His Love To You

I just come to worship God now by singing to his praise in Psalm 84 of the Scottish Psalter version.

Psalm 84, you'll find that on page 338 of the Blue Book.

A familiar psalm to us, as it's good to sing the familiar psalms with the young ones here present with us before they go next door.

From the beginning of that psalm, how lovely is thy dwelling place.

O Lord of hosts to me, the tabernacles of thy grace, how pleasant Lord they be.

My thirsty soul longs vehemently, ye faints thy courts to see.

My very heart and flesh cry out, O living God for thee.

We'll sing from the beginning of that psalm down to the end of verse Mark 6.

To God's praise, let us stand to sing.

How lovely is thy dwelling place.

Our lovely is thy dwelling place.

O Lord of hosts to me.

The tabernacles of thy grace.

How blessed Lord they be.

My heart and fleshly, my heart and flesh cry out, O living God for thee.

My heart and flesh cry out, O living God for thee.

My heart and flesh cry out, O living God for thee.

I have seen the name of that psalm down to the end of verse Mark 6.

The heart and flesh try out, O living God for thee.

Behold the spot of thy divine, and thy strength to rest.

The swallow also for herself, a purchase of the nest.

In thine own altars where she stayed, her young was forth made vain.

O love, almighty Lord of hosts, who art my God and King.

Lest, darling, in thy hearts not dwell, may ever give thee praise.

Lest is the man who strength the heart, in whose heart are thine ways.

You passing that of me, God's will, may in due day God dwells.

O so the rain that falleth die, the pools with water fills.

Amen.

We'll say a short prayer for the young ones before they go through next door.

Let us pray together.

Our Heavenly Father, we give thanks for this day that you have given to us,

and all the privileges of it.

We thank you for the people that are gathered here,

and we pray that we would be known by you,

and that you would know us in the depths of our hearts,

the things that trouble us,

and the things that we are ever so thankful to you for.

And we just thank you for all the families that are gathered here.

We pray for the young ones that are meeting with us,

and we pray that they would come to know Jesus Christ,

and that they would trust in him for their lives.

And as they go through next door,

we pray that they would learn more about him,

and his beauty and presence with them,

that they trust in him.

We pray also for the teachers that teach them,

and ask that you too would be with them.

We pray for this time of holiday,

and we thank you for friends and family gathering from other places,

and that we have the time to go and meet with others,

and that we can just enjoy the company of one another,

and the love that we share with one another,

be restored and renewed.

We just pray that ultimately,

we would know as we gather together,

that we would meet with you this morning,

and that our love for you would be rekindled,

and that we would say that it is good to meet with you.

As we draw near to your word,

may it speak to us,

and we just ask that you would go with us

in every step that we take,

even as we gather here,

protect our minds from being led astray,

and that we would give our minds attention

to the Lord Jesus Christ,

who died at Calvary for us.

So we thank you for all that we receive through him,

and we ask all things through his name.

Amen.

I'll just say a short word to the younger,

young ones that are here with us,

and I was in the garden shop a couple of months ago,

probably about six months ago,

and I love raspberries,

and there was a wee raspberry bush there.

It just looked like sticks.

There wasn't much to it.

I thought, well, we'll buy one.

I said to the girls,

we'll buy one,

we'll stick one in the garden,

and hopefully we'll get raspberries of it.

But the man said to us,

well, I don't know,

will you get any of it this year?

You might get one or two.

But we did get a few,

and the girls found a raspberry on the bush

a couple of weeks ago,

and they were delighted coming into the house

saying, we found a raspberry.

I thought I would take one in to show you.

Now, I have a watch here.

You see it?

A raspberry there.

It's big, isn't it?

Looks juicy and yummy, doesn't it?

Yeah?

You like raspberries?

Yeah?

Yeah, they're good.

I love them too.

This isn't the one I brought in from my bush.

Let me show you the one I brought in from my bush.

That's it.

There's not much to it, is there?

No.

No, I thought I could just plant it,

and I would get loads of lovely raspberries

from this plant.

But I didn't really look after it.

I just stuck it in the ground,

and we got one or two,

but that was it.

The birds have been eating the rest.

So I wasn't really doing a good job

looking after the plant.

But in the Bible, we are told,

and we'll spend time on this with the grown-ups,

that we are branches,

that Jesus Christ is like the main stem of the branch,

like the roots,

and God is the one that looks after the plant.

And when God looks after the plant,

and that we are like branches attached to Jesus Christ,

we bring forth loads of fruit.

We look tasty like that,

nice juicy raspberry.

It's good, isn't it?

It is good.

This one isn't good.

And I'm not going to eat that one.

I won't eat it.

When we stay with Jesus,

we will be beautiful.

We will be something that pleases

the one who looks after the plant.

The one who looks after the plant is God.

I didn't look after this plant very well,

and I wasn't very pleased to see

that the birds had eaten all my raspberries.

But God looks after you.

And if you trust your lives to Jesus,

and you stay with Jesus,

and you listen to the words of Jesus,

when he tells you to obey your parents,

that's a good thing to do,

to share all your things that you have with others.

That's a good thing to do,

to love one another,

to be nice and to be kind,

to do all these good things.

God will be happy with you.

Yeah?

So when you see raspberries,

when you see these juicy raspberries,

or juicy strawberries,

remember that you can be a branch,

and that you can be something pleasing to God,

if you listen to what God says,

and you listen to all that he asks us to do.

So we'll say the Lord's Prayer together before you go.

Okay?

Close your eyes,

put your hands together.

Our Father,

which art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth,

as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors.

Lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

the power and the glory,

forever.

Amen.

Well, thank you,

boys and girls,

for listening to me.

And remember,

Jesus,

if we stay with him,

we will become beautiful

in God's eyes.

So we'll continue in our praise by singing in Psalm 63 of the Sing Psalms version on page 80,

page 80 of the blue book.

Psalm 63 from the beginning of that psalm.

Psalm that speaks about having confidence in God in the times of trouble.

We'll sing from verse down to verse 1 to 8.

Oh God,

you are my God alone.

I seek your face with eagerness.

My soul and body thirst for you

in this dry weary wilderness.

Down to the last verse there from 7 to 8.

Because you are my help alone.

And shadow off your wings I'll sing.

You hold me up with your right hand.

To you,

O God,

my soul will cling.

So we'll sing these verses together.

We'll stand to sing.

O God,

you are my God alone.

O God,

you are my God alone.

I seek your face with eagerness.

My soul and body thirst for you

and rest my weary wilderness.

In this dry weary wilderness.

I've seen you in your holy place.

Your power and glory held my gaze.

For better is,

your love,

the light,

and so my lips

will sing your praise.

I'll bless you,

Lord,

throughout my life,

and raise my hand to you in prayer.

My joyfulness will sing your praise.

My soul is fed with riches fair.

Upon my bed,

I lie awake,

and in my thoughts remember you.

I meditate throughout the night,

and keep your constant love in you.

Because you are my help alone,

in shadow of your wings I'll sing.

You hold me up with your right hand.

To you,

O God,

my soul will play.

Amen.

We'll turn now to a reading of the Word of God.

We'll find that in the Gospel of John,

John 15 · chapter mention

chapter 15,

from the beginning of that chapter.

Gospel of John,

reading from chapter 15 at the beginning.

And we'll read down to the end of verse Mark 17.

Let us hear the Word of God.

I am the true vine,

and my Father is the vine dresser.

Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit,

he takes away,

and every branch that does bear fruit,

he prunes,

that it may bear more fruit.

Already you are clean

because of the word that I have spoken to you.

Abide in me,

and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself

unless it abides in the vine,

neither can you.

Unless you abide in me.

I am the vine,

you are the branches.

Whoever abides in me,

and I in him,

he it is that bears much fruit.

For apart from me,

you can do nothing.

If anyone does not abide in me,

he is thrown away like a branch and wither,

and the branches are gathered,

thrown into the fire,

and burned.

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 I have 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.

This is my commandment,

that you love one another,

as I have loved you.

Greater love has no one than this,

that someone lays down his life for his friends.

You are my friends,

if you do what I command you.

No longer do I call you servants,

for the servant does not know

what his master is doing,

but I have called you friends.

For all that I have heard from my Father,

I have made known to you.

You did not choose me,

but I chose you,

and appointed you,

that you should go and bear fruit,

and that your fruit should abide,

so that whatever you ask the Father in my name,

he may give it to you.

These things I command you,

so that you will love one another.

Amen.

May the reading of God's word

be a blessing to the hearer of it.

Let us join together in prayer.

Our Father in heaven,

we give thanks that we are gathered here again,

and that we have your word set before us,

and that by reading it,

we have revealed to us

the greatest things of you,

and the greatness of your love for us,

and how we struggle to comprehend it.

We struggle to grasp it.

We struggle to understand the depths of your love for us,

the breadth of it,

the height of it,

the length of it,

the width of it.

But Lord,

we pray as we gather this morning,

and consider your love,

that a measure of it would be made known to us,

and that we would be certain of your love to mankind,

and your love to us.

Lord,

let your word speak to us.

May the riches of it come before us,

and our rested hearts.

May your love be evident amongst your people,

that we would be fulfilling the command that is set before us,

to love one another,

to love the brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus,

but to love also those who are not in Christ,

that their heart desire would be,

and our love would be,

for the lost amongst us,

and the lost that are within our community,

and our families,

and our friends,

that we would have the greatest desire to go out,

and tell them about the greatest love of the world,

greatest love beyond the world,

that we find in Jesus Christ,

that it would be openly shared,

and not with hell,

as Christ himself shared,

the things of God with us,

and his plans and purposes for our lives,

that he will be one that will go before us,

and prepare a place for us,

and we can be assured of his love,

when we come to the cross at Calvary,

because he died for us,

and we can be certain,

and sure,

that his love,

is for us,

Lord,

as we come to these things,

we admit our weaknesses in understanding it,

but we pray that your spirit would enable us,

and if we do things of our own selves,

it says there in the words,

that we will come to nothing,

and likewise,

more so when we come to your words,

that we do not rely on our own strength,

or our own wisdom to understand it,

or to speak to the hearts of others,

or to speak to the hearts of others,

or to rely on the power of your spirit,

that it would go forth from your words,

into the hearts of sinners,

convicting, converting,

persuading,

and enabling them to embrace the greatest love of Jesus Christ,

and that they may come and abide in him,

and rest in him,

receiving the greatest joy of life,

and finding in themselves the purpose of their lives,

that they are not left estranged,

they are not abandoned,

they are not forgotten about,

but the love of Jesus Christ extends to them,

as our loving heavenly father does to his child,

the father does not forget about his children,

but he calls them to come to him,

and to come and confess the pains of our hearts,

and the agonies of our hearts,

the plights of life,

and that you will hear our prayer,

and you do not withhold your grace from us,

and that you will answer us,

according to your wisdom,

and your ways,

often it is just the groaning of our hearts,

that we can echo,

but you know them too,

Lord,

we give thanks for all that you have done for us,

and continue to do for us,

we ask that you would continue to go before us in all things,

and every step of life,

which is so uncertain to us,

we do not know what an hour brings forth for any of us,

we are often surprised,

we are often shocked,

but we can rest assured,

that the love of God will ever remain,

it surprises us when it comes to us,

but it is not one that will depart from us,

we can trust in it eternally,

and even beyond this life,

for death will not end that love,

that love will continue in eternity,

for Jesus is alive,

and his love is ever present with us,

we pray for each one that is gathered here,

and our situations,

we pray for those who are sick,

we pray for those who are mourning,

we ask that you would be their comforter,

and draw near to them,

be their strength,

O Lord,

we pray,

that they would know you,

being present with them,

and abiding with them,

Lord,

we just ask that you would be with us,

in the preaching of the gospel,

whatever it be,

gathered here,

or across our nation,

that it would go with your power,

that it would go with your spirit,

that it would grow with great effect,

and we say,

that we may see,

people turning to abide in Christ Jesus,

and turning to rest,

under the shadow of his wings,

and the shelter that he gives to us,

that we are joy may be full,

and the joy of Christ Jesus,

may fill the land of Scotland,

that we remember Alex and Nina from Moldova,

we pray for him,

as he preaches the gospel also,

that he may be an encouragement to one another,

that we may strengthen one another,

as we meet tonight,

we pray for Alex and Nina,

and the boys,

as they speak to us,

and speak to the young ones,

that they may,

to likewise,

bring the beauty of Christ with them,

that dwells within their hearts,

we pray for them,

in Nisborain,

and the work that they do in the church,

and that you would be their strength,

as they welcome,

and support neighbouring Ukraine,

and the people that flee,

from the dangers that are there,

we pray,

that you would bring peace in that land,

we pray for Russia,

and their forces,

and that they would turn from their ways,

in which they are set upon,

that they may see the folly of their ways,

that they would question their ways,

and ask why are we doing such a thing,

to our mankind,

we just pray,

that you would,

be over us in all things,

we pray for the young,

as they enjoy time of holiday,

and return to schools,

we remember the teaching staff as well,

as they prepare,

to have the children come back,

just ask that you would bless the children,

in their young years,

and that they may hear the gospel,

and know it,

and not depart from it,

and their lives may grow in,

through him,

and become beautiful,

in the eyes of God,

as we too,

trust in Christ,

may our lives,

echo his beauty,

and be pleasing,

to God,

all these things,

we ask in the name of Jesus Christ,

your son,

and our saviour,

amen,

we continue in praise to God,

by singing in Psalm 45,

in the Sing Psalms version,

on page 56,

Psalm 45,

from the beginning of that psalm,

a noble theme inspires my heart,

with verses for the king,

my tongues a skillful writer's pen,

composing lines to sing,

you far excel the best of men,

your lips are full of grace,

for God has blessed you evermore,

as light shines on your face,

we'll just sing,

down to the end of verse Mark 4,

these four stanzas,

it is a love song,

a love that the king gives to his people,

and it is a noble theme,

that should inspire the heart,

of every one of us,

the love that Jesus Christ,

our king has for us,

so we'll sing these four stanzas,

a noble theme,

inspires my heart,

let us stand and sing,

praise to God,

a noble theme,

inspires my heart,

with verses for the king,

my songs a skillful writer's pen,

my songs a skillful writer's pen,

from the old sea lines to sing,

you far excel the best of men,

your lips are full of grace,

for God has blessed you evermore,

his light shines on your face,

O mighty one,

and find it on your thigh,

with glorious center,

with glorious center,

and with your majesty,

sacrifice,

your badge,

glad to hend to be worthy of,

—

I can't display your deeds

of all of separate and lies.

Let me turn back to the passage that we read together.

And we'll have a focus between verse 9 and verse 13.

Verse 9, as the Father has loved me, so I have loved you.

Abide in my love.

And verse 13, greater love has no one than this,

that someone lays down his life for his friends.

Have you ever wondered if God loves you?

Have you ever questioned God if he cares for you?

I'm sure many of you have.

On often times of difficulties, when life is hard,

we ask these things of God.

We don't tend to ask it, though, when life is going well.

Maybe that's for fear that we may think that it is true,

that God loves us.

Regardless of whatever situation we are in tonight,

or today, this morning,

I hope that we will realize that God loves us

as we come to this passage.

And this passage that we have here in chapter 15,

it's the last words of Jesus Christ to his disciples.

As he met with them in the upper room

before he was taken away to be crucified.

He is preparing and strengthening his disciples,

his friends, before he departs,

and for what is to come.

And the chapters between chapter 13 and chapter 17,

we have some of the richest passages of Scripture set before us.

It is, as anyone's last words would be,

a weighty expression of his love for them.

And in it, what we have set before us today,

is love present and love practiced.

There are two points today,

love present and love practiced.

But before we take these points by means of introduction,

we look at the image briefly that is set before us here

of this true vine.

The vine that is used to express the love of God

and the love of Jesus Christ.

The vine that grows with many branches.

The father that cares for this plant.

The vine, which is Christ,

the substance of it, the stem, the roots, is Christ.

And this is the main focus of the father's devotion and love.

And out of that stem, that root, that vine,

comes the branches.

We are the branches, the people of God,

who only bear fruit when we abide in Christ.

Jesus is saying to them,

you are made as a branch.

You are made to bear good fruit.

And you can only do that when you are connected to me.

When you are connected to the vine.

And if you do not take your strength from me,

well, we learn that the branch withers.

For the branch will not be a pleasing sight like fruit.

It will be bare.

And we only fulfill our created purpose

by abiding in Christ.

What we have here,

we are the branches.

Every one of us here is like a branch.

And you are created by God

to be a part of his purposes.

And even in that itself,

your answer to your question,

does God love you?

He has created you.

And he wants you to be a part of him.

Answer it with assurance

that yes, he does love you.

This is the best place for you.

To be adjoined to Jesus Christ.

To be abiding in the love of Christ.

And if you are,

it says that your life will be abundantly beautiful.

There is no comparison

between the branch that bears fruit

and the branch that withers.

And it is a joyful thing

to have fruit.

Just like my children

came running into the house

to show me

that they had found a raspberry.

It is a joyful thing

to bear fruit for God.

And it is a joy

that you bear fruit to God.

We will find joy

in abiding in Christ.

And what is expressed in this image

is the love of God.

The love of God made known

to the branch through the vine.

The love of God

that we know through Jesus.

Just as the Father loves me,

so I love you.

It is passed on.

The love of God

we know through Jesus Christ.

And he is comforting

his friends,

his disciples in these words

by saying

that God

will remain with you.

The love of God

will be known

in your life

through me.

And when you know my love,

you will know my joy.

And it will be like no other joy

that you have ever known.

So we ask ourselves,

what sort of branch

are we this morning?

Do we abide in Christ?

Are we bringing forth fruit

for God?

Or are we a branch

that is set on its own ways

and will ultimately wither?

So love present

in this passage.

Really what I want to do first

is see how love present

in our lives.

and how we understand love

in comparison

to the presence

of God's love.

Because we are so often

the branch

that does not want

to abide in Christ,

aren't we?

We so often want

to do things our way.

We want to love

the things of the world

without Christ.

We don't want

to love Christ

in and of ourselves.

We want to live

without him.

But we are told

that that branch

withers.

life without Christ

leaves us empty

at the end of the day.

A love

without the love

of Christ

leaves us bare.

And in the sight

of God

is no good.

And you can think

of all the things

that you love

in this world,

not in a romantic sense,

but where the affections

of your heart

are drawn to.

You have many

different things.

It may be football,

it may be rugby,

cars,

bikes,

it may be your home,

it may be your bed.

You can love

the smallest of things

and you can love

the greatest of things.

As the people

around us,

the friends

and the families

that we have,

there's a vast difference

between these loves.

But love

is every bit

a part of us.

What is your

greatest love

in this world?

What is your

greatest love

in this world?

And has your love

been perfect

to that thing

or person?

Has your love

ever deviated

in its devotion

to the object

of your love?

Has your love

ever grown cold?

Has your love

ever changed?

Has your love

ever been distracted

by something else?

It probably has

if we are honest

with ourselves.

Because our love,

it's not perfect.

Our love fluctuates.

It grows.

It fades.

Our love moves.

It changes.

And our love

can decay.

We place our love

in the things

of this world.

But they are liable

to disappoint us.

And so also

we can disappoint them.

And ultimately

the loves

of this world

will come

to an end.

and that may

leave us

chasing other loves.

Our heart's desire

is to love.

Love

of the world

only temporarily

satisfies us.

And it is true

that maybe

we can say

that we can exhaust

the loves

of this world.

And sometimes

we can say

sadly

that the loves

of this world

fail us.

where do you go

then?

When every love

of the world

has failed you

where do you go?

What do you love?

So we can chase

after all the things

of this world.

We can grab

a hold of them

but our love

deviates.

Our love grows

cold.

Our love changes.

It's like

chasing the wind.

We try and grab

and hold love

but we never

quite get it.

We're never

quite satisfied

with it.

It never quite

gives us joy.

We're left

withered

when we try

and satisfy

ourselves

with the love

of the world.

When we try

to keep our love

alive

by our own strength

and our own loves

we're left

fruitless.

Someone once

said that the

loneliest place

in the world

is a human heart

where love is absent.

And there's truth

to that.

But love

is not absent

in God.

It is our nature

to love

to give love

to know love

and we can all

say and agree

together

in one voice

that love

gives us

the greatest joy

in this life

but love

so also

gives us

the sourest

of pains.

Great are the marks

of great love

and great

are the marks

of great love

that is lost.

Love

it leaves

an impression

on us

and while

so sore

and so painful

at times

it still

retains

something

of beauty.

the dictionary

describes love

as something

profoundly tender

and that it is.

John Owen

would say

that love

is a jewel

of human

nature

because it's

well it's a precious

thing.

A jewel

is precious.

It's valuable,

it's beautiful,

it's desirable

but really

the beauty

of the jewel

is only

fully seen

and fully

realised

and put

on display

when it

trusts and

abides in

Christ.

The love

of our nature

is only

fulfilled

and made

joyous

when we

dwell

in Christ

and we

become branches

that please

the vine

dresser.

our love

of itself

fluctuates,

it's not

perfect.

Our love,

what is our

love

in comparison

to the love

present here

in Jesus

Christ?

We think

of the love

of Christ,

we have it

equally

in the love

of God.

We are of

the same

thing

in verse 9,

as the

Father has

loved me

so I

have loved

you and

he calls

us to

abide

in that

love.

This is

the greatest

love we

can know.

This is

the greatest

love that

we can

receive.

This is

a love

that does

not fluctuate,

it does

not move,

it does

not change,

it does

not decay

over time.

Christ's

love and

God's

love are

firm and

sure.

The vine

Christ is

loved by

the vine

dresser.

God's

love is

continually

expressed

towards

Christ.

God's

love is

eternally

present

towards

Christ.

God's

love is

inexhaustible

and it

is a

love that

we receive

through

Christ.

And we

can be

secure

and assured

of that

love as

God loves

his Son.

love is

perfected

because love

is

untainted

in God.

God's

love is

pure.

We can

say that

love is

fulfilled

in God

and Christ.

Love is

complete.

His love

is the

greatest

love and

really his

love, it

is the

essence of

what love

is because

it is

full,

because it

is

untainted.

The

greatest

love is

the love

of God.

The

greatest

love we

receive is

the love

of God

through

Jesus

Christ.

Great

love, it

is never

alone.

It is

something that

stimulates

action.

Love is

outworked by

some means

and it is a

great confirmation

of the love

within the

heart when

you see the

actions of

it.

Jesus is

not only

telling his

disciples about

the love

that he has

for them,

he is

preparing them

and expressing

them about

how he will

show it

to them.

Love is

present and

abounding in

Christ,

but love

will be

practiced

by Christ.

You see

there,

in verse

13,

greater love

has no

one than

this,

that someone

lays down

his life

for his

friend.

Our

second

point,

love

practiced.

Christ's

life is

a manifestation

of the

perfect love

of God

and the

resulting

actions of

what you

see in

Jesus'

love.

You search

through the

gospels and

you see the

love of Jesus

Christ coming

through.

He cared

for others,

he cured

for others.

He did

not revile

or reject

others.

He called

them to

come to

him with

a loving

heart.

He compelled

them to

come.

He

compassionately

taught them

and met

their need.

The low

were not

too low

for him,

the high

were not

too high

for him.

But here

in verse

13 we have

an explanation

of what

great love

looks like

and what

the greatest

display of

love is

that a man

would die

for his

friends.

But we are

mindful as we

come to this

that this is

only a portrayal

of what great

love looks

like.

In human

terms it

is understandable

that we would

die for someone

whom we

greatly love

and the

greatest action

that we could

have for that

person would

be to die

for them.

And if

someone died

for us

out of

love we

would be

left in

no uncertain

terms as

to the

love that

that person

had for

you.

He died

because he

loved you

with a

great love

and there

would be no

doubt about

it in your

heart if he

had died

for you.

And others

would say

if they

looked at

the person

that died

they could

say well

look how

much he

loved you.

And you

could say

yourself

look how

much he

loved me

because he

died for me

and he gave

his life

for me.

Jesus is

reminding his

disciples here

before he

goes of what

great love

looks like

and what the

greatest love

of man

looks like

because Christ

was shortly

going to die

for them

and the

love of

Christ

for his

friends

drove him

to die

for them.

This is how

he would

show his

love so

that they

would not

doubt,

so that they

would not

question nor

wonder whether

he loved

them or not.

Is this the

greatest display

of love

in human

reasoning?

Yes,

that a man

would die

for one of

his friends.

But is this

what Christ

did?

Well,

not really.

You see,

the love of

Christ was

greater and

more, far

more abounding

than the

greatest of

man's love.

The death

of Christ

was a

greater display

of the

greatest of

what man

could give

and offer.

For Christ

died for

his friends

and his

enemies.

We see in

Romans 5,

it tells us

that God

shows his

love for

us,

that while

we were

still sinners,

Christ

died for

us.

He died

for his

friends,

yes.

He died

for those

who loved

him.

But he

died also

unequally

for the

people

that

condemned

him to

the cross,

the people

who spat

on him,

the one

who took

his name

in vain,

the one

who wanted

nothing to

do with

him,

the passerby

who slandered

him.

He died

for the

sinner.

He died

for the

one that

does not

want to

go to

church on

Sunday

morning,

nor listen

to this

service.

Christ

died

for you.

And you

might ask,

well,

why did

Christ

die for

me?

Well,

it's so

that you

may know

in no

uncertain

terms how

much he

loves you.

And that

I can say

with confidence

to you,

see how

much Jesus

loves you.

And that

you can

say in

your heart,

see how

much Jesus

loves me.

And we

can't

understand

really

someone

dying

for their

enemy.

We

struggle to

comprehend

that someone

would give

their lives

for someone

they did

not like,

someone that

did not

love them

back.

But such

was Christ's

love.

And so

far more

abounding

than the

greatest love

of man,

that he

died for

us while

we did

not love

him.

And that

is why the

cross is so

treasured by

Christians.

When we

come to that

place, when we

view it, when we

consider what

Christ has

done for us,

what we

see is the

greatest love

perfectly

practiced.

We come

to something

worthy of

our time.

It's the

greatest display

of love

that we

can know.

It's a love

that is beyond

our understanding

and beyond the

loves of this

world.

And even

though it is

a place of

pain and

sorrow,

it is

wrapped in

sweet beauty

and leaves

the deepest

marks

eternally.

For the

love of God

has not

died.

Jesus is

alive and

that love

still lives

and that

love is

still expressed

to every

single one

of us

today.

Jesus has

died for

you so

that you

can say

in no

uncertain

terms that

he loved

you.

If you

take the

fact that

someone dies

for another,

if someone

died for

you, what

implications

do we have

of that

action?

Why die

for someone

else?

For what

cause would

you need

someone to

die for

you?

Well,

usually it

is to

pay

punishment,

to pay

justice.

he dies

for you

so you

can go

free.

It may

die for

you to

rescue you

so you

can go

free.

By the

giving of

his life,

you may

continue to

live.

You may

not suffer

death.

Jesus is

the one

who gives

his life

so that we

can be

free.

Jesus is

the one

who bore

our punishment,

died as a

ransom for

many, as

we were

teaching the

children last

week, so

that we

may be

free.

This is

the great

action of

Christ's

love for

you, and

it bears

testimony to

the love

of God.

These

things are

not hidden

from us.

The

gospel has

been revealed

to every

single one

of us.

The love

of Jesus

Christ has

been shown

forth on

the cross,

that we

may come

and receive

it and

abide in

it, so

that we

may know

our purpose

in this

life, and

that we

may bear

fruit, and

that we

may with

confidence

rest and

remain with

him, and

assuredly

say,

Jesus loves

me.

Some of you

may be

sitting and

listening and

saying,

well, how

does all

this affect

me?

I

didn't

choose

Jesus to

die for

me, and

you're

right.

Read

verse 16

with me.

You did

not choose

me, but

I chose

you, and

appointed

you that

you should

go and

bear fruit,

and that

your fruit

should abide.

We did

not choose

God nor

Christ, but

he chose

us.

And he

is making

known these

things to

you today,

even if

you have

not chosen

him.

He is

displaying to

you and

portraying his

love for

you, so

that you

may know

how much

he loves

you, that

you may

come and

receive that

love, so

that you

may not be

a withered

branch, but

that you

may be

fruitful and

abounding in

fruit.

It is no

loneliness in

the love of

God, but

his love

gives us

the fullness

of joy, as

we see in

verse 11,

that we

come and

abide in

his love

with the

greatest

confidence,

growing in

his strength

that comes

to us,

pleasing to

God by the

fruit in

which we

bear.

love.

Jesus Christ

loves you

with an

everlasting

love, and

he has

chosen you

today to

hear these

things, to

hear that

he loves

you, that

you may

come and

abide with

him.

His love

was practiced

perfectly, but

he asks us to

practice love

too.

as the

love of

Jesus Christ

made an

impression on

you, have

you realized

just how

much he

loves you?

Well, he

asks us to

love him in

return by

obeying his

commands.

Read there

in verse 12,

this is my

commandment, that

you love one

another as I

have loved

you.

that we

in Jesus

Christ love

one another

that is here

and love the

world that is

out with the

doors of this

church, that

we practice the

love of Christ

as he did,

that we look

at him and

abide in his

word and

learn from him

and how to

practice love,

that we may

please God

the Father

by obeying

the commandments

of Christ

and likewise

the commandments

of God.

What are

our actions

of the love

of Christ?

How do we

respond to

the love of

Christ?

It's love

present in our

heart.

We are loved

with an

everlasting love,

a steadfast

love, an

eternal love,

a perfect

love and it

is for you to

hear about it

today.

He has

chosen you

and therefore

none of us

can leave this

building today

doubting that

love.

We are in no

uncertain terms

with doubts

or questioning

in our heart

whether Jesus

loves you or

not because

he gave his

life for you

and died for

you at

Calvary.

That is even

before we

consider the

sufferings of

the cross

and in such

a manner

in which

he died

but he

gave his

life for

you.

Come and

abide in

his love,

grow in

his grace

and bear

fruit to

the glory

of God.

That's what

he says to

each and

every one

of us

this morning.

May these

thoughts be

blessed to

us.

We'll

conclude

by singing

to God's

praise

in

Psalm

86

in the

Scottish

Psalter

version.

Find that

on page

341 of

the Blue

Book.

Psalm 86

We'll sing

from verse

10 down

to verse

Mark 13.

Amen.

From verse

10.

Because thou

art exceeding

great and

works by

thee are

done which

are to be

admired and

thou art

God thyself

alone.

Teach me

thy way and

in thy

truth O

Lord then

walk will

I unite

my heart

that I

thy name

may fear

continually.

O Lord

my God