THE GREATNESS OF DIVINE LOVE

K. Walker

John 15: 13; 13: 14, 15; Romans 8: 35–39

I have a simple impression that came to me as we were sitting as to the matter of love and the greatness of divine love. I was thinking about the greatness of the way that we are loved by divine Persons, and too, the greatness of the love of Christianity. Christianity is a system of love where one another love and care for each other. It has been brought into being by the demonstration of love as this scripture in John’s gospel expresses it, “No one has greater love than this, that one should lay down his life for his friends”. Think of the greatness and distinctiveness of Christianity, and the way it has been set on by love being demonstrated in its fulness by the Lord Jesus Christ. He has gone into death, He has given His all, love has been demonstrated in a most unmistakable way that is unrivalled.

I just thought that we could get a fresh impression tonight of this love, the love that marks Christianity. The world around us is marked by hatred, and the awful things that men do to one another. You only need to look at a newspaper to see the way that men treat one another.

Hatred and animosity marks man after the flesh, but in Christianity, love is in circulation.

The scripture in Romans is the one that really was in my mind as nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Nothing can separate us from that love. Think of the strength and the unmistakable character of the love of Christ and the love of God. It has been demonstrated in its fulness, God has given of His very best, He has given His well-beloved Son. Think of the movements of divine love. The scripture in Genesis 22 comes to mind as to the two of them going on together. Think of the way that God speaking to Abraham said, “Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, Isaac”, Genesis 22: 2. Think of the feelings that were there. Think of God’s love for Christ, His feelings for that unique One, His well-beloved Son. He has given His very best.

He could not demonstrate His love more fully than the giving His well-beloved Son. May it just freshly affect our hearts! What I am saying is nothing new.

The brethren know these things, but I was just struck by the scripture in John 15, “No one has greater love than this, that one should lay down his life for his friends”. What else can we do but consider the love that has been so demonstrated. Consider the service of the Lord Jesus, the way that He served God and served men in love. Think of the way in His pathway here He turned aside and touched one and another and drew alongside one another. What love was demonstrated in His pathway! But this character of love is to mark us, dear brethren.

I read in John 13 as to the matter of feet washing and I

thought of how this is an absolute necessity in Christianity. It is demonstrated by loving one another as it says here, “By this shall all know that ye are disciples of mine, if ye have love amongst yourselves” (John 13: 35). Think of the way that love is in evidence as we prove affection of one another. It can be expressed in feeling for one another, and the way we treat one another. Love is active and may it be so more. I feel the need of it for myself of loving one another more. Think of the way that we can encourage and refresh one another, by saying something or by doing something for one another, in order that it may strengthen the links we have together and bring in a fresh touch of Christ.

So the scripture in Romans 8 was really in my mind, as to nothing being able to separate us from the love of Christ. Romans is written for the individual. I would like to encourage us all that in our individual links with Christ there is nothing that can break that link. Things may come in and difficulties may come in as it says in this chapter, “tribulation or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger or sword”. Think of these things that come in upon the saints. I was affected last night as we heard of the brethren in India and the way they have been bereaved and been affected by the flooding. Without a doubt they have experienced tribulation, distress and famine. They are going through some of these things, and no doubt brethren down through the dispensation have experienced such things. Maybe there are those locally going through things that are difficult and distressing and causing anxiety and pressure. But we can take comfort that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of Christ. That love can be known and experienced so as to strengthen and help us.

Whatever one and another may be going through there is nothing to separate us from the love of Christ. Think of the strength of that love, the power of that love and the distinctiveness of that love.

May we just be encouraged to know more of it. I feel how little I know of it, but I feel the need of just encouraging us by bringing it before us tonight. It goes on to say, “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come ... shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Think of the love of divine Persons which is ever towards us. May we know it more. How often it has been said, that if we turn our back on it it still shines on us, it is still shining towards us. In our individual links we can know it; the love and grace of Christ to support us in our pathway. May we be encouraged by these thoughts for His name’s sake.

Word in meeting for ministry, Dundee
20 October 2009