God’s Perfect Love – Palm Sunday
Do you know the perfect love of God? This message explains God’s great love for you. You’ll also get actionable advice to help you focus on God, accomplish his plans, and get through times of trouble.
God personally and passionately loves you! Jesus suffered and died to bring you in direct relationship with God. God has a plan for your life and he will never stop loving you. Will you choose to follow, obey, and love him in return?
Unconditional, Selfless, No-Strings-Attached Love
God Desires The Best for You
God passionately loves you. But not just you, God passionately loves all the world.
Today I want you to know for certain that God’s love is perfect. But we do not always see it as perfect. That is because we view things in life from a limited perspective, from a different viewpoint. A worldly, self-seeking viewpoint; from the perspective that is one-sided and how we think it should be.
Mankind is often so fixed on the present that any other perspective is blocked out. It is the immediate moment that we see as most important rather than future concerns. The Lord, on the other hand, looks to eternity. God sees you as the person of God he desires you to be. God allows situations in your life to give you opportunities to cry out to him in faith. When you do, he will answer. Sometimes he answers not in the way you want, but in the way that is best for you. That is, in perfect love for you. The Lord desires you to be the man or woman that he desires you to be, and if that takes some correction and causes some pain in your life, he allows it to happen. Understand, he loves you. God desires the best for you in every situation, resulting in God receiving the glory.
God has a plan for your life. A plan to bless you and not harm you. A plan that may take you on a different road than you would have taken yourself, but it is a road that he has for you to mold you into the person of God for his purpose.
Do you love God enough to trust him in painful situations even when you cannot recognize or sense his love at times?
Troubles may come your way due to the choices you make or the choices that others make.
What do we need to change?
Often what we want is not the best choice for our lives. What may seem good now is not always the best plan in life.
I may want a new, small sports car. A fun and fast one looks good. I may feel it’s the car for me, but the car might not be practical if I have a family of four. It would be better to get a larger car or van. Thankfully I listened to that inward voice of the Lord and said no to the sports car and drove home in the van that would fit the whole family. I wanted the sports car, but the van is what I needed.
God knows what tomorrow will bring, you do not. God can use every situation in life to show his perfect love to you. We need to have our spiritual eyes opened to see his love.
God's love does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Often what needs to change is us. We need to listen to his voice.
What do we need to change? Our perspectives, our hearts, our thinking and mindset regarding God and what we believe regarding God, and his perfect love for us, is what needs to change.
Know one thing for certain: God has a plan for your life and that plan is to prosper you and not to harm you; to bless you because God is love and he loves you.
God Loves You with An Everlasting, Perfect Love
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:8, NIV)
If you truly know God, you will trust him and believe that God has a plan and purpose to bless you. Trusting in his perfect love demonstrates your faith and becomes a witness to others for all eternity.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity” (Jeremiah 29:11-14a).
This word was spoken to the people of God who had turned away from following God Almighty. They had begun to worship and follow other gods. God allowed them to be taken captive because of their spiritual rebellion. God was clear that when the people returned to worshiping the Lord with all their hearts, he would bring them back from captivity. The same is true today. There are consequences to sin but those consequences do not change his love or desire towards you. He loves you with an everlasting, perfect love.
God will deliver anyone who places their faith in Jesus and seeks to love the Lord with all their heart from spiritual bondage to sin. Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection on the third day declares that all who believe in Christ will be saved and delivered from the captivity of sin and death.
The nails in Jesus’ hands and feet are what held Jesus on the cross physically. It was his passionate, sacrificial, long-suffering, and perfect love for you, and his obedience to the father’s will, that drove him to the cross to redeem you from sin and death in the first place.
Jesus displayed his love and obedience to the father in how he focused his love on you in such a way that if we know and believe in Jesus, we will also know the heart of God the father and his perfect love.
As Christians, we are to live like Christ in love and obedience to our heavenly Father. As we do, people will see Jesus in us and come to believe the gospel message that God so loved the world that he would send his one and only Son to redeem us from the bondage of sin and death.
When You Find Yourself in Trouble, Call Out God
As I look back over the years, I can now see the love my mom and Joe, my stepfather, had for me, even if I did not see it at the time. Growing up, I knew my parents loved me, however at times it was hard for me to see their love when I disobeyed and found myself in trouble. Punishment or correction applied correctly and in a loving manner is love. My parents wanted us to be successful in life. At times it was hard. At times they seemed unfair, harsh, and unloving but none of that was true. Our relationship changed when I joined the Navy. All I can say is that, at times, I was blind to their love. It was always there. I simply needed to look for it from a different perspective. They were not trying to hurt me, nor were they uncaring. My parents’ words and actions of correction were because they wanted the best for me, because of their love for me. God’s actions and times of correction are out of his perfect love for you.
My parents' acts of discipline—that I did not enjoy when I was growing up—were all for my benefit and out of their love for me. But I did not see it that way in the moment. God did the same regarding the Israelites when he allowed them to go into captivity. It was for their benefit so they would cry out to the Lord and witness God's loving hands of deliverance.
Call out to the Lord when you find yourself in trouble. He will answer. When God disciplines, it is a time of training and learning of his perfect love that never changes. God is faithful. One day you will look back and see God's hands lovingly directing your life. But when you are in the midst of the situation you may not have realized it.
What does it take to be successful?
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air” (1 Corinthians 9:24-26).
What does it take to be successful in life? To be successful in life is much like running a race. It takes perseverance, dedication, and hard work on the part of the runner. Runners that compete in races will usually have trainers. The trainer will train the runner in how to pace themselves and build up the runner’s endurance. Trainers that are serious about training will push the trainee beyond what the trainee thinks they can do, all for the runner’s benefit. Strict training is what is needed to win a race. The same is true spiritually.
You may feel that God doesn’t care. You may feel that what you are experiencing is more than you can bear. Yet if you look back over your life, you would see that God was with you and that you are spiritually stronger for weathering that situation. God sent the Holy Spirit to guide you in all truth and in perfect love. The Holy Spirit was also given so you would never be alone.
The relationship between the trainer and trainee is one of respect, trust, obedience, and love. Jesus lived his life in perfect harmony and obedience to God the father. Jesus was focused on God the father and displayed the love of God to all. He lived his life with passion and purpose, knowing that he was to die for the sins of the world. The believer is to live the same: with a passion of loving God and loving others.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:1-3).
How do we accomplish God’s plans for our lives?
What do we need to do if we are going to know the heart of God, live for him, love selflessly, be the person God desires us to be, recognize the perfect love of God?
We need to fix our eyes and hearts upon Jesus and look full into his wonderful face.
We need to trust and obey the Lord.
We need to persevere in doing good.
We need to live selfless lives and serve others.
We must endure opposition that comes our way and learn to lean into loving the Lord.
As we do, I believe God will give us all we need to accomplish his plan for our lives. All we need to do is obey.
In 1 Samuel, Hannah was childless and was being teased by Elkanah's other wife. This occurred for several years. One day, Hannah prayed to the Lord with all her heart. Hannah selflessly prayed for the child. She fixed her heart and eyes on God and God answered her prayer. Hannah then gave her son, Samuel, back to the Lord. The Lord blessed Hannah with more sons and daughters. Samuel became the prophet of God and later anointed David to be king of Israel.
As believers we are all called to live by faith. Hannah trusted God, even in her troubles. She persevered and God was able to use her to accomplish his will. God answered Hannah's prayer and Hannah gave her son, whom she had asked God for, back to God. God then used Samuel to turn the hearts of the people back to God.
God will use you if you yield your life and will to his. God will give you the strength and endurance to run the race that is set before you, and all for the glory of God. All you need to do is say, “yes Lord use me,” and—as you keep your eyes on the Lord—God will use you to bless others.
Know that God passionately loves you. His perfect love and will for you is that you will love him and become the man or woman of God he desires you to become; to trust and love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind.
Are you focused on the right things?
Have you felt alone; that God isn’t with you? Maybe you have not sensed his love today or maybe you haven’t felt his love or presence in your life for a long time. I have a question for you: What are you focused on? Yourself and your problem? Worldly desires? Your plan or God's plan? Are you seeking the Lord with all your heart or are you seeking your own desires?
Are you waiting on God to do something? He already has!
God has already sent prophets, his Word, his Son to the world.
Jesus has willingly gone to the cross in your place. Jesus suffered, bled, died, and rose again.
Jesus asked the father to send the Holy Spirit to comfort, guide, and instruct you in the ways of the Lord.
God has placed people in your life to point you to Jesus.
God has also allowed situations in your life as opportunities for you to cry out to the Lord in faith and be saved.
What about examples in your life? Has God kept you safe from harm in dangerous situations? Has God healed you? Has God blessed you? He loves you!
What else does God need to do to get your attention and show his love for you? The truth is, because of the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden, we are all spiritually blind to God's love until our eyes are opened to the truth of God in Christ and the gospel message.
When you take your eyes off God and focus on other things, you lose sight of God's plan. You will begin to drift spiritually and the joy of knowing the perfect love of God slips away and is slowly forgotten. This will cause those who may have been believers to become spiritually insensitive regarding the plan of God.
Hannah aligned her desires with God's plan and offered up her son to the Lord. She did not know God would bless her with other children. Hannah looked to God in her time of distress and God answered her prayer. Hannah fulfilled her vow to God by giving her son back to the Lord and God blessed her with more sons and daughters. Then God used her son, Samuel, to usher in God’s plan of having kings lead the people of God.
Actionable Advice to Help You Focus on God
I challenge you to focus on the Lord. But how do you focus on the Lord?
Fix your eyes on Jesus and allow his perfect love to guide you into paths of righteousness.
Look to the Lord in every situation.
Bring your needs and requests to God always.
Lean not on your own understanding.
Offer thanksgiving and praise to God.
This takes faith and action on your part. It takes intentional planning. Start by setting aside a few minutes in the day with the Lord. Soon you may find a few minutes with the Lord is not enough. The time you spend in prayer with the Lord will become enjoyable. You will find that your times of prayer will increase and become more and more frequent.
“Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
Pray continually. Pray in the car, in the grocery line, in the coffee shop, when on a walk, or sitting on a park bench. Pray in times of blessing and in times of need. As you do, I believe the Lord will enlarge your faith. He will bless you and use you to spread the gospel in ways that you cannot even imagine. You will be surprised by how the Lord works in your life. Your love for him and his presence in your life will be a joy. His perfect love will impart a desire to know him more and more. The troubles of life will grow dim as you focus on the Lord with all your heart.
Keep Your Faith Strong
Paul referred to his life as a race and, when his life was coming to an end, that he wanted to finish well having kept the faith; having fought the good fight; having finished the race. He fulfilled the call of God in his life and received the crown of righteousness.
“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6-8).
Paul experienced troubles in life as he ran the race that was set before him, but that did not alter his faith in Christ. Instead, like Paul, let our faith become stronger. Let’s remember:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).
In Hebrews 12 Paul tells us it was a joy when Jesus faced the cross:
“For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).
The joy Jesus spoke about was not because of the pain or suffering, but was for the reason Jesus endured the cross. It was a joy for Jesus to lovingly obey the will of the father and bring glory to God. Death was swallowed up in victory over sin. Yet, in the garden just prior to Jesus’ arrest, Jesus prayed, “may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (emphasis added; Matthew 26:39).
The reason Jesus was able to face the cross with joy was because he knew it was the plan of God. He knew the love of God, even in the pain and suffering and death that lay before him, the perfect love of God would be seen—resulting in victory over the enemy.
Do you know the perfect love of God?
Are you a child of God? Do you know Jesus as your Lord and savior? If you do, you are a child of God.
“Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:17).
Your faith in Christ is what makes you a child God and joint heir in Christ. Like Jesus, you may experience pain and suffering at times, but that pain or suffering does not compare to the joy and perfect love that God has for you.
God’s love for you is perfect and everlasting. God’s love for you is seen in Jesus entering the city of Jerusalem on the day we refer to as Palm Sunday. As Jesus entered the city, he knew that in a matter of a few days people would be yelling “crucify him”. Jesus knew that he would be falsely accused, beaten, and crucified on a cross. It is the perfect love of God that was displayed in Jesus willingly being nailed to the cross. Jesus, the lamb of God, taking away the sins of the world is God's pure and perfect love for you. On the day Jesus was crucified, the vail in the temple that separated the holy of holies was torn from top to bottom giving every believer direct access to God Almighty.
Will you allow God to lead you through difficult things and experience his everlasting love?
Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, he was reminding people that he was not alone. God the Father was directing his steps. Jesus was finding moments, even in the garden of Gethsemane, to spend one-on-one time with his Father. Jesus was fully reliant on God and God’s plans. This is where the Holy Spirit comes in. When we realize what it means that we are never alone, we are willing to allow God to lead us through difficult things.
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever” (John 14:16, KJV).
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26, KJV).
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” (John 16:7, KJV)
When you are feeling alone or in a difficult situation, know you are never alone. Remain steadfast and look to the Lord. He will never leave or forsake you.
The perfect love of Christ for you and his church is an amazing gift and encouragement. It is worth remembering that God is love and that his love for you is everlasting. His perfect love is displayed in Jesus on the cross.
‘“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete”’ (John 15:9-11, NIV).
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