11 May 2013 - right as reign

11 May 2013 - right as reign

For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me

We are loved by the Father, God of the universe, because we love Jesus.  Does it mean that the Father's love is conditional?  No.  Instead, loving Jesus means to choose to receive the love of the Father.  The Father loves us because we let him love us in Jesus Christ.  We need to learn to see the Father's love for us in the face of Jesus.

and have come to believe that I came from God.

Knowing that Jesus reveals the love of the Father for us will give us great confidence in that love.  We have seen it tested by the cross and grave.  It has been victorious!  Love that will go that far will hold back no good thing from us (cf Luk 11:13).

“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.

And so with the psalmist we rejoice.

For king of all the earth is God;
sing hymns of praise.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits upon his holy throne. 

This is the God who is revealed in Jesus.  He is the king of all the earth and yet he is revealed to be love itself.  We must not hesitate to proclaim him.

establishing from the Scriptures that the Christ is Jesus.

Even if we get a little carried away as long as our hearts are in the right place the LORD will use us and continue to correct us and guide us on the way.

they took him aside
and explained to him the Way of God more accurately.

We don't have to be perfect about it.  We just have to be sincere and willing to let the LORD use us.  If we do so he will take care of the rest and use us for his glory.

After his arrival he gave great assistance
to those who had come to believe through grace.

Newsboys - He Reigns