God is Love

(Topical sermon)

God is Love

The high esteem which God has for His human children and the high regard which they, in turn, should have for Him and other people. Because of the hundreds of references to love in the Bible, it is certainly the most remarkable book of love in the world. It records the greatest love story ever written-God's unconditional love for us that sent His Son to die on the cross (John 3:16; 1 John 4:10).

How we understand God’s Love toward us:

1. He created man.

One basic reason why God created man is because of love. Love is expected others include in the action of love. God Him self want an object of love; this is the reason why He created man to be an object of His love. It does not mean lonely. God is trinity; there is no loneliness in the heaven. There is Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. But it does not mean enough to love each other in the trinity. If like that it’s mean selfish love. In this point God created we just like Him. So there is some to be interaction to. Some one has all ability to response love that He gives.

Gen 1:26-31

26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

27 So God created man in his own image,

In the image of God he created him;

Male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground — everything that has the breath of life in it — I give every green plant for food." And it was so.

31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning — the sixth day.

In this point, we must understand that, no one is higher than other.

In this point, we must understand that, no one is closer to God than other.

In this point, we must say thanks God for what are we now.

What ever condition we are in now,

What ever status or position we are in now,

We are precious before Him.

God’s love is for us, and is enough to give us opportunity to have a better life.

2. He punishes the sinners.

The Bible clearly said that the world is in darkness because of sin, no one can help, because everyone is sin.

Rom 3:10-18

10 As it is written:

"There is no one righteous, not even one;

  11 there is no one who understands,

No one who seeks God.

12 All have turned away,

They have together become worthless;

There is no one who does good,

Not even one."  

13 "Their throats are open graves;

Their tongues practice deceit."

"The poison of vipers is on their lips."  

14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."  

15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16 ruin and misery mark their ways,

17 and the way of peace they do not know."  

18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."  

Since the beginning, man was not obeying God’s command, because of that man was lost from God’s present. Adam and his children, until us.

Gen 2:15-17

15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

God was given clear instruction to not eat from the tree that God was warning of.

What God’s mean with die is separate from Him. Live in distance of fearness between God and man. Cut of from the source of life.

Gen 3:4-7

4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

The Lucifer confirm what was God has Command as a physically dead. He changes the meaning of spiritual dead to physically dead. He makes God’s warning to be something interest to be crossover.

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

Gen 3:8-11

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 but the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"

10 He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."

11 And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"

      Man was separate from God because of sin.

      Man afraid to meet God, afraid to see God face, afraid to talk with God.

      Man became an enemy of God. Separate from God its mean became enemy of God.

     

      Rom 3:23

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

      Rom 6:23

23 for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

     

            God’s love is integral part of His justice, He was given a warning, and a warning was been cross, and the penalty/wages of it is dead.

The reason of the warning is because He won’t us to destroy because of sins. But we choose our own way.

3. He saves the sinners.

Gen 3:21

21 The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.

Look, when mans are naked, God the one who initiative to clothed them. How love Him to us. It’s always Him doing first and not us.

John 3:12-21

12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven-the Son of Man.   14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.  

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 for God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.   19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 but whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."   

From the Old Testament until the New Testament is written how God love and always try to help man.

God send His Son to save us. So we may be back to God. We are His, and He is our before but sins was separate us from each other.

Jesus comes to bring us back the lost relationship between God and us.

Conclusion

(Topical sermon)

God is Love

How we understand God’s Love toward us:

1. He created man.

One basic reason why God created man is because of love. God Him self want an object of love; this is the reason why He created man to be an object of His love.

We are precious before Him.

God’s love is for us, and is enough to give us opportunity to have a better life.

2. He punishes the sinners.

The Bible clearly said that the world is in darkness because of sin, no one can help, because everyone is sin.

            God’s love is integral part of His justice, He was given a warning, and a warning was been cross, and the penalty/wages of it is dead.

The reason of the warning is because He won’t us to destroy because of sins. But we choose our own way.

3. He saves the sinners.

John 3:16 

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

God send His Son to save us. So we may be back to God. We are His, and He is ours before but sins was separate us from each other.

Jesus comes to bring us back the lost relationship between God and us.

 (All the Bible verses is taken from New International Version)

free to copy use for the ministry. Edit according to the guidance of Holy Spirit

God visit the sinner (from the story of Sacchaeus)

Luke 19:1-10

1 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.  5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house."  6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying," He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner."

8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold."

9 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham;  10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

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(Tekstual Sermon)

God visit the sinner

1. How God visit the sinner?

v.1 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

Jesus come to the world in God’s will. It is not anyone of us could brought Jesus come or, no one of us can stop Him to come down. It is God planning in His wonderful and Godly planning.

v.5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house."

Jesus come into the world looking for personal, and not looking for group of people, or a nation. God more interest in personal relationship because He knows the personal cry of the people, a personal burden of a sinner. We can hide our heart from man but we can not hide our heart from God. He is the one who created us. Like our ears, He has ears to listening to our prayer. Like our eyes, He has eyes to look unto our life. He has heart fill with compassion to our life.

2. Who is the sinner? (Zacchaeus)

Any person who sins. Because sin is natural to man, every person sins and must be considered a sinner (Rom 3:23).

Romans 3:10-18

10 As it is written:

"There is no one righteous, not even one;

 11 there is no one who understands,

no one who seeks God.

12 All have turned away,

they have together become worthless;

there is no one who does good,

not even one."  

13 "Their throats are open graves;

their tongues practice deceit."

"The poison of vipers is on their lips."  

14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."  

15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16 ruin and misery mark their ways,

17 and the way of peace they do not know."  

18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."  

v.2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.

Tax collector ZACCHAEUS Holding his commission from his Roman principal contractor to the state (publicanus, manceps) to collect the dues imposed by Rome on the Jews, Zacchaeus had subordinate publicans under him.

As a class, the tax collectors were despised by their fellow Jews. They were classified generally as "sinners" (Matt 9:10-11; Mark 2:15), probably because they were allowed to gather more than the government required and then to pocket the excess amount. John the Baptist addressed this when he urged tax collectors to gather no more money than they should (Luke 3:12-13). But even further, the tax collectors were hated because their fellow countrymen viewed them as mercenaries who worked for a foreign oppressor of the Jewish people.

v.3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.

v.4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.

Romans 3:11

 11 there is no one who understands,

no one who seeks God.

Its seems like Zacchaeus try to meet God, he try to see God, He try to find God. But the Bible said, “1 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God” So Zacchaeus will never meet Jesus, he never see Jesus, He never find Jesus along his life He will never meet Jesus, if Jesus not willing to meet Him.

When we talk about meet, see and find Jesus, its not physically meet and see but it is in spiritual understanding. Now we see many people know, hear about Jesus but they never meet and see Him in spiritual meeting. This is proved with their life still the same before and after they hear about Jesus.

3. Why God visit the sinner?

1. God come to save the sinner. God is salvation, so the reason He visit the sinners to save them.

v.9 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 

2. God come to find the lost. Lost its mean, before we were His, but after man commit sin, we fall apart from Him, now He come to find and bring us back to Him.

v.10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

3. God to reform mans life. He bring Joy replace the fearness. He bring hope replace doubt. He bring life to the dead spirit. He give new heart to replace the stone heart.

Luke 19:8

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

Conclusion

God visit the sinner

1. How God visit the sinner?

God send His Son Jesus Christ.

2. Who is the sinner? (Zacchaeus)

Any person who sins. Because sin is natural to man, every person sins and must be considered a sinner (Rom 3:23).

3. Why God visit the sinner?

1. God come to save the sinner.

2. God come to find the lost.

3. God come to reform mans life.

(All the Bible verses use the New International Version)

its free to copy use for the ministry. Make some add or cut according to the revelation of the Holy Spirit

Puppets Story (Rich man vs Poor man)

2 Sam 12:1-6

"There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.

Dialog 1

Rich man          : hahahaha.......i am the rich man in this city, no one but me. I can buy anything i want, i have 1ooo sheep, and i have 2ooo cattle. I have a very nice house and my house is the very beautiful house in this city, no one but me. I have many nice car, and no one richer than me......hahahaha....i am the rich man in this city.....hahahaha.....i have much money.....hahahahaha.....

Poor man         : hmmmm.......i love my little ewe lamb, she is all i have, she play with my children, i give her food from my table. She sleep in my arm. i love her....

"Now a traveler came to the rich man,....

Dialog 2

A Traveler        : knock knock knock 3x, helloooo.....any body hooooome... where is the house owner? i am a traveler come from a very far place, the sun is set, i need a place to sleep, and continued my trip tomorrow, i think this is the good place to spent night. Its look like this house is rich house, they must not mine to give me some food, i am thirsty and very hungry...knock knock knock.........helloooow.....

Rich man          : Huftt!!! who is that!!! why bother me.....

A Traveler        : Knock Knock Knock.....

Rich man          : Yeeeesssss!!! wait a minutes.....

A Traveler        : Knock Knock Knock.....

Rich man          : Yeeeesssss!!! wait a minutes.....(doors open, the Rich man angry!!!) who are you?, why you come to my place, knock my door, am i know you?

A Traveler        : I am a traveler, come from a very far place, it is night so i need a place to sleep. I see your house is a nice house, you must be a rich man, i think you can help me with a water and a food, i am hungry. Just one night and tomorrow i will continued my trip.

Rich man          : Yes yes yesss, i am the rich man in this city, no man rich than me, i can give you a place to stay here, i can give you a food, buuuuuuutttttt!!!!!!!

A rich man want to show that he is a rich man like what the traveler say, but he is unwilling to help the traveler; to give food to the traveler the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him.

Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him."

Dialog 3

Poor man         : No no noooo........this is my lamb, this is the only one i have,

Rich man          : Give it to meee.........you poor man,

Poor man         : No no noooo........your are rich man? why dont you take one of your sheep?, why you take my own,

Rich man          : Give it to me!!!! (take the sheep from the hand of the poor man)

Poor man         : huks huks huks........why do  you do this to me? who can help me, ooo God, iam only a poor man, If not You help me, no one will help me....

A poor man cry until she felt sleep.

But the rich man took the sheep from the poor man and prepare the meal for the traveler.

Tomorrow, early in the morning; suddenly a loudly and noisy knocking at the door of the rich man house; 

Dialog 4

Knock knock knock..... Knock knock knock..... Knock knock knock..... Knock knock knock.....

Rich man          : Huftt!!! who is that!!! why bother me.....its still early in the morning....

Knock knock knock..... Knock knock knock..... Knock knock knock..... Knock knock knock.....

Rich man          : Yeeeesssss!!! wait a minutes.....(the door open) HAA!!!!!! who are you,

Soldier             : We are the kings soldier, you are under arrested because you stole people’s lamb, 
Rich man          : no no no, i am not a thief. I am rich man, you must be get the wrong person.

King                 : You are a thief!!!  Last night i come to your house undercover, and instead to take one of your animal to prepare a meal for me, you took the poor man little ewe lamb. Because of this, you must pay 100 sheep back to the poor man for exchange the little ewe sheep that you take from her. And for the punishment you will be arrested 1 year.

Than the story end.

If we have more, we must remember others. Riches is a blessing from God, Because God has blessing us, we also must blessing other people.

 (All the Bible verse use New International Version)

its free to copy use for ministry, make some change according to the condition of your audience.

Puppets Story (The Judge vs the widow)

Luke 18:1-8

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable (story) to show them that they should always pray and not give up.         He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men.  And there was a widow in that town who coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'

Dialog 1

A judge                                  : Hmmmm...... i am a powerful God, who ever not afraid of me, i will put them into the Jail. No one more powerful than me in this town, no one can stop me to do what ever i want to do. I am the most powerful and respectable people. Hahahahaha.....................(leave the stage)

A widow                : Huks huks huks.....i am only a women, worst than that i am a widow, i have no family, no one to help me, no one than stand for me against my adversary. I have no money to pay to the judge for help, what can i do? huks huks huks......(change optimistic voice) hmmm....if no one can help me, i must help my self.....i will come to the judge to plea him grant me justice against my adversary.....

A judge                 : Hmmm.....i busy to day, to many activity to do......hmmmm......

A widow                : Excuse me Mr jugde,

A judge                 : Yes...what!!!

A widow                : I need your help, please help me against my adversary, i only a widow, no body can help me...and i have no money to pay you for help me...

A judge                 : What??? no money??? go go gooo..... i can’t help you, i am busy....(go out of the stage)

A widow                : Huks huks huks.... no one care of me, no body help me...

A widow not hopeless she kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'

In the morning; when the judge wake up;

A judge                  : Huaaa.....this is a very good morning!!! (Suddenly)

A widow                : Good Morning Mr. Judge, please help meeee.....

A Judge                 : HAA!!! you again??? go go go.....(go out of the stage)

In the office, when the judge work;

A judge                  : Huh!!! i have many work to do....!!! (Suddenly)

A widow                : Good day Mr. Judge, please help meeee.....

A Judge                 : HAA!!! you again??? go go go.....(go out of the stage)

On the way back home;

A judge                  : Huh!!! maybe the widow will me again....!!! (Suddenly)

A widow                : Good afternoon Mr. Judge, please help meeee.....

A Judge                 : HAA!!! you again??? help me, help meeee.....(go out of the stage)

"For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men,  yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'" 

Night before sleep;

 A judge                                 : I can not kept running from the widow, she will always come to me; when i wake up, she come to me, when i am in the office, she come to me, on the way back home, she come to me....Maybe to free her from me i must help her, but she has no money to pay me.....hmmmm.....what can i do now?

In the morning; when the judge wake up;

A judge                  : Huaaa.....this is a very good morning!!! (Suddenly)

A widow                : Good Morning Mr. Judge, please help meeee.....

A Judge                 : HAA!!! you again??? go go go.....(try to go out of the stage)

A widow                : Mr. Judge2x, Please help me Mr.Judge....i have no money and no body can help me except you...

A judge                 : Okey, i will help you, so you no need to always come and bother me....

Finally, the judge who have no fear to man and to God, help the widow, because the widow always come and come again to ask for help.

And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says.  And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" 

(All the Bible verse use the New International Version) 

Its free to copy for use in ministry