begotten Son
into the world. Now John was standing there when
the Lord said all this. John wrote the Gospel of John.
John wrote this. John wrote John 3.16. John wrote
1 John 4.9. He said, And this was manifested,
the love of God toward us. Who? Who? He keeps talking about
the beloved, the beloved, the beloved. Little children, little
children, little children. Doesn't he? That's who this whole
letter's to. Read on. That God sent His Son,
His only begotten Son, into the world that we, might live through
Him. Here in His love, not that we
love God, but He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation
for our sins. Beloved, beloved, if God so loved
us, who? Who's the us? His people. We
are also to love one another. It goes on down in verse 17.
Herein is our love made perfect. Considering his love, continue
in my love, he said. Continue thinking about, dwell
on. Jude wrote this. He said, keep
yourselves in the love of God. Same thing. What he's saying
is keep yourself under the sound of the Gospel. If you leave,
if you go out into the world and forsake Him for the shortest
amount of time, you'll think you're lost. You'll think you're
lost. You'll forget everything you
ever heard, like a disciple. And you remember Hosea? Keep
reading Hosea. Here's how to keep yourselves
in the love of God. Keep your nose in the book of Hosea. Okay? You'll know something about the
love of God. This is to His glory. It's to
our peace and our comfort. Keep yourselves reading Hosea. Go, love Him. And he talked about
Ephraim. He said, Ephraim's joined his
idols. Leave him alone. Leave him alone. And then later
he says, I can't. I can't leave him alone. He's
mine. Go get him. See, his people are prone to
wander. Are you prone to wander? Anybody? Every single one of his sheep,
he gave this illustration. This is a parable he said. He
said, What man among you who loses one sheep will not leave
the ninety-nine and go after one? And when he finds it, when
he finds it, not if, when he finds it, it says he lays it
on his shoulder and brings it all the way back home. And he
said, there's joy in heaven over one sinner. And all praise and
glory and honor to the shepherd who found that one bishop. Again
and again and again. Keep yourselves under the sound
of and with this love in your heart and in your mind. Does
that make sense? Doesn't mean there's something
you can do to keep God loving you. Come on. Come on. And so, he says, as the Father
hath loved me, so have I loved you. In our next study, He's going
to tell us, now you love one another. You know who is forgiven much? Will do what? Love much. Is there anything that any of
those disciples could do to Mary Magdalene that she wouldn't forgive? Is there anything any one of
them would do, go out there and get into, that took a vote and
Mary Magdalene wouldn't say, bring them back? Not one. That's how God loves His people.
That's how Christ forgives His people. And He's going to go
on and tell us, now you live that way. If you don't, if you
don't, you have love of God in you. That's very plain. Okay. Let's sing a closing hymn.