What manner of love is this?

By Rev Michael Jarrett

 

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us,

that we should be called children of God!

1 John 3:1

 

It is a love that values us as humans…

No other religion values people in this way…

·        Humanism which aims to make each man a god devalues people…

what is a god... if there are 5.6 billion of them.

 Really in this teaching we are just a rain drop in the biggest of oceans… making no difference and having no purpose.

The Love of God

Lifts us up and says

·        You are valuable because you are made in the IMAGE OF GOD!

·        Made by God, for God

·        that He would dwell in you!

 

This love is unique

Valued not because of

·        what we have accomplished,

·        where we come from,

·        our heritage,

·        beauty,

·        wholeness,

·        goodness…

 

But valued inspite of the fact that COMPARED to God

·        have and will never accomplish anything in our strength,

·        our best heritage  is from sin tainted fallen humanity (which he solves by having us born anew by the power of His spirit!!!) 

·        our most beautiful is nothing compared to the Ancient of Days!

·        Our goodness and righteousness is like “filthy rags” to the Lord

 

So this powerful love means:

All people are valuable to God

·        The weak,

·        the broken,

·        the failing,

·        the fallen

 

Consider this an item’s value is determined by the price paid for it….

An old coin may be worth just what the value on it states to an average person… but to someone who collects coins they see it and say ahhhah, that is such an such a date…. Such a thing happened this week in California… a small coin which on its face value could buy a pack of matches… this coin was 215 years old,  was sold to Collection Foundation for 1.5 million dollars!  

 

Humans to other humans may not be worth much…

like a coin that is old worn and dirty

 

But to the Father who collects these type of humans for His Kingdom…

they are worth an extrodanary price…

The Bible says: 1 Peter 1:18-20

18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

(from New International Version)

We were bought not with mere gold or silver… but with the blood of Christ

How valuable can we be…

      If the price paid for us is the most precious thing in the universe….

            AND HOW VALAUBLE ARE THESE OTHER HUMANS??

 

 

SUMMATION:

This Love makes us valuable..

·        you may not believe, or know it..

but you are. God’s precious daughter, son.

You are his chosen, beloved, adopted and hand picked. Worth everything to Him.. even the life and death of His son Jesus.  

 

We need to walk in this revelation.

Not with our heads down like a stray dog.

Not with shame or fear.

But with boldness that comes from tasting his love,  

 

This revelation of love helps

in our prayers,

our praise,

our understanding of ourselves and even our enemy (who wishes our destruction and will do anything to keep our minds off of this revelation!) 

 

It helps us in our dealing with people around us…

whether a parent,

child

 co-worker

or a lame person

a drunkard laying in the street,

 

These are precious people to God.. His blood shed for them as well..

The Love God demonstrates

is the love He wishes us to demonstrate!

The love He practices He wishes us to practice.…

 

What manner of Love is this?

§                   It is a unique and powerful love that value..literally makes us valuable

§                    It is a love that is demonstrated.   For God so loved that He GAVE!

Not just talk, or philosophy, ideas, feelings or emotions but SHOWN, ACTED OUT and DEMONSTRATED

This kind of love gives, not takes!