Text: 1Jo 4:8
A. Recognizing God's love.
For His creation.
a. He created the perfect conditions for life (Isa 45:18).
b. He gives life to His creation (Act 17:25).
c. He sustains His creation (Luk 12:24,27-28).
For man.
a. He made man in His own image and gave man dominion over His creation (Gen 1:26).
b. He came to serve man (Luk 22:27).
c. He died for man (Rom 5:6-8).
For His children.
a. He adopted us as His children (1Jo 3:1).
b. He gave us to be joint heirs with Christ (Rom 8:15-17).
c. He hears our prayers and gives us only what is good (Mat 7:9-11).
B. Responding to God's love.
By loving Him.
a. A child responds to his father’s love by loving him in return.
b. The Son of God loves His Father (Joh 14:31).
c. We respond to God’s love by loving Him in return (1Jo 4:19).
By knowing Him.
a. A child who loves his father will want to know him.
b. The Son of God loves His Father by seeking His will (Joh 5:30).
c. If we love God, we will want to know Him (Joh 5:39).
By talking to Him.
a. A child who loves his father will spend time talking to him.
b. The Son of God loves His Father by praying to Him (Luk 6:12).
c. If we love God, we will spend time talking to Him (Pro 15:8).
By obeying Him.
a. A child who loves his father will obey him.
b. The Son of God loves His Father by keeping His commandments (Joh 15:10).
c. If we love God, we will obey Him (Joh 14:15,21-24).
By loving others.
a. A child who loves his father will love those whom his father loves.
b. The Son of God loves His Father by loving His disciples (Joh 15:9).
c. If we love God, we will love those whom He loves (1Jo 4:20-21).
By serving others.
a. A child who loves his father will find opportunities to serve his family.
b. The Son of God loves His Father by serving His disciples (Joh 13:14).
c. If we love God, we will find opportunities to serve Him by serving His church (Heb 6:10).
C. Rejecting God's love.
God’s love is free (Rom 5:15-16), but we have a choice whether to accept or reject it (Jos 24:15).
God’s love is assuring (Joh 14:1-3), but we have much to fear for rejecting it (1Jo 4:17-18).
God’s love is great (Rom 8:38-39), but we have to bear the consequences of rejecting it (Rom 2:4-5).