Sermon Notes: The Loved of God

In Sunday's sermon introducing our new series on the cross, I argued that one of the reasons why the cross matters is because it Personifies the Love of God. At the cross we clearly see His Divine Love for only His radical, unconditional, agape love can explain why He would send His Son to die in the place of sinners like us.

For us, this means we define love by looking at the cross. Throughout the New Testament we find the apostles exhorting believers to walk in love following the example of God in Christ seen at the cross. Thus when we speak of God's love, the New Testament often points us to the cross. I highlighted a few of the verses which support this thesis and below I want to offer even more for you own studies.

Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 8:37 – But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Ephesians 1:4-5 – just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,

Ephesians 2:4-5 – But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

Ephesians 5:2 – and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

Ephesians 5:25 – Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,

2 Thessalonians 2:16 – Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace,

Titus 3:4-5 – But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

1 John 3:1a – See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are

1 John 3:16 – We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

1 John 4:9-11 – By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:19 – We love, because He first loved us.


For more:
March 3, 2013 | God Pursues Sinners
November 14, 2010 - God is Love
MacDonald on the Love of God   
March 28, 2010 - Matthew 5:43-48: Love God as He Loved You
Weekly Recommendation: "The God Who Loves"