“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.”

1 John 4:9

Question:

What is the meaning of Christmas?

Answer: God loves you!

How can we know God loves us?

Should we look at our positive and negative feelings?

Should we look at our positive and negative circumstances?

Should we look at our friendships and relationships?

Should we look at our good works and bad works?

Should we look at our overall happiness?

Do we look at our religious commitments?

The answer to all of these of course is a massive NO!

Our assurance of God’s love

is not subjective

(personal feelings and thoughts).

So, How do I know that God loves me?

We look to the objective (outside of us) Gospel: the historical Gospel that was lived by Jesus and preached by the Apostles.

The Good News is that all who place faith in Jesus will be loved by God forever. 

We see that we are loved based on what Jesus did and not anything we will ever do, feel, think or experience.

In the passage above, we see the answer to KNOWING God loves you. You can experience it! But you must look away from yourself and look to Jesus. 

The answer is outside of you. 

The answer is in the promises and works of God.

In other words if you want to know that God loves you, look to the manger, look at the cross, meditate on the resurrection. This is the pathway to the meaning of Christmas.

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son…”

1 John 4:10

God loves you! 

Merry Christmas!

Pastor Harvey