Before You Were Formed, God Knew You
David Wilkerson emphasizes that God's love for us existed before our formation and continues to renew daily.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the profound truth that God knew and loved us even before our formation, illustrating this unity between Christ and the Church as a body with Christ as the head. He references Ephesians to show that our existence and redemption were planned by God from the very beginning, highlighting that we are intricately known and loved by Him. Wilkerson draws on David's Psalms to affirm that God's love for us is eternal and unwavering, reminding us that even in our struggles, we are enveloped in His love. The sermon reassures believers that God's love is a constant presence in our lives, renewing daily regardless of our circumstances.
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According to Jesus, in God's eyes Christ and his Church are one. Paul illustrates this with the analogy of a human body. He says Christ is the head and we are his body -- bone of his bone, flesh of his flesh. "[God] put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Ephesians 1:22-23). "For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones" (Ephesians 5:30).
The implication here is that when the Father loved Jesus before eternity, he loved us, too. Indeed, when man was still only a thought in God's eternal mind, the Lord was already numbering our parts and planning our redemption: "Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love" (Ephesians 1:4).
In the Psalms, David writes that he was loved by God while still in the womb. "You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother's breasts. I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother's womb You have been My God" (Psalm 22:9-10).
"Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them" (Psalm 139:16). In essence, David is saying, "Even before I was formed, you knew me, Lord. You had all my parts marked down beforehand."
God loved you before the world began and there is no end to that love. "We have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him" (1 John 4:16). If we abide in God, we can expect his love to be renewed to us every day. What a wonderful thought! Even when you are in turmoil of some sort, you can know that through it all, the Father is still loving you.
Sermon Outline
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I
- God's love for Christ and the Church
- The analogy of the body of Christ
- Ephesians 1:22-23 and Ephesians 5:30
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II
- God's love for us before eternity
- Our existence in God's mind
- Ephesians 1:4
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III
- David's acknowledgment of God's love from the womb
- Psalm 22:9-10 and Psalm 139:16
- Being known by God before formation
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IV
- The eternal nature of God's love
- 1 John 4:16 and abiding in God's love
- Renewal of God's love in our lives
Key Quotes
“For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.” — David Wilkerson
“Even before I was formed, you knew me, Lord.” — David Wilkerson
“We have known and believed the love that God has for us.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- Reflect on the eternal nature of God's love in your life.
- Embrace your identity as a member of the body of Christ.
- Practice abiding in God's love to experience His renewal each day.