BEHOLD, WHAT MANNER OF LOVE
Text: 1 John 3
14 November 2010
(I) DEFINITION OF GOD’S “MANNER OF LOVE
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” 1 John 3:1
1. Understanding “the manner of”
a) It is referring to what kind or class
b) There is a certain kind of love that is of a certain class
2. What manner of love the Father has bestowed
a) “agape” …God’s divine kind of love
b) God’s love is of the highest kind/class of love
(II) DESCRIPTION OF GOD’S KIND OF LOVE
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” 1 John 3:1
1. It is the “Pater’s” kind of love
a) The is our heavenly Father’s kind of love
b) It is the love that the Father gave to His Son
“The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand.” John 3:35
c) This same love is given to us….as He is our “Pater”
“And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:26
2. It is a “presented” kind of love
a) Not earned in anyway
b) God’s love is the kind that can only be presented
3. It is a purposeful kind of love
a) “that”…this love was purposefully given
b) The purpose of God’s love is so that we can be called the children of God
(III) THE DEMONSTRATION OF GOD’S KIND OF LOVE IN CHRIST
1. This kind/class of love is very much demonstrated through the Lord Jesus
2. The many ways in which the Lord Jesus demonstrates God’s love
a) He gives us the hope of being like Him
“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” 1 John 3:2
b) He manifested Himself to take away our sins
“And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.” 1 John 3:5
c) He manifested to destroy the work of the devil
“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8
d) He sacrifice his life for us
“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.” 1 John 3:16
(IV) DETERMINATION AS A RESPONSE TO GOD’S KIND OF LOVE
1. Stand in wonder of God’s kind of love
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” 1 John 3:1
a) We want to truly see God’s kind of love
b) Stand in awe and wonder of the Lord’s love
2. Sacrificing of one self for the brethren
“And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” 1 John 3:16
a) The Lord has given an example of sacrificial love
b) We should respond by sacrificing ourselves for the need of others
3. Showing love practically to those in need
a) As a reflection of the love of God abiding in us
“But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” 1 John 3:17
b) Through our practical actions rather than that which is only verbal
“My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:18