Listen Online
Called: Why Am I Here?
Part Two - Called to be Loved
February 4, 2024
"May you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully."
(Ephesians 3:18–19, New Living Translation)
God's love is:
- WIDE enough to be everywhere
"Where can I go to get away from your Spirit? Where can I run from you? If I go up to the heavens, you are there. If I lie down in the grave, you are there. If I rise with the sun in the east and settle in the west beyond the sea, even there you would guide me. With your right hand you would hold me."
(Psalm 139:7–10, New Century Version) - LONG enough to last forever
"His faithful love endures forever."
(Psalm 136:1-26, NLT) - HIGH enough to overlook my sin
"LORD, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O LORD, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you."
(Psalm 130:3–4, NLT) - DEEP enough to handle anything
"Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me."
(Psalm 23:4, NLT)
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO RECEIVE GOD'S LOVE?
- I am called to enjoy a relationship with God.
"You... are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people."
(Romans 1:7, NLT)– I am accepted, not ashamed.
"If God is for us, who can ever be against us?.... God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love?.... No.... overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us."
(Romans 8:31–37, NLT) - My relationship with God is as His son or daughter.
"See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!"
(1 John 3:1, NLT)
"You received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, 'Abba, Father.'"
(Romans 8:15, NLT)
– I am bold in bringing my needs to God.
"So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."
(Hebrews 4:16, NLT)
"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."
(Romans 8:28, NLT)
- I respond to God's love with worship.
Worship is loving God back.
"We love Him because He first loved us."
(1 John 4:19, New King James Version)
"I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you.... This is truly the way to worship him."
(Romans 12:1, NLT)
Ways to Worship:
- Sing!
"I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me."
(Psalm 13:6, NLT) - Serve!
"Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other."
(1 John 4:11, NLT) - Connect!
"For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."
(Matthew 18:20, NLT) - Give!
"You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. 'For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.' And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others."
(2 Corinthians 9:7–8, NLT)
"Who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!"
(1 Chronicles 29:14, NLT)
"Give yourselves completely to God."
(Romans 6:13, NLT)