365 Sermon Illustrations on Love

Love blossoms out in inevitable countless kindnesses. And Paul is certain that in proportion as he really loves, he cannot envy.... The envious spirit cannot be kind, and the really kind spirit cannot be envious.

A pleasant-faced woman boarded a bus with her two small sons during the busy noon hour of the holiday season. The smaller boy sat with his mother upon one side of the bus, while the other, who was about four years old, took a seat opposite. It interested him to look out of the window, but frequently he glanced across at his mother. At length he called softly, "Mother!" "Mother!" This time it was said a bit louder, and the mother looked over and smiled. The boy's eyes lighted, and he whispered: "Mother! I love you." The mother turned a glorified face upon her small son, and men and women in the bus looked tenderly from one to the other. The city bus had suddenly become a place of blessing because a little boy had voiced this ever beautiful sentiment: "Mother, I love you."

A king asked his three daughters how much they loved him. Two of them replied that they loved him better than all the gold and silver in the world. The youngest one said she loved him better than salt. The king was not pleased with her answer, as he thought salt was not very palatable. But the cook, overhearing the remark, put no salt in anything for breakfast next morning, and the meal was so insipid that the king could not enjoy it. He then saw the force of his daughter's remark. She loved him so well that nothing was good without him.

The story is told of a wounded Scottish Highlander, stroking a German spiked helmet, as he lay upon a cot in a London hospital. A nurse said to him, "I suppose you killed your man?" "No, indeed," was the reply. "It was like this: he lay on the field badly wounded and bleeding, and I was in the same condition. I crawled to him and bound up his wounds; he did the same for me. I knew no German, and he knew no English; so I thanked him by just smiling. He thanked me by smiling back. By way of a token I handed him my cap, while he handed me his helmet. Then, lying side by side, we suffered together in silence till we were picked up by the ambulance squad. No, I didn't kill my man."

A little boy had a canary bird which he loved very much. His mother became ill, and the singing of the bird gave her great annoyance. The boy was told by the mother that the bird gave her great pain by its singing. He went at once and gave the bird away to his cousin, and then came home and told his mother that the bird would not disturb her anymore, for he had given it away. "But did you not love it very much?" she asked him. "How could you part with it?" "Yes," he replied, "but I love you a great deal more. I could not really love anything that gave you pain." We must love God as this boy loved his mother, more than we love anything else, and also everything that grieves Him we must give up, however much we may like it.

An experiment is being tried in the poorest and most degraded quarters of London, of seeking to arouse an interest in art. The result is very gratifying. The Whitechapel Art Gallery is justifying itself in a way that is surprising some of its keenest supporters. During the first month an average of about ten thousand people a day visited the gallery, and they showed the most intense interest in the pictures. The fact is, human nature is a good deal alike everywhere, and the love of beauty and the longing for knowledge, as well as the possibility of goodness, are in every man and woman. Man does not belong to the devil. Satan is only an invader.

The teacher asked the pupils to tell the meaning of loving-kindness. A little boy jumped up and said, "Well, if I was hungry and someone gave me a piece of bread that would be kindness. But if they put a little jam on it, that would be loving-kindness."

Sparks

He stood there in his soggy, smelly diaper-a helpless creature reaching up to his father.

I marveled that anyone could love this runny-nosed, candy-smeared, tear-streaked being Enough to lift him up, kiss him, and care for his needs.

I heard your whisper, Lord.

And, I remembered how I came to You-heartbroken and dirty from playing in the world.

Thank You, Father, For picking me up and loving me through my unloveliness.

-Kitty Chappell

A friend of mine employed for five years an ex-convict who had seemed to be converted, and during that time this man handled $24,000 a year of his employer's money without the misappropriation of a cent. At the close of that time my friend, not having need for him, told his whole story to a gentleman in another city who needed such a helper, and who received this former convict into his employ. Inside of three weeks he was arrested for stealing from his new employer. And when my friend heard of it he went to see him in the jail and said to him: "Ike, how is it that when you worked for me you could be trusted with anything, and that as soon as you came into this new employment you went back to your old dishonest life?" The man burst into tears and said: "I couldn't help it. He suspected me, and I had to steal."

Walking through my field on a winter's morning, I met with a lamb, that I thought was dead, but taking it up I found it barely alive; the cruel mother had almost starved it to death. I put it inside my jacket and brought it into my house; there I rubbed its starved limbs, and warmed it by the fire and fed it with warm milk. Soon the lamb revived. First it feared me, but afterwards it thoroughly loved me, as I mostly fed it with my own hands. So it followed me wherever I went, bleating after me whenever it saw me, and was always happy when it could frisk round me, but never so pleased as when I would carry it in my arms. Jesus is our Shepherd-the Shepherd of our souls-and of Him it is said, "He carries the lambs in His arms, and gently leads those that are with young." If you desire to know the love of Jesus, read it in the Bible. There you will find such things as I hope will melt your eyes to tears, your hearts to love.

-Rowland Hill

"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death" (1 John 3:14).

During the war in China a village pastor answered a knock at his door and found a Japanese soldier with a Chinese woman outside. He had seen much of Japanese methods and was, therefore, amazed when this enemy soldier said to him, "This woman is in great danger so I bring her to you for safety. I, too, am a Christian.

Baron Von Hugel tells the story of what happened during a violent earthquake in the Roman Campagna. It was a scene of terror and death, where the devastations of nature were made more terrible by the panic of the people. Amid the wreckage, however, moved a secular priest, with two infants, one on each arm, and wheresoever he went he brought order and faith and hope into that confusion and despair. That, also, was a demonstration of love's quiet manner. Its ministry is felt rather than heard.

"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).

I have heard of a girl who in an evil hour left her mother-won by the promises of some villain, and traveled to a large city. And there went down to the lowest depths. At last all sad at heart and perishing with hunger she thought she would creep back and see the old home again, and die. Of course her mother would never receive her anymore, but nobody in the village would know her, and it would be good to see the cottage and the flowers of the garden and to hear the birds sing again. And so with heavy heart and wearied steps she wandered on until she reached the little village. It was night when she got there. Footsore and faint she could just stand by the gate, and, dark as it was, the stars would give light enough to see the place-and there she would stand and try to feel again as she had done long ago. But, as she came near, a light glimmered along the path and she saw that it was her mother's cottage. Long ago her mother must have gone to bed. What did this mean? And wondering she came on-and she found the gate was set wide open-the gate that was always so carefully shut, and noiselessly she crept to the door. It was on the latch, the door that always used to be bolted and barred at night. She stepped within, and whispered wondering, "Mother." Ah, it was enough, the arms were about her neck. Their tears mingled together, and love, as deep and true and full as ever, welcomed her home and loved her into goodness. And she found that ever since she had left her home that door had been on the latch, that gate was left wide open, and in the window was the candle set to guide her steps. That was a mother's love, but very far beyond that is the Savior's love.

One night of bitter cold and pitiless storm a mother was out in the wilds with her child in her arms. Unable to carry her precious burden and find a shelter, she took off her own outer clothing, and wrapping it about her little one she laid him in a cleft of the rock, and hastened on, hoping to find help. Next morning some shepherds heard the cry of a child, and found the babe safe and warm in the rock's cleft. Then, not far away in the snow, they discovered the mother-dead. She had died in the cold to save her child. Did not Jesus do the same?

-J. R. Miller

A Christian woman, laboring among the degenerate of London, found a poor street girl desperately ill in a bare cold room. With her own hands she ministered to her, changing her bed linen, procuring medicines, nourishing food, building a fire, and making the poor place as bright and cheery as possible, and then she said, "May I pray with you?"

"No" said the girl, "You don't care for me; you are doing this to get to heaven."

Many days passed, the Christian woman unwearily kind, the sinful girl hard and bitter. At last the Christian said, "My dear, you are nearly well now, and I shall not come again, but as it is my last visit, I want you to let me kiss you," and the pure lips that had known only prayers and holy words met the lips defiled by oaths and unholy caresses-and then the hard heart broke. That was Christ's way.

When Donna was three years old she gave me a birthday card which ended with, "I love you, Daddy! Donna!" When she wrote "D" for daddy she came to the end of the page and at the beginning of the next line wrote "addy." Do you think I gave it back and told her to do it right? Of course not. It was full of love and hard work and 3-yearold ability. Her love on the inside came to the outside and showed itself in words and works just like ours should for our heavenly Father.

"Mommy, what is Christmas?," asked the three-year-old girl. Her mother carefully explained that Christmas is Jesus' birthday. "Then why do we not give gifts to Jesus if it's His birthday?" The mother explained the tradition of exchanging Christmas gifts as expressions of our love for each other, and that seemed to end the matter.

It did not come up again until Christmas Eve when a sleepy little girl placed a package under the Christmas tree on her way to bed and explained that it was a birthday gift for Jesus which she was sure He would open during the night while she slept. After she was asleep, the mother not wanting her daughter to be disappointed, opened the clumsily wrapped package and found the box empty.

On Christmas morning the little girl was thrilled to find the package had been opened and her gift was gone. "What was in it?" asked the confused mother. "It was a box full of love," came the answer. How childlike! How Christlike!

-Beverly I. White The Christian Reader

Shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? — Matthew 7:11.

No good thing will he withhold from them that walk up-rightly. — Psalm 84:11.

The prayer of faith is the simple request of a trustful child to a father who possesses the means as well as the desire to grant it — of an intelligent child, who confides in the wisdom of a parent in the bestowal of the gift — of a loving child, who knows that nothing will be refused him which is really for his good, believing in the love of Him to whom his wants and griefs and joys are a matter of sympathy and tender consideration. — A. S.

How sweet, how blessed is the thought

That Thou dost hear Thy people’s cries,

And whether Thou dost give, or not,

‘Tis love that grants and love denies!

Peter Writes to Pilgrims — 1 Peter 1:22-25 — The Enduring Word « Leader information shown in this fashion » « My translation of 1 Peter is to convey the flavour of the Greek rather than for English fluency and literacy. »

A. Review

1. Outline, thus far:

a. 1:1–2 — Peter’s greeting

b. 1:3-5 – Praise and thanksgiving to God for salvation

c. 1:6-9 – The Testing of Faith

d. 1:10-12 – the Prophecy of Salvation

e. 1:13–16 – A Transformed Mind

i. v 13: girding the mind for action and battle

ii. v 14: not being squeezed into the mould of our desires

iii. vv 15-16: having a holy manner of conduct

2. Last week, 1:17-21 — the ransom price paid for us …

a. changes conduct, v 17: Now, since you call upon Him as Father who judges equitably according to each person’s work, then conduct in reverent fear your going to and fro in this place of exile

i. … are our … « new relationship with our heavenly Father who created the universe »

ii. … and His … « judging us according to our work, the things that we do (and say, Matthew 12:36) »

b. … is the price of new life, verses 18-19: 18 knowing that not by perishable things – by silver or by gold – did you have the ransom paid which freed you from that empty way of life – wandering to and fro – inherited from your ancestors; 19 but no, it was by the price of the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without one blemish, without a single spot

i. Money is limited as a ransom or redemption price for … « it can only deliver from physical captivity or debt »

ii. The blood of Christ can give … « because it is His life (ie., spiritual) deliverance from spiritual bondage and debt

»

c. … has a purpose, verses 20–21: 20 Christ, who on your account, known then before the foundation of this world order, shown now openly at the end of the ages, 21 for you, who through Him are faithful to God who raised him from out of the dead and gave glory to him, in order that your faith and hope would be in God.

i. that our salvation should be « … by faith in God alone and not by works; that it be by God’s grace »

B. Really cleansed! verse 22: Having cleansed your souls by attentively listening to the truth resulting in brotherly love, without hypocrisy, from the heart(a) you shall love one another intently(b). {(a) some MSS, ‘a pure heart’; (b) earnestly; literally, stretched out or strained}

1. What was the character of cleansing or purification in the Old Testament, as for example, Leviticus 14:7-8 ‘He shall then sprinkle seven times the one who is to be cleansed from the leprosy, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the live bird go free over the open field. The one to be cleansed shall then wash his clothes and shave off all his hair, and bathe in water and be clean. Now afterward, he may enter the camp, but he shall stay outside his tent for seven days.’ (NAS)? « – it was with water (here, water of purification) and was physical (dealing with the body) »

2. What differentiates the cleansing here? « – it affects the whole person (‘your souls’ can be translated ‘yourselves’ and its use in the Bible often means ‘the really inner being of a person’; so it is spiritual rather than physical »

3. Does just hearing the message of salvation save? … what is needed, Romans 10:17 ‘So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.’ (NAS) and 16:26 ‘but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith.’ (NAS)? « – ‘attentively listening’ means ‘to hearken’ where hearing is accompanied by obedience, that being of faith »

4. What is the evidence of such cleansing, of such true, saving faith, John 13:35 ‘By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.’ (NAS)? « – the love that we have for other believers »

5. What three things characterize the love in this verse?

a. It is not … « hypocritical »

b. It is from … « the heart »

c. It is … « intense »

6. How can we test if our love is like this, 1 John 3:17 ‘But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?’ (NAS)? « – it not just feelings but demonstrated in practical acts »

C. The Eternal Seed, verse 23: having been regenerated, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and abiding Word of God.

1. The word, ‘regenerated’ was used in verse 3, where we saw that it can mean either (or both!) of, ‘caused to be born A_______’ or ‘caused to be born from A_______’.

a. From Jesus’ words in John 3:5 ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.’ (NAS) we discovered

i. Regeneration is necessary « – to enter God’s kingdom (His family, His church, His people, His heaven) »

ii. Regeneration is by … « the Holy Spirit of God; it is He who is the Divine Agent bringing it to pass (just as He was the Divine Agent in Christ’s birth by a virgin) »

b. Seed is that which produces life; in animals, it produces the young that are born; in plants, it produces the new plant. What marks the difference between these seeds…

i. … that referred to in this verse? « – the one gives rise to life that is temporal only, but the other to eternal life »

ii. … and the two in John 3:6 ‘That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’ (NAS)? « – the one gives physical life, the other, spiritual life »

2. That tells salvation’s ‘by Whom” « (the Agent) » ; what is the ‘by What’ or ‘How’ « (The means, as indicated by ‘through’) » ?

a. the Word … « of God or the Word of the Lord. These two phrases, though distinguishable, are essentially the same: ‘what God says, they are the revelation given by God’ »

b. Hence we call the Bible the Word of God; other names…

i. … Romans 1:2, 2 Timothy 3:15? « – the Holy Scriptures »

ii. … Luke 24:44 « – law, prophets, psalms »

c. In many passages, it is nearly impossible to distinguish the Son of God from the Word of God? … why?

i. John 1:1 ‘in the beginning was the Word … ‘ « – His Name

» ii. John 14:9 ‘… He who has seen Me has seen the Father… (NAS) « – He reveals God (John 1:14, 18) »

D. Eternal Word, verses 24–25: 24 For, as it is written, ‘All flesh is as grass and all its glory as the blossom of grass; the grass is dried up and the blossom falls off; 25 But what the Lord says, His word, endures forever.’(a) And this word is the what was preached as gospel(b) unto you. {(a) from Isaiah 40:6-8; (b) literally, evangelized}

1. What is the character of God’s word, 'what God says in'

a. Psalm 105:8 ‘He has remembered His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations’ (NAS)? « – a command which God does not forget »

b. Psalm 119:89 ‘Forever, O LORD, Thy word is settled in heaven.’ (NAS)? « – eternal, spiritual, heavenly »

c. Psalm 119:160 ‘The sum of Thy word is truth, And every one of Thy righteous ordinances is everlasting.’ (NAS)? « – quintessential truth »

d. Hebrews 6:18 ‘in order that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have strong encouragement, we who have fled for refuge in laying hold of the hope set before us.’ (NAS)? « – a solemn statement or promise (an oath) which is inviolable »

2. What does ‘gospel of Christ’ mean?

a. Romans 1:16 ‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.’ (NAS)? « – the message of salvation »

b. Galatians 1:6–7 ‘I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is [really] not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ.’ (NAS)? « – the message of God’s grace »

c. 1 Corinthians 1:17… 23a ‘For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, that the cross of Christ should not be made void … but we preach Christ crucified…’ (NAS)? « – its subject is Jesus Christ and His work at Calvary (see also Romans 16:25) »

d. What can we know about the gospel then? « – because it is by God’s word which endures, it is about the Word, the eternal Son of God, we can trust it both now and for our eternal future – that is what makes it good news! »

Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. — John 13:1.

But he that is an hireling … whose own the sheep are not … leaveth the sheep, and fleeth. — John 10:12.

What a most cheering thought that we belong to the Lord Jesus — are His very own! Did we realize the fact that we are given Him to be His own by the Father (John 17:24), chosen by Himself (John 15:16), purchased at the cost of His life (1 Cor. 6:19, 20), rescued by His power (Luke 11:22; Gal. 1:4) and surrendered to Him to be our only Lord and Partner, it would not only fill our hearts with deepest gratitude and thanksgiving, but it would also increase our desire to be enabled to live daily as Christ’s own.

Called “His own” — endearing name for His loved and purchased ones,

Once in Satan’s bondage held — now to God, beloved ones.

Bought at the amazing price paid in blood at Calvary;

Chosen by His loving heart to be His eternally.

Since I’m not my own, but His, both by purchase and by choice,

For His pleasure I would live, and His heart of love rejoice.

Simon … lovest thou me? — John 21:17.

These words came with force to an elderly man as he walked to work. He wished he could answer as Peter did. He felt sad that he couldn’t. This thought came to him: “All I can say is ‘Lord, Thou knowest that I do not love thee.’” He found some comfort in his honest confession. As he walked along he said, “Lord, Thou knowest that I want to love Thee.” He began to think of Christ’s great love for him. He thought of Christ’s death for him. From his heart burst forth the affirmation: “Lord, Thou knowest that I DO love Thee!” He went on his way rejoicing, a new creature in Christ Jesus!

Hark, my soul! It is the Lord!

‘Tis thy Saviour, hear His Word;

Jesus speaks, and speaks to thee,

“Say, poor sinner, Lov’st thou Me?”

And now abideth faith, hope, charity (love), these three; but the greatest of these is charity. — 1 Corinthians 13:13.

Now faith abideth, and, in close abiding

Makes swift the conquest and secures the crown

Takes all my care and leaves my soul confiding

Fills all my need and casts my mountains down.

Now, too, abideth sweet anticipation

The soul’s pure passion, free from base alloy;

O, breath of God, O blessed expectation!

Divinest hope, my treasure and my joy!

Now last abideth love, whose deep indwelling

Allures my being to her fount above;

God’s richest grace, all others far excelling,

For all are His, and He, my God, is love!

Then grave these lessons on my soul–

Hope — Faith, and Love — and thou shalt find

Strength when life’s surges rudest roll,

Light when thou else wert blind. — Friedrich Schiller.

Christ also bath loved us, and hath given himself for us. — Ephesians 5:2.

Pause say to yourself the SON OF GOD loved me! Me! A worthless being like me. Ah! here is the wonder of it: there was not a single thing in me to draw out His love, and yet He has loved me with a love so devoted that He emptied Himself to enrich me, and died to possess me. — H. Nunnerley.

O Jesus, Lord, Thou stoodest in my stead;

God’s holy wrath was poured upon Thy head;

For me Thou once wast numbered with the dead-

For me, O Lord, for me.

O Jesus, Lord, unchanging is Thy love,

Thou Iiv’st for me at God’s right hand above.

Thy tender care for me I daily prove-

For me, O Lord, for me. — A. J. H. Brown.

Let the peace of God (Christ) rule in your hearts … Let the word of Christ dwell in you … and … do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. — Colossians 3:15, 16, 17.

What an exquisite trinity we have in “the love of Christ,” “the peace of Christ,” and “the word of Christ.” With the Word dwelling copiously in us, and the peace ruling, arbitrating, umpiring all events, and love prevailing over all, the Christian life is unexcelled. — T. M. Olson.

There is peace in the valley of blessing so sweet,

And plenty the land doth impart;

And there’s rest for the weary worn traveler’s feet

And joy for the sorrowing heart.

There is love in the valley of blessing so sweet,

Such as none but the blood-washed may feel,

When heaven comes down redeemed spirits to greet,

And Christ sets His covenant seal.

He loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. — 1 John 4:10, 11.

As I was meditating on the mighty love of God, and drinking in a little of the measureless supply, while seated near a large tank of water, a little wasp flew along and stopped to drink out of that tank — perhaps it was only the tenth part of a drop, but it flew away satisfied. And I thought to myself, I am that wasp. I cannot understand that “SO” of God’s love; it cannot be measured; but like the little wasp, I can drink to my fill. And there, alone with Him I drank, and my soul was satisfied! I went on my way, praising God and ;seeking to show the love of God to others.

O teach me what it meaneth — Thy love beyond compare,

The love that reacheth deeper than depths of self-despair.

Yes, teach me, till there gloweth in this cold heart of mine

Some feeble, pale reflection of that pure love of Thine.

Thus saith the Lord; I remember … thy … love. — Jeremiah 2:2.

Thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works. — Revelation 2:4—5.

Are you conscious of light without love, service without power, profession without practice? Are you feeling the Christian life a bondage instead of “perfect freedom”? Look unto Jesus again. He says, “I will heal your backslidings, I will love you freely.” It is on the old terms that He bids you return. He says, “Ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.” If you have left your first love He has not left His.

Though I forget Him and wander away,

Still He doth love me, Wherever I stray.

Back to His dear loving arms would I flee,

When I remember that Jesus loves me. — Philp P. Bliss