The scandal of God's unlimited love

Our theme for advent this year has been God’s unlimited love. We’ve asked the question: How far does God’s love reach? And we concluded that no one is beyond the reach of God’s love. The social outcast is not beyond God’s love; the religiously pious are not beyond God’s love; the morally fallen are not beyond God’s love; the spiritually confused are not beyond God’s unlimited love.

We’ve reflected on its character. We’ve discovered that this love:

#1 Knows no boundaries

Jer. 31:3 I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have drawn with cords of loving kindness

#2 Forgives all sin

Num.4:18 `The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.
#3 Compassionate and renewed

Lam.3:23-24 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

#4 Unfailing

Exod.35:13 "In your unfailing love you will lead
the people you have redeemed.

Two more things that we should know about God’s love.

#1 It is inclusive

Because it knows no boundaries, because no one is beyond its reach, the love of God includes everyone. From shepherds to wise men, from the outsider to the insider; No person who has ever lived, no person who is living, and no person who is yet to live could ever be described as being beyond God’s love.

This is what some writers have called the scandal of God’s grace. That no one, no matter what they have done or what they might do, is beyond God’s love.

The psalmist has it right when he asks: Where can I go to get away from you?

There is no escape.

To religious people God’s unlimited love is always going to be scandalous. Why should the bad get the same opportunity as the good? Why should the murderer be welcomed alongside the victim? You may of course not see it quite that way. You may have no problem with the lavish, unlimited reach of God’s love. But where the love of God goes, forgiveness goes too.

The scandal is may not be in the reach of God’s love as much as it is in the forgiveness that it offers.

“Amazing love”, wrote Graham Kendrick, “how can it be, the Son of God given for me
My debt he pays, and my death he dies, that I might live.”

#2 It’s exclusive

Whilst the love of God is unlimited in its reach it is not unlimited in its application. Philip Yancey makes this point when he asks his friend: You ask me about forgiveness now, but will you even want it later, especially if it involves repentance?

The application is exclusive because it requires you to take up the offer. But this is not an offer that you simply accept or reject without consequences. This is an offer that you must take seriously, that you must consider carefully. Your whole destiny rests on your response to this offer. It’s not an offer to be taken lightly.

John, in his gospel, makes this very point when he says: Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God

You can respond in:

#1 Wonder

Wonder at what God has done for you. Wonder at how God unfolded his plan for your redemption through the birth of a child. Wonder at the simple fact that you oculd mean this much to the creator of the universe that he would come into your world, take your pain, shape your future.

#2 Worship

You could respond in worship. You could fall to your knees, weep for your mistakes, or cry in joy for your freedom that this birth announces. Worship is always a good response. No matter what the situation or the circumstances, worship is always appropriate. You could worship

#3 You could bring gifts

The wise men brought offerings, interesting offerings. What offering might you bring?
In He chose the nails, Max Lucado asks this question: What will you leave at the cross? He talks about bringing your bad moments, your mad moments, your anxious moments and your final moment.

#4 Receive

Whatever else you do in response to the nativity, you have to decide to receive what is offered or to reject it. You cannot sit on the fence and see which way the wind blows.

The birth of Jesus announces to the world that God is still involved in human history, still involved in that which he began and still at work drawing history itself to its conclusion.

So here lies a baby, the sign of God’s unlimited love. The choice is always yours, has always been yours, to do with that sign what you will.