The Essence of God

On Sunday we learned about the need to be Born Again, we also learned of the great love of God.

The Bible teaches that "God is love," But what does that mean?
According to the Oxford dictionary the noun “essence” usually refers to the intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something, especially something abstract, which determines its character. We might say that The essence of God is love. In his book The dawning of Indestructible Joy, John Piper says, “The same writer of John 3:16 says in 1 John 4:8, “God is love.” Which I take to mean at least this: giving what’s good and serving the benefit of others is closer to the essence of God than getting and being served. God is without needs. God inclines to meet needs." (John Piper, The Dawning of Indestructible Joy, p. 39)

God is a giver. God is love. God loves in many different ways, but the supreme expression of his love for the world’s inhabitants was the giving of his son Jesus.  God’s love language is gift-giving. God loved the world in a particular way. He gave his one and only Son.

The full sermon "born again" can be watched below including this weeks renew podcast discussion.