The Love of God

May 4, 2003 Northwest Bible Church Worship Service Alan Conner
Rom. 5:5-8
The Love of God

INTRO
In ch. 5:1-11 we come to a section where Paul is setting forth some of the blessings that flow out of justification. Last week we saw three of them: peace with God, paradise with God, providential problems from God. This brings us to the next blessing, "the love of God."

I. DIVINE LOVE OUTPOURED IN US (v. 5). The communication of God’s love.

A. What is communicated?

B. Who communicated it?

C. Where is it communicated?

D. In what measure has it been communicated?

II. DIVINE LOVE OUTPOURED FOR US (vv. 6-8). The character of God’s love.

These verses, 6-8, begin with "for" which begins to explain the nature or character of the love of God in v. 5.

A. A sacrificial love (vv. 6, 8).

B. A gracious love (vv. 6, 8).

The first two words actually rhyme in Greek: asthenon and asebon. An obvious play on words.

1) We were helpless (v. 6).

2) We were ungodly (v. 6).

3) We were sinners (v. 8).

C. A superior love (v. 7).

CONCLUSION

God wants us to rejoice and exult in His love. He wants us to understand its sacrificial, gracious, and superior nature so much that He dispatched the Holy Spirit from heaven to enter into our hearts and pour out His love so that we might know it. Not just intellectually with our minds, but experientially with our hearts.

And how ought we to respond to this divine love?