Introduction:

Advent is here. This is the time for Jingle Bells … the Polar Express … Santa Claus … Christmas parties … Decorating trees … Falling down on our knees in humble and heartfelt repentance before God, pleading for his mercy so that he doesn’t send us to hell for all eternity. Yes, Advent is a season of repentance. In the Christian church, Advent can be a time of self-denial – a time to fast, to pray, to meditate on sin. It is much like the season of Lent. But why is that? Isn’t this the most happiest time of the year?

Even if you were to skip Christmas as we know it in America and avoid all the trappings of Santa, presents, and festivities – wouldn’t you still be elated that Jesus was born in Bethlehem to be our Savior? Absolutely, but we must also acknowledge that it was our fault Christ had to come to earth. It was our fault God had to send his one and only Son to be the Savior of the world.

Advent gives us the time to reflect on our sins and then be comforted with knowledge that God loves us so much gave up His child to be our Redeemer. And so this Advent season, may we see our sinfulness for what it is. May repent of that sin and be comforted by Christ who grants forgiveness. And then let us produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

God’s Word recorded in Galatians 5:22 will guide us in our repentance this Advent season. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” Each Sunday service and each Wednesday service we will explore one fruit of the Spirit in keeping with repentance. Today God gives us the fruit of “Love.”

If I were to ask you if you thought you were a pretty loving person, what would you say? Would others describe you as loving? Maybe I did that wrong. Maybe I should have explained what love is before I asked you if you were loving. I say that because there are a lot of misconceptions about love in the world.

Let me read you a passage from 1 Corinthians that explains what love is. Listen closely and see how well you do in this love examination. “Love is patient, (How are you doing so far?) love is kind (How about now?). It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud (Not looking so great, is it?). It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” So how did that go for you?

It is shameful when we really examine our lives in this way. God tells us to love him and love our neighbor as ourselves. We have failed to do this so often in our relationships, it is shameful. How often have we been impatient with God – demanding answers or results? How often are we impatient with those around us – parents, children, friends, and coworkers? How often are we just down right mean to one another? Ever pick on a classmate? Ever bully a coworker? How often don’t we look at our accomplishments and then either envy others successes, boast about our own, or simply wallow in our sinful pride.

How often are we just rude to each other? And where does that rudeness come from – our self-seeking natures. Selfishness is the great enemy of love. Selfishness leads us to quickly get angry with spouses, friends, and strangers who are not on board with what we think or want. Selfishness leads us to keep a record of wrongs so that we can use that record later on to serve our own needs. This becomes an art form with husbands and wives. Sins pile up and you fling them at your other half in order to wound your partner. That is why divorce and marital problems are so prevalent in the world.

Why is it like this? Why are we so unloving? There is a simple answer, but it is tragic and devastating answer. We are sinners. Sin has been a part of us since our very first moments. That is why King David wrote, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” And that sin is extremely destructive. It is like a nuclear bomb that destroys every in its sight. It destroys love. It destroys our relationship with others. But most severely, it destroyed our relationship with God. We were cut off from the Almighty because of our transgressions. We could do nothing to bridge the gap, and the result was death in hell. Sin destroyed our loving relationship with God. And we had no one to blame but ourselves.

Our lack of love, however, never hindered or eliminated God’s love for us. In fact, our Scripture lesson for this morning explains to us that, “God is love.” That is the most simple, concise statement that could be made on the matter. God is love. It is that simple. God did not love us because we are so good and lovable. God does not love us because we have earned that love with our good deeds. Simply God is love.

And if anyone would doubt that fact, God eliminates all uncertainty with the greatest act of love the world has ever known. Verses 9 and 10 of the lesson tell us, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

Oh what an amazing love God has for us! It is a special love that we only attribute to God. It is a love that understands us and the situations we are in. God saw our predicament and He knew that He was the only one who could help us. God’s love is a love of understanding.

God’s love is also a love of purpose. The purpose of God’s love was to save us from sin, death, and the devil. And God carried out that purpose. He sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, sacrificed himself. He left the heavenly throne and was born a baby and laid in a manger. Jesus grew up and lived sinless all his days because He had to be spotless and pure to make the atoning sacrifice. And when he made the ultimate sacrifice by dying on the cross, God the Father removed His love from His own Son as punishment for our sins.

God’s love was shown through Jesus Christ in his life, death and resurrection. Jesus was the atoning sacrifice. The holy, spotless Lamb of God took away the sins of the world. Before ours sins and unbelief separated us from God for eternity. But now through faith in Jesus, we are at one with God, linked with our Heavenly Father forever.

God’s love is love of understanding. He knew what we needed to be saved to go heaven. God’s love is also a love of purpose. He sent His one and only Son to accomplish our salvation for us on the cross. And God’s love comes full circle in our lives.

We are being encouraged this Advent season to produce fruits of repentance. The Bible tells us that faith will produce fruit. When the Gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed, our faith is strengthened. When our faith is strengthened we can throw off the chains of lovelessness and love because God has loved us.

Are you wondering how to be more loving in your life? Are you waiting to hear how you can turn away from your selfishness and truly love God and one another? Here is the first step: Hear God’s Word often. For in the words of Scripture you hear that you are forgiven and hear that God loves you very much. Listen to God because our lesson for today says that love comes from God.

With faith strengthened by God’s Word, you will bear fruit. If faith is the tree and you feed and water the tree with good stuff from God, then it will grow. And when it grows is will bear fruit in abundance. And you will love.

Step two is to let God guide you in loving. Earlier I read the passage from 1 Corinthians about love. At that time it piled up guilt on us. Listen to that passage again in the light of Gospel. Listen to it with hearts that have been illuminated with the love of God. Let this be your guide to loving. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” Now the passage guides us to produce fruits of love.

Christmas time is full of traditions that emphasize changing hearts from meanness to love. The Grinch’s heart grew three sizes and he managed to love the Who’s down in Whoville. Scrooge’s heart also turned to love with the help of some ghosts. But these transformations are just stories made up for our enjoyment. Take special notice this year of the miraculous transformation that God has made in your heart through the gospel. Notice the change and produce fruit.

God’s love comes full circle when we love him and love one another. Take to heart God’s Word this day. Repent of your sins of lovelessness. Believe that God loves you so much He sent His Son to die in order to save you. Then produce fruit in your lives. Love God and love another. AMEN.