The Ultimate Love Story: Jesus' Birth and Sacrifice
Summary
Today, we gather to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and to reflect on the greatest love story of all time. This love story is not found in the tragic tales of Romeo and Juliet, Noah and Allie, or Jack and Rose. Instead, it begins with the profound words, "For God so loved the world." Unlike these earthly stories that end in sorrow, the love story of Jesus Christ transcends death, offering eternal life through His resurrection. This narrative is not just about a father and a son, but also about a mother and a son, and ultimately, about the Son and us.
The Christmas story is a love story that began long before the world existed, with the perfect unity between the Father and the Son. This divine love was demonstrated when God sent His Son to earth, a moment of indescribable separation and sacrifice. Similarly, the love between Mary and Jesus is highlighted, as she bore the weight of knowing her son was born to die for the sins of the world. This love story extends to each of us, as Jesus' love is personal and transformative. It changes identities, as seen in the life of John, who went from being a "Son of Thunder" to the "one whom Jesus loved."
This love is not just historical; it is present and active today. Jesus loves each of us, regardless of our past or our perceived unworthiness. His love is inclusive, reaching out to those society might reject, like the woman at the well, Peter, the woman caught in adultery, and Zacchaeus. This love story is about a God who loves us where we are, as we are, and it is a love that conquers death. As we celebrate Christmas, we remember that Jesus is the reason for the season, and more profoundly, that we are the reason He came. This is the real love story, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
Key Takeaways:
- The greatest love story of all time is not found in earthly tales but in the divine narrative of Jesus Christ, whose love transcends death and offers eternal life. This story begins with "For God so loved the world," highlighting a love that is both sacrificial and victorious. [04:31]
- Christmas is a love story about a father and a son, and a mother and a son. The divine love between God the Father and Jesus, and the maternal love of Mary for Jesus, illustrate the depth and complexity of love that is both equal and different. [08:11]
- Jesus' love is personal and transformative, as seen in the life of John, who was known as a "Son of Thunder" but became the "one whom Jesus loved." This transformation is a testament to the power of divine love to change identities and destinies. [15:50]
- The love of Jesus is inclusive and reaches out to those who feel unworthy or rejected. His interactions with individuals like the woman at the well, Peter, and Zacchaeus demonstrate a love that is forgiving, accepting, and life-changing. [19:01]
- The reason for the season is not just about celebrating Jesus' birth but recognizing that we are the reason He came. God's love for us is so profound that He sent His Son to be a sacrifice for our sins, offering us forgiveness and new life. [26:18]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Introduction to the Greatest Love Story
- [01:45] - Not Romeo and Juliet
- [02:30] - Not The Notebook
- [03:15] - Not Titanic
- [04:31] - For God So Loved the World
- [05:45] - The Arrival Series and Advent
- [06:30] - The Love Candle
- [07:15] - A Father and a Son
- [08:11] - A Mother and a Son
- [10:00] - The Birth of Jesus
- [12:12] - Simeon's Prophecy
- [14:00] - The Son and Us
- [15:50] - John, the One Jesus Loved
- [19:01] - Jesus' Inclusive Love
- [22:12] - Personal Testimony
- [26:18] - The Real Reason for the Season
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. John 3:16-17 - "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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
2. Isaiah 9:6 - "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
3. Galatians 4:4 - "But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law."
Observation Questions:
1. According to the sermon, how does the love story of Jesus differ from earthly love stories like Romeo and Juliet or The Notebook? [04:31]
2. What does the sermon highlight about the relationship between God the Father and Jesus, and how is this relationship described? [08:11]
3. How did the love of Jesus transform John's identity, according to the sermon? [15:50]
4. What examples from the sermon illustrate Jesus' inclusive love for those who feel unworthy or rejected? [19:01]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon interpret the significance of John 3:16 in the context of the greatest love story? What does this passage reveal about God's intentions for humanity? [26:18]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the love between God the Father and Jesus is both equal and different from the love between Mary and Jesus? [08:11]
3. How does the sermon use the transformation of John from a "Son of Thunder" to "the one whom Jesus loved" to illustrate the power of divine love? [15:50]
4. What does the sermon imply about the nature of Jesus' love for individuals like the woman at the well and Zacchaeus, and how does this reflect on the inclusivity of His love? [19:01]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt unworthy of love. How does understanding Jesus' love for you, as described in the sermon, change your perspective on your worth? [26:18]
2. The sermon describes the love between God the Father and Jesus as both equal and different from the love between Mary and Jesus. How can this understanding of love influence the way you express love in your family relationships? [08:11]
3. Consider the transformation of John from a "Son of Thunder" to "the one whom Jesus loved." Is there an area in your life where you need to experience a similar transformation through Jesus' love? [15:50]
4. Jesus' love is described as inclusive and reaching out to those who feel rejected. How can you extend this kind of love to someone in your life who might feel marginalized or unworthy? [19:01]
5. The sermon emphasizes that we are the reason Jesus came. How does this realization impact your understanding of your purpose and identity in Christ? [26:18]
6. Reflect on the examples of Jesus' interactions with individuals like Peter and the woman caught in adultery. How can you apply Jesus' approach of forgiveness and acceptance in your own relationships? [19:01]
7. The sermon suggests that the greatest love story is ongoing and that Jesus' love is present and active today. How can you actively seek to experience and share this love in your daily life? [26:18]
Devotional
Day 1: The Divine Love Story That Transcends Death
The greatest love story is not found in earthly tales but in the divine narrative of Jesus Christ, whose love transcends death and offers eternal life. This story begins with "For God so loved the world," highlighting a love that is both sacrificial and victorious. Unlike the tragic endings of Romeo and Juliet or Titanic, the love of Jesus is eternal and conquers death. This love story is about a God who loves us so profoundly that He sent His Son to die for our sins, offering us forgiveness and new life. As we reflect on this, we are reminded that Jesus' love is not just a historical event but a present reality that continues to transform lives today. [04:31]
Ephesians 2:4-5 (ESV): "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved."
Reflection: How does understanding Jesus' love as eternal and victorious over death change the way you view your own life and struggles today?
Day 2: The Complexity of Divine and Maternal Love
Christmas is a love story about a father and a son, and a mother and a son. The divine love between God the Father and Jesus, and the maternal love of Mary for Jesus, illustrate the depth and complexity of love that is both equal and different. The Father's love is seen in the sending of His Son, a moment of indescribable separation and sacrifice. Similarly, Mary's love is highlighted as she bore the weight of knowing her son was born to die for the sins of the world. This duality of love shows us the multifaceted nature of divine love, which is both sacrificial and nurturing. [08:11]
Isaiah 49:15 (ESV): "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you."
Reflection: In what ways can you reflect both the sacrificial and nurturing aspects of love in your relationships with others today?
Day 3: Transformative Power of Jesus' Love
Jesus' love is personal and transformative, as seen in the life of John, who was known as a "Son of Thunder" but became the "one whom Jesus loved." This transformation is a testament to the power of divine love to change identities and destinies. Jesus' love is not just about acceptance but about transformation, taking us from who we are to who we are meant to be. This love invites us into a relationship that changes us from the inside out, making us new creations in Christ. [15:50]
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
Reflection: What part of your identity do you feel Jesus is calling you to transform through His love, and how can you begin that transformation today?
Day 4: Inclusive Love That Reaches the Rejected
The love of Jesus is inclusive and reaches out to those who feel unworthy or rejected. His interactions with individuals like the woman at the well, Peter, and Zacchaeus demonstrate a love that is forgiving, accepting, and life-changing. Jesus' love breaks down barriers and reaches out to those whom society might reject, offering them a place in His kingdom. This inclusive love challenges us to extend the same grace and acceptance to others, regardless of their past or perceived unworthiness. [19:01]
Luke 19:10 (ESV): "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."
Reflection: Who in your life might feel unworthy or rejected, and how can you extend Jesus' inclusive love to them today?
Day 5: The Real Reason for the Season
The reason for the season is not just about celebrating Jesus' birth but recognizing that we are the reason He came. God's love for us is so profound that He sent His Son to be a sacrifice for our sins, offering us forgiveness and new life. This love story is about a God who loves us where we are, as we are, and it is a love that conquers death. As we celebrate Christmas, we remember that Jesus is the reason for the season, and more profoundly, that we are the reason He came. [26:18]
1 John 4:9-10 (ESV): "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
Reflection: How can you live out the truth that you are the reason Jesus came, in your daily actions and interactions with others this Christmas season?
Quotes
The greatest love story of all time is not Romeo and Juliet. Amen! And all God's people said, Amen! The next one may upset a few of you, but I need to say it, and I need to say it boldly. The greatest love story of all time is not Noah and Allie from The Notebook, and all God's people said, Amen! I know that just upset some of you now. I'm a heretic, but I must tell you the truth. [00:00:51] (27 seconds)
The greatest love story of all time is also not Jack and Rose from the Titanic. Because you have to admit, all of those love stories have really sad endings, don't they? I mean, think about it. Like Romeo and Juliet. They have a miscommunication, and they both died tragically. [00:01:18] (23 seconds)
But the greatest love story of all time starts with, for God so loved the world. That's how the greatest love story of all time starts. And for those of you who might say, yeah, but the main character of that story dies too, Jesus. Yeah, he did die. [00:02:48] (21 seconds)
It's amazing to recognize that 700 years before the birth of Christ, Isaiah prophesied in what's now known as the messianic prophecy, and Isaiah prophesied this, for unto us a child is born, help me out, unto us a son is given. Imagine this, for all eternity, before the world existed, before time existed, before anything existed, there was a father and a son. [00:05:19] (36 seconds)
Well, it was indescribably more intimate and intense when God the Father sent Jesus, his son, from heaven to earth. They had never been separated before. And that's why Christmas is a love story about a father and a son. [00:08:17] (23 seconds)
And how many of you know that moms and dads may love equally, but they love differently, right? You know what I'm talking about. Mom's love is different than a father's love. And for example, Amy, we have six children, we have seven or 19 grandchildren, I lose count, you know. But we love them equally, but we love them differently. [00:09:11] (22 seconds)
And John said it this way in John 3 .16. He said this, for God so loved, every single one of you, he loved us, he loved the world so much that he gave his one and only son. Why did he do it because of his love? Why did he do it because of his love? [00:14:23] (20 seconds)
He had a brother named James. They're two of the 12 disciples. What I love about these guys is they were not most likely to be chosen to be disciples in their graduating class. These guys were wild. They were so wild that Jesus gave them a nickname. Now, as a side note, I just think it's cool that Jesus gave nicknames. I like that. Jesus called these guys. You know what he called them? He called these brothers. Mark 3 says Jesus nicknamed them sons of thunder. [00:15:21] (30 seconds)
And Jesus loved a woman caught in the very act of adultery, a crime at that time punishable by death. And a group of religious and self-righteous people stood around and said, stoner, stoner. And Jesus knelt down in the sand and started writing something. We don't know what he wrote, but we know that one by one, the religious guys started walking off. Perhaps he wrote their sins, we don't know. But he looked on and he said to the lady, he said, where are your accusers? And she said, there are none. And he looked at her with love and forgiveness and grace in his heart. And then he said, then neither do I condemn you. [00:20:48] (41 seconds)
And Jesus loved an evil guy, a swindler, a tax collector named Zacchaeus. And Zacchaeus was spiritually curious, maybe like some of you. And I started like looking on at Jesus. And Jesus said, hey, don't just look on from that tree. Why don't I come over to your house? He invited him to the guy's house and sat down with him and he loved him in such a way that Zacchaeus' whole life was changed over dinner. [00:21:34] (28 seconds)
God loves you so much that He sent His one and only Son, that whosoever, including you, whoever believes in Him wouldn't perish, but would have eternal life. Today, at all of our churches, if you're not sure where you stand with God, maybe you're feeling drawn to God, let me tell you why, because you're being drawn to God, because He loves you, because His Holy Spirit's reaching out and drawing you. [00:29:12] (22 seconds)
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