True Love
Pastor Erickson preaches from John 15:13 and other love verses, teaching that true love is proven by what a person gives up and that Christ proved his love on the cross before we ever loved him. He calls people to prove their love back by dying to self through repentance, baptism in the name of Jesus, and being filled with the Holy Ghost.
The message in 5 points
Greater love
He reads John 15:13 and 1 John 4:16 and warns that Hollywood has made love cheap, just happiness or an emotion. He says the difference between like and love is what a person is willing to give up, and there is no greater proof of love than laying down your life.
5:20Christ loved us
From John 3:16, Romans 8 and Ephesians 2 he notices the verses say Christ loved us, in the past tense, pointing to the exact moment he proved it on the cross. Romans 5:8 shows God gave his love while we were yet sinners, with no guarantee we would ever love him back.
8:24Love before creation
God spoke everything into being except man, whom he formed with his own hands, already knowing he would have to die for man's sin. From 1 Peter 1:18-20 he says the plan of redemption was ready before the foundation of the world, and that God's love is unconditional, letting us get back up when we fail.
11:52Proving our love back
He says we can show God love in many ways, but the only way to prove it is to do for him what he did for us and be crucified with Christ. From Galatians 2:20 he speaks of dying to our own will, rising with Christ, and being filled with his Spirit.
17:46Death, burial and resurrection
In Acts 2 Peter preaches Jesus crucified, and the crowd asks what they should do. Pastor Erickson says repentance is our death, saying not my will but thine, and baptism in the name of Jesus is our burial, followed by the gift of the Holy Ghost.
20:29
In his words
“You can tell the difference between like and love by finding out just what a person is willing to give up in order to have the thing or the person that they really want.”
“I can love him in a lot of ways, but the only way that I can prove my love for him is to be crucified with him.”
“Not my will, oh God, but your will. I'm turning away from the things that I desire in the flesh, and I'm going to allow you to tell me what I need, because only you, God, know what I truly need in my life.”
Taken word for word from the video, with punctuation added.
Scripture
He reads
John 15:13
13Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
King James Version.
1 John 4:16
16And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
King James Version.
John 3:16
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
King James Version.
Romans 8:37-39
37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
King James Version.
Ephesians 2:4-5
4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
King James Version.
Romans 5:8
8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
King James Version.
Genesis 1:27
27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
King James Version.
1 Peter 1:18-20
18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
King James Version.
Galatians 2:20
20I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
King James Version.
Acts 2:36-38
36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
King James Version.
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