Would you turn with me to John
chapter 11? While you're turning there, in
the foyer, there's some invitations to a baby shower that's going
to be this Saturday. Pick those up when you can. John chapter 11, verse 3. Therefore, his sisters sent unto
him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. In verse five, now Jesus loved
Martha and her sister and Lazarus. He whom thou lovest is sick. You're going to get sick and
you're going to die. These preachers who preach health,
wealth, and prosperity are liars and nothing more. They have no
credibility. Somebody says, Don't you believe
in healing? Sure I do. If you're healed,
God healed you. But you're going to get sick
and you're one day going to die. That's a fact. But isn't this
verse of scripture comforting? He whom thou lovest is sick. What wisdom these women demonstrated
at this time when they say this to the Lord. This is not the
way the world's religion speaks. The world's religion speaks like
this. The one who loves you is sick. Now you need to do something
about it. But these women are far more
wise. They say, he whom thou lovest. is sick. I hear people describe
other people that say they really love the Lord. Well, I'm glad
they do. But is that the way we ought to speak? Behold, he
whom thou lovest is sick. Now, John, the writer of this
book, is sometimes called the apostle of love. And look at
the way he speaks. Look in John chapter 13, verse
23. Now, there was leaning on Jesus'
bosom one of his disciples whom Jesus loved. Not the disciple
that loved Jesus, but the disciple that Jesus loved. Look in chapter
19 of John. This is how John always refers
to himself. When therefore Jesus saw his
mother and the disciple standing by whom he loved. John speaking
of himself, he calls himself the disciple whom he loved. Look
in John chapter 20 verse 2. Then she runneth and cometh to
Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved. Chapter 21 verse 7. Therefore, that disciple whom
Jesus loved said unto Peter, Verse 20 of chapter 21, Then
Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved. Follow it. Don't you want to
be the disciple that Jesus loved? In our text, in John chapter
11, two different words are used with regard to Christ's love
for His people. In verse 3, the word love describes
tender affections and brotherly love. And in verse 5, it's the
word agape. And there is nothing greater,
there's nothing that it can even be compared with being loved
by Jesus Christ. That disciple whom Jesus Love,
to be loved by Christ is to be loved by God. Now I want you
to listen to me real carefully. The love of God in Christ Jesus
is the foundation of our salvation. God did not send his son into
this world to make a way to love, but because he did love. God so loved the world. that he gave his only begotten
son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but
have everlasting life. Romans chapter 5 verse 8 says,
But God commended his love toward us in the while we were yet sinners.
Christ died for us. But God, Paul said to the Ephesians,
who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved
us even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together
with Christ. I would not give a plug nickel
for what this religious world says about the love of God. Now, listen real carefully and
see if I'm not giving an accurate description of what is preached
by this religious world. The basic teaching is that God
loves everybody and wants everybody to be saved. Christ died for
everybody and paid for everybody's sins. But if you don't accept
his forgiveness, if you don't accept his love, if you do not
believe on him and repent of all your sins, the same God who
loves you and paid for your sins will cast you into hell. Now,
is that not an accurate representation of what most people believe? That belief makes the love of
God meaningless at best, and in reality, worthless. Turn with me for a moment to
Galatians chapter 2, verse 20. Paul the Apostle says, I am crucified
with Christ. He's talking about his union
with the Lord Jesus Christ. When Christ was crucified, I
was too because I'm united to Him. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not I, but Christ liveth
in me. And the life which I now live
in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me.
You hear that? He loved me and he gave himself
for me. Could you say that? Could you say he loved me and
gave himself for me? Now, if he could, if that could
be true, Christ loves you and gives himself for you, and yet
you could end up not being saved. How do you know good at all?
It makes the love of God, it makes the love of Christ meaningless.
Now let me give you these four questions. You think about this.
You've heard these before. If God loves all men the same,
what does the love of God have to do with salvation? The answer
is absolutely nothing. If God loves everybody the same,
if He loves Judas just as much as Peter, Peter saved, Judas
does not. then God doesn't do anything in salvation. If God
wills the salvation of all men the same, what does the will
of God have to do with salvation? If it was His will for Judas
to be saved as much as it was for Peter, what does the will
of God have to do with salvation? Absolutely nothing. It's man's will that
saves, not God's. If Christ died for all men the
same, If He shed His blood for all men without exception and
yet some of those men that He shed His blood for are saved
and some of those men He shed His blood for are lost, what's
the blood of Christ have to do with salvation? Not a thing. If God the Holy Spirit is calling
all men the same, what's the Holy Spirit have to do with salvation?
Nothing. That is the answer. That kind of belief makes God's
love nothing special. But thank God His love is special. He whom thou lovest is sick. Now, Jesus loved Martha and her
sister and Lazarus. Now, I want to ask this question.
What does the Bible teach about the love of God? would to God
that we could tune out what men say and see what the Bible says
concerning the love of God. God's love is a sovereign love. You see, everything God does
is sovereignty's God. Turn to Romans chapter nine, verse 11. for the children being not yet
born, neither having done any good or evil. They didn't have
any good works to recommend them. They didn't have any evil works
to disqualify them. They weren't even born yet that
the purpose of God, according to election might stand not of
works. But of him that calleth it was
said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger as it's written. God speaking, Jacob have I loved,
but Esau have I hated. Now that is the word of God. I've heard people say, well,
that means he loved Esau less. God loved less. You know that very thought is
offensive. God? Loveless? No, Esau, as all who die in unbelief
are, are objects of God's righteous hatred. He said, Esau have I
hated. That's the Word of God. And His
hatred's not like our hatred. It's not some kind of vindicativeness
where somebody did us wrong, therefore we're mad at them.
It's a righteous hatred. Altogether righteous. And if
somebody has a problem with that, you've got a problem. You've
got a real problem. You see, when I have a problem
with that, all of a sudden I become God's judge. I'm saying, I don't
agree with the way He's doing. You better. You better. The only thing to do is bow and
realize that you deserve God's hatred, don't you? Do you deserve
God's hatred? I mean, as far as what you are.
Do you? You do. You do. Here's what I
stand in amazement of, is that he loved Jacob, because Jacob
What a scheming, conniving, sinful individual. You look at the life
and the character of Jacob, and he's not very commendable, but
God loved Jacob. You see, God loves sinners. Isn't
that wonderful? He's eating bad, this is good.
Jacob have I loved. Now Esau deserved the righteous
hatred of God, but thank God because of his character, because
of his graciousness, because of his mercy, he loves sinners. Jacob. If he can love Jacob,
he can love me, if he's so pleased. Turn with me to a passage of
scripture in Deuteronomy chapter 7. I'm going to ask you to turn
to a lot of Scriptures this morning because I know that what we're
saying is out of step with human religion, and I want you to see
that it's what the book of God teaches. Look in verse 7 of Deuteronomy
chapter 7. The Lord did not set His love
upon you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than
any people. For you were the fewest of all people, but because
the Lord loved you. That's why He loved you. Because
He did. Whatever God does is right. It's perfect. It's glorious.
He doesn't have to find a reason in you. He does it because He
is love. I love that scripture, God is
love. Now, first, God's love according to the scripture is
sovereign love. It's just beyond debate. But secondly, God's love
is saving love. There will not be anybody in
hell who He loves. 901. Turn with me to Ephesians chapter
2. And you, verse 1, hath he quickened
who were dead in trespasses and sins. And he goes on to describe
us, but look what he says in verse 4. But God, who is rich
in mercy for His great love wherewith he loved us even when we were
dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ by grace
ye are saved you see God's love is saving love turn to the book
of Titus chapter 3 Verse 4. Well, verse 3, he talks
about us. We ourselves also were sometimes
foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lusts and pleasures,
living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another, but...
After that, the kindness and love of God our Savior toward
man appeared, not by works of righteousness, which we have
done, but according to His mercy, He saved us by the washing of
regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. God's love
is saving love. There is no one that He loves
who is not saved. Everybody that He loves He saves. Matthew chapter 121 says, thou
shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from
their sins. God's love is sovereign love.
God's love is saving love. And thirdly, God's love is eternal
love. I just read that passage of scripture to open this service.
Behold, and here's something to behold. I have loved you. with an everlasting love, a love
that never had a beginning. Now, that absolutely blows my
mind. There was never a time when God began to love his people. Before there was ever a star,
before the sun ever shined, before the creation, he knew me. He
said, before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee. His love never had a beginning.
And it will never have an ending. And God's love is not love that's
only in name. God's love gives. It's not just, I love you, but
nothing more than that. God so loved the world. that He gave His only begotten
Son. John said in 1 John 14, herein
is love. Not that we love God. Just scratch
that. Not that we love God. When I'm
going to describe love, I'm not going to talk about my love to
Him. Now, I do love Him. As the Lord is my witness, I
love Him. But I tell you what, I don't feel good about my love.
Here in His love, not that we love God, but that He loved us
and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. He that spared
not His own Son. Now here's His love. Here's what
He gave for me. He that spared not His own Son. but delivered him up for us all.
How shall he not with him also freely give us all things? God's love gives. You see, love
is defined by what it gives. Isn't that so? Our love to him is seen by what
we give. 2 Corinthians 8 9 says our giving Our giving proves the sincerity
of our love. Now, somebody says, preacher,
I can't give much now. I got bills to pay. I got children
to raise. I got all kinds of things I need
to do. When I'm in a better financial position, I'll give more. That
says one thing about me if I say that. I'm insincere. That's insincerity. You see,
what we give, our giving proves the sincerity of our love. But you know, that's never going
to be said of God's love, that it's insincere. God so loved
the world that he gave. And God's love is a complete
love. Would you turn with me to John
chapter 17? Now this, this verse of scripture
is the, is the, if you would ask me what is the hardest verse
of scripture in the Bible that you have to get hold of, that
you just have a hard time with? This, this scripture is the one
that I have the hardest time with right here. I mean, it's
just so amazing, so astounding. Verse 23 of John chapter 17,
I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one,
that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved
them as thou hast loved me. Now can you get a hold of that?
That God loves you exactly as He loves His Son. That's hard to grasp, isn't it?
God loves me that way? With the same love He loves His
Son with? Is there anything lacking in
God's love to Christ? No. Oh, the Father loveth the
Son, and hath given all things into His hand. And that's exactly
how He loves His people, completely with the same love He has to
His Son. The next thing I want to say about God's love is God's
love is a conditional love. Somebody says, now you said that
wrong. You meant to say unconditional. No, I didn't. I didn't mean to
say unconditional at all. God's love is a conditional love. People say they want to be loved
unconditionally. What they mean by that is I don't
want to have to change my character, conduct, or anything else. I
just want you to love me the way I am and I can get by with whatever
I want to. That's what people mean by that when they say I
want to be loved unconditionally. But as far as it goes, you know there's
no such thing as unconditional love. It's a non-entity. There's never been unconditional
love. You see, God can't love me as
I am. He can't remain God and do it.
He can't love me just as I am. Turn with me to Romans chapter
8. Romans chapter 8, verse 35. Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress
or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? as it's written,
for thy sake we're killed all the day long. We're as Canada's
sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we're
more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded
that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us
from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now, here's the condition of
God's love in Christ Jesus, our Lord. You see, if I'm united to Christ,
this is what I... this gives me such confidence,
this gives me such joy. If I'm united to Christ, I'm
one with Him. Does Jesus Christ deserve the
love of God? Is Jesus Christ altogether lovely
to God? Yes, He is. Me too. Because I'm united to Him. I'm
one with Him. I don't even like this concept
of unconditional love. You know, if God can unconditionally
love me, He can unconditionally decide to stop loving me, can't
He? But in Christ, I actually merit the love of God. I'm united
to the Lord Jesus Christ and I'm Lovely to Him. And that's where
my confidence is. You know, I can come into, He's
my Heavenly Father, and I can come into His presence with confidence
as His Son, knowing I have that relationship. United to Christ,
He's my Heavenly Father, He loves me, and I'm beautiful to Him.
Isn't that wonderful? You know, I might not be beautiful
to anybody else, but I'm beautiful to Him because I'm united to
Christ. And I'm in love with an everlasting love and that's
my confidence. This is how I come into His presence
with confidence. It's a conditional love. And God's love is immutable.
That means He knows no changes. It's not hot one day and cold
the next. Now you think about your spouse.
You love your spouse. You love your spouse. You really
do. But sometimes you think you hate them. Except for me. I know
you're all like that. Love's up, down, strong, cold. You know the way it is. God's
love's not like that. It's immutable. I'm the Lord. I change not. Therefore, ye sons
of Jacob are not consumed. Having loved his own which were
in the world, the scripture says in John chapter 13 verse 1 concerning
the Lord Jesus Christ. Having loved his own which were
in the world, he loved them to the end, to the uttermost. And God's love, talking about
the love of God, God's love causes love in return. Let me show you
that in the scripture. Turn to 1 John chapter 4. Verse 19, we love Him because, here's the
reason, He first loved us. If I don't love Him, I don't
have any reason to even suspect that He loves me. I really don't. But if I love Him, and that means
I love Him as He is. I love Him as He's revealed in
His Word. I love His glorious attributes. I love His sovereignty
because of Tim. I love His holiness. I love His
grace. I love His mercy. I love His justice. I love every
one of His attributes. I love His way of saving sinners.
I love the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the evidence that He loves
me. We love Him because He first loved us. And God's love is a
chastening love. Hebrews 12. Verse 5. Have you forgotten the exhortation
which speaketh unto you as unto children? My son, despise not
thou the chastening of the Lord. Nor faint when thou art rebuked
of him for whom the Lord loveth, he chasteth and scourgeth every
son whom he receiveth. If you endure chastening, God
deals with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the Father
chasteneth not? But if you be without chastisement,
whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards and not sons.
Furthermore, we've had fathers of our flesh which corrected
us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in
subjection unto the Father of spirits and live? For they verily
for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure. But he for
our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now, no chastening for the present
time seems to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless, afterward
it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which
are exercised thereby. Now, if you love your children,
what do you do? You correct them. You chasten
them. You make them do right. The refusal to chase it, the
refusal to make your children do what's right is lack of love. That's all it can be called. Children be thankful for parents
who chasing you. What a blessing. All it means
is they love you. Parents chasing your children,
as long as you have authority over them, as long as you financially
support them, it's your responsibility to make them do right. And that includes making them
be in worship services. You make them do right. That's what the Lord calls you
to do. And if I don't make my children do right, if I don't
chasten them and make them do right, all I'm saying by that
is I don't love them. I'm not being the parent I'm
called on to be. You see, the Lord's not like
that, though, ever, is he? Every one of us have loosened
up in our chastening when we should. But whom the Lord loveth,
he loves us far too much. Whom the Lord loves, he chastens.
And He scourges every son that He receives. Now would you turn
to 2 Corinthians 5. 2 Corinthians 5. Verse 14. For the love of Christ, 2 Corinthians
5, verse 14, and this is true of every believer, for the love
of Christ, His love to us, not my love to Him, His love to me.
The love of Christ constraineth us. What's that mean? Well, let me
give you what the definition of the word constrain means.
It means to hold together. It means to confine, to secure,
to hold fast. It's translated by these words
in the New Testament, it holds me. It holds me. The love of
Christ holds me. It won't let me go. It's translated
by the word keeps me. The love of Christ keeps me.
It won't let me go. That's why I continue in the
faith. The love of Christ keeps me. It presses on me. And it
does. It presses on me. And I love
this. It's actually in one time translated, sick. The love of
Christ makes me sick. Now what do I mean by that? Exactly
what the little Shulamite said when she said, I'm sick of love.
When you see Christ love to you, when you see His mercy toward
you, when you see His saving love toward you. You know what
sin makes you? Your own personal sin. It makes you sick. It makes
you sick that you sinned against Him. And you want to love Him
in return as He's loved you. That's what your desire is. The
love of Christ constrains His people. It causes me to do things
that I wouldn't do. And it keeps me from doing things
I would do. The love of Christ is a constraining
love. And if it doesn't constrain me,
it's because I don't know anything about it. The love, can't you
just, the love of Christ constrains us. And you know, it does constrain
me. It constrains you. It's a, what a, what a glorious,
what a glorious thing. It's impossible, it's impossible
to be loved by Christ and not be constrained by that love. Now one final scripture, turn
to 1 John chapter four. Isn't it great to be loved by
Christ? Verse 16. 1 John chapter 4 verse 16. And we have known and believed
the love that God hath toward us. God is love and he that dwelleth
in love dwelleth in God. We've known and believed the
love that God hath to us. Now, what does that mean? Does
it mean, well, I really believe God loves me? Do you know you can believe God
loves you and it not be so? There are a lot of people who
believe, sure God loves me, loves everybody. That doesn't mean
He does. I think what our Lord said to
that group, Lord, Lord, have we not preached in your name?
In your name have we not cast out devils? In your name have
we not done many wonderful works? Notice their estimation of their
own works, many and wonderful. And then the Lord says, then
shall I say unto them, depart from me, ye that work iniquity. I never knew you. I never knew
you to be mine. I never loved you. I never entered
an intimate relationship with you. So what does John mean when
he says we have known and believed the love that God has to us?
That word believed is we've known and relied upon the love that
God has to us. I am relying upon the fact that
His love is sovereign. If He chooses to love me, He
can. I'm relying on the fact that His love is saving. All
He loves, He saves. I'm relying on the fact that
His love is eternal, giving, complete, conditional, immutable,
chastening, constraining love. I'm relying on that. I'm relying
on His great love to me. And truly, I stand amazed in
the presence of Jesus the Nazarene and wonder how he can love me,
a sinner, condemned, unclean. Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. I want to be in that group. He
whom thou lovest. Let me tell you something. Everybody
that wants to be in that group is in that group. No exceptions. Everybody who wants to be loved
by the God of the Bible is loved by the God of the Bible. They
really are. Well, I trust this has been a
blessing. Let's pray together.