Behold What Manner Of Love

Temple Baptist Church - 2-6-2011

1 John 3:1-3

Introduction:

A. This passage of scripture is one of the greatest in the Bible dealing with our position in Christ. It describes our position as “sonship” and “sonship” is a relationship which cannot be broken. It is “birth based” and a birth cannot be either reversed nor can it be nullified! If you are born, you are forever born. This is Eternal Security at its best.

B. In these verses, we see three things:

1. We see what Christ has done for us. He saved us!

2. We see what Christ is doing in us. He is changing us!

3. We see what Christ is going to do for us. He is coming for us and we will be transformed.

C. It is so easy to take for granted what we have as we walk in the realm of the temporal. May the Lord help us this morning to think upon both the temporal and eternal benefits of our great salvation!

1. Love’s Position – “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us” (What a love! Calvary’s love!)

2. Love’s Privilege – “that we should be called the sons of God” (What a privilege! Not just saved but sons!)

3. Love’s Promise – “when he shall appear” (What a promise! He not only is coming, He may come today!)

4. Love’s Purification – “purifieth himself” (What a change! What a difference salvation makes!)

5. Love’s Possibility – “even as he is pure” (What a possibility! One day, we will see Him as He is and we shall be like Him!)

D. What a wonderful thing it is to be saved! We often get our eyes on the things of this world but if the only thing that God ever did for us was to save us, it would be a wonderful thing. Here are just a few things that we have because of Calvary. These are spiritual things! These are eternal things!

1. We Have A Wonderful Redemption - Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

2. The Lord Has Given Us A Divine Deliverance - 2 Corinthians 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Delivered from Satan)

1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. (Delivered from hell)

3. The Lord Has Given Us A Wonderful Transformation - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (What a wonderful change has been made since Jesus came into my heart!)

4. The Lord Has Given Us A Complete Forgiveness - Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Romans 4:7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (Past, present, and future)

5. The Lord Has Given Us A Glorious Reconciliation - Colossians 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in you mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (Reconcile - Brought into friendship from a state of disagreement or enmity)

6. The Lord Has Given Us A Blessed Peace - John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

7. The Lord Has Given Us An Eternal Inheritance - Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

1 Corinthians 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;

8. The Lord Will Give Us A Heavenly Translation - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.