Love that Lights the World // 1 John 4:9-10

Bethel Topeka

In his sermon, Pastor Evan Bialk emphasized the profound truth found in 1 John 4:9-10, which reflects the essence of love as not merely an action of God but as His very nature. He conveyed that during the third week of Advent, which highlights love, it is essential for believers to grasp what it truly means when we say "God is love." Pastor Bialk contended that God's love is manifest through the sending of His Son, Jesus Christ, who became human to exemplify divine love and serve as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Unlike other belief systems that demand individuals to earn favor or navigate indifferent gods, Christianity reveals a God who actively seeks a relationship with humanity out of love, demonstrating that all of His actions stem from His inherent being of love.Throughout the sermon, Pastor Evan called on the congregation to reevaluate their understanding of love by recognizing that human interpretations often fall short and can be marred by selfishness. He shared cultural references, including popular romantic movies, to illustrate how society often celebrates flawed representations of love that diverge from God's definition. Additionally, he underscored the vital balance of knowing and experiencing God's love through personal engagement with Scripture and prayer, encouraging attendees to pursue an experiential understanding of God's love rather than relying solely on intellectual knowledge. Ultimately, Pastor Evan invited both believers and non-believers to seek a deeper relationship with God, emphasizing that through Jesus, we can truly understand and live out the fullness of life that comes from experiencing God's love.