God’s Sending Love: Living Through Him
Jeremy Skaggs   -   December 22, 2024

This sermon discusses the profound question: “Does God truly love you?”

We examine 1 John 4:9-11, uncovering the depths of God’s love and its implications for our lives.

The message emphasizes that God’s love is active and sending, manifested through Christ’s coming and our call to share this love with others.

Takeaways:

  • God’s love is a sending love: He sent His Son for us, demonstrating that His love is active and purposeful.
  • We are called to live through Christ: God desires us to find fulfillment and purpose not just with Him, but through Him.
  • Our response to God’s love should be to love others: We are sent as God’s mouthpieces to share Christ’s love with the world.

As we approach the 2000th anniversary of the Church in 2033, let’s reflect on our role in the Great Commission.

How can we embody God’s sending love in our community and beyond?

Remember, sharing Christ is a unique task we can only do on earth – it’s our privilege and responsibility.

May this message continue to resonate in your hearts, inspiring you to live out God’s love in tangible ways.

Blessings,

Pastor Jeremy
jeremy.skaggs@covenantlove.net
www.covenantlove.net

 

God’s Sending Love: Living Through Him

Sunday, 22 December 2024
1 John 4:9-11

  1. The question: Does God truly love you?
    1. A vexing and weighty question
    2. Arises in moments of doubt, pain, or uncertainty
    3. An invitation to deepen relationship with God
  2. Examining 1 John 4:9-11
    1. God’s love made manifest
    2. The concept of “manifest” in Scripture
      1. Examples from various books
    3. Purpose of God’s love being revealed
  3. God’s love is a sending love
    1. Active and dynamic nature of God’s love
    2. Purpose: that we might live through Him
    3. Contrast with human pursuits for fulfillment
  4. Propitiation
    1. Definition and significance
    2. Implications of propitiation
      1. Divine justice and mercy
      2. Jesus as the sacrifice
      3. Unconditional love
      4. Restoration of relationship
      5. Assurance of salvation
  5. Our response to God’s love
    1. Loving one another
    2. Being sent as God’s mouthpiece
    3. Evangelism and witnessing
    4. The Great Commission
      1. Global perspective
      2. 2033 as the 2000th anniversary of the Church
      3. Finding where God is sending us
  6. Conclusion
    1. Our role in sharing God’s love
    2. The urgency of the message
    3. Willingness to be used by God

Small Group Guide: Does God Truly Love You?

Sermon Text: 1 John 4.9-11

Opening Questions:
After prayer, reflect on this question:
Have you ever struggled with the question “Does God truly love me?” Share a time when you felt this way and what prompted those feelings.

Key Takeaways:

  1. God’s love is active and demonstrated through sending His Son.
  2. We are called to live through God, not just with or around Him.
  3. Jesus’ propitiation satisfies God’s justice and extends mercy to us.
  4. God’s love for us should motivate us to love others actively.
  5. Sharing Christ with others is a crucial part of our Christian mission.

Discussion Questions:

  1. The sermon mentions that God’s love is a “sending love.” What does this mean to you, and how does it differ from a passive love?
  2. Reflect on the phrase “live through Him” from verse 9. What do you think it means to live through God rather than just with Him or around Him?
  3. The sermon talks about propitiation. In your own words, how would you explain this concept to someone unfamiliar with it?
  4. How does understanding propitiation impact your view of God’s love for you personally?
  5. Verse 11 says, “if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” How can we practically demonstrate this “sending love” to others in our daily lives?
  6. The sermon mentions that sharing Christ is the only task we can’t do in heaven. How does this perspective change your view on evangelism?
  7. What obstacles do you face in sharing your faith with others? How can we overcome these challenges?

Practical Applications:

  1. Reflect daily on God’s active love for you, perhaps by journaling or meditating on 1 John 4:9-12.
  2. Identify one area of your life where you can more fully “live through” God this week.
  3. Make a list of 3-5 people in your life who may not know Christ. Commit to praying for them regularly and look for opportunities to share God’s love with them.
  4. As a group, brainstorm ways your small group or church can participate more actively in the Great Commission, both locally and globally.
  5. Practice explaining the concept of propitiation to each other, preparing yourselves to share this important truth with others.

Closing Prayer:
Thank God for His active, sending love. Ask for His help in living through Him more fully and for courage to share His love with others.