"Love's Gift!" 1 John 4:7-16
December 24, 2023
Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Christmas Eve, The Nativity of Our Lord 12/24/23 Sermon Text: 1 John 4:7-16 Sermon Theme: “Love’s Gift!” by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert 3 Silent night! Holy night! Son of God, Love’s pure light radiant beams from Thy holy face with the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth! Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth!
Episode Notes
Christmas Eve, The Nativity of Our Lord 12/24/23
Sermon Text: 1 John 4:7-16
Sermon Theme: “Love’s Gift!” by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. Peace came to earth! The gift given you tonight by our children through Christ’s Word. Unwrap God’s gift - it is for you! Behold - “Love’s Gift!” Look at the Gift placed on the tree? See the gift tag attached!(1 Jo. 4:7-8) The Gift has your name on it - you are “Beloved”. God the Father so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Look around - are you in the “world” - the Gift is for you! God loved - God gave - His only begotten Son FOR YOU! Jesus loved - Jesus gave His holy precious blood and His innocent suffering and death - FOR YOU!
Satan, the fallen angel, lied. Turned you from God’s Loving Word. Twisted you inward. The lie of autonomy imprisons you. Isolates you - it is not good for man to be alone. Sin - self-love rips you away from others. Hear the Spirit of Truth! “James 4:1-4 (NKJV)1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
Behold God’s love FOR YOU! (1 Jo. 4:9-10) Death - the wages sin pays. It is what I deserved, you deserved, all children of Adam deserved the just sentence of death - then hell - eternal isolation from our Creator and all other living beings. God’s love shines forth. It isn’t hidden - it is a wondrous mystery, not a secret- He manifests it -promises our first fallen parents Jesus- fulfills it- sends His only begotten Son- Jesus, the Second Adam. Sin chained us. Death claimed us. Satan enslaved us in our father Adam’s rebellion. Life gushes forth from the Father’s only-begotten Son’s pierced side. Covers our sin with His perfect life. Gifts us eternal
life through His resurrection. Frees us from Satan’s tyranny to live under Him in His kingdom of grace!
Our love doesn’t earn us God’s love. A father loves his children because they are born from him. The Father loves you - He created you - He birthed you from above in His Son by the Holy Spirit in baptism. He loved us while we were yet sinners - Christ died FOR YOU! The Father loves you. Love sent His Son! Your sin is covered - washed away in
Christ’s blood - the Father sees you perfect in His Son!
Love’s gift - frees you to live! (1 Jo. 4:11-12) The Father’s love flows through you to all around you. Love promises you - Joh 14:23-27 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. (24) He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me. (25) "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. (26) But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. (27) Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Created by God the Father. Redeemed by the blood of the Only Begotten Son. Sanctified by the Holy Spirit by grace through faith. . Your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Loving one another is the pulse beat of God living in you - perfecting you with His love!
Love’s gift is yours! (1 Jo. 4:13-14) It is knowable. You live in Love - in Jesus! He lives in you! God the Holy Spirit testifies through His Word - baptized - God’s Name written upon you with water and His Word. See Jesus through your ears - Hear Him - in His Word - the Father calls you by Name. The Holy Spirit comforts you - peace, be of good cheer, I forgive you all your sins! Strengthened with Jesus’ body and blood in bread and wine the Holy Spirit fills you with Christ’s life and certain salvation! The Spirit of Truth cannot lie tells you - the Father sent His Son - the Savior of the world - FOR YOU.
Love’s gift is for giving! ( 1 Jo. 4:15-16) Love gave all away - His Son - His Life - His grace - love lives outside of itself for those who don’t earn it, deserve it, or can repay it. Our children didn’t keep the good news that Peace came to earth from us - they spoke, sang it, enacted it - they confessed Jesus - the Son of God! God lives in them and they in God.
Confess Jesus the Son of God - every Sunday in His House! Receive His loving gift of forgiveness through His Word. Every morning and evening speak out loud The Apostles’ Creed. Hear Love speak through you as you pray the Lord’s Prayer. Let Love’s pure Light - Jesus shine through you! Enact it as you love one another- your closest neighbor - your spouse, children, parents in your home. Live in love. Live the holy Ten Commandments in home, at school, at work, confessing Christ always - know - believe the Father’s love for you in His Son -Jesus - His Gift FOR YOU. Amen.
Sermon Text: 1 John 4:7-16
Sermon Theme: “Love’s Gift!” by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. Peace came to earth! The gift given you tonight by our children through Christ’s Word. Unwrap God’s gift - it is for you! Behold - “Love’s Gift!” Look at the Gift placed on the tree? See the gift tag attached!(1 Jo. 4:7-8) The Gift has your name on it - you are “Beloved”. God the Father so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Look around - are you in the “world” - the Gift is for you! God loved - God gave - His only begotten Son FOR YOU! Jesus loved - Jesus gave His holy precious blood and His innocent suffering and death - FOR YOU!
Satan, the fallen angel, lied. Turned you from God’s Loving Word. Twisted you inward. The lie of autonomy imprisons you. Isolates you - it is not good for man to be alone. Sin - self-love rips you away from others. Hear the Spirit of Truth! “James 4:1-4 (NKJV)1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
Behold God’s love FOR YOU! (1 Jo. 4:9-10) Death - the wages sin pays. It is what I deserved, you deserved, all children of Adam deserved the just sentence of death - then hell - eternal isolation from our Creator and all other living beings. God’s love shines forth. It isn’t hidden - it is a wondrous mystery, not a secret- He manifests it -promises our first fallen parents Jesus- fulfills it- sends His only begotten Son- Jesus, the Second Adam. Sin chained us. Death claimed us. Satan enslaved us in our father Adam’s rebellion. Life gushes forth from the Father’s only-begotten Son’s pierced side. Covers our sin with His perfect life. Gifts us eternal
life through His resurrection. Frees us from Satan’s tyranny to live under Him in His kingdom of grace!
Our love doesn’t earn us God’s love. A father loves his children because they are born from him. The Father loves you - He created you - He birthed you from above in His Son by the Holy Spirit in baptism. He loved us while we were yet sinners - Christ died FOR YOU! The Father loves you. Love sent His Son! Your sin is covered - washed away in
Christ’s blood - the Father sees you perfect in His Son!
Love’s gift - frees you to live! (1 Jo. 4:11-12) The Father’s love flows through you to all around you. Love promises you - Joh 14:23-27 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. (24) He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me. (25) "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. (26) But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. (27) Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Created by God the Father. Redeemed by the blood of the Only Begotten Son. Sanctified by the Holy Spirit by grace through faith. . Your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Loving one another is the pulse beat of God living in you - perfecting you with His love!
Love’s gift is yours! (1 Jo. 4:13-14) It is knowable. You live in Love - in Jesus! He lives in you! God the Holy Spirit testifies through His Word - baptized - God’s Name written upon you with water and His Word. See Jesus through your ears - Hear Him - in His Word - the Father calls you by Name. The Holy Spirit comforts you - peace, be of good cheer, I forgive you all your sins! Strengthened with Jesus’ body and blood in bread and wine the Holy Spirit fills you with Christ’s life and certain salvation! The Spirit of Truth cannot lie tells you - the Father sent His Son - the Savior of the world - FOR YOU.
Love’s gift is for giving! ( 1 Jo. 4:15-16) Love gave all away - His Son - His Life - His grace - love lives outside of itself for those who don’t earn it, deserve it, or can repay it. Our children didn’t keep the good news that Peace came to earth from us - they spoke, sang it, enacted it - they confessed Jesus - the Son of God! God lives in them and they in God.
Confess Jesus the Son of God - every Sunday in His House! Receive His loving gift of forgiveness through His Word. Every morning and evening speak out loud The Apostles’ Creed. Hear Love speak through you as you pray the Lord’s Prayer. Let Love’s pure Light - Jesus shine through you! Enact it as you love one another- your closest neighbor - your spouse, children, parents in your home. Live in love. Live the holy Ten Commandments in home, at school, at work, confessing Christ always - know - believe the Father’s love for you in His Son -Jesus - His Gift FOR YOU. Amen.
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