Do You Know How Much You are Loved?

Saints,

We are loved with an unconditional, life-transforming—world changing love. We cannot earn this love. God pours out His love on us.

As I spoke with my Christ-following friend from Iran recently, he commented on how his country needs God’s love. He said his fellow countrymen want to know real love—God’s love. I thought about Iran and her people hearing the gospel and coming to God as God’s life-changing love draws them. This reminded me that God’s life-changing love draws Christ-followers in America and all over the world as well. God’s love even continues to draw “seasoned saints” and continues to draw Christ-followers who have forgotten how much Jesus loves them.

What we are talking about here is relationship with God. The kind of relationship with God that Adam had in the garden. Picture this, God comes to Adam in the morning and says, “Adam come with me. Let’s walk.” Can you imagine God coming to you and saying, “Steve, let’s walk. I want to spend time with you?” How does that statement affect you? Are you surprised to think that the most high creator, sustainer God would want to spend time with you? This should not be a surprise to us because as Jesus spoke of eternal life, He described it as “knowing” God and knowing Jesus whom He sent.

John 17:3

And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Do you know God? Do you know Jesus? Do you know how much you are loved? Or, do you merely know something about God? Whether we are pre-Christians in Iran or 47 year old American believers who have known Christ for 36 years, we all need to deeply know God’s love for us. When we deeply know God’s love for us, our lives change. Knowing God’s love is a significant part of the abundant life Jesus speaks of in John.

John 10:10
¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Know Jesus—know God. Consider this quote by Thomas a Kempis from The Imitation of Christ,

“Prop yourself up with and for Christ if you wish to live with Christ. If just once you could perfectly enter the inner life of Jesus and experience a little of His passionate love, then you would not care at all about what you might gain or lose in life. You would even bear insults gladly, for the love of Jesus makes a person think of himself in a very humble way.”

How would you feel if Jesus asked you to go on a walk right now? Would you be too busy? Too tired? Would you be worried about what He might ask you or want to talk about with you? Would you feel shame to be in His presence?

Your answers can reveal how complete your understanding of God’s love for you really is. Do your answers point to a deep, transforming understanding and acceptance of the love of Jesus?

Let’s look at the disciple John as an example of someone who deeply knew God’s love. Remember chapter thirteen of John’s gospel where we find Jesus gathering his disciples for one last time of fellowship before his death and resurrection. To help us see this scene more clearly, read the following excerpt from Howard Baker’s book, Soul Keeping, pg 79.

“…Following His incredible act of love and humility in washing the feet of the disciples, Jesus predicted that one of them would betray Him. This prompted suspicious looks and quiet questions among all of the disciples except one—John. While the others were relying on their understanding to try to ascertain the identity of the betrayer, John was leaning on the breast of Jesus in devoted affection. “

I have often wondered, “How could it be that Jesus loved John more than the others?” Looking back on my question, I realize this assumption is not true. Jesus loved them all the same. The difference is that somehow John seemed to understand the depth of Jesus’ love for him more than the others, at least at this point in the story. His understanding of Jesus’ love for him affected John’s behavior. Note that following this scene in his gospel, John referred to himself as the “disciple whom Jesus loved" (see John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20.)

Baker continues,

“The affects of experiencing the love of Jesus are immediately evident in John’s life. He was the only disciple at the cross (John 19:26-30). He was the first to the tomb and the first to believe in the resurrection (John 20:1-9). He was the first to recognize the risen Jesus (John 21:1-14). And he was the first to follow the resurrected Lord (John 21:15-25).

If we are willing to be people “whom Jesus loves” we will see the same effects in our lives. Just as John did, we will gladly share in the sufferings of Christ. The experience of being loved will strengthen our faith, just as it did for John. It will give us spiritual insight to recognize Jesus in surprising places. And finally, when we are loved and know it, we will follow Jesus, just as John did.  In fact, when we know we are loved, we follow not as a disciple or as a servant, but as a beloved in passionate pursuit of the lover of our souls.”

To sum up, John loved. Everything he did was deeply connected to God’s love--not the love he conjured up on his own, but the transforming love Jesus had for him. This is the point. Are we like John? Do we love, serve, minister and pray because of Jesus’ deep life-changing love? Remember what John was like before He came to know Jesus love—a “son of thunder,” angry, trying to accomplish his will in his strength.

Let us ask the Father in the name of Jesus that we will know Jesus’ love for us—like John knew His love so that we are transformed completely. We will live differently. We will love unconditionally as we are filled with this kind of love. This love--truly known, will deeply impact those around us whether they are within our faith families or without.

1 John 4:18-19 (NASB)
¹⁸ There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
¹⁹ We love, because He first loved us.

I am convinced that when the church will stand up and radiate the glory and holiness given her by Christ, when she stands up in the power she has in the Holy Spirit, when she stands up completely surrendered to her Savior, when she engages in Bible-based, Spirit-led, kingdom-focused prayer in Jesus name, then she will impact lives. The Spirit-driven church will impact cities. The surrendered church will impact states. The self-less, Holy Spirit empowered church will impact nations. The church is Christ’s glory. We must awaken from our culturally induced stupor. Church, arise! Know your Savior’s love like the Apostle John knew His love. Be transformed by it.

Compelled to pray and desperate for God, Steve