The Lutheran Hour

"Behold, Believe"

#79-09
Presented on The Lutheran Hour on November 6, 2011
Speaker: Rev. Gregory Seltz
Copyright 2025 Lutheran Hour Ministries

Text: 1 John 3:1-3

“Behold, see what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

Grace, and mercy, and peace be to you in Jesus Christ, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, loves us with an everlasting love, Amen.

Behold! Look at this! Don’t miss it! When words like that start a sentence, something phenomenal, amazing is sure follow. Like last year, I came home one evening and the moon was so bright, so big, on the horizon it looked like you could walk up the street, reach out and touch it. Amazing. Behold, look at that, don’t miss it….In fact, everyone the next day was asking…did you see that moon last night, it was incredible.

So, behold, look at this. Don’t miss it! Such emotional outbursts are reserved for those things that seem truly amazing, even out of this world, that one unique, never-before-seen sunset; that miracle-beyond possibility healing; that once in a lifetime blessing or event. But, love? Behold love? That seems to be such an everyday word, a word that surely brings heightened emotion or glimpses of wonderfulness, but we all have a pretty good understanding of love, don’t we? We know what it means, right?

Well, the definition of love, though, has challenged, even perplexed, people from every continent and every culture from the beginning of time….Listen to some of our world’s best “definitions.”

• “One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love.” – Sophocles
• “Love is friendship set on fire.” – unknown
• “We love because it’s the only true adventure.” – Nikki Giovanni
• “Love is the master key that opens the gates of happiness.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

Or listen to Zora Neale Hursten. She says,
• “Loves makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.”

Or Mark Twain,
• “Love is the irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.” Don’t you just love how he turns a phrase?
• “To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven.” – Karen Sunde

And finally,
• “Love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence.” – Erich Fromm
But those are the “good quotes” about what people think love is. Here are some of the more “cynical ones.”

o “To be in love is merely to be in a state of perceptual anesthesia.” – H.L. Mencken
o “Love is like war: Easy to begin but hard to end.” – No one publicly is willing to claim that one.

Or how about this Edgar Watson Howe, “No woman ever falls in love with a man unless she has a better opinion of him than he deserves.”

Benjamin Franklin says, “He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals.”
And Zsa Zsa Gabor says it this way, “A man’s love is incomplete until he has married, then he is finished.

Tina Turner sings it cynically, “What is love but a second-hand emotion?”

Some of those quotes really made me sad, how about you? But it even gets worse. Most people think, though confused about their love, they think they’re still quite sure that “God’s love” is just “their love on steroids,” or their love “without fault.” You know, “God just loves ‘my way’ but flawlessly.” There was a whole article in USA Today this past fall, about Heaven and Hell and the Love of God, and the man claimed to know exactly what God’s love is, it’s the same as his love for his child, or his family, only perfect.

Now, I’m not saying that some of those things we call love…. don’t give us a glimpse of how God loves us. But, John is saying, “Hold on, behold, look at this, you have never seen anything like this. Let God define Who He is and how He loves you. Let Him pour His love into your life as a pure gift. Then let’s talk about ‘love’ in your life for others. Behold, just look at this first!”

But we human beings miss that love just like we miss that “incredible sunset’ because we have self-imposed blinders over our eyes, sinful covers over our heads. We miss God’s love just like we miss the joys of our relationships or friendships because we selfishly seem to be able to see only our miseries, our struggles, our needs.

John says, “No, stop, turn around, behold, look at this, don’t miss it. This love is ‘out of this world,’ beyond what you could even imagine or think. It’s God’s love. And even more amazing, it’s a love that He wants you to know, to receive, and to share!

Behold, see what great love, what manner of love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!

Behold the “manner” of love.

John uses this word “manner” in our text to speak of something that is beyond the ordinary, something quite different from what we know or are accustomed to. In fact, in Mark 4 and in Matthew 8, the Disciples used this word when they saw Jesus still the wild storm and calm the raging waters of the Sea of Galilee. They fearfully proclaimed, “What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the waves obey him!” Jesus amazed them, frightened them. Jesus did things beyond what they could even imagine or think. He was extraordinarily ordinary. John says, “We beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten Son of God!”

Another way of saying this is the Love of God is foreign to us, even out of this world. It is the kind of love that we can’t just “muster up.” It is greater than a mother’s love, greater than a father’s love, it’s beyond even the most devoted love spouses might have for each other.

Our world’s inadequate view of love emphasizes the intensity of a momentary feeling, a love that bears no ethics, or no moral absolutes! Our world speaks of “loving that which we like.” We love that which meets our needs for as long as it meets our needs. But this love fades, it falters, it can’t last. In fact, it goes against the reality of what love truly is, God, out of His very character and being is at work for our life and salvation. That’s love. Or, as Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 13,
“True love is… (God, Himself) is patient, is kind. He does not envy, love does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.”

God’s love is other worldly, radically different than ours, thank God! In fact, Romans 5 says it even yet another way, “While you and I were yet sinners, (while you and I were imprisoned in the ineptitude of our lovelessness and sin), Christ died for you and me!” His love reached out to those who were rebellious, unlovable, even unlikable. His love reached out to friend and foe alike, His love is a matter of His character, not just His feelings for us. He loves because He is love!

Behold the manner, the greatness, the uniqueness of this love, for it is God’s love for you!
God’s love is not ordinary, yet it is for the common woman or common man; it is not of this world, yet it is in this world for all to receive by grace. It is a love that fills the heavens and the earth, yet cares for you and me as if we were the most important of God the Father’s children. Such love can leave us overwhelmed, amazed, even speechless, but more importantly it invites to a bold confident, trust in God as our Father, our Creator, our Redeemer, even our Friend.

Sometimes those who are in love argue about who “loved first.” A young man was talking to his girlfriend about this. He said, “I was standing on the steps at recess on the first day of school, when you walked by, and bang! It was love at first sight. I love you even before I met you, even before you knew my name.”

And she said, “That’s what you think. I’d already fallen in love with you during first period, and I had to walk by those steps three times before you noticed me!”

People in love laughingly argue about such things, but there is no argument with God. Not only is His love amazing, but the most amazing fact is that He loved us even before we loved him back!

Behold His love. He loves us by dealing with us as we are, forgiving our past. Be amazed by His love for you today, He sent His Son to save you, to reconcile you back to Himself. Take a good look. Don’t miss this because God’s Love in Jesus Christ was meant for you!

Behold, too, the status of this love. The Apostle John says, “God’s love means that ‘we are called “children of God.”‘ And because of God’s grace, that’s what we are!”

One of the ways that the Bible describes our salvation is to say that “because of Jesus Christ, we were adopted back into the family of God.” Galatians 4 says that Jesus literally lived our life, and died our death, and gave us His life, adopting us by His grace, His status, then, becomes ours.

Adoption is one of those very powerful words in our world. It’s one way that you can tell a child that they are loved and cared for, even amidst the tragedies and hurts of this world. I have heard of adopting parents comforting their adopted children with the uniqueness of their love for them, and telling them of their being a special son or daughter, saying, “Honey, birth children are born to birth parents who simply accept the child who comes, but we chose you. . .”

And, God’s love is infinitely greater than even that. For God loves even the unchooseable, the forgotten ones, those that even society fails to see.

A young Spanish boy, who became a devout Christian, was asked by an Englishman what had been the influence that brought him to faith in Jesus. “It was all because of the odd sparrow,” the boy replied. “I do not understand,” said the Englishman in surprise, “what odd sparrow?”

“Well, Senor, it is this way,” the boy said, “a gentleman gave me a Testament, and I read in one Gospel that two sparrows were sold for a farthing. And again in Luke, I saw, “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings … ?” And I said to myself that Nuestro Senor (“our Lord”) Jesus Christ, He knew well the custom of our selling birds. As you know, Sir, we trap birds, and get one chico for two but for two chicos we throw in an extra sparrow. That extra sparrow is only a make-weight, and of no account at all.

“Now, I think to myself that I am so insignificant, so poor and so small that no one would even think of counting me. I’m like that fifth sparrow. And yet, oh marvelous, Nuestro Senor says, “Not one of them is forgotten before God.” I have never heard anything like that, Sir. No one but He could ever have thought of not forgetting me.” ((FOOTNOTE) Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times. Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.)

God’s love is deeper than any ocean, broader than any sky, but simple enough for a child to understand and believe. I believe that that child got that, don’t you??

Behold the manner of this love. Be amazed at the status offered by this love, but even more, behold and believe!

Hear today the invitation of God’s love for you. This love is meant for all, all who repent of their sin and receive God’s gracious love as a gift.

Some say that the entire Gospel can be heard in the simple verse, John 3:16. That verse says that “God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” You see, God the Father’s love is not static or self-centered; it reaches out, it draws others in. Here God sets the pattern of true love, the basis for all loving relationships. When you love someone dearly, you are willing to give freely to the point of self-sacrifice. Such love invites you and me to receive it anew today.

So, today, don’t just “behold this incredible love,” believe in it, trust in it…..better, trust in the One Who loves you with a love that is out of this world, but also, right here, right now for you by faith in Jesus Christ, for this love will change your life, now and forever!

Remember when I told you that there are certain “examples of love” in our life that give a person a glimpse of God’s love? Well, here’s one.

Let me tell you about Mary. She is a wonderful mother, she loves her family, and is truly a joyful person, one everyone loves to be around! But this love was built into her many years ago.

It was a terrible tragedy, a fire. A father and a mother died in that fire. A little girl lived but was badly burned on one side of her face. That little girl, Mary, came to Pastor Buckner’s orphanage in Paris Texas.

Mary joined the orphanage, but she really didn’t fit in. Her face was scarred; one arm and leg were still crippled. Rev. Buckner loved the children, you could tell. Each night he would gather them under an oak tree and tell them stories from the Bible. Every child loved to be near him, but not Mary. She was always at a distance. She always looked away and tried to hide her crippled arm and crippled leg.

One night, Rev. Buckner, after the prayer, called to Mary, “Mary, will you wait just a minute? I’d like to talk to you. Come here, come closer.”

Well, she moved closer, reluctantly, though. Pastor Buckner asked, “Honey, what’s the matter? Don’t you like it here?”

Listen to her answer, “Oh, yes Daddy. I’m very happy here. This is the only home I have.”
“Well, is it me, Honey, don’t you love me?”

She said, “Oh, yes, I love you more than anyone else in the whole world. You’re the only Daddy I have.”

“Then why don’t you sit closer when we read our story?”

She said, “I don’t know. I guess I didn’t think that you would want a scarred girl with a crippled arm and leg sitting so close to you and the other children.”

Well, that great old man reached over and pulled her to him and he kissed her right on that scar and he said, “Mary, you remember this: I always loved you and I always will. When I look at you, I don’t even see a scar. I see a beautiful little girl who has a new family who will love her forever.” Mary said, “I think that was the first day I smiled again!”

Are you smiling today from Jesus’ love? Mary felt the kind of committed love that God the Father made lavishly available to her and to you. If you are really looking for love that will last, receive what God, Himself, can give.

His love can overcome our past; His love can overcome our hurts from others, and yes, even overcome the guilt that lives within!

Behold, see what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! When Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Behold, believe, receive, and share this ‘out of this world’ love of Jesus Christ, it’s here now in this Word for you and may the gift of His stature and status by faith, empower your lives to love others as He has and always will, in Christ, lavishly love you!

Amen.

LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for November 6, 2011
Topic: A Love That Overlooks Sin?

ANNOUNCER: It’s time once again for Questions and Answers with Pastor Gregory Seltz. I’m Mark Eischer. Pastor, it’s certainly wonderful to know that God loves us with this incredible, sacrificial love, but does that mean we get to do whatever we want because God is so loving?

SELTZ: Mark, that’s a great question and do you know why?

ANNOUNCER: Why?

SELTZ: Well, that same question was asked of the Apostle Paul too. In Romans 6 he puts the question out there, “Shall we go on sinning so that Grace may abound?” Or, in other words, shall we keep sinning joyfully because God will always love us so lavishly?

ANNOUNCER: He says, “By no means.”

SELTZ: By no means. Right. Or here’s another translation, “That’s crazy.” You see, if a person really understands the destructive power of sin in their lives and the length that God Himself went to, to remove that power, why would someone joyfully go on sinning?

ANNOUNCER: So, are you saying it’s not really the right question, it’s not about whether we get to go on sinning or not?

SELTZ: Right. In one sense that’s true. Our ability to stop sinning is not the key to our eternal salvation, Jesus’ payment for all sin on the cross is. We are going to struggle personally with sin’s power until the day we die. But that doesn’t mean that we “enjoy sinning,” or “don’t try to stop sinning” in the power of God’s grace, by the power of His Spirit.

ANNOUNCER: In fact, a believer is truly thankful that Christ has taken away the guilt that comes with sin.

SELTZ: I think so. I mean, it sure is wonderful to know that there is forgiveness and fresh start with Jesus each and every day of our lives. I think we and everyone listening could testify to that. But there is even more to the question than that.

ANNOUNCER: Oh? What would that be?

SELTZ: Well, sin is not just about judgment and guilt, it’s about destruction and evil. God wants what is best for us, not just for eternity, but now too.

ANNOUNCER: So, then, striving to “do the right thing” is really part of what it means to live that life of grace right here and now.

SELTZ: Exactly, obedience to God is merely trustfully following the One Who has already sacrificed everything so that you and I might live. When He Baptized us, He not only lavishly washed us with His Grace, He gave us His life to be lived, obediently without guilt, without coercion.

ANNOUNCER: All of which sometimes sounds too good to be true.

SELTZ: Well, it’s both true and good and that’s the point. What is good is also beneficial to us. There really is a lie out there that sin is fun and God is just the One Who loves to “kill the party.”

ANNOUNCER: And as believers, we already know that’s a lie because we know the destructive power of sin in our own lives, but also the refreshing power of God’s forgiveness for each of us.

SELTZ: Right, we are so thankful that God has removed sin’s eternal power that, even though the struggle remains, We want to “flex our muscles of faith,” by trying to live faithful lives to God and to others each and every day.

ANNOUNCER: So there’s a sense in which the benefits of living faithful, moral lives aren’t just for the believer either.

SELTZ: You’re absolutely right, and I think this is one of the best answers to this question. The Christian tries to live moral, Christ-like lives for the sake of others. We try to be kind and gentle, forgiving, trustworthy, caring, committed people so that others can both see and even feel the blessings of the love of God for us and for them in all things.

ANNOUNCER: So unbelievers get to experience God’s then love through faithful, Christian lives, and believers are renewed and motivated by that same love.

SELTZ: Right. So it all comes back to the incredible, lavish love of God which blesses us and it motivates us to live godly lives for others, not sinful lives for ourselves. Who would willfully want to live any other way, when God’s love makes His life possible in our lives?

ANNOUNCER: So, to willfully live a sinful life, that’s not the answer.

SELTZ: No way.

ANNOUNCER: and part of the joy of eternal life is experiencing and sharing God’s love with others right now. Thank you Pastor Seltz, this has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.

Music Selections for this program:

“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by Chris Bergmann. Used by permission.

“The Tree of Life” by Stephen P. Starke & Bruce W. Becker. From We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God (© 2011 Concordia Publishing House) Concordia Publishing House/SESAC

“God Loves Me Dearly” From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)

“Prelude: New Songs of Celebration Render” arr. by Kevin Hildebrand. From Hymns for All Saints: Psalms, Hymns, Spiritual Songs (© 2011 Concordia Publishing House) Concordia Publishing House/SESAC