Audacious Love | Dawn Groff | 09.27.26

Sep 27, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Blue Mustang Surprise and Sacrificial Love

A baby blue Ford Mustang GT rolling up the driveway becomes more than metal – it’s a portrait of love that costs something. This kind of love leans into another’s joy, rearranges priorities, and takes tangible shape. Extravagant love isn’t theoretical; it interrupts routines, mirrors divine generosity, and leaves recipients breathless. Like light breaking through storm clouds, such love reveals how deeply we’re known. Where has love surprised you with its boldness? [29:24]

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”
(John 3:16-17, NLT)

Reflection: When has someone’s costly act of love left you speechless? How might that moment help you recognize God’s “all in” love for you?

Day 2: Fog on Diamond Lake – Creation’s Love Letter

Morning mist clinging to mountain lakes and elk moving through evergreens aren’t accidents – they’re love notes signed by the Creator. Every textured detail of nature – snow peaks, brooks, seed-bearing plants – whispers intentional care. These aren’t mass-produced gifts but custom-made displays of affection. To walk through creation is to stroll through God’s art gallery, each piece declaring “I see you, I delight in you.” What landscape makes your soul feel most seen? [32:30]

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God saw that the light was good.”
(Genesis 1:1-3, NLT)

Reflection: Which detail in nature – a specific bird’s flight or leaf’s vein pattern – most reminds you of God’s attentive love? Why?

Day 3: Bloody Noses and Broken Trees – Love’s Messy Courage

A nosebleed during a marriage proposal and a man heaving fallen timber uphill reveal love’s gritty persistence. Real love doesn’t wait for perfect conditions – it bleeds, strains, and shows up snow-soaked. Like Steve’s determined climb through the storm, God’s love pursues us through life’s debris. What barriers have you mistaken for roadblocks to love? [50:55]

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”
(Psalm 139:23-24, NLT)

Reflection: What “fallen tree” in your story makes receiving love feel difficult? How might God be working to move it?

Day 4: Hospice Hands and Unflinching Presence

Holding space for a grieving sister as death approaches mirrors God’s love – it stays, listens, and anchors when life unravels. This love doesn’t flinch from pain but enters dark rooms with steady light. Like the Psalmist who found shelter under divine wings, we’re called to be refuge-bearers. Where have you experienced love that doesn’t look away? [54:02]

“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love – not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”
(1 John 4:9-10, NLT)

Reflection: When has someone’s steadfast presence during your pain helped you trust God’s nearness? How can you offer that same gift?

Day 5: Love Dares and Daily Bread

A basket of challenges – coffee shared, prayers whispered over sleeping children – turns ordinary moments into love laboratories. God’s grand affection feeds us through daily bread: golden hour light, a friend’s glance, children’s laughter. These aren’t leftovers but fresh-baked mercies. What ordinary moment today could become a love altar? [58:11]

“Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.”
(1 John 4:11-12, NLT)

Reflection: Which “small” act of love – a text, shared meal, or walk – could ripple God’s big love into someone’s week?

Sermon Summary

God’s extravagant love comes into view through those moments that catch a person off guard and make the heart stop to take it all in. An unexpected baby blue Mustang became one picture of that kind of all-in love, a gift that carried sacrifice, thoughtfulness, and the clear message, “You matter to me.” God’s big love shows up in those same kinds of spaces: a newborn child, a faithful friend with coffee and a phone call, a side-eye glance across the room, a family vacation, and the beauty of mountains, lakes, animals, and changing leaves.

Genesis takes that big love all the way back to the beginning. God creates light and darkness, sky and seas, plants and stars, fish and birds, animals and people, and every part of it is organized, good, and full of purpose. Creation points back to God’s glory because it is not meaningless or accidental. God makes human beings in his image, giving every person unique worth and value. The God of the universe is nuts about the people he made.

Sin brings pain, shame, hiding, and loss into that beautiful world, but God does not abandon Adam and Eve. God calls out, “Where are you?” God confronts their disobedience, gives consequences, and still covers their shame. John 3 reveals the fullest expression of that same love: God gives his one and only Son, not to condemn the world but to save it through him. God makes big love personal in Jesus, offering forgiveness, freedom from guilt, and eternal life.

The tension comes when hurt, shame, unforgiveness, pride, money, pleasure, or control put a no-entry sign on the heart. Unforgiveness can make God feel a million miles away, even when his faithful love has not moved. David’s prayer, “Search me, O God,” gives the honest posture of a heart willing to be known, cleaned out, and led in the everlasting way. God invites people to bring him the show and tell of their hearts without complicating it.

God’s love also becomes contagious. God’s faithful presence equips hurting people to carry joy, comfort, and steady care into another person’s hardest moments. Psalm 36 declares that God’s unfailing love is vast as the heavens, his righteousness like mighty mountains, and his justice like ocean depths. God is not merely loving. God is love, and his unchanging love calls open hearts to see it, hold it, and express it to others.

Key Takeaways

1. God’s love is all in. God’s love is not casual, distant, or half-hearted. Creation, provision, relationships, and the cross all carry the marks of a God who gives generously and personally. God’s love does not merely create a beautiful world to observe; it gives his Son so broken people can be restored. [43:10]
2. Creation is an organized gift. Genesis portrays the world as purposeful, good, and filled with God’s care. Mountains, birds, stars, food, water, and human companionship are not random details in a cold universe. Creation invites grateful attention because every good thing points beyond itself to the Creator’s glory. [36:24]
3. God meets people in hiding. Sin creates shame, and shame teaches hearts to hide from God. God’s question, “Where are you?” does not come from ignorance but from mercy that seeks the fearful and exposed. God confronts sin honestly while also covering shame and making a way back. [40:34]
4. Closed hearts need honest surrender. Unforgiveness, betrayal, failure, and control can become a no-entry sign against God’s love. David’s prayer shows that healing begins when hidden motives, anxious thoughts, and sinful patterns are brought into God’s searching light. God’s forgiveness loosens the grip of pain and opens the heart to steadfast love. [47:25]
5. Received love becomes shared love. God’s love strengthens people to enter another person’s grief without turning away. Compassion becomes more than good intentions when God’s faithful presence supplies courage, tenderness, and endurance. Love does when God’s people become an extension of his care in someone else’s darkest hour.

## [53:03]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[24:55] - Where Have You Seen Big Love?
[27:43] - A Mustang and an Audacious Gift
[30:42] - Recognizing God’s Love All Around
[34:25] - God’s Big Love in Creation
[39:53] - Made in God’s Image
[40:13] - Sin, Shame, and God’s Mercy
[41:19] - God Makes Love Personal in Jesus
[44:20] - The No-Entry Signs on the Heart
[47:25] - Search Me, O God
[49:05] - Love Seen Through Relationships
[52:34] - Becoming an Extension of God’s Love
[55:20] - God’s Unfailing Love Never Moves
[57:25] - Step Into God’s Extravagant Love
[58:53] - Prayer and Invitation

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

John 3:16-17
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” [41:34]

Genesis 1:1-31
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light 'day' and the darkness 'night.' And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day. [The passage continues through the creation of sky, land, vegetation, sun/moon/stars, sea creatures, birds, land animals, and finally humans in God's image, with God declaring each part 'good']” [35:32]

Psalm 139:23-24
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” [47:32]

Observation questions

In Genesis 1, what repeated words or ideas show that God’s creation was intentional, ordered, and good? [36:44]
What does Genesis 1 say about human beings that gives every person worth and value? [39:48]
After Adam and Eve hid from God, what actions did God take toward them even while addressing their sin? [40:41]
According to John 3:16–17, why did God send his Son into the world? [41:45]

Interpretation questions

Genesis 1 describes creation as good and purposeful rather than accidental. How does seeing the world as God’s gift shape the way believers understand ordinary things like food, work, nature, relationships, and rest? [36:44]
God’s question to Adam, “Where are you?” comes after Adam and Eve hide in shame. What does this show about the way God approaches people who have sinned, failed, or pulled away from him? [40:50]
John 3:16–17 says that Jesus came to save rather than condemn. How can someone take sin seriously while also receiving God’s forgiveness instead of living under constant guilt? [42:47]
Psalm 139:23–24 is an invitation for God to search the heart. Why might a person resist praying this honestly, and what might change when they allow God to reveal what they cannot see in themselves? [47:45]

Application questions

Where have you recently noticed God’s big love—in creation, a relationship, provision, or a small kindness? What might help you slow down enough to recognize those gifts rather than taking them for granted? [33:05]
Because you are made in God’s image, your worth is not based on achievement, appearance, success, or other people’s approval. Where are you most tempted to measure your value by something other than God’s love? [39:53]
Is there any area where shame has caused you to hide from God—something you avoid bringing honestly to him? What would it look like to respond to God’s invitation with openness instead of hiding? [46:44]
Hurt and unforgiveness can become a “no-entry sign” on the heart. Is there a wound, disappointment, or betrayal that still makes it difficult to trust God or receive his love? What is one honest sentence you could bring to God about it this week? [48:25]
Consider praying Psalm 139:23–24 in a simple, personal way this week. What anxious thought, controlling habit, prideful pattern, or hidden motive might you ask God to search and lead you through? [48:02]
God’s love is meant to become shared love. Who around you may be carrying grief, loneliness, stress, or discouragement right now, and what tangible act of care could help them experience God’s faithful presence? [55:00]

Sermon Clips

60s

#GodsExtravagantLove

“These verses are bigger than billboard worthy, bigger than shouting from the rooftops important, bigger than Super Bowl halftime viewing, breaking news status. They are bigger than all that because they tell us that the love of God is a love from him for each of us. These words are the foundation of the Christian faith. Nothing compares to their significance today or for all of eternity. Today and for all of what is to come with Christ through the sacrifice of his son Jesus. It means that we have freedom from guilt, freedom from our sins. We can confess our mistakes to God, accept his forgiveness, and live a new life with Christ. That is big extravagant love for you and me.”

60s

#HealingThroughFaith

“You might be here today and you're holding on to pain. Someone you thought would never ever ever let you down has. I can assure you God sees you, he loves you, and he wants to hold you in that pain. Maybe your heart is closed off because of shame. You feel like your failures make you unlovable, and you're trying to hide. But I wanna tell you that is a lie from the enemy. God's inviting you to confess the things you're holding and he will forgive you. Maybe pride or money or pleasure or control are separating you from God's extravagant love. It's easy to think we can manage life without God, but oh, there is abundantly more for you when you walk with Jesus instead of managing life on your own.”

46s

#MercyAfterTheFall

“And what happens next is so beautiful because God did not abandon his creation. He confronted their sin and there was consequences, but God also showed great mercy to Adam and Eve. He covered their shame. He covered their shame by giving them something to wear when they realized they were naked. Adam and Eve messed up, and death became part of our living experience. But despite our disobedience and sin, God continues to love us big all these years later, and he loves us most fully through his son, Jesus Christ.”

51s

#SteadfastLove

“David wrote these words, and we know about David's life, the struggles that he had. But he knew that God didn't move. God saw him, God forgave him, and God loved him. But David understood something else so very important. He understood that God's love was not based on trying to live a perfect life. That's impossible. God's love, his extravagant was faithful. And David received it with humility and with trust as it shaped the whole understanding of his life. And like David, if we open our hearts, the parts that we've closed off and receive his forgiveness, we can find steadfast love there.”

59s

#OpenYourHeart

“So if there's a no entry sign on your heart and it's holding you back from seeing and feeling God's extravagant love. The way forward is to turn honestly toward God and tell him what you're feeling. Try not to complicate it. Tell him what's closed your heart and openly surrender what's holding you back. Friends, when we acknowledge the big love of God, love that's evident all around us and love that promises us hope and a future and life eternal with God, the grip on our heart begins to loosen. And we become more aware of the deep, deep love that our creator has for us. His love in our yesterdays, his love in our todays, and his unchanging love in our lives for every tomorrow.”

45s

#CreateInMe

“We can learn from David. When he invites God to clean out his heart, he already understands that God knows everything about him. God knew his thoughts and his motives and his actions, but he still asks God to enter his situation and to examine him. Because David wants to become aware of what he cannot see in himself. He's not hiding from God. He's asking God to expose what's sinful in his life and then point him toward a new life. And this invitation to invite God into the show and tell of our heart is for us today too.”

41s

#LoveAtTheCross

“And thank you for your bold love on a cross so many years ago. Father, your extravagant love for us runs deep. It is a gift. We don't need to do anything to, to earn it. But, Lord, we need to ask for that relationship with you. And I pray for anyone here today, Lord, that doesn't know you as their Lord and their Savior, that they will step into that space of experiencing and accepting your bold, extravagant love.”

59s

#NoMoreBarriers

“So, God's love sounds pretty great. Right? Sounds like a no brainer to live life fully in the depth of God's love, but here's where the tension comes in. There's a problem that could be lurking in the shadows for many of us. The problem is that we might struggle to wrap our minds around God's audacious because we feel like our sins are too big for his love. We feel like we can't love because we didn't have an earthly father who showed us love. Or we've been scarred by someone's love in the past who we thought was for us and it didn't work out that way. All of these personal stories might lead us to place a no entry sign on our hearts, a sign that says, no space for God's love here.”

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