The Unchanging Love of God
God's love for us is unconditional, steadfast, and eternal, and it brings us rest and rejoicing.
David Wilkerson emphasizes that true communion with God involves both receiving His unconditional love and responding with our own love. He highlights the invitation to approach God with thanksgiving and praise, reminding us of His goodness, mercy, and enduring truth. Wilkerson points out that God is not a demanding father but a kind and tenderhearted one who rejoices over us and finds pleasure in our relationship. He reassures us that God's love remains steadfast, even in our failures, and that it brings us rest and joy. Ultimately, God's love is unchanging and eternal, providing hope and security for all believers.
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Communion with God consists of two things: receiving the love of the Father and loving him in return. You might spend hours each day in prayer, telling the Lord how much you love him, but it isn't communion unless you receive his love in return.
The psalmist encourages us to "enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise" (Psalm 100:4). Why are we given such a bold invitation and what is the reason for such thanksgiving and praise? It's because we are shown the kind of God we are to come to: "For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations" (100:5).
God does not come to us as a hard, demanding father. Rather, he is kind and tenderhearted, filled with love and mercy toward us. His love is unconditional and he will never turn us down when we call upon him. He cares about everything concerning us but too few Christians have laid hold of this amazing love and grace. They live in fear and doubt, with little or no hope.
True love is manifested in two things: rest and rejoicing. The prophet Zephaniah writes: "The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing" (Zephaniah 3:17).
God rests in his love for his people. In Hebrew, the phrase "He will quiet you with His love" reads, "He shall be silent because of his love." God is saying, in essence, "I've found my true love and I don't have to look elsewhere."
God gets great pleasure from his people. Zephaniah testifies that God's love for you is so great that it puts a song on his lips! To "rejoice" means to have joy and delight; it's an outward expression of internal gladness. It's also the highest expression of love.
God foresaw all your sins and failures, yet he still loved you with tender love. If God loved you enough to give his own Son to die for you when you were still deep in sin, would he remove his love when you stumble or fail? Absolutely not! His love is glorious and steadfast -- unchanging and eternal.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Nature of Communion with God
- A. Receiving the love of the Father
- B. Loving God in return
- II. The Invitation to Communion
- A. Entering God's gates with thanksgiving
- B. Coming to God's courts with praise
- III. The Character of God
- A. Kind and tenderhearted
- B. Filled with love and mercy
- IV. The Manifestation of True Love
- A. Rest
- B. Rejoicing
Key Quotes
“God does not come to us as a hard, demanding father. Rather, he is kind and tenderhearted, filled with love and mercy toward us.” — David Wilkerson
“The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” — David Wilkerson
“He shall be silent because of his love.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We should come to God with thanksgiving and praise, recognizing His goodness and mercy.
- God's love for us is not conditional, and we can trust in His steadfast and eternal love.
- We should rest in God's love and rejoice in His presence, knowing that He delights in us.