“Jesus is the Gift of Love”

Week 1 –          Jesus is the Promise of Hope.

Week 2 –         Jesus is the Anticipation of Joy.

Today –           Jesus is the Gift of Love.

Next week –    Jesus is the Giver of Peace.

“The love of God is on display every step of the way.”

From the cradle            the cross            the crown, w/steps in-between.

1]. From the cradle.                        Luke 2:4-7

2]. To the crowds.                           Luke 3:21-22

3]. Before the curious.                    John 3:16-19

4]. By His loving command.          John 14:21

5]. Through the cross.                     John 19:17-19, 30

6]. And now to the crown.              Revelation 21:1-8

Luke 2:4-7 ESV

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her first born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Luke 3:21-22

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were open, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

John 3:16-19

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 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.

John 14:21

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.

John 19:17-19

So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilot also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

John 19:30 –

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Revelation 21:1-8

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the 1st heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, As for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”