LOVER OF OUR SOUL
1.His love in the CREATION
Imagine, Genesis 1:1-2 – In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep …
God could not let us live in this kind of world – desolate and empty – so, out of His generous love, He created everything in the world in preparation for our coming.
a.The Perfect World
Genesis 1:31 – And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.
What world was there that was more magnificent than the Garden of Eden, the paradise of perfection?
Psalm 104:14 – You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use, to bring forth food from the earth, and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart.
b.The Perfect Beings
We were created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:26a)
We were fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)
His breath gave us life. (Genesis 2:7)
c.The Perfect Life
We were made for a life of joy, of peace, of victory and of prosperity.
Genesis 1:26b – 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.
Man had a perfect life, but still, he wandered away from the love of God. But, even then, God did not stop loving mankind. In fact, “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.” (John 3:16)
2.His love in the REDEMPTION
1 John 3:1 – How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!
The life and death of Jesus Christ bears with it sure marks of God’s enduring love to mankind:
a.His Birth
Philippians 2:6-7 – Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
Galatians 4:4-5 – But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.
1 Timothy 2:5 – For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…
b.His Death
Hebrews 9:22b – Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
John 15:13 – Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Isaiah 53
c.His Resurrection
Romans 4:25 – He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
John 16:33b – I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. Take heart! I have overcome the world.
Corinthians 15:14 – And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
And even after redeeming humanity from the curse of sin and death and ascending to heaven, Jesus Christ did not leave us all by ourselves: 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:16-17)
3.His love in His COMMUNION
Matthew 28:20b – “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Hebrews 13:5b – “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
a.His provision
Romans 8:32 – He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Philippians 4:19 – God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
b.His protection
Romans 8:31b – If God is for us, who can be against us?
Hebrews 13:6 – So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
1 Peter 5:7 – Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
c.His sufficiency
John 10:11a – I am the good shepherd.
Psalm 23 – The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
No part of human history has been void of His eternal, unconditional love. That is everlasting.
From then, until now, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Companion – the Lover of our Soul – still, is knocking on our heart’s door, saying: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me” (Revelation 3:20).
Will we not invite Him in?