In this sermon from 1 John 4:7-10, we looked at how love is embedded in God's nature and how He is the source of all love that is experienced in the world. Love is not merely an attribute of God's personality or something He does in the world; love is part of the very essence of His being. Despite varying definitions of love in the world around us, the Bible describes love as a selfless and compassionate desire for the good of the one who is loved, initiated by the one who loves, with no expectation of anything in return. This is how God has loved us. The ultimate demonstration of God's love is displayed in the Gospel through the sacrifice of God's only Son, Jesus, to atone for our sins. Romans 5:8 says that God demonstrated His love by doing this for us while we were still dead in our sins and had nothing to give in return. To know God is to know love, and the evidence of having received God’s love is a willingness to share it with God and others. When we love others the way God has loved us, we reflect His image in the world around us.
