The Love of the Father
Wes Allen // UGA Student & College Intern
The Love of the Father
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 1 JOHN 3:1 (NIV)“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” ROMANS 5:8 (ESV)
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ROMANS 8:37-39 (ESV)
A Never-Ending Love
How often do we forget the unwavering, steadfast, never-ending, all-satisfying love of God? For me, the answer is almost daily. Since the fall of humanity, we have been ignoring, forgetting, and actively opposing this love. In my life specifically, I believed the lie that God was angry with me for the sin in my life, and unless I lived a certain way, God could not love me. I let the enemy whisper this lie in my ear every day. The reality is that God loves us more than we can even comprehend, so much that HE came DOWN to us.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” JOHN 3:16 (ESV)
A Willing Love
God LOVES us so much that he sent his ONLY son. Jesus came to earth suffered every pain that we experience in this world. He showed us the true heart of God and WILLINGLY went to the cross for our sin.
“...I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.” JOHN 10:17-18
In a conversation this past Sunday after the church service, a friend told me through tears, “I always felt guilty that Jesus had to die for my sin. Like it was my fault...which it is because He died for our sin. I never realized that Jesus faced the cross not because he had to, but because his love for us is that strong.” At that moment, I saw my friend experience Jesus’ abundant love and was reminded of it once more.
“Greater love hath no man than this, to lay down his life for his friends.” JOHN 15:13 (KJV)
A Father’s Love
My relationship with my dad is great. He always told me he loved me, and he was proud of me. He always took care of my sibling and me. This fatherly love always felt unconditional, despite all circumstances. I think of this love from my dad, and then I think of God’s love for me. It’s infinitely stronger! It’s infinitely more satisfactory! And is truly unconditional! It makes me emotional every time thinking of it from this perspective.
Jesus understood and perfectly remained in this love from his heavenly Father.
“If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” JOHN 15:10 (ESV)
Commanded to Love
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” JOHN 15:12
Here, Jesus commands his apostles to display for others the same love he displayed for them. Later, through the Acts of the apostles, we see this love on full display, helping to grow the church and spreading the good news of Jesus Christ to the nations.
Remain in Christlike Love
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this, my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” JOHN 15:7-11 (ESV)
How do I remain in the Love of Christ?
Jesus tells us in John 15:7-11 to abide in His love, keep the Father’s commandments, so that His joy may be made full in us. This means encountering God through his Word---. The beginning of John tells us that Jesus is the Word, so to abide in the Word is to abide in Christ. --- and encountering God through prayer just as Jesus was in constant communication with the Father.
How can I share this love with others?
‘And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”’ MATTHEW 28:18-20
In John’s Gospel, Jesus commands us to Love God and to love others. Now in Matthew, he commands us to do the result of the first two commandments, to make disciples. How can the world truly experience the love of Christ without His people displaying that love to the world? I challenge you to share your faith with one person this week. So go! Abide in Christ and be filled with his love, so much so that it flows outwards to everyone you encounter!
Wes is an English major at UGA. He is a Watty college intern and is involved in the Kempf tribe! He also went to Boston with Watty this past summer and is passionate about serving the church and diving into the Word!
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