The Love of God

Introduction

You gotta turn those things on first. I am pretty technologically savvy. I was going to say I was sorry I didn’t get around to everyone and talk to you all before. If you wanted to talk to me and I didn’t get a talk to you, I apologize for that. And I’d be free to talk with you afterwards. Please give me an opportunity to do that. And part of the problem was again my technological lack of skill as I was trying to write some things out for you via PowerPoint. But it is thrilling to be here tonight and to see people who want to know more about God and want to follow his word.

And that is a great biblical truth. I’m not embarrassed by that truth because biblical writers weren’t embarrassed by those truths. But I will say this. I’m glad that that’s not all there is to God. I’m glad that our God, who is so utterly holy, that the angelic beings even hide their eyes as they look upon him. I’m glad that this God is also a God who loves us more intensely than we can possibly imagine, that we can ever conceive. God wants you to be saved more desperately than you want to be saved. God wants you to go to heaven more than your parents want you to go to heaven. God’s love for you is deep and intense. I invite you to open your Bibles to Psalm 103.

We’re going to incorporate, hopefully, many passages and many things, many themes touched upon from this passage, but we want to use this as a basis tonight of our discussion of the love of God. Lord willing, tomorrow night we want to talk about how the wrath of God and the love of God meet in the cross of Jesus Christ. The cross is the preeminent demonstration of the love of God. Yet we won’t be dealing with that extensively tonight because tomorrow night we want to tell the story of the crucifixion of Christ. I would invite you to read Matthew 26 through 28. Before you come to services tomorrow night. Just read the text, and hopefully we’ll explain the text and come to a better appreciation of the sacrifice of Jesus.

1. Bless the Lord and Forget None of His Benefits

Psalm 103, the New American Standard begins, bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Now, you notice that Psalm 103 begins and ends with the same words. Look in verse 22, and notice at the end of that Psalm, bless the Lord, O my soul. That’s called an inclusio. When it is sectioned, when a whole Psalm, when a section of Scripture begins and ends with the same words. When it does this, we speak of it as an inclusio. Psalm 8, an example. It begins, O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth. And it ends with those same words. And that means everything in between is to be seen through that lens. Much of Psalm 8 speaks of man in his exalted place in the universe.

But everything that’s in Psalm 8 is for the ultimate purpose of giving glory to God. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth. And all that is within Psalm 103 is ultimately an encouragement to us to praise the Lord as all is seen through this lens. Bless the Lord, O my soul. And all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of his benefits. There’s a problem with the people of God that we often have a short memory. We do forget his benefits. In Deuteronomy 6 and in Deuteronomy 8, God warned the people of Israel who were then in the wilderness. He said, You’re about to go into the land of Canaan, and you’re going to have houses that you didn’t build and vineyards that you didn’t plant.

But don’t forget the Lord your God who gives you the ability to get wealth. God is the source of our every blessing. And so he calls upon himself to bless the Lord and forget none of the great things that God has done. He describes God in verse 3 as one who pardons all your iniquities and heals all your diseases. The forgiveness of God is a theme we’ll touch upon more in verse 12 in just a moment. Who redeems your life, verse 4, from the pit, who crowns you with loving kindness and compassion. Word loving kindness is a key word in this Psalm repeated four times in verse 11, verse 13, and verse 17. Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

2. The Lord Is Compassionate and Gracious

In verse 7 or 6, the Lord performs righteous deeds and judgments for all those who are oppressed. He’s made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the sons of Israel. The reason I mentioned these in this PowerPoint is because this Psalm particularly deals with God’s love for Israel. But certainly these principles apply to all of us. And verse 8 is one of the most important statements in the Old Testament. One of the most important statements in the Bible as it describes the nature of God. It says the Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving kindness. That statement about God is one of the most important statements made about God in Scripture. And I know that because of how often it’s repeated.

And it’s repeated often, it’s repeated at critical moments. And let’s examine a few of them. This is not all of the references that we could give, but let’s think about the context of these passages. In Exodus 32, the children of Israel had been delivered from bondage in Egypt. The Red Sea had been separated. Israel crossed over on dry ground. The Egyptians tried to do the same, and they were drowned in the midst of the sea. What an awesome act of God’s salvation to deliver his people. God calls the people to Mount Sinai. And he makes a covenant with the people. And the people say three times in Exodus 19 and in Exodus 24, three times they say, All the Lord has said, we will do. The people vow that they will be obedient.

They’re going to do what God called them to do. But Moses goes up on Mount Sinai and spends 40 days there. And the people begin to complain in Exodus 32. And they say, as but it’s Moses, who led us up from a land of Egypt, we don’t know what is happened to him. Aaron says, Bring me your earrings. He brings, they bring their earrings to them. He molds and fashions it into a calf, a golden calf. He said, These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Now remember these people have said, all that you said, we will do. And look how quickly they’re violating some of the most fundamental elements of what God gave to them.

And God says, Let me destroy them and make of you a great nation. God’s anger burned. We alluded to that last time. And Moses reflects that anger by throwing down those tablets of stone. But Moses continues to intercede for the people. And in Exodus 34, verses 6 and 7, the first time this statement that we read from Psalm 103 appears in Scripture, appears there. In Psalm 34, verses 6 and 7, the Lord reveals himself to Moses by saying, The Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, the Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving kindness and truth. Who keeps loving kindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin. That is how God reveals himself. By the way, I would also say to you, and you can pursue this in your own personal study.

When Moses said in Exodus 33, verse 18 and following, Lord, show me your glory. Show me your glory. And God answered that by saying, No man can see my face and live, but he also said in verse 19, I myself will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim the name of the Lord. I’ll be gracious to whom I’ll be gracious, I’ll show compassion to whom I show compassion. Notice how many of the terms in Exodus 34, verses 6 and 7 pick up on that vocabulary of Exodus 33, verse 19. God passed by, that’s one vocabulary term found in 3319. He proclaimed and he speaks of himself as compassionate and gracious. So what I’m trying to say, when Moses said, Lord, show me your glory, this is what God showed him.

The Lord God, gracious and compassionate, long suffering, slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness, forgiving, transgression and sins. Isn’t it heartening that God did not give up on Israel in spite of how they deserved it. Numbers 14. They had sent twelve spies to search out the land of Canaan. Two of those spies came back and said, Let’s go, let’s take the land. If the Lord delight in us, he can bring us into the land. But the other ten spies said, no, we can’t take the land. By the way, if you look closely at Numbers chapter 13, and those unfaithful spies, the unfaithful spies never once mention the name of the Lord. They never mentioned the promises of God. They’re thinking only in terms of their strength and their power.

And they see the nations are stronger and mightier than they are, and the cities are walled, and we’re not able to take it. Joshua and Caleb are looking to the Lord. Well, who do the people believe? The people believe the ten evil spies, the ten spies who said we can’t take the land. They even say in Numbers 14 in verse 4, let’s appoint a leader, let’s go back to Egypt. And once again, God is reminded of these words of Exodus 34 in a prayer by Moses. Lord, don’t destroy this people. Remember, you said you’re gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness, forgiving transgressions, and sins. God doesn’t destroy them. Again, God refuses to give up on his people. Let’s look at Nehemiah 9 just a moment.

I invite you to turn with me here. Nehemiah 9 is a long prayer that reviews the history of Israel. Something that I did years ago that benefited me. It’s on one side of a notebook, a notebook paper, or if you’re real technologically savvy like Josh and Bob, or you could do this on a computer. And you can put on one side what this song, what Nehemiah 9 says about God, and the other side what it says about man. And it is striking to see how God is portrayed in such glowing terms, and man is portrayed in all his sin and rebellion. Let me give you just one example from Nehemiah 9. This is a long prayer that’s worthy of your attention, but we’re just going to mention a couple of things.

Notice in verse 16 of Nehemiah 9, as the people are being rebuked for their wickedness, it says, they, our fathers, acted arrogantly. They became stubborn, and they would not listen to your commandments. They acted arrogantly against God there in verse 16. One of the things that’s striking about that phrase, if you look back up into verse 10, that same phrase is used, acted arrogantly. What’s interesting is in verse 10, it describes how the Egyptians had mistreated the Israelites when they were in bondage. The Egyptians treated the Israelite arrogantly. Now what we see in verse 16 is after God has rescued them, after God has saved them and delivered them from bondage, Israel responds to God the same way the Egyptians had mistreated them. But notice in verse 17, in spite of the fact the people refused to listen, did not remember God’s wondrous deeds, in spite of the fact the people became stubborn and wanted a leader to go back to Egypt.

Notice at the end of verse 17, but you are a God of forgiveness. Gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness, and you did not forsake them. God didn’t give up on Israel. And God’s people recognized that. When God called Jonah to go preach to Nineveh, Jonah didn’t want to do it. He ran the opposite direction. He wasn’t afraid he’s going to be persecuted in Assyria for preaching about Israel’s God. You know what Jonah was afraid of? He was afraid those people would listen to what he said and they would repent. And he was afraid if they repented that God wouldn’t destroy them because Jonah actually uses these very words about God as a complaint in Jonah 4 2. You are gracious and compassionate.

You are full of loving kindness. You forgive transgressions. God, I just knew you would disave these people instead of destroying them because I know what a gracious and compassionate God you are. Jonah better be thankful for that. If not, he would have drowned in the midst of the sea, wouldn’t he? But God was gracious and merciful to him. The story of Israel is the story of Israel’s failure. And the story of God’s loving kindness. Look at what Psalm 103, verses 9 and 10 states. He will not always strive with us. Nor will he keep his anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

In Psalm 78, verse 38, and there’s so many verses that we could read to express this idea. Psalm 78 also tells the story of Israel’s history. And it emphasizes the faithlessness of Israel and the faithfulness of God. But in verse 38, but he being compassionate forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them.

3. As High as the Heavens Are Above the Earth

Yes. Does God restrain his wrath? Yes. And we can all be thankful for that. And beginning here at verse 11 of Psalm 103, the writer uses several metaphors to describe the love of God. First of all, he uses a vertical one. As high as the heavens are above the earth. So great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him. As high as the heavens are above the earth. When I’m flying and the pilot comes on at some point in the flight and says, We’re now at 38,000 feet, I think to myself, why don’t you just keep that to yourself? I don’t want to hear that. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him.

In Isaiah 55, verses 8 and 9, a passage that I know that you’re familiar with. For my ways are not your ways, and my thoughts are not your thoughts. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so are my ways above your ways. In that context, it may be a call to Israel to repent, as verse 7 says in the context of Isaiah 55. But what I would suggest to you is that the wisdom, the foolishness of God is wiser than men, as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1 25. The foolishness of God is wiser than men. The weakness of God is stronger than men, and just as God’s thoughts and God’s ways are so high above ours, just as they are infinitely above ours, so his love is infinite as well.

2 Samuel 24, David sinned in numbering the people.

4. As Far as the East Is from the West

Even before the prophet came to him, he realized he’d sinned and acknowledged such. The prophet Gad comes to him and says, Because you’ve sinned, the Lord’s going to give you a choice between three types of punishment a famine in the land, three months being pursued by your enemies, or a three-day pestilence in the land. And do you remember what David said in response to that? He said, Let me fall into the hand of God, for his mercies are great. But don’t let me fall into the hands of man. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him. In verse 12, as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Think about that statement and the promise of God’s forgiveness. Some people carry with them a burden of guilt, a weight for the sins that they have committed. I can remember very well an illustration that our third grade teacher, my third grade teacher, told our class. She said that years before, in our hometown, there had been a man who had been hit by a train. Everyone had forgotten about it. Over 20 years had passed that man. And I made it appear that he was hit by a train. Police took the confession and said, Why? Why did you come tell us? Nobody even knew this was a crime. And he said, I couldn’t live with the guilt anymore. Now, if you find yourself in that condition tonight, whatever the cause, it might not be crimes for which you could be prosecuted, but you know you’ve done wrong against God.

Isn’t it great news that we can run to the God that we have sinned against for mercy and compassion? And as far as the east is from the west, so far as he removed our transgressions from us. Think of the wonderful promises, the wonderful promises that God gives in connection with forgiveness. Come, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be as crimson, they shall be as wool. Micah asked the question in Micah 7 in verses 18 and 19. Who is like the Lord? He buries our sins in the depths of the sea. And some have suggested that he buries our sins in the depths of the sea and puts up a sign that says no fishing allowed.

God is a God who completely forgives, who completely washes away sin. On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached and convicted those people of the sin of crucifying the Messiah. You have crucified this Jesus that God has made, both Lord and Christ, they are pricked to their hearts, and they cry out, men and brethren, what should we do? Now you think about this. From God’s perspective, he has sent his son. They have rejected his son. They have tortured and murdered his son. But our God still reaches out and offers forgiveness to this crowd that didn’t deserve it. And Peter says, repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. The very fact that God still offers salvation to those of us who have rejected his son is amazing grace.

We confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.

5. Just as a Father Has Compassion on His Children

In verse 13.

Just as a father has compassion on his children. God uses a relationship metaphor to describe his love for us. His love for us is as high above, it is as high as the heavens are above the earth. In his love, he removes our sins as far as east is from the west. And God’s love for us is described to us in terms of the most intimate relationships that we ever have. The relationship between Christ and His people is described as a marriage in Ephesians 5, verses 22 through 33. The relationship between God and Israel is described that way in the first three chapters of the book of Hosea as well. And the relationship between God and his people is a relationship described in the terms of a father-son relationship.

In verse, in Deuteronomy 1 31, in the wilderness you saw how the Lord your God carried you just as a man carries his son. In Hosea 11, verses 1 through 4, the Bible pictures God as choosing Israel. It’s as taking Israel and helping Israel to walk and carrying them in his arms. God’s love for us is described in terms of the greatest relationships that we know. Al McGuire was a basketball coach at Marquette, then retired early. For many years was a commentator of on basketball on television. In the early 70s, when he was the coach at Marquette, one of his starting players was named Allie McGuire, his son. One day one of the players came to him and complained. Coach, you’re not being fair.

I ought to be starting instead of him. Coach Maguire said, he said, I agree with you. You are as good as my son. But I love my son. And if you want to play instead of him, you’re going to have to be better than he is. If you’re just as good, I’m going to play him, and you’re going to sit on the bench.

And yet, the greatest love that a father and a mother have for their child falls short of a description of the depth of God’s love. Remember how Jesus told, ask and it shall be given, you seek and you shall find knock, and the door shall be open. And he stated, which of you, if your son asks for a fish, will you give him a serpent? Or if he asked for bread, will you give him a stone? And he says, if you then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly father give good to those who ask him? Our love for our children, as intense as it is, falls short of being an adequate description of God’s love for us.

In Isaiah 49 15, can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb. Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. As we stated in the beginning, that God loves you more than your parents do and wants to see you saved more intensely than they do. A man had two sons.

No doubt trying to get as far away from his father as he could. He was going to throw off the restraints of home. And he was going to do what he wants. He goes to that faraway country and begins living just exactly like he wants to. But in that country, a famine arises. And all of a sudden, his money’s run out, and he’s in desperate need. And he sinks so low that he does something that no Jewish boy would generally do. He asks for a job, feeding swine, feeding pigs, unclean animals, according to Leviticus 11. Animals that the Jewish people loathed. He finds himself not only feeding the swine, but he just wishes that he could eat what they were eating. And if he is there in the pig pen thinking about how his life is in an absolute mess, it suddenly comes to him.

All my father’s servants have more than enough bread. And I’m perishing with hunger.

And I’m going to say, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you, and I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Just make me a hired servant. He begins that journey back home. And I can just imagine that almost every step of the way, he’s rehearsing that speech. He’s getting down what he wants to say and how he wants to say it. The Bible tells us his father saw him while he was a great way off. You know, I imagine that his father had looked down that road many times, maybe for days after days. As he longed for his son to come back home. And as he looks down that road, he sees that son, he runs to greet him. It was not a dignified thing for an older man in that culture to run.

But what does he care about dignity? His son is coming home. And he runs to his son, and he embraces his son, and his son starts his speech that he is so carefully prepared. Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. And the father cuts him off. Father cuts him off. And the father answers his request that he’s making with a no. Son asks, receive me back as a servant. Father answers, no. You’re coming back here as a son. Bring shoes and put them on his feet. Slaves didn’t wear shoes. Sons did. So right away he shows you’re coming back as a son. Bring shoes and put them on his feet. Put a ring on his finger. And kill the fatty cat. And let us celebrate.

Because this my son was lost and he’s found. He’s dead. And he has begun to live again. Which of us would act any differently if our sons came back home. If our daughters came back home after living in the far country of sin. And that is a dim and inadequate picture of the death of the love of God. Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those that fear him.

Conclusion

And let me just read these words. And I ask you to contemplate them. Could we with ink the ocean filled? And were the skies of parchment made, were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade. To write the love of God above would drain the oceans dry, nor could the scroll contain the whole that stretch from sky to sky. O love of God, how rich and pure, how measureless and strong, it shall forever more endure the same. An angel song. Amen. Let us pray. Oh Lord our God. Thank you for how you love us. Thank you for the fact you don’t give up on us. We don’t deserve your mercy and grace. We deserve judgment from your hand. And yet you have given your son to save us.

Thank you, God, for your amazing grace. Thank you for your unceasing love. And may we love you as you’ve loved us. We pray that one day we might all see your face together, that we might praise you throughout eternity, that we might thank you for how you loved us, in spite of the fact that we were unlovable. In Jesus we pray. Amen.

As we stated, Lord willing, we want to talk tomorrow in how the love and the wrath of God meet in the cross. I don’t know where you are tonight in your relationship with God. Maybe you’re carrying a burden of guilt, as we suggested earlier. Maybe you are the prodigal who’s wandered a long way away from home. I don’t want to tell you. If you come to the Lord by repenting of your sins, be baptized in the Christ tonight, or confessing your sin and asking for the prayers of others.

This will be rejoicing in heaven among the angels of God. For God rejoices over every single soul who comes to him. Are you ready to make your life right with God? We invite you to come as we stand and sing.