Oh Stand and Wonder!
The sermon marvels at the greatness of God's love and the freeness of His grace, calling listeners to stand in awe of His character.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the astonishing love of God, who, despite our sinful nature and rebellion against Him, chooses to adopt us as His children. He marvels at the grace that allows those who have provoked God and lived contrary to His ways to be embraced and cared for as sons. Brooks calls the congregation to stand in awe of this incredible love and the richness of God's grace that transforms our identity from sinners to beloved children. The sermon invites believers to reflect on the depth of God's mercy and the privilege of being part of His family.
Text
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God!" 1 John 3:1
O sirs! what matter of admiration is this--that the
great and glorious God, who has many millions of
glorious angels attending Him--that He should . . .
look upon all holy people as His sons, and
love them as His sons, and
delight in them as His sons, and
clothe them as His sons, and
feed them as His sons, and
protect them as His sons!
What great love is this--that those who have . . .
so highly provoked God,
walked so cross and contrary to God,
were so exceeding unlike God,
preferred every lust, and every toy and vanity before God,
fought many years under Satan's banner against God,
refused all the kind offers of mercy from God;
that those who have deserved to be . . .
reprobated by God,
damned by God, and
to be thrown to hell by God--
that these should be made the sons of God!
Oh stand and wonder! Oh stand and admire the
freeness of His grace, and the riches of His grace!
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God!" 1 John 3:1
Sermon Outline
- The Greatness of God's Love
- The Magnitude of Our Sin
- The Freeness and Riches of God's Grace
- A Call to Admiration
- We should stand in awe of God's love
- We should marvel at God's grace
- We have preferred sin over God
Key Quotes
“Oh stand and wonder! Oh stand and admire the freeness of His grace, and the riches of His grace!” — Thomas Brooks
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” — Thomas Brooks
“What great love is this--that those who have so highly provoked God, walked so cross and contrary to God, were so exceeding unlike God...” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- We should respond to God's love with gratitude and worship.
- We should marvel at the freeness and riches of God's grace.
- We should recognize the magnitude of our sin and the depth of God's love in forgiving us.