I'm so HOT! - I AM LOVED - [Galatians 2:19-20]

Gal 2:19 For through Law I died to Law, that I might live to God.
Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I live; yet no longer I, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith toward the Son of God, the One loving me and giving Himself over on my behalf.

1.1 What is Love?
How do you describe love? What is the characteristic that convinces you that love?

It is the giving of yourself without the expectation or motive of receiving anything back.

When we give with the expectation of receiving something in return, that is selfish by nature as we putting a demand on someone which they may or may not want. And the expectation that we place on the person, we don’t even know if they are able to provide. That isn’t love, it is doing something to get something back and I am almost guaranteed to the 98% degree that somewhere, we will be disappointed. The reason is that generally our expectations are ridiculously high, fuelled by the Hollywood and other sources.

I have been asked so many times, “how do you know that she is the right one?” I have thought about it a fair bit of recent times and the answer for myself, “When I am willing to give myself over to the person.”

1.2 Nature of The Law and Expectations
Around us, there are expectations of something in return. Often talking to youths, even parents put expectations on the children and use it as a guilt hook to do things.

Looking at the Scripture, we should be condemned. There is an expectation that we are able to carry the every letter of the Law clearly and specifically. We may be thinking but I don’t sin that much, I am a pretty good person and may be we are. But [Jas2:9-10] tells us this; that if we break one law, it is the same as breaking every law. If imagine, you are driving along on a long stretch of road than suddenly you see a red and blue flashing light behind. You thought, it could be me so I will turn off here to let Him pass but it follows you. As you pull over to stop, a policeman steps out and walks to you. He asked a question, “sir, do you know you were speeding by 4km/hour?” Then you reply, “well officer I am a pretty good person…” What do you think would happen? The fact is that you are still breaking the law. The law expects us to be able to carry it out and stay within its boundaries. In God’s laws, sin needs to be dealt with and the consequence for that is death. There is no “but”.

1.3 We are Loved
Imagine one of your friends stabs you in the back then comes and ask you for help. What would make you help him? That is grace. That is love. God does the same thing with us. Some of us may think we have a lot to offer and believe me when we see God’s offering that may change our thoughts. But I think there is more of us that may think we don’t have that much to offer sometimes that blocks us from coming to God. Sometimes we try to use things to leverage love from the people around us and God.
Our looks – I should be love because I am so beautiful
Our wealth – I should be love because I am rich. Or because I am poor
Our past – “you have no idea what I went through as a kid”
Etc.. There are many reasons
There are many reasons that we can give but God needs none. He just loves us for who we are for He gave Himself for us. There is nothing more to give or prove.

1.4 Summary
Sometimes we may feel like we can’t be loved. Or there aren’t much of us to love. Some may think if only I can get a life-partner I will be okay and the fact is that it only compounds some of our problems. We may struggle to suck love out of our girlfriends, boyfriends, friends, families around us. We should be love because of our looks, because of our humour, personality or wealth or the lack of it. How many times have we said “I love you” or hear it? Then we see something different in the actions. Love is always accompanied by action and it is consistent, unwavering. God demonstrated that love through Jesus, accompanied by an action that is hard to comprehend. That one act changed history but more importantly the lives of countless people.

But today God wants to let you know it is okay to be who you are because He loves you as how He has made you. If you are struggling with self-confident, trying to please everyone. If you feel like you have to be someone else to be accepted. Today God wants to show that you are loved, without hooks, guilt or anything else. Why don’t we come tonight?