The Enormity of God's Love.

This post is written from notes taken from a sermon by Tim Keller on James 4.  I want to remember this, refer back to it and not let it be something striking between Christmas and New Year and then let it disappear as quickly as dew in the morning.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Jesus lived these verses in our place.

1)  Jesus humbled Himself.

2)  Jesus resisted the devil and the devil fled from him.

3)  But…….when Jesus sought to draw near to God, God did not draw near to Him.  When Jesus tried to draw near to God in the Garden of Gethsemane He sensed God’s “no” to His prayer and God’s absence when He was hanging and dying on the cross.  “My God my God why have you forsaken me?”

On the cross Jesus bore that alienation from the Father (the alienation caused by our sin) so that now 

• when you try to draw near to God imperfectly, 
• when you try to humble yourself imperfectly, 
• when you try to resist the devil imperfectly 

– GOD WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU, because His love said “My life for you”, because He laid down His life for you and died in your place.

For these reasons we know:

The enormity of His love for us.

 How much has God loved us? John 17:23 is like a little explosion in my heart. 

John 17:22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

As His child, the Father loves me as much as He loves Jesus. That’s the love you get when the Father looks at you in Jesus. 

Why should I be selfish if I’m loved like that?  Why should I be defensive when all charges against me have been cancelled by the Judge of the universe?  Why should I be offended when I have the love of the King of the universe? Why should I be so reluctant to forgive when I’m awash with Christ’s forgiveness now? Why should I be proud when He cares for me?

Humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up.

• Let your confidence be boosted by this height of love and that He cares for the circumstances in your life.  
• Let this confidence, faith and trust grow in you.  No more need for self-focus or self-defense, or pride, but set free to serve.