Divine Love

This message invites us into a profound exploration of divine love through the lens of Hebrews 13:12-16, challenging us to reconsider what we truly understand about God's agape love. The central question posed is haunting in its simplicity: Why aren't we more affected by God's love? The answer lies in two interconnected failures—we hold either a low view of God's holiness or a low view of our own sin. Through the beautiful story in Luke 7 of the sinful woman washing Jesus' feet with her tears, we see the stark contrast between someone who understands the magnitude of their forgiveness and Simon the Pharisee, who sees little need for a Savior. The message unpacks the distinction between complacent love (our response to beauty) and benevolent love (God's active pursuit of bringing about beauty in us). This isn't love as a feeling, but love as sacrifice—the incarnation itself was the preparation of nerve endings for nails, of a brow for thorns, of a back for the whip. Jesus suffered outside the gate not because we had cleaned ourselves up or made good choices, but while we were in full rebellion. The sanctification He purchased with His blood sets us apart as special people dedicated to glorifying His infinite grace. This Christmas season, we're called to remember that the baby in the manger came specifically to die, and in that death, we find the highest expression of love the universe has ever known.