OceanSide church of Christ

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I AM RESOVED… (1)

To Love God

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Resolved:

1.    To come to an earnest, definite decision about

2.    To determine to do something

3.    To come to an authoritative or conclusive decision

 

B.   No one can resolve anything for you.  You have to make your own resolutions.

 

C.   We mention these things because our theme at OceanSide for this year is:  “I Am Resolved.”

1.    Each first Sunday of the month, we will be presenting a lesson that revolves around this theme.

2.    This morning, the title of our lesson is:  “I Am Resolved to Love God.”

 

I.             GOD LOVES US

 

A.   God is our Creator, Provider, Protector, and Redeemer.  In all of these roles, His love is manifested toward man.

 

B.   Many passages speak of God’s love for mankind.

1.    Psalm 36:7

 

How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God!  Therefore the children of men put their trust in the shadow of thy wings.

 

2.    I John 3:1a

 

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God…

 

C.   This love is not a cheap love of words only.  It is a love of great cost and sacrifice. 

1.    God doesn’t merely say:  “I told you that I love you.”  He can point to an event in history, and say:  “This is where I proved just how much I love you.”

2.    That crowning event was the offering of Jesus on the cross of Calvary.

a.    John 3:16

 

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son…

 

b.    Romans 5:8

 

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

 

c.    I John 4:9

 

In this was manifest the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

 

D.   We begin with this point because, we want you to understand that we are asking you to make a decision, deep within, to love someone who loves you more than you can know.

1.    Ephesians 3:19

 

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth understanding.

 

2.    We are not asking you to

a.    Love an enemy

b.    Love a stranger

c.    Love a vague acquaintance.

3.    We are asking you to love someone who loves you deeply and is committed to you!

4.    “We love him, because he first loved us” (I John 4:19).

 

II.           THE  KIND OF LOVE WE ARE TO HAVE FOR GOD

 

A.   We are not to have a

1.    Shallow love:  a love with little investment

2.    Uncommitted love:  I love till I need out

3.    A regretful love:  A love because we have to

4.    A love in word only:  all words and no action

5.    A selfish love:  A love that seeks only what it can get out of the relationship

 

B.   We are to resolve to give God the love that He deserves, a love that some people call agape love.

1.    It is a love that gives all (Matt. 22:37-38).

 

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.

 

a.    Notice the use of the word “all” three times.

b.    All means everything, not part, and not almost everything.

2.    It is a love the puts God before self.

a.    I Corinthians 10:24

 

Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.

 

b.    I Corinthians 13:5

 

…seeketh not her own…

 

3.    It is a love of sacrifice, the giving of self, time, and riches (I John 3:16).

 

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us:  and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

 

a.    Here, John refers to the ultimate sacrifice, the sacrifice of one’s life.

b.    Sometimes it is easier to sacrifice one’s life than it is to sacrifice the little things:  a few dollars, a couple of hours of time, a prized possession, etc.

4.    It is a love of eager obedience.

a.    Three verses

1)    John 14:15

 

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

2)    John 14:23

 

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words…

 

3)    I John 5:3

 

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments:  and his commandments are not grievous.

 

b.    Just as God can point to an action, and say:  “See, I love you,” so can we.  We can point to our obedience to His will, and say:  “See, Lord, I love you.”

 

III.         THE RESOLUTION OF LOVE

 

A.   If we are going to really love God, we are going to have to resolve this in our minds, our actions, and ultimately in our lives.

 

B.   Before we make this resolution, we may ask:  “Why should I make the resolution to love God?”

1.    The answers to this question could be a good series of lessons in and of themselves.

2.    Answer #1:  There is no higher form of love that a human being can express.

a.    We have the ability to love the highest, most holy, most powerful, supreme God of the heavens and earth.

b.    We need to go home and contemplate this thought:  “I have the ability to love the one, true, living God.”

 

C.   A weak resolution is no resolution at all.

1.    The definition of resolution is a strong, firm, bold, brazen, steadfast determination.

2.    People make weak resolutions all of the time.

a.    To take jobs, only to quit

b.    To enter into marriage, only to divorce

c.    To participate in a sport, only to quit

d.    To lose weight, only to give up

 

D.   A person can be resolved, then give it all up.

1.    A person can be firm and committed for a long period of time, then give up his resolution.

2.    Demas

a.    Demas was a Christian from the city of Colossae who was a co-worker of the apostle Paul (Phil. 1:24).

b.    He forsook Paul (II Tim. 4:10).

 

For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thesslonica…

 

E.   God will not force you to resolve to love him.  If He did, this would not be love.

1.    Love is given by choice.

2.    Love is given voluntarily.

 

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   Man only has two options when it comes to loving God.

1.    He can resolve to love God.

a.    This is exciting.

b.    This is encouraging.

2.    He can refuse to love God, at least for today, and maybe longer.

 

B.   For those who have resolved to love God, we go to Jude 21.

 

Keep yourselves in the love of God.

 

C.   For those who chose not to love God today, we use I Thessalonians 3:5 as a prayer for you.

 

And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God…

 

1.    May someone encourage you to love God.

2.    May your study of His will turn you back to the love of God.

3.    May God’s providence bring things into your life that will cause you to truly resolve to love God.