Redeemer Church Mauritius
The Character of God: Abounding in Love - Phil Kendon
Today we are speaking about "abounding in love" - or as some translations put it "abounding in loyal love". That word God uses for love in this context has to do with relationship. It is not just a loving feeling in the moment. It is an act of the will. It is a decision to love someone with loyalty and faithfulness - not because they deserve it but because God is loving by nature. It is also an abounding love - meaning that it is in extravagant supply. It is not the kind of love that you have to squeeze out of God against their will. It is the kind of love that overflows. You can drink water from a dam by climbing up to the dam and then dipping your cup into the water to get something to drink. Or you can drink water from a dam that has its sluice gates open and the water is thundering out towards you. Abounding in love is the kind of love that is rushing at you - not the kind of love you have to climb up and work hard to get a small sip of.
Locations & Times
Redeemer Church Mauritius
Mauritius
Sunday 9:30 AM
Ruth commits herself to Naomi as an act of abounding love.
Ruth 1:16–18 (NIV)
But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.
The psalmist sees God’s abounding love everywhere.
Psalm 136 (NIV)
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.
To him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.
Who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever.
Who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever. W
Who made the great lights— His love endures forever.
The sun to govern the day, His love endures forever.
The moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever.
To him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt His love endures forever.
And brought Israel out from among them His love endures forever.
With a mighty hand and outstretched arm; His love endures forever.
To him who divided the Red Sea asunder His love endures forever.
And brought Israel through the midst of it, His love endures forever.
But swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea; His love endures forever.
To him who led his people through the wilderness; His love endures forever.
To him who struck down great kings, His love endures forever.
And killed mighty kings— His love endures forever.
Sihon king of the Amorites His love endures forever.
And Og king of Bashan— His love endures forever.
And gave their land as an inheritance, His love endures forever.
An inheritance to his servant Israel. His love endures forever.
He remembered us in our low estate His love endures forever.
And freed us from our enemies. His love endures forever.
He gives food to every creature. His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.
We see God’s character most clearly in the person and work of Jesus.
John 3:16 (NIV)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Jesus makes his priorities plain when he calls us to be a people of love.
John 13:34–35 (NIV)
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
God is looking for a response of love from his people as in the story of Hosea.
His love endures forever.
