“Behold!” “Stop!” “Look!” “See!”
“Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us!”
Or as we heard from the NIV ‘see what great love the Father has lavished on us!” Behold is more correct as it is there to make us stop and look…what are we to behold? Behold, the manner of love the Father has given unto us, that we might be called the children of God!!
The great 19th Century preacher Charles Spurgeon says that while you might just glance at other scriptures, this world ‘behold’ draws attention to the most important truth. Did you hear it, did you stop and let it sink in? We are children of God.
“Behold!” ye angels! Stop, ye seraphs! Here is a thing more wonderful than heaven with its walls of jasper. Behold, universe! Open thine eyes, O world. “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God!”
“Behold!” Friends – all ye sitting here…behold and take hold of this wonderful truth from scripture. We are sons and daughters of God, the Most- High, the powerful one, the Creator of heaven and earth, the one who lavishes his love on us – so much that he sent his one and only son Jesus to die for us.
Last week we reflected on the two great commandments, to love God and to love our neighbour. Today we reflect on God’s incredible love for us, that enables us to love others as he loves us. May we receive the great blessing of God’s love this morning, and may we bless others with that love.
(Turn to the person sitting near you and say to each other that God loves you, and you are his child)
To John, the beloved disciple of Jesus, this love of the Father and his desire for us to be in relationship with him is the crux of the gospel. And it is a particular relationship the Father chooses – that of being his children. In the opening chapter of John’s gospel, he speaks of the word and the light coming as flesh into the world – that word being Jesus – he also says:
“to all who receive him, all who believe in his name, he gives the right to become children of God – children born not of the natural descent, nor of human decision or a husbands will, but born of God.”
That is amazing and wonderful. God chose us to be his children. In the beginning he had a close relationship with Adam and Eve – they walked and talked in the garden together. They chose to damage that relationship by following their own desires and not choosing God’s ways. But God restored that relationship through his son Jesus, through whom we can be adopted into God’s family. Paul put’s it like this in Romans 8 that we if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.
What an amazing honour to be adopted by God. In the Roman world adoptions were all about inheritance and carrying on the family name. The adopted person was given all the privileges and rights that were given to a natural born child. God does this when he calls us his children, he chooses to lavish his love on us. Not because of anything we have done. As John says in chapter 15 of his gospel, “you did not choose me, but I chose you.”
He loves us unconditionally. You know that saying – ‘you can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your relatives!” Well, you might look at yourself or you might look at others and think why did God choose to love me…or love that person – we are so unlovable. Well God doesn’t think so – he created you in his own image, he knit you together in your mother’s womb as the psalmist writes…we are fearfully and wonderfully made.
And he lavishes his love and grace on us, his unconditional, limitless love.
Some people struggle with the idea of God loving them as a Father because perhaps they did not experience a sense of unconditional love from their earthly Father. Some may have felt they had to earn their father’s love – get good grades at school, get the right job, have the right friends, or hairstyle. I remember my father being appalled when I had a perm at the age of 16! Some may feel that no matter what they did it would not be good enough to earn their parents love and acceptance.
Well, the good news is that God’s love is not like that, it has nothing to do with what we can do for him…but all about what he has done for us.
In chapter 4 of his letter, John writes… This is love: not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice. His love is perfect. God is love. Sadly, some children fear their fathers…. but we do not need to fear our Father God. John goes on to say…There is no fear in love… perfect love drives out fear.
When we really behold and grasp God’s great love for us and feel safe and assured of our identity in him…when we do not feel we have to strive at being loved, when we just soak in his love…then we can be who we are; children of God. Listen to this wonderful promise again…
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
As Gods’ beloved children we should naturally become more like him, just as God intended when we were made in his image. In our human families’ children will usually have some characteristics of their parents…same type of hair – straight, curly, brown, blonde or red! Or same shape chin or nose. I may have shared before the funny story of telling our eldest daughter Meg in front of friends that she had a Wale nose. They thought I was being rude to my daughter – but I was referring to her nose being like my mothers and Grandmothers – my mother’s maiden name was Wale! (no H).
But more than physical features we often take on mannerisms and behaviours of our parents – a certain expression or way of speaking.
Sometimes these are positive attributes but sometimes not! We need to be careful as parents, for our children will copy us.
However, as children of God we have a perfect role model whom we should be growing to be more like, whom we should be mimicking. And that of course is Jesus. Have a look at verse 2 of chapter 3…Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
When we finally see Christ face to face, we will be like him – perfect. But in the meantime, “now” we are children of God and we should live accordingly. We should reflect him – his love. We live in his grace and our relationship as God’s children should show itself in our lifestyle. We should live in the light and live in love. John continually tells his readers about God’s love and how we as Christians show God’s love by loving one another, by this shall all people know that we are God’s disciples.
(Turn again to the person near you and tell each other what characteristics of God you can see in each other)
So, behold the Father’s love for you today, receive that love and live in that love – loving one another as he has loved you.
And when Jesus returns, we will be love just as he is. I can’t wait to see Jesus face to face – how about you? We sing about this in a Christmas carol…(Once in Royal David’s City)….And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love. That is the hope for those who believe in him…one day he will return, and all will be restored. That hope for the future should shape our lives now…those who are God’s children will be pure and righteous ‘just as he is’.
As we look at the world today, the wars and terror, the diseases and disasters, we long for Jesus to return. In the meantime, we are to show the world the light of Christ in our lives.
His love for us and all people is lavishly extravagant. His love is divine, excelling, pure, unbounded…indeed may our prayer be that of the well-known hymn we often sing:
Finish then thy new creation,
Pure and spotless let us be,
Let us see they great salvation,
Perfectly restored in thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before thee,
Lost in wonder, love and praise.
Until that day when we are fully like him let us daily behold; that is- stop, look, see and remember what manner of love the Father has given unto us and let us live as his children, loving him and others with his lavish love. Amen