Well this evening we're turning to 1 John chapter 3 in the first part of verse 1. 1 John chapter 3 in verse 1. If you have the Blue Church Bibles it's on page 1230. This is our text. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. Now, the author to this letter is the Apostle John, and John begins his letter or his epistle in quite an abrupt, dramatic fashion. There is no word of greeting, there is no word of whom it is addressed to, but rather we find John launching in to his letter and the substance of what he wants to say. We looked at Peter this morning and we saw there how Peter was writing to the strangers, the scattered believers that were throughout Asia. Hall writes to various churches, and in this letter, we find no mention of who the audience is. And it is rightly being called a general letter, a letter for the Church of Jesus Christ as a whole. And so we have a blessing here for us this evening that we have a letter that is written that transcends time and place. Well, just as John's letter here begins rather abruptly, we find if you turned over to chapter five, it also ends rather abruptly with John telling his audience, little children, keep yourselves from idols. Well, whilst there are no particular Christians' names, no particular churches that are referenced, it is clear that John is writing to true believers, genuine Christians, those who are truly following the Lord Jesus Christ. is not written to those who have a cultural attachment to Christianity or a nominal attachment to Christianity, it is written to those who love the Lord Jesus Christ and they are walking in his ways. John writes, if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with him. So this is a letter written for genuine, real Christian believers. Well, who was John? John was one of the 12 disciples of the Lord and one of the close disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was one of the disciples who witnessed the transfiguration of Christ on that mountain, that time when Christ's glory was revealed or taken back for a little while. He would be present at the cross when the Lord died and he would be one of the first to the tomb after the resurrection. In the early church he was used mightily by God at Pentecost and in the establishment of the early church. By background, he was a Jew, he was a fisherman by occupation, but then he becomes a devoted follower of the Lord. He would write the Gospel of John, 1, 2, 3 John, and he recorded the Revelation as well. And as we come to 1 John chapter 3 verse 1, we have here John taken up with this exclamation of amazement. He is entirely enthralled by the fact that God loves him and God loves his people. And so here is an elderly saint, probably been a Christian for about 60 years, his love for his saviour isn't getting weaker and paler as the time goes on, it is becoming more and more fervent as he considers what his saviour has done for him. He says this, behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. When we think about the love of God toward sinful people, the love of God toward this world, the love of God toward you this evening, it is something which should cause us to behold, to look, and to be exclaimed upon. Another John, this time John the Baptist, he uses the word behold in relation to Jesus. He would say at Jordan after Jesus came to be baptized, behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world. It is causing us to pay attention. It is causing us to have our view moved to consider the object of who is being spoken about. and John is calling his readers to come and to see and to wonder and to be amazed at the great love of the Father toward mankind. This is no ordinary love that is on display. This is not everyday kind of love and relationship or experience, but this is something to take note of and to be amazed by. And here we are to consider the love of the father. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. When we think about the Father, and when we think about this world's view of God the Father, it is often maligned. relegated to a lesser perspective. There is rightly a great emphasis upon the Son's redeeming work and upon his love toward us in that he gave himself for our sin. There is emphasis made about the care and compassion of the Spirit, and in some circles, in some churches, the Spirit is the be-all and end-all. There isn't anything else other than that. And yet the love of the father is somehow often forgotten. The father is often portrayed in terms of being angry, of being judgmental, of needing to be appeased, having a hatred of sinners, vengeful and justice. And these are the connotations that we can read into the scriptures and we can have in our minds And yes, God is angry with sinners, and yes, God is just, and yes, God will act in vengeance and righteous wrath, and yet he's also described as being love. And here, John is taken up with the amazing love of the Father. Have you thought about the love of the Father toward you? How does John describe it? He says, behold, what manner of love is this? That same kind of phrase is used by the disciples when the miracle of the calming of the seed took place. They're the disciples, these hardened sailors in that boat. They're being tossed to and fro. They believe they are ready to die because they are in peril. And Jesus stands up and he pronounces peace to the winds and the waves. And the winds and the waves obey him and they're calm. And the disciples, they said one to another, What manner of man is this that even the wind and the waves obey him? It was something which was beyond their fathoming. It was something which their comprehension couldn't handle. It was something that was completely different to what they expected or what they thought they knew. And John here in 1 John 3 verse 1 is looking at this love of God the Father and it's like an altogether different kind of love. unable to alter all completely different kind of love to any other display of love that this world has ever seen. We have the amazing love of God toward us. Well, perhaps one of the best examples on the scriptures of God's love being demonstrated and being succinctly encapsulated is found in John 3, verse 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. So when we think about the love of God the Father, John 3 verse 16 is a good place for us to look. Think about these words, that opening phrase, for God so loved the world that he gave. The love of God comes to us as a gift. It doesn't come on behalf of payment for work or labor that has been done, rather it comes as a free and undeserved gift. In 2 Corinthians 9 verse 15, Paul there says, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Now Paul isn't saying we don't talk about it, he's saying that words are inadequate to truly convey the love that has been given and this gift that has been provided. This love is a gracious love. It isn't merited in any way. It is not love in return for services rendered to him, it is entirely unconditional. We made reference to this text this morning, Romans 5 verse 8. God commences love to us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And so when we look at the love of God the Father, he has given us, out of his love, a wonderful gift and benevolence. In human relationships, we so often love because we are loved. We get on with people because they like us and we reciprocate that to them, we like them as well. There are occasions when love is unrequited, it isn't reciprocated in any way, but generally we love because we're loved. But with God, his love initiates, his love begins it all. His love loves us when we were not lovely at all. And his love meets us at the point of our needs. So if God so loved the world that he has given this gift, what then was this gift that God the Father has given? Well, he has given his only begotten Son. He hasn't given us some kind of created agent of redemption to save us, that wouldn't suffice, but he has given his only begotten Son. And we would need one that would properly represent us and mediate between us and God, one that could truly represent offended and the offenders. and it requires both God and man coming together. We find that Jesus Christ therefore is sent by the Father into this world. In Romans 8.32 we read there how that God did not spare his only son. And so God's amazing love is demonstrated, the Father's amazing love is demonstrated because his Son is sent into this world, not merely on an ambassadorial exercise to come and just bring a message, but to bring in himself sinners to God, to bring peace between creature and creator. It was a work to bring rebel to the sovereign and to make saints out of sinners. And it's all done through what Christ accomplished at Calvary. So truly John is exclaiming that this is an altogether different kind of love that the Father hath bestowed. Well, what does the Son achieve by coming? What do we benefit by his coming into this world? Those that believe in him should not perish, It wasn't that God has set his love upon nice people. It isn't that his love is extended to those who deserve it. It was to those who are perishing. Now we have to be clear that the love that extends was to those who are perishing because of their own personal sin. It's not that creation suddenly found itself plunged into this awful plight. They're completely innocent in all that is happening. But no, we find ourselves perishing because we are willfully and actively sinful. It's whilst we were sinners, Christ died. And so this love is to those who are rebelling against God. This love is coming to those who are traitors toward God and his word. This love is coming to those who are rebelling against God and breaking his commandments, and this love is coming to the uttermost to bring them into glory and to save them from this perishing. The Lord is extending his love to those who by nature would hate him and would want nothing to do with him. But it doesn't leave us there. Not only are we saved from perishing, this love also brings everlasting life. And so we are brought to experience the pleasures and blessings of eternal life because we've trusted in Jesus Christ and the eternal blessings that will be provided to us in heaven for all eternity. John is taken up with this and says, behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. Do you think often, if you're a believer here this evening, as to what God has done for you? Do you recognize the amazing love that has been shown to you and in your life and in your situation? Do you meditate upon the cost of your salvation and what it means? Well, the disciples on the road to Emmaus, they left Jerusalem sad, depressed, despondent about all that had happened in Jerusalem. And as Christ met with them, as Christ opened the scriptures to them, they described it as their hearts being strangely warmed. They reminded themselves and were reminded of the Lord's work and plan. Are we enthralled by this salvation? There are times when we find the tempter to be so active in our lives that we are despondent and downcast. He's very quick to remind us of our sin and our failure. He's very quick to point out all of our failures and all the ways in which we would not deserve such love. But as God's people, we can look to the love of God for us in that he's given his son to die for us. And as believers, we can so often be sad-faced and miserable, and yet we have so much to be joyful about and to glory in, in what God has done for us. There are three simple steps for us to grasp more and more the amazing nature of this love. The first thing is this, to have a deeper understanding of who God is. Secondly, to have a deeper understanding of our sinful condition. You think, well, that's not going to help me, because the more I realise how great God is, the more I realise how good God is and how holy God is, and the more I understand of how bad I am and how sinful and wicked I am, that's just going to take me further and further into that pit of despair and into that slough of despondency. But the third thing is this, to have a deeper understanding of what God has done for you in saving you. Because as you look at how glorious and how holy God is and how low and sinful and wicked you are, you see that Christ has come to bring you to God and to save you and to deal with your sin and to pay for the penalty that that sin deserved. The more we consider God, the more we consider ourselves, and the more we are taken up with what God has done for us, the more we will be amazed of his love that has been shown. John says, behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. And then we get to the next part. And John says that we should be called the sons of God. God doesn't save remotely. By that I mean he doesn't save from a distance. He comes in order to bring us into his family. And as you look at God's adoption of sinners, it is unparalleled in this world. God is making saints out of sinners, those that are destined for hell on account of their sinful fallen condition, and he is making them sons and daughters to God. We are being brought into his family. and we also have the privileges of what it means to be a child of God and in the family of God. We get to know the God of all creation, the God who is majestic, glorious, Jehovah, and we come to him as our heavenly Father. Listen to the Apostle John writing in Revelation chapter 4 and verse 2. Here John is taken up with the throne of God and of God sitting upon the throne. He writes, and immediately I was in the spirit and behold a throne was set in heaven and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone and there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four-and-twenty seats, and upon the seats I saw four-and-twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment, and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices, and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal, and in the midst of the throne and round about the throne were four beasts full of eyes, before and behind. And it continues. And then come down to verse 10. The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power, for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created. You have a majestic view of God, a high view of God, an exalted view of God. And yet this one is our father. The child of God can come with holy wonder and approach this one as father. By nature, we are not sons of God. We lost that status and privilege in the tragic fall in the Garden of Eden. but God has done a work. God has demonstrated love and God has done something in order to bring his people to himself and he does that through his son. is motivated by his love, and as God's people, we are saved, we are delivered from the bondage and tyranny of Satan, and through astounding grace, he transfers us into a position of sonship and adoption. When adoptions take place, You take a child from one family and you place it with another. That child that is being adopted invariably would have had a tough time. Sadly, things would have happened, difficulties would have ensued, but that child, when they are adopted, they now receive all the benefits of that adoptive family. They're now safe and they're now secure. They now have provision and they now have that prospect of growing and being nurtured in this new family. When we think about what our old family gave us, as far as this world is concerned, what does it give us? Well, we have no security. Life is fleeting. We're promised pleasures of sin for a while, but then come the awful consequences of that sin. And we have not an inheritance to look forward to, but the reality of eternal separation from God in eternal death. But as sons and daughters of God, we're in his family. We're safe, we're provided for, and we share in all the inheritance that is for Christ, and we share in that. No wonder John is taken up with amazement that he should be called a son of God. This is indeed lavished love. We perhaps remind ourselves of the parable of the prodigal son. And there he longed to be back in his father's house. He had sinned, he'd rebelled, he'd gone far, far away from his father. And yet when the father sees him, he welcomes him home. He puts a new robe on him, puts his arm out, he kisses him. He puts a ring on his finger, he prepares a feast, and he embraces him as if nothing had happened. There was genuine, complete forgiveness for his wayward son. And God loves us like that. This love is a love that passeth knowledge. Now, when we think about this world, we can very often become sidetracked and lose sight of this amazing love. We find the devil will be very active to try and diminish the glory of God and the holiness of God. We find that men and women, they are elevated and emulated. Sin is recategorized or even declassified. Jesus is not held in position of worship and adoration. Cross is no longer central. Eternal punishment is mocked. Eternal life is seen with only carnal eyes. And yet, in the Scriptures, we see what God really has done. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. We began our service by reading from Psalm 107. There, the psalmist, he is taken up with the fact that God is a God of mercy and grace. He says, When we think about what God has done for us, as the redeemed, let us say so and declare it to the world round about. John says, behold, look, marvel, take note, ponder, consider, be amazed, and see how God has lavished upon you, how he bestows, how he pours upon you, fills you with bounty, and he makes you a son or a daughter of God. He set you at liberty, he forgives your sin, and he's redeemed your soul from destruction so that you may be with him in his family forever. The question that we leave and must answer ourselves, is the love of God amazing to you? Is the love of God amazing to me? If the answer is yes, rejoice. If the answer is no, then there's nothing wrong with the love that is on display. Perhaps the reason is we haven't realized it or experienced it for ourselves. And pray to God that he would show us and reveal himself and demonstrate that love in our lives.