Behold, What Love!
1 John 3:1-3
Introduction
An old camp song that was sung often in the early days of my ministry was a song that went something like this:
It was on a Monday somebody touched
It was on a Monday somebody touched
I know it must have been the hand of the Lord.
And we would repeat it with every person standing on the day the Lord saved them. For many young people and old alike this was their first awareness that they had never known that salvation touch of the Lord. For others this was a time of remembrance back to the day that they accepted Jesus as their saviour.
John said, Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed [placed, given to] us.
Behold – More than just seeing but rather knowing! Remember the touch!
The early disciples had a problem with forgetting. They were forgetting that central truth of their faith – the salvation message. They were being swayed by slick talk and cunning philosophy to abandon the truth. This letter was to stir their hearts toward the truth and to remember the centerpiece to God’s salvation – God’s immeasurable love!
Three direct results can be linked to that great love:
The Privilege the Believer
Gains thought the Fathers Love
The Practicality granted to the
Believer in the here-and-now
The Promise connected to such a
great love.
I.
The Privilege (that we might be called the sons of
God)
Does family mean much? Those who supposedly have made a studies have found that family means a great deal, that family is a basic need in the live of every human being.
Romans 8:15
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Galatians 4:5
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Ephesians 1:5
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Romans 8:17
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
II.
The Practicality (now we are the sons of God)
The reality is that all of the above – all that we have said before is a reality now. This is not something yet to come but something that is. We are part of the family, we are children of God, we the inheritance of Jesus is ours.
There is no, “I hope I’m loved. I hope I go to heaven. I hope I’m forgiven.” God’s love makes it real now!
Some people have a very limited view of love. They follow the old maxim, “out of sight, out of mind.” But! We need not see God for God to love us. We need not even feel God for God to love us. That Love is real and is now and all the benefits and assurances is NOW being exercised.
Romans 8:35-39
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 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.
III.
The Promise ((it doth not yet appear what we shall be)
Have we arrived? Not yet! We’re still on the adventure – the process of being molded – of learning – of growing; but when Jesus comes we’ll see the fulfillment of all that has been promised.
What are we going to look like? It’s a mystery but we do know that we will be like Jesus.
We’ll perceive – understand – see Jesus like He really is, in all His Glory, righteousness, and holiness.
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.