The Incarnation: All About Love

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God is not only the origin and source of love; he has woven love tightly into the fabric of the universe.

Program Transcript

Jesus once told his disciples, “By this shall all people know that you
are my disciples, if you have love one for another.” It is no wonder that
love should be the central focus of everything related to our Christian
faith. After all, as John tells us in 1 John 4:8, God is love. God is
not only the origin and source of love; he has woven love tightly into the
fabric of the universe. In a very real sense, as the song lyrics say, love
does make the world go ‘round, and human life is all about God’s love
for us and God’s love in us.

God’s love for us is supremely demonstrated by what we call
the Incarnation, that is, in the Son of God becoming human to make us his
own brothers and sisters. Our salvation springs from the Father’s
ever-faithful love and power. It is proven through Jesus Christ, the only
name under heaven by which humans can be saved, and it is ministered to us
abundantly by the Holy Spirit.

God’s love in us makes us a new creation. When the Father
and the Son live in us through the Spirit, we love others. In Christ, we are
freed from fear, from pride, and from the hatred that conspire to prevent us
from enjoying the life of God. When we are in Christ, we are free to love
others the way God loves us.

Jesus did not come just to forgiven our sins; he came to heal our
sinful nature and make a new creation of us. He doesn’t force us to accept
his love, but because he loves us so dearly, his earnest desire is that we
turn to him and find true life.

Jesus was born, lived, died, rose from the dead and ascended to the
Father’s right hand as Lord and Savior and Mediator, having purified the
sins of humanity. But he did not stop being human. He is still fully God and
fully human. He is our advocate, our representative, standing in for us and
substituting for us at the Father’s right hand. As the apostle Paul wrote in
1 Timothy 2:4-6, “For there is only one God, and only one Mediator between
God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for
all people…”

God has declared in Christ that you belong to him; that you are
included; that you matter. Our salvation comes through the
perfect will of the Father, who is unswervingly committed to including us in
the joy and fellowship he shares with the Son and Spirit.

When you are in Christ, you are included in the fellowship and joy of the
life of the Triune God. It means the Father receives you and has fellowship
with you as he does with Jesus. It means that the love that God once and for
all demonstrated in the incarnation of Jesus Christ is no less than the love
the Father has always had for you — and always will.

That’s why the Christian life is all about love.

I’m Joseph Tkach speaking of life. 

Program Transcript

Jesus once told his disciples, “By this shall all people know that you
are my disciples, if you have love one for another.” It is no wonder that
love should be the central focus of everything related to our Christian
faith. After all, as John tells us in 1 John 4:8, God is love. God is
not only the origin and source of love; he has woven love tightly into the
fabric of the universe. In a very real sense, as the song lyrics say, love
does make the world go ‘round, and human life is all about God’s love
for us and God’s love in us.

God’s love for us is supremely demonstrated by what we call
the Incarnation, that is, in the Son of God becoming human to make us his
own brothers and sisters. Our salvation springs from the Father’s
ever-faithful love and power. It is proven through Jesus Christ, the only
name under heaven by which humans can be saved, and it is ministered to us
abundantly by the Holy Spirit.

God’s love in us makes us a new creation. When the Father
and the Son live in us through the Spirit, we love others. In Christ, we are
freed from fear, from pride, and from the hatred that conspire to prevent us
from enjoying the life of God. When we are in Christ, we are free to love
others the way God loves us.

Jesus did not come just to forgiven our sins; he came to heal our
sinful nature and make a new creation of us. He doesn’t force us to accept
his love, but because he loves us so dearly, his earnest desire is that we
turn to him and find true life.

Jesus was born, lived, died, rose from the dead and ascended to the
Father’s right hand as Lord and Savior and Mediator, having purified the
sins of humanity. But he did not stop being human. He is still fully God and
fully human. He is our advocate, our representative, standing in for us and
substituting for us at the Father’s right hand. As the apostle Paul wrote in
1 Timothy 2:4-6, “For there is only one God, and only one Mediator between
God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for
all people…”

God has declared in Christ that you belong to him; that you are
included; that you matter. Our salvation comes through the
perfect will of the Father, who is unswervingly committed to including us in
the joy and fellowship he shares with the Son and Spirit.

When you are in Christ, you are included in the fellowship and joy of the
life of the Triune God. It means the Father receives you and has fellowship
with you as he does with Jesus. It means that the love that God once and for
all demonstrated in the incarnation of Jesus Christ is no less than the love
the Father has always had for you — and always will.

That’s why the Christian life is all about love.

I’m Joseph Tkach speaking of life. 

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