Love that Captivates Saturday

November 16, 2024

Michael Boyd

Love that Captivates LISTEN ON MIXLR @ https://gbcsl.mixlr.com WATCH US ON YOUTUBE LIVE @ http://www.youtube.com/gracechurch-slus/live John 3:1-10 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, ‘Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.’ In reply Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’ ‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, “You must be born again.” The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.’ ‘How can this be?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘You are Israel’s teacher,’ said Jesus… John 3:10-16 ‘You are Israel’s teacher,’ said Jesus, ‘and do you not understand these things? I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven —the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life’” Jesus said, “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” For God so loved the world. 1 An Infinitely Holy God 2 A Sinfully Rebellious People A The World loves Darkness John 3:19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” B The world hates the Light THE STORY “When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, ‘Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord.’ So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son” (Hosea 1:2-3). 1 A Man relating to his Unfaithful Wife 2 A Story of an Unfaithful People A Story of an Unfaithful People When He’s talking about Gomer, he is talking about His people, but he is also talking about us. 1 She was adulterous. She is not my wife, and I am not her husband. Let her remove the adulterous look from her face” (Hosea 2:2). A Sin is a personal affront to God. B There are no spiritual singles 2 She was idolatrous She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold—” she used it to build idols to Baal, the things I gave she used to worship other gods (Hosea 2:8). 3 She was Hypocritical I will stop all her celebrations: her yearly festivals, her New Moons, her Sabbath days—all her appointed feasts” (Hosea 2:11). 4 She was forgetful. I will punish her for the days she burned incense for the Baals; she decked herself with rings and jewelry, and went after her lovers, but me she forgot” (Hosea 2:13). Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, (Deut. 8:11) And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. 20 Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God. (Deut. 8:19-20) A Story of an Unreasonable God Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and Speak tenderly to her. (Hosea 2:14) 1 God Takes the Initiative 2 God runs to us There is no one whose magnitude of sin that God cannot turn into a door of hope. 3 This is our God and there is none like Him. “Are you faithfully married to God?” Grace Baptist Church Podcast HTTPS://PODPOINT.COM/GRACE-BAPTIST-CHURCH-OF-SECOND-LIFE-PODCAST WEBSITE https://gracebaptistofsecondlife.godaddysites.com