Chapters 3 & 4
Chapter 3: What’s the Problem
The story of love sounds really good, until the story experiences a major crisis. Humanity chose sin. We have fallen out of love. And the atmosphere outside of love is death.
Chapter 4: The Risk of Love
Why? Why all this sin and suffering? Because God is love! He loves us enough to take the risk of love to give us to freedom to love Him back!
THE STORY OF LOVE IS ETERNAL
The beginning or our story is not the beginning of the story. When heaven and earth came into existence God was already there (Genesis 1:1)!
Every story ever written or read, ever lived or told is only part of a larger overarching story. It’s the big story that all other stories fit into. It’s the story of love and it’s an eternal story. We didn’t create the love story, but it is within this love story that God created us. When our story begins God was already here! When we frame our reality in the smaller stories we come to messed up conclusions.
How is your view of reality impacted by the truth that love is eternal? (Jeremiah 31:3; 1 Corinthians 13:8)
How have you attempted to squeeze the story of love into your personal story? How did that work in your life?
ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
It is the story of love because God is love (1 John 4:8). To interpret reality through this larger story we need some understanding of this God who was there at the beginning of our story. What do we know about this God?
God is Eternal: Psalm 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
God is Unchanging: Malachi 3:6 I the Lord do not change.
God is Self-Sufficient: John 5:26 For as the Father has life in himself I have life in myself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
God is Omnipotent: Jeremiah 32:17 Nothing is too hard for you.
God is Omniscient: Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.
God is Omnipresent: Psalm 139:7-10 Where can I go from Your Spirit…
God is Wise: Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways.
God is Faithful: Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.
God is Good: Psalm 34:8 O, taste and see that the Lord is good.
God is Just: Deuteronomy 32:4 The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He.
God is Gracious: Psalm 145:8 The LORD is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.
God is Holy: Revelation 4:8 Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord Almighty.
God is Glorious: Revelation 19:1 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God
How does your view of God compare to the one revealed in these passages of Scripture? Perhaps you have a different view of God from your personal experience, one that is not so good.
Rather than determining God’s character through our experience we should allow the true character of God to give meaning to our experience. How do you do this? Is it a struggle? Is it liberating?
Other-Centered Love Before There Were Others
How does eternal love work? There was nobody created to love yet.
God doesn’t just have relationships with created beings, He is a relationship in Himself! There was perfect relational love before anything was created.
We see a glimpse of this love when the Son says to the Father “you loved me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24).
There is plurality within God. Genesis 1:1 introduces God as “Elohim”. This name has a plural ending. And when God created man He talked to Himself using “us” and “our” not “me” and “my” (Genesis 1:26).
Read John 17:20-26; 14:15-17, 26; 16:7-15
How do you understand the unity and relationship of the Father, Son and Spirit? How does this help you understand the truth that God is love? How does this help you understand your need for loving relationships?
What changes will you make in your life to better embrace the story of love?