Does God Love Me?
Summary
TLDRThe sermon emphasizes God's unconditional love through the lens of John 3:16. The speaker contrasts two types of love: one that loves because the object is valuable and another that gives value to the object. Through personal anecdotes, including a cherished childhood toy, the message illustrates that God's love is not based on our worthiness but instead gives us worth. The sermon invites listeners to embrace God's love, reminding them that they are the ones Jesus loves, regardless of their flaws or past mistakes.
Takeaways
- 🙏 The message emphasizes the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, highlighting God's love for humanity.
- 📖 John 3:16 is central to the message, emphasizing that God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, Jesus, so that believers may have eternal life.
- 💖 The speaker discusses different types of love: one that loves because the object is valuable, and another that gives value to the object it loves.
- 🧸 The speaker uses a personal story about a childhood toy, 'Bobby the Bear,' to illustrate how love can give value to something, even if it's flawed or imperfect.
- 🕊️ God's love is described as unconditional and immeasurable, not dependent on the worthiness of the individual but rather giving worth through His love.
- 🌟 The speaker stresses that everyone is loved by Jesus, even if they feel unworthy or have made mistakes in their lives.
- 🔥 The speaker refers to John, a disciple who was once known for his temper, as an example of someone transformed by Jesus's love.
- 💬 The congregation is encouraged to believe and feel that they are the ones Jesus loves, emphasizing the personal and intimate nature of God's love.
- 🎄 The Christmas season is highlighted as a time to reflect on the birth of Jesus, who came to save people from their sins.
- 🙌 The message ends with a call for repentance and a prayer for those who want to accept Jesus's love and forgiveness, inviting them to give their lives to Him.
Q & A
What is the main theme of the sermon?
-The main theme of the sermon is God's unconditional love for humanity, emphasizing that God's love is not based on our worthiness but instead gives us worth.
Why does the speaker use the analogy of a childhood cuddle toy?
-The speaker uses the analogy of a childhood cuddle toy to illustrate how God loves us despite our flaws, just as a child loves a well-worn, imperfect toy. This analogy emphasizes that God's love is not based on our perfection but on His relationship with us.
What is the significance of John 3:16 in the sermon?
-John 3:16 is highlighted as a foundational scripture that demonstrates God's immense love for the world by sending His only Son, Jesus, so that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life. It serves as the central scripture for understanding God's love in the sermon.
How does the speaker address the feeling of unworthiness in relation to God's love?
-The speaker acknowledges that many people, including himself, struggle with feeling unworthy of God's love due to their past mistakes and flaws. He reassures the audience that God's love is not based on our worthiness but is a love that makes us worthy.
What message does the speaker convey about different types of love?
-The speaker explains that there are two types of love: one that loves because the object is valuable and another that gives value to the object. He emphasizes that God's love is the latter, as it gives us value rather than being based on our inherent worth.
Why does the speaker refer to himself as 'the one Jesus loves'?
-The speaker refers to himself as 'the one Jesus loves' to demonstrate how his identity changed after experiencing Jesus's unconditional love. This phrase reflects a deep personal understanding of being loved by Jesus, regardless of past mistakes.
How does the speaker use humor in the sermon?
-The speaker uses humor, such as sharing the story of his beloved childhood toy, Bobby the Bear, to make the message more relatable and engaging. He also humorously questions why he was unclothed in an old photo, which helps lighten the tone of the sermon.
What does the speaker mean by saying 'you are a ragdoll, but you are God's ragdoll'?
-By saying 'you are a ragdoll, but you are God's ragdoll,' the speaker emphasizes that, despite our imperfections and flaws, we are deeply loved and cherished by God, similar to how a child loves a worn-out toy.
How does the speaker relate the story of John, the disciple, to the sermon's message?
-The speaker relates the story of John, the disciple, by highlighting his transformation from a 'son of thunder' known for his brash behavior to 'the one Jesus loved.' This transformation illustrates the profound impact of experiencing Jesus's love, which reshapes one's identity.
What is the speaker's call to action for the audience?
-The speaker's call to action is for the audience to embrace and believe in God's love, to share this love with others, and to pray for those who do not yet know God's love. He encourages the audience to internalize the truth that they are the ones Jesus loves and to live out that identity.
Outlines
🙏 The Assurance of God's Love
The speaker begins by setting a reverent tone, asking the congregation to stand for the reading of John 3:16. He emphasizes the significance of God's love by reflecting on how personal doubts can make one question this love, especially when considering past wrongdoings. The message centers around the question, 'Does God Love Me?', encouraging the audience to open their hearts to God's grace and love.
🧸 The Story of a Childhood Cuddle Toy
The speaker uses a childhood cuddle toy as a metaphor to illustrate unconditional love. He reminisces about his own toy, 'Bobby the Bear,' which was worn and imperfect, yet deeply loved. This serves as a parallel to God's love for us, not because we are perfect, but because He chooses to love us despite our flaws.
💔 We Are All Rag Dolls, Yet Loved by God
The speaker draws a powerful comparison between a flawed childhood toy and humanity. Just as the toy is loved despite its imperfections, we are loved by God despite our brokenness. Romans 5:8 is cited to emphasize that God's love is unconditional, demonstrated by Christ's sacrifice while we were still sinners.
⚡ From Sons of Thunder to the One Jesus Loves
The speaker reflects on the transformation of the disciple John, who went from being known as a 'Son of Thunder' to identifying himself as 'the one Jesus loved.' This change signifies the profound impact of experiencing Jesus' love, which redefines identity and self-worth. The speaker encourages the audience to embrace this love, regardless of their past.
❤️ You Are the One Jesus Loves
In this segment, the speaker emphasizes that each person is uniquely loved by Jesus. He recounts the parable of the shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine sheep to find the one that is lost, symbolizing Jesus' love for each individual. The speaker urges the audience to internalize this truth, feel it in their hearts, and recognize their inherent worth in God's eyes.
🙏 A Call to Embrace and Share God's Love
The speaker leads a prayer, inviting the congregation to accept God's love and forgiveness. He encourages those who feel unworthy due to their past sins to realize that God's love is based on His nature, not our actions. The message concludes with an invitation to surrender to Jesus, affirming that His love is transformative and available to all who seek it.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡God's Love
💡John 3:16
💡Worthiness
💡Types of Love
💡Cuddle Toy
💡Romans 5:8
💡Sons of Thunder
💡Identity in Christ
💡Atoning Sacrifice
💡Salvation
Highlights
The speaker begins by asking the audience to stand in honor of reading John 3:16, emphasizing the significance of God's love for the world.
The speaker shares a personal reflection, admitting that while he believed God loved the world, he struggled to believe that God loved him personally.
The message focuses on two types of love: one that loves because the object is valuable, and another that gives value to the object through love.
The speaker uses the analogy of a childhood cuddle toy to illustrate how love can make something valuable, despite its flaws.
The speaker reveals that he still has his childhood bear, Bobby, which symbolizes unconditional love, despite being worn and flawed.
The message asserts that God's love for us is like the love for a flawed childhood toy—unconditional and not based on our worthiness.
Romans 5:8 is cited to demonstrate that God loved us even while we were still sinners, showing the depth and unconditional nature of His love.
The speaker emphasizes that God's love isn't earned by our actions but is intrinsic to God's nature, as stated in 1 John 4: 'God is love.'
The speaker shares that John, once known as a 'Son of Thunder' for his brash nature, began to see himself as 'the one Jesus loved' after spending time with Christ.
The audience is encouraged to see themselves as 'the one Jesus loves,' regardless of their past mistakes or feelings of unworthiness.
The speaker highlights the parable of the lost sheep, explaining that Jesus' love is so profound that He seeks out even the one who is lost.
The speaker asks the audience to reflect on and internalize the idea that they are deeply loved by Jesus, encouraging them to say it aloud.
The message reminds the audience that Jesus' birth was an expression of God's love, sent to save humanity from their sins.
The speaker calls on those who feel burdened by their past sins to embrace God's love and forgiveness, offering a prayer of surrender to Jesus.
The message concludes with a prayer, inviting those who want to receive Jesus' love and forgiveness to commit their lives to Him.
Transcripts
As we celebrate the birth of Christ,
would you mind standing to your feet today
in the honor of the reading of God's Word.
John 3:16, as we look at God's Word today,
I want you to hear this like you're hearing it for the very,
very first time.
Scripture says this,
"For God so loved the world,
that he gave his one and only Son," Jesus.
Which is why we gather,
to celebrate that the Virgin Mary gave birth to a son.
They called him Emmanuel, which means God with us.
"For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only son,
that whosoever believes in Jesus shall not perish,
but have eternal life."
For God So loved the world.
I grew up with a very firm confidence
that God did love the world.
My problem is, I just wasn't sure that God loved me.
Can any of you relate?
When you think about the things
that you know that you've done,
and the things that you've said
and the thoughts that you thought,
maybe you're a little bit like me and you wonder,
"How could God love someone like me
after all the people I've hurt
and all the things I've done wrong?"
If you ever wonder about God's love.
Today, we wanna try to answer the question.
The title of today's message is, "Does God Love Me?"
And so father, as we celebrate the birth of your son, Jesus,
we ask that you would open up Heaven
and reveal your love to us,
that we could be changed by your grace,
by your power and by your unconditional love,
to share your love with others,
because of your son, Jesus, we pray.
And everybody said, amen.
Would you look at the person sitting next to you and say,
"You're the one Jesus loves."
Tell him, "You're the one..."
Now, look at the other person,
the one that you didn't choose,
look at the one you didn't choose and tell him,
"Jesus loves you too."
How good is it to be together?
(congregation cheers)
If you're ever not sure of God's love for you,
it's likely because thinking of the wrong kind of love.
There are several different types of love.
And I wanna talk today about two of those,
for the sake of this message, many different types of love.
But we'll talk about two.
The first one, if you're taking notes is this,
there is a type of love that loves
because the object is valuable.
There's a love that loves
because the object is worthy of love.
A love that loves because the object is valuable.
And this is the most common type of love.
This is a love that you know well,
you love something because it's valuable,
because you worked for it and you earned it.
Baby, you love your countertops.
Or you love your mom's (indistinct),
or you love your baseball card collection,
or you love your purse, you love your shoes.
You love your outfit, cause every time you wear it,
people say, "Oh, you look so fly in that."
Cause there is a love that loves
because the object is valuable.
My problem is I never felt valuable.
I never felt worthy.
I never felt like I measured up to my own expectations.
Much less, the expectations of God.
There are at least two types of love.
And one is a love that loves because the object is valuable.
There's a second type of love.
And that is a love that loves and gives value to the object.
It's a love that loves not because the object is valued,
but it gives value to that object.
And I'll explain it this way.
What I want you to do,
and everybody needs to participate is,
I want you to take a moment
and think about your favorite childhood cuddle toy.
Your cuddle toy, everybody had one.
I hope you did, if not,
I'll send you one in the mail for Christmas.
It might've been a bear.
It might've been a monkey.
It might've been a rabbit.
It might've been a blankie.
How many of you had a favorite cuddle toy as a child?
Raise your hands.
Here's what I'm guessing about your cuddle toy.
Chances are, most of you gave it a name.
How many have you named your cuddle toy?
And what I also know about your cuddle toy is that,
it probably wasn't perfect.
Chances are, it was very, very flawed.
I'm guessing it might've had a hole in it
or you might've torn it.
If you love yours, like I love mine,
your cuddle toy probably was stanky.
It probably smelled really bad,
but even though your toy wasn't perfect.
And even though it was flawed, what did you do?
You loved your toy.
Can you think of your toy?
Visualize it.
Let me show you mine.
Mine was named Bobby.
And that's me with my sister
and that's me with Bobby the Bear.
This one is me, the naked baby Heisman,
right here, next one.
That's me with Bobby, doing a naked baby Heisman.
Even when I didn't have clothes on
in the middle of the field,
which I have no idea why I had no clothes
on the middle of field,
my mom is here and I'm wondering,
"Mom, why did I not have any clothes on
in the middle of the field?"
But thankfully I had Bobby the Bear
to cover all of the most important things
in the middle of that photo.
Here's what's crazy about Bobby the Bear is,
there was nothing valuable about my bear.
He wasn't expensive.
He wasn't a collector's item.
He didn't do any tricks.
Some of your bears now they do tricks.
You pull a string and they like,
say your name like, "I love you."
You know, whatever, mine didn't do that.
My bear, if I tried to sell it in a garage sale,
probably wouldn't bring a quarter,
but I loved Bobby the Bear.
Are you ready for something to go freak it out?
Bobby the Bear wasn't actually my bear,
Bobby the Bear was actually my mom's bear.
It's like Bobby the Bear has been around
since like World War II.
(congregations laughs)
And if that's not crazy enough, get ready.
Cause it's about to get wild up in here.
(congregation cheers)
Here's, who I still have.
The father of six children,
four grandchildren, a fantastic shirts,
a great marriage, in my mid 50s
and I still have Bobby the Bear.
(congregations cheers and applauds)
And I don't think there's any way you can tell
from a distance just how wrecked this bear is.
I gotta give you a little glimpse of this.
Can you pull up here close?
I want you to look at this,
this bear, there used to be like skin down here,
all that skin's rubbed off.
Look at these eyes, they're crooked, why?
Because my mom's sew that one higher
than that one when the eye came off.
That nose right there used to be black.
You know why it's black now?
That's magic marker black on Bobby the Bear.
This bear is valuable to me not because of how it looks,
not because what any one of you think about my bear.
I love my bear, because he's my bear.
I'm in my mid-50s and I still got my bear.
(congregation applauds)
We pulled Bobby out and I showed it to Amy,
she's like, "You still got that bear?"
Said, "Yeah."
So I told her, I said,
"I think I'm gonna sleep with the bear."
She said, "That bears nasty."
Said, "You can sleep with him, but you can't sleep with me."
She said, "Your bear's nasty."
Yes, my bear is nasty.
She said, "Your bear's a ragdoll."
Yes, my bear is a ragdoll, but he's my ragdoll.
And what I want you to understand is this.
This is exactly how God loves us.
(congregation applauds)
This is how he loves us.
Cause you ain't nothing but a ragdoll.
You're flawed.
You're broken.
You're wounded.
And there's nothing hidden from God.
He knows about every single one of your flaws.
He knows about the scars on the outside.
And he knows about the secrets on the inside.
You're a ragdoll, but you're God's ragdoll.
(congregation applauds)
I'ma put Bobby right here just so he can watch.
You stay there Bobby, you just chill.
(congregation laughs)
(congregation applauds)
How do we know how much God loves us?
Romans 5:8, says, "God showed us..."
Scripture says, "God demonstrates...
He displays his own love for us in this,"
while we were still rag dolls, while we were still sinning,
while we were disobeying and breaking the heart of God,
he still displayed his love for us,
"While we were sinners, Christ died for us."
And that's why I want you to hear it
like you've never heard it before,
and maybe feel it like you've never felt before.
Not just here in your mind,
but feel it and believe it in your heart,
that our God loves you with an unconditional
immeasurable love.
It's the kind of love that doesn't look
for what's worthy in an object,
but it's a kind of love that gives worth to that object.
In other words,
our God doesn't love you because you're worthy,
but God's love makes you worthy.
That's how good he is.
That's how powerful he is.
It's his grace, it's his goodness.
And therefore love isn't just an action,
it's not just what God does, but is his essence.
It's exactly who he is.
And scripture tells us that in, 1st John 4,
the Bible says that, say loud, what is God?
"He is love, God is love."
That's what he is, is not just what he does, it's who he is.
God is love.
And watch this,
"This is how God showed his love among us,
He sent his one and only son."
And this is why we gather,
the Virgin gave birth to a son and they called him Jesus.
"He sent his one and only son into the world
that we might live through him," watch this,
"This is love, not that we loved God,
but that he loved us and sent his son
as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."
This verse is ridiculously powerful,
but it is way more powerful
when you think about who wrote it,
do you wanna play a little Bible trivia just for fun?
If you wanna play, say, "I'll play."
You wanna play?
I'll play.
Here's the game.
This verse is found in 1st John, are you ready for this?
Who do you think wrote the book of 1st John?
The answer is John, this isn't a trick question, okay?
This is John.
Just to be clear, this isn't John the Baptist,
he was in heaven by this time,
this was John who had a brother named James.
And if you don't know, they were disciples,
and they were not what we would call disciple material.
These guys didn't graduate top of their class,
they weren't on the best behavior list.
These guys were brash.
They were rough.
They were loud.
They cussed up a storm.
They were what we might call fishermen with a reputation.
And let me tell you what they weren't called.
They had a nickname,
but their nickname was not the two gentle lamps,
their nickname was not the Bible brothers.
These two guys were known as the sons of Thunder.
I'll tell you what,
if I had a brother and a nickname and Bible types,
I think I'd wanna be one of the sons of Thunder.
That's just cool.
I'm seeing Harley's in leather,
in the best sort of way, okay?
And we don't know for sure what they did to earn that title,
but we get a glimpse of why they were called
the sons of thunder in Luke 9.
The context of Luke 9,
Jesus was coming into town and the people,
they weren't kind to Jesus, they didn't welcome Jesus.
And let me tell you what the sons of Thunder didn't say,
when the people were not welcoming to Jesus,
they didn't say,
"Well, let's invite them fight them to Life Group anyway.
Let's just bake them some brownies.
Let's make them feel really welcome."
They didn't say that.
What they did was this, Luke 9:54, here's what happened,
"When the disciples, James and John,
when the sons of Thunder saw this,
they asked the Lord, "Lord, do you want us to call fire
down from heaven to destroy them?"
That's the sons of thunder.
This was the guy for his whole life,
he didn't just start the fights, he finished them.
This was the dad like some of you that got kicked out
of all of his kids soccer games, okay?
This was the one that always caused trouble
and found trouble wherever he went.
And then one day, John started spending time with Jesus.
And every moment of every day,
even though John didn't do anything
to earn the love of Jesus.
And even though there was no way
he could ever deserve the love of Jesus,
Jesus simply loved John.
And we don't know when it happened.
It probably took some time,
but little by little, John's identity,
the way he saw himself started to change.
How do we know?
Because three times in his gospel,
John referred to himself as, "The one that Jesus loved."
Three times, he called himself, "The one that Jesus loved."
No longer, the son of funder, no longer John the hothead,
no longer John the screw up,
but he was the one that Jesus loved.
And I believe with all my heart
that God sent me to tell somebody,
no matter what your parents said about you,
or no matter how somebody else made you feel,
or no matter well where you fell short
or no matter what you thought,
or no matter what you said, or no matter what you did,
you are the one Jesus loves.
You are the one.
(congregation applauds)
Don't just hear it in your mind, feel it in your heart.
You are the one Jesus loved.
Jesus said, "If a shepherd has 100 sheep
and one of them wanders away,
the good shepherd leaves the 99," why?
Because he loves the missing one.
(congregation applauds)
I don't know who this is for,
but I want you to hear it and I want you to feel it.
You are the one that Jesus loves.
It doesn't matter what you did.
It doesn't matter how dark you feel.
It doesn't matter the regrets that you carry
or the shame that you endure,
you are still the one Jesus loves.
And so what I want you to do right now,
wherever you're watching, at a Life.Church location,
watching on YouTube, watching Church Online,
watching three years from now.
What I want you to do is,
I want you to close your eyes for just a moment.
I want you to feel it.
And I want you to say it.
Just say it very softly, say, "I am the one..."
Say it, "I am the one that Jesus loves."
Everybody say, "I am the one that Jesus loves."
Now, altogether with your eyes closed.
Just kind of feel it right now
and just say it in one sentence,
"I am one that Jesus loves."
This isn't a statement of pride.
This is a statement of truth.
That's how good God is.
He's here.
And he's loving you.
He's actively loving you in this moment.
And the amazing thing about our God is this,
that our God didn't shout his love from heaven,
but he showed his love on earth,
when the Virgin Mary gave birth to a son
and they called him Jesus, why?
Because he will save his people from their sins.
He is the savior who will save people from their sins.
What does it mean to sin?
Sin is not a popular word in our culture today.
Sin simply means missing the mark.
It means falling short of God's standard,
and we've all done it.
I've done it too many times to count.
And so have you.
And this is the very reason why we don't feel worthy.
We feel unworthy of God's love,
because we know that we've sinned against God.
And that's why I wanna tell you about a God
who loves you with a different kind of love.
This is not a love that loves
because the object is valuable,
but this is the kind of love
that gives value to the one that it loves.
(congregation applauds)
And so on the week that we celebrate the birth of Jesus,
I want you to hear it, feel it, and believe it.
You are the one, you are the one.
Whatever you did, let it go.
Shame, the pain, the regret.
He still loves you.
And on this Christmas week,
I pray that you would be convinced,
"That neither death nor life,
neither angels, nor demons,
neither the present, nor the past,
nor any powers, neither height, nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation
would be able to separate you
from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(congregation applauds)
And that is why we gather.
His name is Jesus,
and he came to save people from their sins.
So Father, we ask today that our hearts
would be open to your love.
No matter where you're watching, as you're praying today,
for those of you who are followers of Jesus,
you're Christians,
and maybe you have some family members
or some friends that you're going to see
in the next few days that do not know the love of God.
If you'd like to lift them before God today,
just say a prayer.
Maybe God might give you the chance to show them that love,
wherever you're watching from,
those of you that would say,
"Yes, I am a follower of Jesus,
but there's someone that I know, someone I love,
that doesn't know the love of God.
And I wanna pray for them today."
Would you just lift up your hands?
Just wherever you are,
you can type it in the comment section,
"I'm praying for someone that I love right now,"
just type it in the chat.
Father, we just pray right now,
that those that we know that don't know you,
would be open to the work of your Holy Spirit.
God, give us the chance to show your goodness,
to show your love.
God, we may invite them to church,
we may just be a witness, we may be very bold.
Give us wisdom and give us the words to say.
We ask God that you would do what only you can do
to reveal your love, your loving kindness
that draws us into repentance,
that we could experience your love,
your goodness, your grace and your life.
As you keep praying today,
wherever you're watching from,
there's some of you that you may feel
the weight of what you've done wrong.
I remember feeling just this tremendous guilt,
"How could God love someone who's been as bad as I've been?"
But I didn't realize is the love of God
wasn't based on my goodness,
but it was based on who God is, and he's love.
And his love is very different
than the love you see in this world.
His love is a love that gives value to the object.
You are so valuable, that God sent his son, Jesus,
born of a Virgin, who did not inherit
the sin nature from an earthly father,
but the heavenly nature from a heavenly Father,
Jesus, the lamb of God.
Who loved us while we were sinning and gave his life,
died in our place and rose from the dead
so that anyone and this includes you,
who calls on the name that is above every name
will forgive your sins and he will make you brand new.
You are the one that Jesus loves,
wherever you're watching from,
those who say, "I need his grace, I want his forgiveness."
We're just gonna step away from the past.
We're gonna repent of our sins.
As we call on the name of Jesus,
He hears your prayers, He forgives your sin,
and He makes you brand new.
No matter what you've done, no matter how bad it feels,
you are the one that Jesus loves.
If you say, "Yes, I wanna receive His love.
Yes, I give my life to him.
Today, I surrender and I give my life to Jesus,"
that's your prayer, just lift your hands high right now.
All of the place, right here in this section,
others of you today say yes, lift it up right here.
Say, "Yes, Jesus I surrender to you."
All over the place,
just lift your hands up and say,
"Yes, Jesus, I give my life to you."
Those of you online,
you can just type it in the comment section.
Just type it in the comment section,
"I'm giving my life to Jesus."
And if you would today, wherever you're watching from,
would you just pray aloud?
Nobody prays alone, pray aloud.
Pray, Heavenly Father...
Heavenly Father...
Thank you for your love. Thank you for your love.
I receive it. I receive it.
Jesus, forgive my sins. Jesus, forgive my sins.
Save me. Save me.
Make me brand new. Make me brand new.
Fill me with your Spirit. Fill me with your Spirit.
So I could know your love. So I could know your love.
And show your love. And show your love.
Thank you for new life. Thank you for new life.
I give you all of mine. I give you all of mine.
In Jesus name, I pray. In Jesus name, I pray.
Somebody better give God some praise
for His goodness, for His grace.
C'mon church.
(congregation applauds)
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