Sermon Tone Analysis

Eric Meyer

BBL 8033B: Christian Foundations

John Brown University

Professor: Dr. Bill Burnett

August 7th, 2008

 

Assignment #5, Scripture Read And Write

 

INTRODUCTION

            “This diversity of meanings, combined with the complexity of the feelings involved, makes love unusually difficult to consistently define, even compared to other emotional states.”

This description of love comes from Wikipedia.

The description of love from a Biblical perspective is much the same.

There are many attributes, descriptions, and examples of love throughout the Bible, but not a crystal clear definition.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the Biblical meaning of love, and attempt to define love from the perspective of God; how God loves man, how God wants his children to love each other, and how he hopes His children will love Him back.

The paper begins from the perspective that God is the epitome of love.

It may sound cliché, but God is love.

In 1 John 4:7,8, the apostle John gave that description, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

Starting from that perspective, this paper will define how the Creator, the perfect essence of love, shares, and expects that love to be shared.

I.  GOD’S LOVE FOR MAN –

A.  God’s Creation Is Good - God tells us in Genesis 1:31 that He surveyed everything that He created, and determined that it was good, very good.

B.

Man Made In God’s Image - Gen.1:26, If God is love, and we are made in His image, we must be designed to be lovers.

C.  Man Is Holy – Lev.

19:1 God emphasizes that man is made in His image.

D.  Loves, Protects And Helps – Deut.

4:37; Hosea 11:1; “Bears on eagles wings” - Ex. 19:4; Psalm 31:21

E.  Saves, Out Of Shear Love – Deut 7,8; Deut.

4:37; Ex. 3:6; Grants mercy – 1 Peter 2:10; Jer.

30:22

F.   Loves all His children – Deut.

10:18

G.  Loves Though His Children Sin, Break His Rules – Neh.

13:26; Luke 15:11-32

H.  Promises An Inheritance To The Children He Loves – Psalm 47:4; James 2:5

I.    God’s Love Is Eternal – Psalm 89:33-36; Jeremiah 31:3; Psalm 100:5; Isaiah 54:10; 1 John 2:17

J.   Like A Parent, Holds His Children With Bonds Of Love – Hosea 11:1

K.  Redeems, Heals, Forgives – Psalm 103:4; Isaiah 44:22

L.  Feeds, Provides For – Ex. 16:15;

1. “Do great things for you, and awesome things for the land.”- 2 Sam.

7:23

2.  Provides a land of milk and honey - Lev 20:24

3.  Well being will be great – Isaiah 54:13

4.  Provides refuge – Psalm 31:19

5.  No matter what, God provides – Matt.

7:7-11; When bad things happen, we may think God must be like the man in this story, giving us stones and snakes instead of the bread of life.

Jesus says this is not true.

God loves us more than we love our own children.

If we obey, we will not be disappointed.

M.  God wants to live with His children – Ex. 29:45, John 14:2; Rev. 22:3-5

N.  God’s Love Is That Of A Father For A Child – 1 John: 3:1-3; John 5:18; Romans 8:15,16

O.  God Is Love – 2 Cor.

13:11; 1 John 4:8; God Loves – John 17:25; John 15:12

P.   God Loves His Children So Much That No Suffering Is Too Great To Bear So They May Have Eternal Life – John 3:16; Matt.

26:26-29; John 15:13 

II.

MAN’S LOVE FOR GOD – Many parents tell their children that the family rules are in place for the children’s safety, and because the parents love their children.

God loves His children in the same manner (or maybe humans behave this way because we are created in God’s image).

He set boundaries for us.

These boundaries may seem too difficult to bear, or more like punishment than anything else, but they are rules put in place because God loves us.

God may love all of His children, but He says explicitly that He loves those who love Him back (Psalm 81:13; John 14:21).

By disobeying, we risk losing God’s love.

The next two sections discuss these boundaries, both the ones that tell man what to do, and the ones that tell him what not to do.

            A.

Abide In God – John 15:7

            B.

Abiding Defined – John 15:10, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” 

            C.

Walk With God, Obey – Romans 8:1-14; Psalm 16:8, “I have set the Lord continually before me.”;

Micah 6:8; Romans 14:17

            D.

Know Jesus – John 14:17; As Jesus knew the heart of Nathaniel (John 1:48), He wants His beloved to know His heart.

E.

Seek the Kingdom – Matt.

6:31

            F.

God’s Love Is Better Than Life – Psalm 63:3

            G.

God Created Us For His Glory – Isaiah 43:7; Romans 15:6; God is glorified when we obey Him.

He expects us to honor Him – Malachi1:6

            H.

Those who obey God will find His kingdom – Matt.

7:19

            I.

The 10 Commandments Are A Good Place To Start Following God’s Will – Ex. 20:1-17; Deut.

6:1-3

            J.

An Additional Commandment – John 15:12; “Love one another as I have loved you.”

K.

Those Who Love Jesus Keep His Commandments – John 14:15

            L.

No Other God’s Before Me – Ex. 20:3; God knows we will create other gods such as pleasure or mammon.

By no means are those other gods to come between God and our relationship with Him.

M.

Do Not Worship Idols – Ex. 20:4; By no means should those other gods be elevated to the point of worship.

N.

God Wants Our Hearts:

                        1. Store your treasure where your heart is – Matt.

6:20,21

                        2. Our behavior is good, but our deep beliefs are what matter – Matt.

5:20-30

                        3. The heart is where beliefs reside – Matt.

15:8-18: What is spoken comes from the heart, from our beliefs.

Many say they believe, but they have never given their heart to Jesus.

                        4. Do not love the world or things of the world – 1 John 2:15

                        5. God rewards the pure of heart – Psalm 73:1

           

            O.

Seek God Always – Luke 11:9

                        1. Your Father knows your needs – Mat.

6:8 

                        2.

Jesus will bring our needs to our Father – Romans 8:28