Unconditional Love: God's Gift and Our Response

Summary

In my recent sermon, I delved into the profound nature of God's love, as exemplified in the well-known verse John 3:16. I emphasized the significance of the word "so" in the phrase "for God so loved the world," highlighting the depth and intensity of God's love for us. This love is not just a passive feeling but an active force that led to the ultimate sacrifice: giving His one and only Son for our salvation. I reminded the congregation that this gift of love was not just for the righteous but for the ungodly, for every one of us in our most broken state.

I shared a personal anecdote about my discomfort in God's house when I wore an Illinois jacket in a predominantly Purdue-supporting congregation. This humorous story served as a segue into discussing the importance of our church community and the impact it has had on spreading the Gospel. I expressed gratitude for the sacrifices made by our church members, which have contributed to the growth of our church and the salvation of many souls.

I also touched on the upcoming Easter Sunday, emphasizing its significance for the church and the urgency of inviting others to join us in celebration. I encouraged the congregation to extend invitations to everyone, including those we might encounter in our daily lives, no matter how unlikely they may seem to accept.

Furthermore, I recounted my experience as a father, passionately supporting my son in a track event, despite my initial reluctance to be 'that dad.' This personal reflection served to illustrate the intensity of a father's love, which pales in comparison to the perfect love of God for us. I used this to draw a parallel to God's love, which is so vast that He gave His Son for us while we were still sinners, knowing that not all would accept His love.

I concluded by discussing the story of Hosea, a prophet who was commanded by God to marry a prostitute named Gomer. This was a demonstration of God's relentless love, as Hosea was asked to marry Gomer not once but twice, even after she returned to prostitution. This story from the Old Testament was used to illustrate the unconditional and redemptive nature of God's love, which is not based on our actions or worthiness but is a free and unmerited gift.

Key Takeaways:

- The depth of God's love is such that He gave His only Son for our salvation, a truth that should never become ordinary or taken for granted. This love is not just for the righteous but for every person, regardless of their past or present sins. It's a love that calls us to a deeper appreciation and a transformed life. [43:34]

- Our church community plays a vital role in the Kingdom of God. The sacrifices and efforts of each member contribute to the spreading of the Gospel and the salvation of many. This should inspire us to continue our work with passion and dedication, knowing that our labor is not in vain. [38:04]

- The urgency of evangelism is highlighted by the approach of Easter Sunday. We are reminded that an invitation to church can be a pivotal moment in someone's life. We should never underestimate the power of a simple invitation to bring someone closer to God's love. [32:13]

- The love of a parent for their child, while powerful, is but a shadow of the love God has for us. Our love is imperfect, but God's love is perfect and unconditional. This should comfort us in knowing that we are loved beyond measure, regardless of our shortcomings. [53:12]

- The story of Hosea and Gomer is a powerful representation of God's love. It challenges our understanding of love and grace, showing us that God's love is not transactional or conditional. It's a love that pursues us even when we stray, a love that redeems and restores. [54:39]

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. John 3:16 (NIV) - "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."
2. Romans 5:6-8 (NIV) - "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
3. Hosea 3:1 (NIV) - "The Lord said to me, 'Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.'"

#### Observation Questions
1. What is the significance of the word "so" in John 3:16, and how does it emphasize the depth of God's love? [42:47]
2. According to Romans 5:6-8, for whom did Christ die, and what does this reveal about God's love? [44:17]
3. In the story of Hosea, what was Hosea commanded to do, and how does this illustrate God's love for His people? [55:20]
4. How did the pastor's personal anecdote about wearing an Illinois jacket in a Purdue-supporting congregation serve to illustrate the importance of church community? [37:00]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the depth of God's love, as described in John 3:16, challenge our understanding of love and sacrifice? [42:47]
2. What does Romans 5:6-8 teach us about the nature of God's love for sinners, and how does this contrast with human love? [44:17]
3. How does the story of Hosea and Gomer reflect the unconditional and redemptive nature of God's love? [55:20]
4. In what ways does the pastor's experience as a father supporting his son in a track event help us understand the intensity of God's love for us? [53:12]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on the depth of God's love as described in John 3:16. How can this understanding transform your daily life and interactions with others? [42:47]
2. Romans 5:6-8 highlights that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. How does this truth impact your view of grace and forgiveness in your own life? [44:17]
3. The story of Hosea and Gomer shows God's relentless love. Is there someone in your life who needs to experience this kind of unconditional love from you? How can you show it to them this week? [55:20]
4. The pastor emphasized the importance of inviting others to church, especially with Easter approaching. Who in your life can you invite to church this week, and how will you approach them? [32:13]
5. The pastor shared a personal story about supporting his son in a track event. Think of a time when you felt supported by someone. How can you offer that same support to someone else in your church community? [53:12]
6. The pastor mentioned the sacrifices made by church members for the growth of the church. What is one way you can contribute to your church community, either through time, resources, or talents? [38:04]
7. Reflect on the urgency of evangelism as highlighted by the upcoming Easter Sunday. What specific steps can you take to share the Gospel with someone this week? [32:13]

Devotional

Day 1: Unfathomable Sacrifice of Divine Love
God's love is so profound that it surpasses our human understanding. This love is not a mere emotion but an active force that compelled God to make the ultimate sacrifice for humanity. The depth of this love is such that He gave His only Son to ensure our salvation. This divine act was not reserved for the righteous alone but extended to every person, regardless of their past or present sins. It is a love that calls for a deeper appreciation and a transformed life. It is a love that should never become ordinary or taken for granted, for it is the foundation of our faith and the reason for our hope. This love is a call to action, to live in a way that reflects the magnitude of the gift we have been given.

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6-8 ESV)

Reflection: How does the realization that God's love for you led to the greatest sacrifice change the way you view your daily challenges and interactions with others? [43:34]

Day 2: The Church's Role in God's Kingdom
The church community is not just a gathering of individuals with similar beliefs; it is a collective force that plays a crucial role in the Kingdom of God. Each member's sacrifices and efforts contribute significantly to the spreading of the Gospel and the salvation of many. This should inspire a sense of purpose and dedication, knowing that every act of service, no matter how small, is part of a greater plan. The church is a living testament to God's love, and through its unity and commitment, it can bring light to the darkest corners of the world. The growth of the church and the salvation of souls are a testament to the power of collective faith in action.

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV)

Reflection: What is one way you can contribute to the life and growth of your church community this week? [38:04]

Day 3: The Urgency of Evangelism
As Easter Sunday approaches, the urgency of evangelism becomes more apparent. This season is a reminder that an invitation to church can be a pivotal moment in someone's life. We are called to reach out to everyone, including those we encounter in our daily lives, regardless of how unlikely they may seem to accept. This simple act of extending an invitation can have eternal consequences. It is a reflection of God's own invitation to us—a call to experience His love and grace. The urgency of evangelism is a call to action, to be bold in sharing the hope we have found in Christ.

"Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." (Colossians 4:5-6 ESV)

Reflection: Who is one person you can invite to church this Easter, and how can you extend that invitation in a way that reflects God's love? [32:13]

Day 4: The Perfect Love of the Father
The love of a parent for their child is a powerful force, yet it is but a shadow of the perfect love God has for us. Our love is marred by imperfections and limitations, but God's love is without bounds, unconditional, and unfailing. This divine love is a source of comfort and assurance, knowing that we are cherished beyond measure, despite our shortcomings. The perfect love of the Father is a love that knows no end, a love that is always giving, and a love that is always seeking the best for us. It is a love that we are called to emulate in our relationships with others.

"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him." (1 John 3:1 ESV)

Reflection: How can you demonstrate God's perfect love to someone who feels unworthy or unloved today? [53:12]

Day 5: Unconditional Love Illustrated
The story of Hosea and Gomer is a profound illustration of God's unconditional love. It challenges our understanding of love and grace, revealing a love that is not transactional or conditional. God's love pursues us even when we stray, offering redemption and restoration. This Old Testament narrative is a powerful representation of how God's love is not based on our actions or worthiness but is a free and unmerited gift. It is a love that calls us to return, no matter how far we have wandered, and to embrace the grace that is always available to us.

"Hosea, go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods..." (Hosea 3:1 ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you show grace to someone who has hurt or disappointed you, as a reflection of God's unconditional love? [54:39]

Quotes

1) "You ever met a dad with a bad case of the so loves? You ever met that guy? I told myself I would never be that guy until I had kids and until they started playing sports and then I'm getting embroidered hats, I'm wearing shirts that's got their team name on it, I'm yelling for from the stands at the Umpire... my dad's... I'm not kidding you, I can remember my dad especially over at American Legion and stuff like, 'John, that guy might show up to our church I'm... I don't care this is important take it serious it's t-ball this is serious get the call right blue why so love.'" [51:20]( | | )

2) "For God so loved you ever met a dad with a bad case of the so loves you ever met that guy I I told myself I would never be that guy until I had kids and until they started playing sports and then I'm getting embroidered hats I'm wearing shirts that's got their team name on it I'm yelling for from the stands at the Umpire my dad's I'm not kidding you I can remember my dad especially over at American Legion and stuff like John that guy might show up to our church I'm I don't care this is important take it serious it's t-ball this is serious get the call right blue why so love." [51:57]( | | )

3) "I believe that he can no more deny himself than to stop loving you and I 750 years let's just say seven 7 800 years before Christ Mike you check my my math on this before Christ would ever step foot on planet and solve the sin problem for you and I God's amazing outrageous just loves love shows up on display through a guy named Hosea Hosea was a prophet and just like many prophets in the Old Testament he had a very peculiar thing I cannot believe I got that out I can never say that word I am going to record that is that recorded I am so proud of myself right now I'm not saying it again I can't even believe I said it actually all right anyway anyway anyway he shows up to Hosea and he asked Hosea a very you know what thing to do and he says Hosea if you will take this task on this is what I need you to do and Hosea says sure I'll do it God you know you know my heart I'll do anything you ask me to do he said okay I'm glad you said that he said because I want you to go marry a prostitute." [55:20]( | | )

4) "Israelites though they turn to other gods obviously small case there and love the sacred raisin cakes you read that you're like were they hungry let me Janel paraphrase it Hosea is smack dab in a time where Israel is flourishing everything's going really well for Israel Israel and love is a major theme that they believe in but they had three primary like positions they had three primary ideas of what they thought and believed love was in that time Israel thought that love could be purchased that if you had the right stuff or bought the right stuff or you could buy the person that you were with even that love could be purchased they also believed that love was found in self-gratification where if I just live how I want do what I want if I'm just real with myself that's love and then the third thing is that that they thought and believed that love could be found in objects in things I can't help and maybe you're with me I can't help but think that sounds eerily similar to the world we live in today where so many of us believe that love can somehow be purchased love is found in self-gratification where if I just live this way it this is where I Feel Love or we believe that love can be found in things and and God says listen this is not what my love is so I'm going to show them I'm going to put on full display what Godly love truly is he says so Hosea I want you to go get her I want you to marry her again go get her what was that like I want you to imagine this this this Prophet a pillar in the community and God is saying I I want you to go down to that part of town if you know what I mean and I want you to go find your wife so he does and a lot of theologians will say that really what she was what he finds her at is a sex trade auction like she's literally on a on a on a selling." [58:09]( | | )

5) "Well good morning live church and welcome we are so glad that you're here second service good-looking crowd we're so glad and man if it is your first time we want you to know we have first time guests with us in almost every service and we do everything that we do around here keeping you at the Forefront of our minds and on your uh seat there you're going to find what's called a connection card and we want to do just that we want to connect with you so fill that connection card out and take it back to what's called our connection desk and they're going to put a gift in your hand one of the pieces of that gift that's near and dear to our heart that we want you to Avail yourself to is a QR code we like to get techie around here and when you take your phone and scan that QR code it takes you to what's called our explore book and that explore book lets you do just that it lets you explore Life Church see who we are and it might answer some of those questions that you might have if you're looking for a church home all right so church is just starting technically but who all is just so glad to be here right so glad so glad I hear a woo I see you okay um so God is so good right like we we talk about being generous all the time here at Life church and we are generous we our church is generous we teach from the pulpit to for you guys to be generous but God is so generous right so this is just our way um the ways to give her on the screen but this is just our way to give back and just tell them hey we I trust you with my finances I trust you in this um it's not always going to be comfortable right it's not meant to be comfortable but it is meant to be an act of worship so we just uh we just challenge you to do the ways of ways to give um the ways to give are on the screen and then the boxes on the back if you want to do the paper paper way all right sounds good also we have so many really exciting things happening if you'll look to the sides you'll see that we have tables set up and those aren't just for fun those are for our life groups and our life groups are taking place every Wednesday night starting at 6 6:30 in the evening the doors open at 6 and if you say I they've been going on for a while but we haven't come it is not too late we are more than happy to have you what we do is we just have a little bit of extra time for fellowship and then we get to dive deeper into the word that we hear on Sunday so if you haven't come I challenge you to be here Wednesday night at 6:30 you will not regret it it's a good time awesome and then next week everybody say next week next week Easter Sunday okay Easter Sunday so it's in March which I find a little odd but it's okay we won't we'll just roll with it so fifth Sunday in March March 31st is Easter Sunday so that's a huge day for all of us as the big sea church but for live Church we're going all out guys so you just want to make sure you get here so you have not to go James Bond on you but you have less than seven days now to invite all your friends invite all your family you never knew you never know who's going to be just waiting to be asked right so even the grumpy person that you meet at the grocery store today just say you know what I would love to have you at my church you don't have to sit by him but you just got to invite him right that's right um kids life has a bunch of things um we have bags packed for the kids they're not going to go home um empty-handed so just bring everybody all ages Easter Sunday yeah and then the very next Sunday on April the 7th we are having our next baptism service and if you've ever been a part you know that those are just amazing jam-packed full of Celebration so we're going to save people on Easter and then we're gonna get them back here to get baptized the next week um but if that's you if you're wanting to take that next step I need you to do me a favor so we can be prepared for you go get on the app sign up that way or go back to connection desk before you leave today and get signed up it's going to be a great time here celebrating some baptisms awesome and then lastly if you're sitting here and you're kind of like okay like this is a Cool vibe like I'm I'm liking what I'm seeing here um we would love to have you at growth track so it is just a one time class that we ask you to attend if you're needing to know some next steps like okay now what type of thoughts um so it is going to be that same Sunday April 7th during our second service so we have signups online the app and then also at connection um it just lets us know lets you know a little bit more about us who we are some of the questions that can't be answered here on the we don't have time to answer all the questions right but you can ask as many questions as you want back there and then also figure out how to get plugged in awesome now I was here for first service and it was absolutely absolutely amazing jam-packed so without any further Ado let's welcome Pastor [Applause] John come on can we give it up one more time for the ladies man they did great right plus I have to say that cuz there's uh there's two maybe three ladies at this church uh that scare me and I would never mess with and that was two of them that I just you notice I didn't get real close as I walked up I keep an arm distance uh because I am sure I have done something recently that they would you know Skip want to probably pop me for honestly uh hey how many you're very thankful for for the team here and the house and come on can we give it up for all of them and if you're watching online and and you've never experienced that man I would encourage you to uh take that step and maybe come and check things out in person you'll you'll get to see uh it's not a perfect church but uh it's definitely a hospitable church and it's definitely a church that makes you feel welcome from the moment you pull into the parking lot to the moment you sit down uh then I make you feel like junk and you leave it's amazing it just works out really really well uh so you're live this service too am I is this service live too all right we only do one because I I barely can get through one without uh saying something I shouldn't so uh second service who knows but it's great to have you if you're here and you're watching it's nice having you uh my name is John um I am the son of our founding Pastor uh Archie and uh Mama Sheila man I just I just love Mama Sheila man I mean she who how can you not love Mama Sheila right like she's just amazing and Dad it's questionable it's a 50-50 chance right he's great um they are in bomo which is Boliver Misouri that is uh one of our locations of our church and then uh my wife and I get the privilege and and it truly is an honor uh that we get a pastor our Lafayette location over in Indiana um and no I am not rooting for for uh Purdue and I'm not rooting for Indiana I am rooting for Illinois that's who I root for doesn't change I pulled a joke we started this March Madness series um you know at the front of March and it was really great it's kicked off really well obviously it's home of Purdue so I am surrounded by Purdue students I'm surrounded by Purdue families that have like graduated from I mean they listen these guys are like die hard Purdue right and uh so I show up last Sunday I'm like I'm all right you know Illinois just made it into the to the championship game of the Big 10 Purdue just got beat I'm like oh it's my opportunity to rub this so Brett Kathy and Brett they're they're homebased here but boy they they've been helping us out for the last four years and man people love him over there but long story short he had an Illinois jacket and I said hey let me have that Illinois jacket so I put it on I only did it one service cuz second service is Gangster and I I realized I didn't get away with the first service I definitely ain't getting away with a second service so first service I I took my my Purdue colored shirt off and I put on the Illinois jacket and guys I'm telling you I do not get uncomfortable very often in God's house I I I've grown up here I just feel like this is like my My Safe Haven right God I'm serious nobody laughed I seriously thought people were going to walk out of the building that's what I thought was going to happen so I took and I had the shirt on backwards too to make it all better like I put the the hood on it was backwards I hurry up took it off put my produce shirt back on everything was good people got saved and they love Jesus can I can I brag a little bit because I I want to brag because I'm bragging on you because the truth is is that Lafayette and bomo would not be where they're at today if it wasn't for this church this piece of our church you say oh John God I understand God that's what this whole place is built on like I don't say that without acknowledging first and foremost that if it wasn't by God's grace none of this would be happening the truth is that God uses his people and this place has sacrificed over the last four or five years big time and I'm just telling you if you can't see it maybe on social media or you don't have a chance to go to some like couple of these places or whatever I just need you to know there there's a lot of people going to be in heaven because of this church that's a that's a really cool thing man and you get to be a part of that whether you know it or not so I called my dad we call and we talk about numbers and um I don't care what any pastor says they're numbers guys don't let them tell you they're not so I call you know we'll call every every every Sunday we talk how's it going but it's really a number call that's what we're doing if we were just real honest he does not care how my service went I don't care how it says what was your number you know no I'm somewhat kidding but uh so I called him at the front of mar like the first week and we gave away basketballs to every kid that showed up we had a couple of the Purdue guys there Mason Gillis and we did they were signing autograph so um I called him I'm like Dad you know I'm waiting I'm waiting for him to ask me how many we had you know and I'm like yes I'm like Dad we had 598 people at church yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah this is the dad I grew up with yeah you you can get you can get all kinds of people to come when you give away free basketball all right thanks Dad thanks man but this last week we had uh 568 in the building that's cool you say you care about numbers absolutely absolutely cuz as cheesy as it sounds if God cares about numbers then we got to care about numbers because every one of those numbers has somebody attached to it so that's why we care about it and uh we're getting ready to do this Easter thing you guys got something cool but we always go above we always go cooler and I don't ask the board for permission that's the difference I just do it and and then I ask for forgiveness and so we're we're renting out a whole another place and uh having one service packing the place out um dropping Easter eggs from a helicopter and I had an old lady in our church no no joke joke came up to me two weeks ago and she says why are we dropping eggs from a helicopter and I'm thinking I'm going have to get the religious out of her you know and she was like who's going to pick up all those shell I said I don't know I haven't thought that far actually do you want to do it you know like so anyway we're dropping candy filled Easter eggs from a helicopter 10,000 of those bad boys and we're just believing God that that's going to bring people to church that maybe never would come that we get to the opportunity to share the gospel with them and they get saved and we're not waiting till the next week to do baptism again we do it cooler we're doing it that day you got to get in the water whatever you're wearing that's what we're doing you good I'm excited I'm excited about that so that's what's happening if you're still watching online if haven't barded you yet it's pretty amazing thing and hopefully if you're uh if you're not coming here maybe you can come there I guess but anyway let's get into God's word everybody said that's I was hoping you were going to get to that I told first service like I was trying to transition I'm like okay I have no idea how to transition from here so let's just pray that prayer is always a good transition when you don't know what to do all right let's pray Dar and father we love you God man I thank you for your house I thank you for the freedom that we find here uh God I also thank you for um man just everything we can find in your house the joy it's so hard to find sometimes in our dayto day and in our world father but how we can come in here we can find joy we can find Freedom father we can we can find man really what we're looking for and we find it in you so father I just thank you for your presence in this room I thank you for what you're doing throughout life church I thank you for what you're doing throughout the Big C church it's what you're building father we love you we worship you my prayer is that you speak to every single one of our hearts and you help us walk out of here different than what we came in we worship you and we love you it's in Jesus name we pray we all say a big you guys have been in a series cross equals love so I was trying to tie into that plus Easter Sunday um so I'm going to talk from a passage of scripture that not a lot of people know um and people don't use it a lot uh in messages either um I have memorized it that's because I'm the pastor and uh I I that's what I got to do uh we're going to go to John so if you got your Bible with you can pull out John uh chapter 3: 16 uh again I got this from remember so you can just you can read the screens but let's look at it for God so loved did you catch it because we focus on the loved which we should but we can't just skip over the word before that because he it could have said for God loved no no no 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 what a amazing verse that I think is so like ordinary to us it's one of those ones we just everybody knows it like even if you don't even believe in God you probably know this verse and

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Transcript

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