Introduction
How many of you have seen Fireproof, the movie from Sherwood Pictures? As I prepared for this sermon, I couldn’t get the story of that movie out of my mind.
At work, inside burning buildings, Capt. Caleb Holt lives by the old firefighter's adage: “Never leave your partner behind.” At home, in the cooling embers of his marriage, he lives by his own rules.
Growing up, Catherine Holt always dreamed of marrying a loving, brave firefighter...just like her daddy. Now, after seven years of marriage, Catherine wonders when she stopped being “good enough” for her husband.
Regular arguments over jobs, finances, housework, and outside interests have readied them both to move on to something with more sparks.
As the couple prepares to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb's father challenges his son to commit to a 40-day experiment: “The Love Dare.” In the middle of the movie he realizes that it’s not enough and it’s not working. He finds out that he can’t give his wife something that he doesn’t have.
I'm not talking about marriage but I am talking about relationships today, with your wife, with your parents, with your friends, with your boss, but it starts with this relationship with God. With understanding God’s love as portrayed in John 3:16 …
Read it with me … “For 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
So hard to understand this concept of God’s love
In your small groups study of 3:16 you’re looking at two words…
1. Hebrew Hashaq - Tethered to or attached
God loves us with a love that means He binds, or tethers, Himself to us. He uses this word in Deuteronomy 10:15 “Yet the Lord was devoted to your fathers and loved them.” When the Hebrews heard that, they heard God say “The Lord binds [hashaq] Himself to His people.”
2. Agape or Agapao Unconditional Love
Bible tells us that it is vital for us to understand God’s unconditional love
When asked what was the greatest commandment, Jesus said, “‘Love (agapao) the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love (agapao) your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-41)
God created you to love you, God is for you, He is rooting for you, even when you fail, even when you sin.
We expect and anger filled God, we expect a God who wants to get back at your for everything you’ve done, and everything your momma and daddy did, and throw in the stuff that your flaky sister did,
In last week’s small group session of 3:16, Max Lucado made a very powerful statement, he said, “God loved this world so much that he gave not his condemnation but he gave his son. Jesus places “do not enter signs” all over the gateway to hell and he announces to anyone who wants to go, “if you go you’ve gotta go over my dead body.”
On page 22 of the book 316 – The Numbers of Hope, Max Lucado says, you can know God loves you, because God so loved the World, and,
Since he has no needs, you cannot tire him.
Since he is without age, you cannot lose him.
Since he has no sin, you cannot corrupt him.
If God can make a billion galaxies, can’t he make good out of our bad and sense out of our faltering lives? Of course he can. He is God.
If you and I try to get our relationships right and our life right without getting this right, without staking our lives on the unconditional love of God
Illustration: I was reading a book on Tuesday evening in preparation for a staff retreat we have coming up soon. I went up to my bedroom to find some quiet to try to finish this book. My 7-year-old daughter knocked on the door (that’s a good thing) and she came in and climbed up next to me in the bed and was real quiet (she was trying to let dad finish his reading). After a few minutes of silence, she couldn’t stand it anymore, “Dad?” “Yes, honey.” “Do you know why Christian has never been to a Soccer game this year?” (she plays soccer at the YMCA and is at least 6 games into her season) “Do you know why Christian has never been to a Soccer game this year?” (I'm thinking she's going to say he's sick, his parents are sick, gas is too expensive) I ask, “Why?” She says, “Because he can’t find his uniform.”
Have you ever heard anything so lame in your life?
Let me repeat that for those of you who were checking your text messages, this kid has missed more than half the season because he can’t find his uniform.
I tell you what is lamer, more lame, the lamest … a Christian who does not get the Love of God, who does not understand the Love of God, who does not receive the Love of God, who is trying to make relationship work, trying to get through life, trying to live the Christian life while they are sidelined by guilt, and fear, living in the past, wondering if God can use you,
Anyone who has not experienced the love of God and who does not have this love to share with others is like a soccer player who can’t get in the game because he can’t find his uniform.
God wants you to put on His unconditional love like a garment, like a new set of clothes, like a uniform.
Some of you miss God’s love without conditions because of sin in your past or maybe sin in your present.
Some of you had an abortion and you know it was wrong and you’re wondering if God can still love you.
Some of you are struggling with an addiction to alcohol, or prescription drugs, or spending, or gambling, or pornography, and you are wondering if you’ve gone so far that you’ve gone outside of the boundaries where God’s love can reach you.
Do you want to hear the Apostle Paul’s prayer for you
Ephesians 3:17-19
“that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted”
“you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love.”
“Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights!”
Max Lucado reminded us last week “You can’t do anything to make God love you more, you can’t do anything that will make God love you less.”
“You cannot win it, you cannot lose it, but you can refuse it.”
There are also those of you here that may not be caught in great sin, or addiction, or trouble. Did you know you can be in danger of missing the truth and reality of God’s unconditional love?
Do you know that I have great parents, and a great wife, and great children, I’ve got a good education, and a good resume, but the day I start relying on those things rather than on the unconditional love of God, I am through, I am benched because I know that it’s only by the grace of God, only because of his favor, only because of God’s unconditional love that I stand here before you. And, if I forget, you remind me.
I don’t want to forget that
You can be saved and not completely get this
You can be a good person and not get this
You can be a good husband / wife / father / mother / friend
“Keep company with God and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.” Eph. 5:2 (Mes)
“Christ’s love has the first and last word in everything we do. Our firm decision is to work from this focused center…” 2 Cor. 5:14 (Mes)
Intro video clip: Remember when I began to tell you the story of Caleb and Catherine Holt in Fireproof. I want to show you a 5 minute clip from the movie. He’s been following “The Love Dare” for about 20 days and he realizes that it’s not enough and it’s not working.
While trying to stay true to his promise, Caleb becomes frustrated time and again. He finally asks his father, “How am I supposed to show love to somebody who constantly rejects me?”
Play video clip (I used a video clip from the movie Fireproof where Caleb's father leads him to Christ).