Bulletins - Church On The Rock-Abilene (TX)

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
My Feet Are On The Rock
WAY MAKER
Abide
MARY DID YOU KNOW
1 John 4:9–11 NKJV
9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
Introduction:
This week is Christmas, and Christmas—more than anything else—is about love. Children will lose sleep over the anticipation of what the morning will bring. Those gifts are given because of the love held by the giver.
That love interrupts the flow of history, leaves heaven, and enters the earth in a humble manger. He came because of His love for the world.
Today, we are going to think about love: the love He has for us, the love we have for each other, and the love we have for the world.
Transition Phrase: To understand what love truly is, we must begin where Scripture begins—with the fact that God loved us first.
Key Verse: 1 John 4:10
1 John 4:10 NKJV
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
In 1993, the artist Haddaway released a song that asked a famous question: “What is love?”
In the song, he answers that question by saying, “Baby, don’t hurt me.”
That answer comes from the world.
And while it reflects a real human fear, it falls far short of what love truly is.
The Fall: Why Love Was Needed
God created us, and He could have left us in our sin. But before we talk about His love, we must be honest about our condition.
We knew it was wrong to eat the forbidden fruit.
Motivated by our desire to be as wise as God, we ate the forbidden fruit. We exercised our free will in an attempt to be equal with God.
We knew what we were doing. We knew we were wrong. And we did what we wanted to do.
That is the human condition.
So the question becomes this: Why Did God Send Jesus?
God created us, and He could have left us in our sin. He was not obligated to rescue us.
But God sent Jesus because He loves us.
Love did not ignore our rebellion. Love did not excuse our sin. Love acted.
God’s response to the fall was not distance—it was incarnation. He did not abandon us; He came for us.
This is what Scripture means when it says:
1 John 4:10 NKJV
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Love moved first. Love took the initiative. Love crossed the distance we could not cross ourselves.
Transitional Phrase: God’s love for us produces His love in us for others. Because He loved us first, we now desire to encourage one another. We are called to serve one another and to build one another up.
In the love of Christ, there is a love that we are called to have for each other.
1 John 4:11 NKJV
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
John 13:35 NKJV
35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Our faith is not practiced only in our minds and hearts. Our faith is practiced in community. That community is called the Church.
John 13:35 couldn’t be more clear, we are His disciples if we love one another.
John 13:35 could not be more clear: we are known as His disciples by the way we love one another.
To love God is to love His people.
This is where I struggle with many who call themselves “spiritual.” They claim to hear God constantly, yet they have no real relationships with others.
Scripture does not separate love for God from love for people.
We Are Called to Encourage One Another.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 NKJV
11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
We Are Called to Build One Another Up
1 Peter 4:10 NKJV
10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Romans 14:19 NKJV
19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.
Transitional Phrase: Through the grace of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, God builds us up, equips us, and encourages us—so that we can move forward into the world.
The Church Jesus Founded Is Called to Share His Love with the World
John 20:21 NKJV
21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
The Church was never meant to exist for itself. We are a people who have been sent.
We are called to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the world.
We do this through our personal witness— by the way we live, speak, forgive, and love.
We also do this through intentional evangelistic efforts— proclaiming Christ clearly and compassionately to those who do not yet know Him.
Because the love we have received was never meant to stop with us.
Conclusion
As we leave today, don’t let the world creep into the celebration of Christ’s birth. Don’t let greed choke out what you have planned to use to bless others.
Remember, Christ came to show God’s love to the world. That love breaks the bondage of sin.
We are called to build one another up, and we are called to carry this message into the world.
As you leave this place today, know this: you are loved by the Lord, and you are loved by us.
My prayer is that you experience the love of God in your life so deeply that it overflows into the lives of those around you.
- - 1 John 4:9–11NKJV
- - 1 John 4:10NKJV
- - 1 John 4:11NKJV
- - John 13:35NKJV
- - 1 Thessalonians 5:11NKJV
- - 1 Peter 4:10NKJV
- - Romans 14:19NKJV
- - John 20:21NKJV

Key Verse: 1 John 4:10

In the song, he answers that question by saying, “Baby, don’t hurt me.”

That answer comes from the world.

And while it reflects a real human fear, it falls far short of what love truly is.

The Fall: Why Love Was Needed

God created us, and He could have left us in our sin. But before we talk about His love, we must be honest about our condition.

We knew it was wrong to eat the forbidden fruit.

Motivated by our desire to be as wise as God, we ate the forbidden fruit. We exercised our free will in an attempt to be equal with God.

We knew what we were doing. We knew we were wrong. And we did what we wanted to do.

That is the human condition.

So the question becomes this: Why Did God Send Jesus?

God created us, and He could have left us in our sin. He was not obligated to rescue us.

But God sent Jesus because He loves us.

Love did not ignore our rebellion. Love did not excuse our sin. Love acted.

God’s response to the fall was not distance—it was incarnation. He did not abandon us; He came for us.

This is what Scripture means when it says:

Love moved first. Love took the initiative. Love crossed the distance we could not cross ourselves.

In the love of Christ, there is a love that we are called to have for each other.

Our faith is not practiced only in our minds and hearts. Our faith is practiced in community. That community is called the Church.

John 13:35 couldn’t be more clear, we are His disciples if we love one another.

John 13:35 could not be more clear: we are known as His disciples by the way we love one another.

To love God is to love His people.

We Are Called to Encourage One Another.

We Are Called to Build One Another Up

The Church Jesus Founded Is Called to Share His Love with the World

The Church was never meant to exist for itself. We are a people who have been sent.

We are called to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the world.

We do this through our personal witness— by the way we live, speak, forgive, and love.

We also do this through intentional evangelistic efforts— proclaiming Christ clearly and compassionately to those who do not yet know Him.

Because the love we have received was never meant to stop with us.

1 John 4:9–11NKJV

1 John 4:10NKJV

1 John 4:11NKJV

John 13:35NKJV

1 Thessalonians 5:11NKJV

1 Peter 4:10NKJV

Romans 14:19NKJV

John 20:21NKJV