The love of God and Christ breaks our hearts and leads us to repentance and worship.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes that a deeper understanding of God's love leads to greater sorrow for sin, as seen in the example of Mary Magdalene, whose heart was broken by the realization of her forgiveness. He illustrates that the warmth of divine love softens the heart, prompting genuine grief for offenses against God. The more one experiences the love of Christ, the more one mourns for the dishonor done to Him, highlighting the transformative power of grace and forgiveness.
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The more a man apprehends of the love of God, and of the
love of Christ--the more that person will grieve and mourn
that he has offended, provoked, and grieved such a Father,
and such a Son. The more clear and certain evidences a man
has of the love and favor of God to his soul, the more that
man will grieve and mourn for sinning against such a God.
There is nothing which thaws and melts the heart, which
softens and breaks the heart--like the warm beams of divine
love--as you may see in the case of Mary Magdalene. She
loved much, and she wept much--for much was forgiven her.
A sight of the free grace and love of Christ towards her, in an
act of forgiveness, broke her heart all in pieces. A man
cannot stand under the shinings of divine love with a frozen
heart, nor with dry eyes. The more a man sees of the love
of Christ, and the more a man tastes and enjoys of the love
of Christ--the more that man will grieve and mourn for all
the dishonors that he has done to Christ.
"Then she knelt behind Him at his feet, weeping. Her tears
fell on His feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then
she kept kissing His feet and putting perfume on them."
Luke 7:38
Sermon Outline
- The Love of God and Christ
- The Power of Divine Love
- Responding to Divine Love
- Kneeling in repentance and worship
- Expressing love and gratitude through actions
Key Quotes
“There is nothing which thaws and melts the heart, which softens and breaks the heart--like the warm beams of divine love.” — Thomas Brooks
“A sight of the free grace and love of Christ towards her, in an act of forgiveness, broke her heart all in pieces.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- We should grieve and mourn for sinning against God and Christ.
- We can respond to divine love by kneeling in repentance and expressing our love and gratitude through actions.
- Divine love has the power to thaw and melt our hearts, leading to tears and worship.
