God Our Father - Part 6

We wrapped up part 6 in our series "God Our Father" this last Sunday.  Our purpose in this series is to establish and strengthen the true character and nature of God (love) as our Father.

It is paramount for any believer if they desire to walk in victory that they have a strong understanding of God's love.  Paul understood this to such a degree that He recorded a prayer of supplication for us concerning God's love in Ephesians 3:14-21 (you should pray this daily).  God desires that we are rooted and grounded in His love, that we would know through experience the width, length, depth, and height of His love.  Paul also records in Romans 8:31-39 that only through knowing the love of God in Christ Jesus can we overcome in every area of our lives.  If this revelation is good enough for Paul it is good enough for us as well.  

We have been looking at the characteristics of love as described in 1 Cor. 13:4-8.  This last Sunday we looked at the last part of verse 4, which states that love is not puffed up.  This tells us that God is not puffed up.  The Amplified translation states it this way, "love does not display itself haughtily."  God is not prideful, He does not demand respect and attention. God is humble and serves and gives with a pure motive to bless those who He is serving whether recognition is given or not.  God is not tempted with evil nor does He tempt anyone with evil (James 1:13).  God is 100% pure in everything that He does.

Let's look at the life and ministry of Jesus in order to see an example of this God kind of love.  

Scripture:  John 13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. 2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, "Lord, are You washing my feet?" 7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this." 8 Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." 9 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!" 10 Jesus said to him, "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you." 11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, "You are not all clean." 12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. NKJV

• This is an expression of love that is not puffed up.  I know at times people struggle with this image of God but this is how He is.  Jesus said, "I only say and do what the Father says and does."  The Father is not teaching us to do things that He Himself does not do.  
• So, Jesus washed the feet of the man who betrayed Him into the hands of the religious leaders and the Romans.  This is love that is not puffed up.  He washed the feet of the man whom He called unclean.  God causes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. God did not stop being good to Judas even though Judas had given himself to satan.  
• Jesus washed the feet of the man who denied Him 3 times and cut off a guys ear. 
• Jesus washed the feet of the two men who were trying to get positions on His right hand and left in His Kingdom. 
• Jesus washed the feet the man who was a tax collector.
• Jesus washed the feet of the men who all fled when He was arrested. 
• Jesus washed the feet of the men who did not stay awake with Him in the garden of Gethsemane to pray with Him.  

Wow!  This is a love that is not puffed up!  

Lastly I would like to present this question to you.  Have you ever thought about the commitment level that Jesus love for the disciples produced in them?  These men experienced a love that led all of them to give their entire lives to the Lord, even if need be unto death.  Only a revelation of the love of God can produce this type of commitment in humanity.

• James, son of Zebedee: Put to death by King Herod Agrippa.
• Peter: Traditionally believed to have been crucified in Rome upside down at his own request, as he felt unworthy to die in the same manner as Jesus.
• Andrew: Crucified on an X-shaped cross in Greece.
• John: Died a natural death at Ephesus, reportedly the only apostle to die peacefully, but prior to this he was placed in a pot of boiling oil (which did not harm him) and isolated on the island of Patmos.
• James the Less: Thrown down from the pinnacle of the Temple, then clubbed to death after surviving the fall.
• Bartholomew: Flayed alive and then beheaded.
• Philip: Suspended by his ankles on iron hooks and then beheaded.
• Simon the Zealot: Tradition has it he was sawn in half.
• Thomas: Martyred by being stabbed with a spear in India.
• Jude (Thaddaeus): Crucified in Persia.
• Matthias: Chosen to replace Judas, he was reportedly stoned and then beheaded.
• Matthew: Killed by a sword.
• Paul: Beheaded in Rome.
• Mark: Dragged through the streets by horses until he died in Alexandria, Egypt.
• Luke: Hanged in Greece.

God's love produces fearlessness in the lives of His children!

If you want more understanding of God's love for you, pray this prayer:

Father God, my greatest desire is to know you and in order for this to happen I need to have a greater understanding of your love for me.  Father you are love so when I know and experience your love I know and experience you.  Lord I desire to be a body wholly filled and flooded with your love, so I ask that you would strengthen me to be able to receive and walk in your love.     

Blessings In Christ, Pastor Sean