The Love of God
Unlike the world’s love, God’s love is forgiving, forever, and for others.
KEY VERSES
Psalm 103:10-14 (NASB)
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our guilty deeds. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our wrongdoings from us. 13 Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. 14 For He Himself knows our form; He is mindful that we are nothing but dust.
Deuteronomy 7:7-9 (NASB)
7 The Lord did not make you His beloved nor choose you because you were greater in number than any of the peoples, since you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His faithfulness to a thousand generations for those who love Him and keep His commandments;
1 John 4:7-8,11 (NASB)
7 Beloved, let’s love one another; for love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
UNDERSTANDING
Name some of the things you’ve learned about “The Real God” so far in this series (i.e. His goodness, sovereignty, holiness, wisdom, and justice). What stands out to you the most? Why?
Besides Jesus, who is the most loving person you know? What makes you say that about him or her? What have you learned about love by watching that person’s life?
What are some ways you teach or would teach a child what it means to love and be loved?
How does God’s unique and unequaled love compare or contrast with the way we express love?
What are the keys to compassion? How is God’s compassion illustrated to you?
How would you describe God’s love to someone who asks you to help them understand it?
What visual images did David use to describe how completely God removes your sin from you? Why is understanding sin and your need for forgiveness a critical aspect of God’s love? Why do you think many people want to understand God’s love apart from His response to their sin?
Pastor Ben explained, “God doesn’t love us in spite of our sin; God’s love cleanses us from sin.” Why does that difference matter?
Can a person ever really know love or give love apart from forgiveness? Explain.
Why did the Lord choose Israel? Why does the Lord continue to choose us to be His people today?
Why does it matter that Israel did not choose the Lord; rather, He chose them? Is this also true of believers today? Explain.
Verse 9 emphasizes that God’s love is forever. Why is this difficult to understand, especially in culture today? Why is it important that we do understand and believe it?
Read Romans 8:31-39. What do these verses teach about the power of God’s love in the life of a believer?
How should God’s forever love impact the way you respond to the circumstances of life?
How do most people determine who is deserving or not deserving of their love?
How is God’s love different?
Read Matthew 28:19-20. Can you live out the Great Commission of Jesus if you don’t love like Jesus? Explain.
Pastor Ben said, “God’s love is not for buckets; it’s for funnels.” Which would you describe your love as lately—a bucket or a funnel? Why? In what situation do you know you need to change from holding your love to giving it away freely?
What happens to our efforts to love each other if those efforts aren’t connected to Jesus’ love for us?
What is the danger in defining or quantifying God’s love based on your circumstances rather than the cross?
APPLICATION
If what you believe about God is the most important thing about you, then what do you need to believe about God’s love? Why?
We learned from Pastor Ben the following points of application: Love makes the first
move. We’re not commanded to love the lovely; we’re commanded to love the loved. Love requires personal investment. Which of those three statements stands out to you the most personally? Which is most challenging to you? Why?What would change in your life this week if your love was more like God’s love—forgiving, forever, and for others?
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GIVING
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