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"In this the love of God was manifested..."

Text: 1 John 4:9

THE MAGNIFICENT LOVE OF GOD

How may we comprehend and appreciate the love of God? Do we measure His love by the number of blessings He has given to us? The Apostle John highlights the most wonderful expression of God’s love in this text.

“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent
His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”
1 John 4:9

1. “In this the love of God was manifested”

a) “In this”

i) There are many expressions of God’s love.

ii) John highlights this particular aspect of His manifestation of love.

iii) The grammatical construction (in the Greek text) serves to highlight this expression.

b) “Manifested”

i) There are many manifestations of God’s love.

ii) His blessings on mankind in general are expressions of His love.

iii) “Manifestation” means “to make very clear”.

c) “Toward us”

i) It is possible to translate the Greek preposition “en” as “towards”.

ii) However, this preposition may also be translated as “in us”.

iii) The love of God is understood from within us!

2. “That God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him”

a) The greatest expression of God’s love is to be found in this glorious truth.

i) God sent His only begotten Son into the world.

ii) He knew that His Son would experience terrible suffering and finally die.

iii) He knew that mankind even after all that His Son would suffer might not believe.

iv) Nevertheless, He gave His only begotten Son into the world to offer redemption.

b) “That we might live through Him”

i) Through His only begotten Son we may have eternal life.

ii) Through Jesus Christ the Lord we may live with love surging in our veins.

iii) How may we speak of knowing God if we are not deeply touched by this great love?