Love: Advent Week 4 – Reflecting Christ's Sacrificial Love

Thank you for joining the Defender Podcast Advent Series. We're so grateful for you joining us these last 3 weeks. And as we conclude, we look and reflect upon the love of Christ. You see, god shows his love through Jesus' birth and then calls us to reflect his love during Advent. You see, hope, faith, joy are all important, but the greatest gift that the lord has given us is love.

And the love with which he gives us at Christmas with the coming of Jesus is displayed with sacrifice at Calvary, but that love is ultimately displayed in victory when Jesus overcomes death to reign and live forever. And so this Advent, let us reflect on the love of Christ and what it means to be loved by God and to show God's love. One of my favorite stories that I've been able to experience at Lifeline was a story that actually didn't end in the way that you would have expected. You see, a family had been chosen by a birth mother, and that birth mother had specifically asked that they be at the hospital when she gave birth, to be in the delivery room as she gave birth, and then she wanted to hand that child to them. Well, everything went as planned.

They were in the delivery room. She hands this beautiful baby boy to them and says, this is now your son. But just like in almost every state with almost every adoption, the mom has some time after she surrendered and relinquished her rights to another to withdraw that relinquishment. Well, this particular case was in a state where she had 10 days and while still in the hospital, some 48 hours later, she changed her mind and decided she needed to take her child home. And so she called her birth mother counselor at Lifeline and said, I I I hate breaking this family's heart.

She was near tears, and she said, but but I can't depart. I can't part ways with my child. So our staff told this family, and and, obviously, they were heartbroken, but they asked if they could see this birth mother for one last time. And the birth mother said, yes. I'd love to see them one last time.

They went into her hospital room, and she said, I'm sorry. I know you're mad at me. I I I know I've forsaken you. I know I've disappointed you. And the dad, through tears, looked at this mom, let's call her Mary, and says, Mary, you've gave us the greatest gift we've ever known just to be here and to support you.

We love you. We're thankful for you. We're thankful you chose life, and we want you to know that that we can love you not because of what you give or don't give. We love you because we've been loved by Christ. And in the sacred moments in that hospital room, through tears, that birth mother saw true compassionate love for the first time, sacrificial love for the first time.

And she gave her life to Christ in that hospital room. And I'm proud to say that that mama is still walking with the Lord today. She's still in contact with our ministry. And it was because of the reflection of a love that asked for nothing in return that this mom was able to see a glimpse of the gospel in the face of a mom and a dad who were following him. And so God's love is revealed in Jesus, but, ultimately, it inspires us to love others.

And so, we look at the Annunciation in Luke chapter 1 starting in verse 26, and we believe and see that God first revealed his love in choosing Mary. Verse 26 of Luke chapter 1, it says, in the 6th month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to the city of Galilee named Nazareth, and to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and he said, greetings, oh favored one, the lord is with you. But she was greatly troubled at the saying and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, do not be afraid Mary for you have found favor with God.

And behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and he will be called the son of the most high, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said to the angel, how will this be since I am a virgin? And the angel said to her, the Holy Spirit will come down upon you and the power of the most high will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the son of god.

And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son and this is the 6th month with her who is called barren for nothing will be impossible with god. And Mary said, behold, I am a servant of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her. You see, first, God's love is revealed in choosing Mary.

She's a humble young woman, but yet she's chosen to bear the savior, to have the savior embody her womb. Reflect on the phrase that the angel says, you're highly favored. God love extended even to the lowly. Mary was was not of of royalty. She was not of the nobility class.

She was not of the highest system or world order. She was lowly, and yet she was highly favored by God. God's love extends to the lowly, but also look at how God's love gives Mary evidence. God in his sovereignty, God in his forbearance, God in his great love saw fit that Elizabeth who had been barren would be pregnant at the same time as Mary, to give witness to the savior in Mary's womb. Mary, a virgin, could have thought, what in the world?

What's happening? Is this real? Am I hallucinating? Is this a dream? But God gives her proof.

God, in his love, doesn't just speak love, he proves his love. And so, we see Mary's song as we continue in Luke chapter 1. Obviously, we see where where Mary goes and she visits Elizabeth, and and and the word says that when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, when she heard Mary's voice, that the baby, John the Baptist, who was in her womb, leaped and that Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she exclaimed with a loud cry, blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Oh, the gift of love of God to allow Elizabeth to know and to confirm that Mary was in fact with child that was of the most high, that was Jesus the Messiah.

I would be remiss not to draw our attention to verse 44. This is behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Pro life America, pro life Christian, is this not evidence that a baby in the womb hears a voice and leaps with joy that life begins at conception? But now, let's look at the love that is reflected in the song of Mary, the Magnificat that is in Luke chapter 1, starting in verse 46. It says this, it says, My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God, my savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed, For he who is mighty has done great things for me and holy is his name and his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate. He has filled the hungry with good things, the rich he has sent away empty.

He has helped to serve at Israel in remembrance of his mercy. As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his offspring forever. And Mary remained with her for about 3 months and then returned to her home. You see Mary praises God for his love, for his mercy, for his faithfulness to his people. Oh, beloved, God shows us his love and his mercy and his grace and his faithfulness.

And let us not miss that God's love is active. It's not passive, it's active. It comes in matters of love, one comes themselves. Pastor David Platt used to give the example that when he was asking his wife, Heather, to marry him, he didn't send a note, he didn't send a servant, he didn't send someone else. He went himself.

In matters of love, one must go themself and and god came to us actively to redeem us but also to fulfill his promise. And so we see that God's love is active, he comes himself, he comes in person, he sends his one and only son. But then we see in Mark chapter 1, the role of that baby in Elizabeth's womb, John the Baptist role. This is what Mark's gospel says, it says the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet, behold, I send my messenger before your face who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the lord, make his path straight. Quoted from Isaiah 40, John appeared baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

And all the country of Judea and Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey, and he preached saying, after me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. You see, god's love prepares the way for Jesus through John. He called people to repentance and pointed them to a savior. Beloved, as we reflect on this advent season, let us know that love always makes a way.

It calls for transformation, and it brings hope in Christ. You see, God's love doesn't leave us the way it finds us. It transforms us. It reorients us, and it gives us true hope. And so we have the gift of His presence, God's love and His presence.

Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us, showing that God's love is personal and relational. God didn't remain distant, but entered into human history in order to redeem us. God's love is in His presence. It's personal, it's relational. But then God's love is also shown through the gift of salvation.

Jesus came to rescue us from sin and to restore our relationship with God. Oh, Jesus' humble birth in a manger displays the depth of God's sacrificial love. You see, Jesus was sacrificing in the way that he came in his humble birth in a manger where there was no room in the end. Jesus's life on earth would end in humble means, beaten and scorned. But his father who had to turn his face away because Jesus bore our sin.

His humility drove him to the cross to bear the sin that was our sin. Our punishment was placed upon him. His life was given to us. This is the gift of his love and salvation. But then we also see his love and fulfillment.

You see the birth of Jesus fulfills God's promises throughout scripture and it demonstrates that he is faithful and his love is steadfast. The love of God will never leave us, will never forsake us, is steadfast, is faithful. Therefore, we are called now to reflect God's active and sacrificial love. We're called to reflect his love in tangible ways. Five quick ways that this Advent season, we can reflect the love of Christ.

First, let's serve those in need. Maybe it's helping a neighbor. Maybe it's taking food to someone who has no food. Maybe it's being kind to those who have no family or inviting someone into our home. Number 2, reach out to the lonely, to those struggling during the holidays.

Reach out to a widow, maybe in your family or not in your family. Reach out to those who have no family, including the orphan, the foster child. Open up your home and open up your hearts to reach out to the lonely. But then 3rd, practice forgiveness and reconciliation. You see, we can't wait and we can't prepare our hearts for Christ When we hold bitterness and resentment against another, practice forgiveness, practice reconciliation.

Remember that that we, even our our righteousness was but filthy rags, and yet Jesus forgave us and reconciled us to himself. But then 4th, show love and worship. Follow Mary's example of responding to to God's love with praise and gratitude. Make time during this Advent season to reflect on Jesus's birth through prayer, scripture, and song. Worship the Lord with gladness.

And then 5th and certainly not least, show God's love by sharing the gospel. Like John the Baptist, point others to the love of God through Jesus. Share the story of Jesus' birth as a message of hope and love. Don't be silent when given the opportunity to speak of the love of God. So beloved, let's remember that God's love is for everyone and we are invited both to receive it but also to share it.

Luke chapter 1 verse 37 when Mary responds to the angel after he says that although she is betrothed and barren and a virgin, that she would be filled with the Holy Spirit, that God would inhabit her womb. This is what is said by the angel. It says, For nothing will be impossible with God. You see, beloved, God's love can transform even the hardest of hearts. God's love can reach into the lowest of circumstances.

And at Lifeline, we wanna show the love of God to the orphan. We wanna manifest the gospel to the orphan and the vulnerable child. We wanna show love to the woman walking through an unplanned pregnancy. We wanna show love to a family that's been broken losing their kids to foster care. And we wanna show this love globally to the church around the world to encourage them to reflect the love of God to those around them.

And so have you experienced God's love through Jesus? Oh, if you have it and you're listening to this podcast, know that God's love surpasses all understanding. He is patient and kind, gentle, and lowly, and he has come to live the life that we can never live, to die the death that we deserved, and to give us victory over sin. Oh, the best thing that you could do is we wait for Jesus, as we wait for the coming, the advent of Christ, is to give your life to Christ. But if you're a Christian today, let me ask you, how are you intentionally reflecting the love of God?

We're not called just to embrace and to experience the love of god, but we are called to share and reflect god's love daily. Let's be faithful, not just to receive god's love, but to share god's love. Let's pray. Father god, we thank you for your overwhelming love that shown in the birth of Jesus. Oh god, thank you that while we were yet sinners, while we were insolent and far off, you sent forth your son, born of a virgin, born in a manger, on a silent, silent night.

With only shepherds to behold, you sent your son, messiah, god with us, Emmanuel, as a great love gift to us. And Lord, embolden us to share your love this Advent season. Help us to be reflectors of your love, reflectors of your light, and to show your love to those we come in contact with. Oh lord god, we thank you for the love of Christ, and we pray that we would show it today, tomorrow, and forever. It's in your great name that we pray in the name of Jesus.

Amen. Well, thank you for joining us for the Defender podcast Advent series. It's been such a delight to share these 4 weeks with you. We hope that these podcasts have been a blessing to your family. And if they have, would you please share these either on social media or to your friends and family? Would you share the love of Christ this Christmas season? God bless and Merry Christmas.

Thanks for listening to the defender podcast. If you enjoy making this podcast a part of your weekly routine, we'd love for you to take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review the Defender Podcast to make it easier for more people to find. For more information on how you and your church can partner with Lifeline, visit us at lifelinechild.org. If you want to connect with me, please visit herbynewell.com. Follow us at lifeline on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter by searching for Lifeline Child.

You can email us directly at info at lifelinechilddot org. Beloved, will you allow god to use the gospel to you to impact the life of a child? Please contact us because we are here to defend the fatherless. We'll see you again next week for the Defender podcast.