(Clip) Keeping Yourselves in the Love of God
J. Vernon McGee teaches that while God's love is unconditional and unchanging, believers must actively keep themselves in that love by living in obedience and avoiding sin.
This sermon emphasizes the unchanging and unconditional love of God for all individuals, regardless of their past or present circumstances. It highlights the importance of actively staying connected to God's love and the consequences of allowing sin to create a barrier between oneself and experiencing God's love fully. The story shared illustrates the powerful impact of returning to God's love after straying away, showcasing the beauty of reconciliation and the depth of a father's love.
Full Transcript
Now, the third thing is keep yourselves in the love of God. Now, he didn't say do something to make God love you. You cannot do anything to keep God from loving you.
I don't care who you are, God loves you. God loves you. God loved Joe Stalin.
I hated him. If Joe Stalin on his deathbed had accepted Christ as his Savior, God would have saved him. I wouldn't.
God would. God would. And I want to tell you that the love of God, I hear it so much today, it's become almost a meaningless thing.
But it's a glorious, wonderful thing because you have to keep yourself in the love of God. A lot of Christians, they don't keep themselves. You can't keep the sun from shining out there, but you're not in the sun.
It's getting in my eyes here. And may I say to you, you can get out of the sun, but you can't keep it from shining. When it's raining, you can get out of the rain.
You can put up an umbrella, and you can get out of the rain. You can't keep God from loving you, but you can put up an umbrella. You can put up an umbrella of sin in your life, and you won't experience the love of God.
I guarantee you that. You'll have to come back to him. I had a young fellow that was the son of a preacher in Indiana.
He was a handsome boy. He came out thinking he'd make Hollywood. I saw him several times at the Hollywood Christian group, but he didn't make it.
And he came in and said to me, he said, Dr. McGee, do you think my dad would take me back? I said, and I knew his father well, I said, he'd be delighted to. He says, well, I think I'm going to go back. I said, let's call him.
I called him up, and I said, do you know who I've got here in my study? And he began to weep. He said, it's my son. I've been praying that he'd come back.
And I put the sun on and let both father and son cry while I went outside and cried. It was wonderful. He didn't experience the love of his father, walking the streets in Hollywood, living it up, and going to every bar.
But when he returned home, he found out what the love of the father really was. And there are a lot of Christians tonight that they've stepped out of the love of God. God loves them.
Sermon Outline
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I
- God's love is unconditional and cannot be lost
- No one can do anything to make God stop loving them
- Even the worst sinners are loved by God
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II
- Believers must keep themselves in the love of God
- Sin acts like an umbrella blocking the experience of God's love
- One can step out of the experience of God's love but not out of His love itself
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III
- Illustration of a prodigal son returning to his father
- The joy and restoration experienced when returning to God's love
- Encouragement to come back to God to experience His love fully
Key Quotes
“You cannot do anything to keep God from loving you.” — J. Vernon McGee
“You can't keep God from loving you, but you can put up an umbrella of sin in your life, and you won't experience the love of God.” — J. Vernon McGee
“When he returned home, he found out what the love of the father really was.” — J. Vernon McGee
Application Points
- Examine your life for any 'umbrellas' of sin that may be blocking your experience of God's love.
- Commit daily to living in obedience to God to keep yourself in His love.
- If you have strayed, take courage and return to God to experience His restorative love.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we lose God's love?
No, God's love is unconditional and cannot be lost, but we can lose the experience of His love by sinning.
What does it mean to keep yourself in the love of God?
It means living in obedience and avoiding sin so that you continue to experience God's love in your daily life.
How can sin affect our relationship with God?
Sin acts like an umbrella that blocks us from experiencing God's love, even though His love for us remains constant.
Is restoration possible after falling away?
Yes, just like the prodigal son, anyone can return to God and be restored to the full experience of His love.
Does God love everyone equally?
Yes, God's love is universal and extends even to those whom we might consider unlovable.