Overwhelming Part 1 – Love of God

WARM-UP

We grew up in a society that detests drug addicts, drunkards, murderers, robbers, kidnappers and the likes. Who would love a SINNER? Who would love a juvenile delinquent? Who would love a worthless person in the eyes of men? Who would love a drug addict? Who would love a criminal? Who would love a prostitute? God! God loved us even when we were still sinners.

ONE BIG IDEA

God’s love is unconditional. It comes free of charge, no strings attached.

 

 STUDY (Ephesians 2:1-10 )

1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (NLT)

LEARN

PROOFS THAT GOD OVERWHELMINGLY LOVES YOU:

HE LOVED US WHILE WE WERE SINNERS

(Ephesians 2:1-3)

Do you know that in the eyes of God, we’re just like the people that we hate? Apart from Christ, we are all EQUAL and we are called SINNERS. We are not better in status compared to people that we dislike in the society. We also commit obscure sins that are not so obvious in the eyes of men like PRIDE, FEAR, HATRED, BITTERNESS, JUDGMENTAL, FAVORITISM. James 2:9 – “But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law (NLT).” All of us have lived in sin and we cannot deny it. But Romans 5:8 said, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners (NLT).”

HE UNITED US WITH CHRIST

(Ephesians 2:5-6)

We were covered with sin. Worse, we were spiritually dead. This is why Paul said, “We were dead because of our sins.” But God’s love is overwhelming that He provided us a WAY OUT and that is through Jesus. Why do we need a way out? Romans 6:23a – “For the wages of sin is DEATH (NLT).” Hell is where we truly belong. But because of God’s great love, He united us with Christ. When God united us with Christ, our sins were ASSUMED by Christ and Christ’s holiness was ABSORBED by us.

1.We are like Christ. 1 John 2:6 – “Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did (NLT).” Since we’re united with Christ, we walk and talk like Christ.

2. We are with Christ. Matthew 28:20b – “…And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age (NLT).” Since we’re united with Christ, we now have personal relationship with Him.

HE SAVED US BY HIS GRACE

(Ephesians 2:7-9)

The world has always taught us that God is a harsh God who wait for people to commit mistake and then His hand is ready to discipline. But God is not like that. God loves EVERYONE. And this is one of the things that sets Him apart from every other god held up by every other world religion. God is the God of GRACE. Only Christianity dares to proclaim God’s love is unconditional. An unconditional love that we call grace. Christians boldly proclaim that grace really has little to do with us, our inner resolve, or our lack of inner resolve. Rather, grace is all about God and God freely giving to us the gifts of forgiveness, mercy, and love.

HE MADE US NEW IN CHRIST

(Ephesians 2:10)

The people around you are God’s masterpiece. This is why God values you, this is why He cares for you. To God, you and I are priceless because of Christ in us. God loves us so much that He created us anew in Christ Jesus. He doesn’t want us to remain the same. Our lives are no longer worldly; they are now spiritual. The new creation is completely new, brought about from nothing, just as the whole universe was created by God, from nothing. Old, dead things are replaced with new things, full of life and the glory of God. The newborn soul delights in the things of God and abhors the things of the world and the flesh. Our purposes, feelings, desires, and understandings are fresh and different. We see the world differently.