God’s Love

God’s Love
1 John 4:7-21

Hallelujah! Thank you. Although October 26 to October 27 can be counted as two days, within a 24-hour time period, it is actually one full day. And this one day will change history. Please be grateful and believe that you have been called first for this important work by the gospel of eternal life. It is said that God’s love dwells within us.

In our church, we have many families who have believed for four or five generations. Though their living conditions may be poor, when I see the faith that has passed down through generations, I feel in my heart, “This is truly a blessed family; God must love this family.” Through this family, I envision miraculous works, spiritual richness that others may not understand, and moreover, as God delights, fruits of happiness borne in both spiritual and physical aspects.

Beloved saints, we are called for this day. But who are we to be used by such a God? We must reflect on why God would be so earnest to find lost souls through someone like us. God has said that He will not be idle. His zeal becomes our zeal, and when our zeal meets His, He says, “Indeed, I know that you love Me.”

If we love God, we will love our brothers and sisters. Without a heart that loves those lost souls, we cannot share the gospel. There are our lost brothers and sisters whom God misses. They don’t know what the church is. They don’t know who Jesus is. They don’t know the work of the creation of all things in the universe. We must share the gospel with them, treat them warmly, and guide them to the church. Does a child grow up the moment they are born? Parents carefully change their bedding, take them to the hospital when they are sick, and, while others sleep soundly,
they anxiously pace with the baby in their arms, worrying that their child’s cries might disturb others. With each passing year, we as parents see them grow in intelligence and wisdom. Just as “a mighty tree is recognized from its first leaves” (Korean proverb), parents can often see the potential in their children as they play and grow. Likewise, if we truly understand this heart, we cannot help but evangelize. Whether the time seems right or not, we must simply move to evangelize to find God’s lost sons and daughters. Just as it is stated in 2 Timothy 4:1-2, we must “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season.” Why does God command this? Because we have failed to understand His love. If we truly love God, we cannot help but pray. We cannot help but pray every night because His lost children, our brothers and sisters, are out there. We must never be lazy in seeking those lost souls. Commit and say, “I will do this work,” and please believe that God’s zeal will pour into your hearts like living water and pour out like a waterfall.

If we truly love God, we dwell in God’s love. God enters our hearts and dwells there in His love. His love is endless, and its height,  depth, and breadth is limitless. Wherever we go—north, south, east, or west—we can see, feel, and breathe in God’s love. The entire universe, the sun, moon, stars, and all things on earth all show His love. This is the love He gives us. How thankful we must be! To this day, we have breathed God’s love, eaten and drunk His love, experienced His love, and lived with His love. Those who truly love have been made complete. Such people will not have even an ounce of fear on the day of judgment. They are strong and courageous. This is written in today’s scripture. But we did not love God.

John 3:16 speaks of God’s love that came first, even to the point of sacrificing His Son. Romans 5:8 also shows that God loved us so much that He gave His own Son to die for us. And Jesus Himself was without sin; He is, in essence, God. God sent His sin less Son in human form, as though He bore sin, and laid all the sins of humanity on His only begotten Son, and ordered, “You must die on the cross at Golgotha.” Through Jesus’ death on the cross, His precious blood cleansed humanity’s sins—original sin, in herited sin, and personal sin.

Original sin is the sin committed by the first man Adam. Then, there are inherited sins from our parents, grandparents and ancestors; as the Bible says, the sins of the parents carry on to the third and fourth generations. Finally, there are our personal sins, the sins we have knowingly or unknowingly committed in our lives. All three kinds of sin were washed away in one act. Just as soiled, stained clothes come out clean after being run through the washing machine with detergent, so too were we made clean, as if we were never dirty, never stained. This is how God made us.

When we admire beautiful scenery, that too is God’s love. Let us be grateful for seeing, breathing, eating, drinking, and simply living. The Israelites complained in the wilderness because they did not realize God’s love for them. They grumbled, saying, “We have nothing but manna.” But manna was a complete nutritional supplement. Each morning, it covered the land like a dewy white sheen as far as the eye could see, round like barley grains. It was described as looking like pearls. They could prepare it by grinding, crushing, or boiling it. We maintain our health with a variety of foods, but manna contained every nutrient. Though they had no meat, manna provided all they needed—meat, vegetables, and vitamins from A to Z. Yet they still didn’t know how to be thankful.

And the living water that sprang from the rock became a pool, then formed streams and flowed out like a river. Do you think it ended there? God spoke to the people in many various ways because they could not realize Him. In the Bible, there are only two recorded instances where living water flowed from the rock during the Israelites’ 40 years in the wilderness. He sprinkled the desert with misty dew and moisture, so that neither the people nor the animals would thirst. And they still didn’t know. And no matter how advanced technology is to day, have you ever seen shoes that could last 40 years without wearing out? Their clothes had no wear-and-tear. For 40 years they walked. What kind of cart was there at that time? Their feet didn’t swell and blister as they walked through the sandy fields and wastelands of the wilderness. God’s grace provided everything, from the soles of their shoes to their clothes; for 40 years, they didn’t need needles or thread. They experienced the miracle of nothing being torn or worn out or punctured. Isn’t this God’s love?

So, love your neighbor as yourself. How can we claim to love a God we cannot see if we can’t even love our brothers and sisters whom we can see? Today’s scripture says that this would be a lie. What would happen to someone who stops breathing and can’t take in any air? This is what would happen to us if we reject or fail to recognize or experience God’s love. But if we love God, He dwells in us. He says, “If you love Me, I will dwell in you, and My love will be made complete in you.” When I officiate weddings, I always include 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Humans are beings who need to eat and drink God’s love. We have to know this. Remember, whether you recognize or believe in Him or not, God is within you, making Himself known through the Holy Spirit, and working within your heart constantly. Whether or not you know or believe that God exists, He is within you, and He will help you realize this through the Holy Spirit and will always be working in your heart. We must not forget this. 

God’s love is the foundation of our lives, the source of life itself. It is the basis of our existence. When you love your children and grandchildren, do so with God’s love in
mind. That is the foundation. Do you think it will be acceptable if we ignore God’s love and focus only on “my own child”? In Psalms, Isaiah, and Proverbs, God says, “There is no other god but Me. I created the heavens and the earth. When I speak, the heavens and earth stand still.” And God tells us, “I will not forget you; I know each of your names.” Because we struggle to
understand, He even says He knows each star by name. Look up at the night sky, where the Milky Way sparkles like a scat –  tering of flour or gold dust. Can you count the stars? There are billions, yet God, who created them all, calls each by their name. Just as a parent knows the names of all their children, God, the Creator of the uni verse, knows each of us personally, even with a population of six or seven billion on Earth.

Jeremiah said, “I am only a child and do not know how to speak, so it will be hard for me to serve you, Lord.” But God replied, “I am with you. I have put My words in your mouth.” God told Jeremiah, “I knew you and chose you before you were born” (Jer 1:5-9). Jeremiah’s parents did not even know each other; they hadn’t married yet. But God saw him before the ages. The same goes for you and me. When God’s children marry, He sees the future child that will be born from that bond. We serve such a God as our Father.

Do not forget God’s love. When you delight in your grandchildren, look at them with God’s love. Then your grandchild’s path will surely open brightly before them. When you pat their heads with God’s love in your heart, believe that God also will look down on them with pride and joy. God’s love is the foundation of life. How wonderful is this! For us believers, isn’t God’s love our
one true hope? 

In Matthew 22:35, a lawyer asked Jesus which commandment was the greatest. Jesus replied, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Jesus added that these two commandments summarize the teachings of the prophets. Romans 13:8 says that if you love your neighbor, you fulfill the law. We cannot perfectly keep the Ten Commandments; James 2 tells us that if we keep nine of the Commandments but fail in one, we are guilty of breaking them all. Therefore, a wise person who fears and believes in God will love his neighbor when he says he loves God. He will be fulfilling the law. How wonderful is this? There is a simple path, yet people seek complicated ways. They cry, “Lord, I believe” while going from mountain to mountain, church to church, but will their faith be proven that way? You just have to love your neighbor. That is the fulfillment of the law. Read Ro mans 13:8–10.

Do not let love be robbed from you. Why would you let God’s love be taken from you? In this case, wouldn’t an arguing couple fight dirty, not caring of the pain they’recausing as long as they win the argument? Love is the most precious treasure for a believer. It is the number one family heirloom. Even if a house is filled with gold and silver treasures, without love, it will all scatter away. But if love is present, they will all be preserved. The wealth of this world may blow away like the wind, but a believer’s wealth does not vanish. Therefore, love should never be foolishly
forgotten or stolen. I’ll repeat it again: no one has kept the law perfectly. If you keep nine of the Ten Commandments but break one, it is as if you have broken all of them. But if you love your neighbor, you fulfill the law completely. Romans 13:8 says, “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one an other; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.” This is the word of God. How simple is this?

God’s commandment is to love others. The Word of God teaches us to see people as just people. Many pastors, elders, and deacons may claim to believe, but if they do not love others, then they cannot possibly know God. When we look at others, we must look at them with God’s love. If I see them with God’s love, how can I not love them? If God loves that person, why should I hate them? All the commandments and all of the Word are to seek lost man. To love the soul and body, and to love God’s will to fulfill it on this earth. That is how it will be completed. 

No wrong to a neighbor. Romans 13:10 says, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” Love does not cause trouble for others. Love does not cause harm. Love is sacrifice. The growth I’ve achieved is the invisible sacrifice of my parents. Love does not calculate. Love forgets. Even when the whole neighborhood is in turmoil because of the faults of my children, I protect my children. Love covers over faults. 

Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, the Bible says to “let all that you do be done in love” (1 Cor 16:14). Such a person is a first-class citizen of heaven. Even if someone memorizes the Bible, has knowledge, and is admired by many, he is nothing without love. A person who believes in God, lives a good church life, prays to understand the Word, diligently sings praises,
and waits for the Word of grace in church is truly precious. Even his waste is precious. He is invaluable. There is nothing to discard from the crown of his head to the tips of his toes. God said, “I will make you a precious people.” He is even a person without any bad odor. In 2 Corinthians 2, it says that some people give off the stench of death, while others give off a fragrant aroma. This
is such a precious Word.

How wonderful is this! Whether in the Old  Testament or the New Testament, God’s Word is about finding a person and loving them. There is nothing else but that love. Just as people who are dirty are brought into a bathhouse and washed clean, I pray in the name of the Lord that our entire Pyungkang Church becomes a spiritual bathhouse.

Today’s scripture says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God” (1 John 4:7). God Himself is love (1 John 4:8). No matter which angle you look at it from, God Himself is love, and He alone is the source and foundation of love. The spring of love gushes forth. Therefore, nothing can be done without God. 

It is written in Jeremiah 17:5 and following: those whom God is with have a different mindset. They are like trees planted by the water; there is no drought. Their leaves are always green, and they bear fruit in season. How great a blessing this is! We cannot live without God. David also said, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). All of life is ever-green. This is God’s
love. We must experience this love. God is the “home” and “place of residence” of love. We must believe in God in this way. Our birthplace and current residences are different. We celebrate Christmas, but even that is God loving us first. Since we could not realize that God is with us, God sent His Love to us to make it heard and seen by all mankind, saying, “Immanuel,
God with us” (Matt 1:23). He sent His Son as a sacrificial Lamb for our sins. How precious this is!

King David killed the general of the Hittites and took his wife. The prophet Nathan received a revelation from God about what the nation’s king had done and went to rebuke him. Although King David had acted in secret, God saw everything with His fiery eyes and revealed the details to the prophet Nathan. Nathan cursed David, saying, “The sword will never depart from
your house. There will be bloodshed and murder among your children.” At that moment, David confessed, “I am a sinner. I have sinned.” And he repented with tears, so much that he drenched his mattress with his tears. This is recorded in Psalm 6:6 and the following. This is God’s love. God poured His love upon King David, and Da vid recognized it. (Ref. Deut 6; Lev 19:13; Prov 3:27-28; Col 3:12-15; 1 Tim 1:5; 1 John 4:7-11; 1 Pet 1:21).

The Old Testament was written in He brew, but the New Testament was written in Greek. In Greek, there are four words for love: storge (familial, national, kinship love); phileo (love between friends and companions); eros (the romantic love between a man and a woman); and agape. “Agape” love is only possible with God. However flawed or foolish your child is, is there anyone who would sacrifice your own child for your neighbor? How could I kill my own child, when I can’t even bear to see them disabled or in pain, my heart breaking everytime I see them? God’s “agape” love for us is such a sacrificial love that He had His own Son beaten and tortured, to the point of being unrecognizable, all for us. Only God can love this way, and His love will never change. Even if we say, “I will not believe in Jesus,” God will pursue us until the end. He will say to us, “When will you grow up? When will you repent of your sins?” Even if one’s heart is filled with evil, God will not give up. He will pursue that person to the end, through rain or snow, in heat or cold. This is Agape love. “I will sacrifice my Son so that you may be saved. I want nothing more than for you to know Me.” As Revelation 3:20 says, “Be hold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. This is Agape love. Among the four types of love in Greek: “sorge” (familial love) refers only to the family; “phileo” (friendship love) is conditional; and “eros” (romantic love) ends when health is lost or death comes. However, “agape” love has no separation. Other forms of love are cut off, but “agape” love remains connected, just like the cars of a train that stay linked together. Whether we live or die, it follows us to the end, even to heaven. God’s love is immeasurable— its height, depth, and breadth cannot be fathomed. Where else in the world can you find such a love that goes to the extent of sacrificing His Son for sinners who don’t deserve it? A love that is unconditional, with no reason, no expectations, but only to save us from sin?

Storge, phileo, and eros are all selfish forms of love; they are driven by personal desires. Agape is about giving. It is sacrifice! “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” How precious is the Word of Matthew 20:28! This is not a love based on personal feelings or discriminating choices. It cannot be fathomed. It gives and gives, the pouring of His love is endless. This is the love we have received in our lives.

When a person falls ill, they forget everything—parents, spouse, children, even wealth—it all becomes meaningless. Even merely drinking water becomes a battle. But with God’s love, we can be healthy and thankful and sing praises. We can love our neighbors as ourselves. When we invite others to share a meal. How precious every moment is! God sees all of that. And as we grow older, from our 40s to 70s, even if people expect us to lose our minds, our senses stay intact.

Look at the story of the beggar Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16. The rich man says, “Please send him to my brothers, so that they can be told of this place and all be lieve in God.” From a human perspective, it might seem like a good idea. However, the answer is, “No, they have the prophets and the law. Even if someone rises from the dead and goes to them, they will not believe.” The rich man ended up in hell. We must wake up to this truth. When you go to heaven, you will know who the true believ ers are and who the false ones are. Those who were expected to be there may not make it. If your heart is divided, you cannot go.

God repays love. Material blessings are also a manifestation of God’s love. He opens the gates of heaven and pours out blessings of wealth and prosperity. A per son who is filled with God’s love will not live greedily with material things. Instead, they will strive to do good with what they have. 

Can you truly say you love God passionately just with words? Everyone, please check out the area under “Jonathan” (building in Yeoju Retreat Center). A farmer told us we couldn’t farm there because it was such a rocky location. He said, “It’s a rocky place, only stones will come out. What could grow there?” But I believed in God’s love. I remembered a fertilizer factory on the road
to Munmak, so I bought some fertilizer and started spraying the land. The cabbages growing there are beautiful, 2,000 of them. The farmer who had said it couldn’t be done was amazed when he saw it.

1 Corinthians 13 is a song of love. It is called a hymn of love, a psalm of love. It is said that love is what has been moved directly from heaven. Heaven is nothing but love. Colossians 3:14 says, “Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” It means that, no matter what you do, you should add love on top of it. It is like the belt that com pletes the outfit. 1 Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one an other, because love covers a multitude of sins.” When you are filled with God’s love, you will not see the faults of others. The Old and New Testaments together are the pinnacle of love.

No matter how high the mountain is, no matter how vast the five oceans and six continents are, they cannot compare to God’s love. He gave us that love, even to the point of sacrificing His own Son. Because we are so thankful for that love, we will come to church voluntarily, without anyone telling us to do so. Why? Because God’s love compels us. God’s love com pelled the Corinthians. It is an inevitable, compelling love. As you experience that love, I pray that you will become the crucible of love until the very end.

I pray before God for the souls of all the saints who have come to Yeoju. May He hold you close. Just as blowing air into a balloon makes it round, I pray that God’s love may fill our bodies and hearts, breathing life into us, so that we may be like balloons filled with His love. I pray that we will carry His love with us until we reach His kingdom, and that while we live on this earth,we will create families that see, eat, drink, breathe and live in God’s love. How can I not pray for this? If I don’t pray, my conscience cannot bear it, and I cannot live. 

A place rich in fish is called a golden fishing ground, and a place where a lot of gold is found is called a gold mine. Although this conference is only for one day, I pray that you will mine all the diamonds of love from the treasure trove of God’s love, and as you go, may you become the crucible of love, living with love, eating and drinking with love, until you reach the eternal kingdom and become the eternal treasure of love. I pray for this and bless you in the name of the Lord.

 

October 27, 2007
Conference for the 50th Anniversary
of the Movement of the Word
Dawn Service

*This post can also be read in 'Champyungan'. (http://champyungan.com)