❤️ The Love of God — Four Benefits That Change Everything
“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” — Romans 5:5 (NKJV)
🎨 Highlight key: 🟩 = grace / apart-from-works truth · 🟨 = the precious gift · bold = key terms
🙌 In His Presence There Is an Answer for Everything
When you come into God’s presence with thirst, He fills you. When you come as a need, He fulfils the need. When we call upon Him, He answers. In His presence there is healing — that is why we gather: where two or three come together, He is in our midst. 🕊️
| Where people often go | Where the answer actually is |
|---|---|
| 🌍 Worldly people and worldly ways | ✝️ The presence of God |
| 🔍 Running after the world for every problem | 📖 The word — whoever had a need came to Jesus and it was met |
- When they were stressed, they came to His presence and were healed.
- When they were in pain or sorrow, they came to Jesus and were redeemed.
- Jesus is very close to the broken-hearted and those in need.
You are privileged: God has opened your eyes to follow the One who has the solution for every problem. 👣
🌿 Psalm 23 — Leading in Green Pastures, With You in the Valley
Psalm 23 shows how God leads: “I will lead you in green pastures… beside still waters… in paths of righteousness.” Leading means the shepherd walks in front — you follow behind, as Israel’s sheep followed their shepherd. In ordinary days, God goes ahead of you. 🐑
| Season | Where is God? |
|---|---|
| Green pastures & still waters | Leading — just in front of you |
| Valley of the shadow of death | With you — He does not leave; He stands beside you |
Worldly people often leave when trouble comes — when wealth fades or skills run out, crowds drift away. God is the opposite: when you say, “God, I have nothing — I need guidance, help, a solution,” and you come to His presence, He is closer to you than anything else. 💛
🌑 Shadow of Death — Introduction (Not the Main Message Today)
Stop on every word: valley of the shadow of death. What is a shadow? A shadow dog cannot bite you. A drawn chilli in the pot adds no flavour — it is only a shadow. For God’s children, death’s power is a shadow, not the real dog. For the world, sickness, pain, and sorrow feel very real — and when we stand among thousands who see real death, we can forget. But Scripture says: it may look like it is there, yet it cannot bite you. 🐕
💬 Tell someone next to you: “It’s just a shadow.” — for you, in Christ, it cannot affect you the way it affects the world.
That shadow teaching is an introduction. Today we go deeper — into Romans and the love of God. 📖
📖 Romans — Faith, Hope, and Love (The Greatest Is Love)
Romans is the base of the Christian life. Understand Romans and you understand your purpose and what you are becoming. Three threads run through the book:
- Faith
- Hope
- Love — and among these, love is the greatest
Most chapters reflect one of these. Love can transform your whole life — not by striving to “do something about love,” but by knowing the love of God. Grace and peace are multiplied through the knowledge of Jesus Christ. In Greek, peace (shalom) means fullness, completeness. The simplest thing you can do: sit, listen, and increase that knowledge. 🪑
📖 Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God — not hearing once, but again and again. The Israelites took forty years to reach Canaan because they did not keep hearing the word. Don’t hear once; hear again and again.
Whether you need healing, breakthrough, or direction — the key is love. Sit and know about love. That is the easiest thing in the world. Even if faith feels weak, just sit and listen. 🎧
⭐ Romans 5:5 — Core Verse for This Study
“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” — Romans 5:5 (NKJV)
The greatest thing is love — and the first time love of God appears in Romans, the Holy Spirit is mentioned too: the Spirit pours love into us. You cannot manufacture love by willpower; only the Spirit pours it. 🕊️
📚 Recap: Four Benefits of Knowing the Truth
Remember what we learnt about real truth? Knowing truth sets you free — it does not say doing something; it says knowing. Four benefits:
| # | Benefit |
|---|---|
| 1️⃣ | Exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond — more than you ask or think |
| 2️⃣ | Reigning in life — reign over sickness and problems |
| 3️⃣ | All things added |
| 4️⃣ | Greater glory |
Most teaching stops at: God will say yes, no, or wait. Scripture goes further — God gives exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond more than we ask or even think. 🚀
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…” — Ephesians 3:20 (NKJV)
| Low-level thinking | What Scripture actually says |
|---|---|
| Ask for £1000 — maybe get £500 | Even if you think £1000, He gives beyond thought |
| God answers only what you ask | He is not limited to your asking — even your thoughts trigger overflow |
| God can’t bless you more than your faith | Raise faith by hearing high-level truth again and again |
💬 Tell someone next to you: “God can’t bless you more than your faith.” — low faith caps God’s move; bring faith to the level of exceedingly abundantly.
Talk with someone for five minutes and you can often see where they will be in five years: boring talk breeds a boring future; declare “In Jesus’ name I have everything” or “By His stripes I am healed” and watch faith reshape the path ahead. Worldly people believe in words too — we have a greater promise. 🗣️
Israel faced a sea and mountains — impossible for humans. Most said Canaan was unreachable; only Joshua and Caleb had a different spirit. Are you thinking like the world, or seeing God behind the situation? God makes impossible things possible. 🏔️
“That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” — Ephesians 3:16–19 (NKJV)
How do you receive exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond? By knowing the love of Christ. Not doing — knowing. How easy is that? 💡
💬 Tell someone next to you: “Knowing the love of Christ.”
4️⃣ Benefits + 2️⃣ Questions — Road Map
Today: four benefits of knowing the love of God — plus two questions we answer at the end. Six parts total. Ready? 📋
- Hope shall not disappoint
- Exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond
- Intimacy with God
- Not being worldly
❓ Question 1 — Why Only John, “The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved”?
“Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.” — John 13:23 (NKJV)
Jesus had twelve disciples — yet only here does Scripture name one as “whom Jesus loved.” Why only John? Was it a special mission? Because he was close? Because he wanted to know Jesus more? John leaned on Jesus’ heart — heart speaks of Christ’s love toward him. We will answer fully at the end; hold that thought. 🤔
❓ Question 2 — Peter’s Love vs John’s Love
“Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples.” — Matthew 26:35 (NKJV)
Two pictures of love:
| John | Peter |
|---|---|
| Leaning on Jesus’ bosom — resting in His love | “Even if I must die, I will not deny You” — showing his love |
| Knows the heart of Jesus | Ready to prove loyalty by action |
When you know the difference between Peter’s love and John’s love, you will know the true love of Christ — and then exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond opens up. 🔑
Second part of Question 2: After the resurrection, Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love Me?” Peter answered each time, “I love You.” Why repeat? Because Peter denied three times — Jesus restores him. But go deeper: why ask at all? Peter was trusting his own love. We answer this fully at the end. 🔄
“So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” … He said to him again a second time… “Tend My sheep.” … He said to him the third time… “Feed My sheep.” … Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”” — John 21:15–17 (NKJV)
1️⃣ Hope Shall Not Disappoint
How many want hope that never disappoints? Biblical hope (elpis in Greek) is not worldly wishing — it is confident expectation of good: 100% expectation that what you hope for will come, and it will be good. 💯
💬 Tell someone next to you: “Confident expectation of good.”
Worldly hope can fail; people’s hope can fail — Bible hope does not disappoint. And you receive more than you hoped for, because the love of God has been poured into your heart by the Spirit. You cannot love others by sheer will — the Spirit must pour love. When you know the love of God, what you hope for will come: health, solutions, light, wisdom. 🌟
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” — Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)
You may have huge faith — faith to move mountains — but without hope, faith has no substance. Like expert musicians who never play: talent unused achieves nothing. Faith is the substance of what you hope for. 🎵
| Worldly hope | Biblical hope |
|---|---|
| Earn £1000 → hope for £1500 next month (what you see) | Hope for a million while trusting what you don’t see — Christ took your pain at the cross |
| See sickness → speak sickness | See sickness → say: “You took all my sickness; I have a sickness-free life” |
| Small job → small hope | Hope to employ thousands — giving hundred houses, not merely buying two |
Maybe we stay in the same situation because our hope is too small. Tell someone: have big faith, big hope — not securing one job but giving a thousand people jobs. The height of your hope and faith shows how big you think your God is. 👨👦
🏠 Father and son picture: If a father earns £1000 and the son truly knows his father’s worth, he won’t ask for a £10 toy car — he’ll expect at least what matches the father’s ability. Your dream reveals how you value your heavenly Father. He didn’t create you to live an ordinary life and die unnoticed — He wants you a testimony so neighbours say, “God is definitely with them.”
2️⃣ Exceedingly, Abundantly, Above and Beyond
When you know the love of Christ, blessing flows according to His riches and glory — not according to how small you think. (We unpacked this in the Truth recap above; the key stays the same: knowing, not striving.) 📈
3️⃣ Intimacy with God
If your friend’s father is the school principal, you gain access through friendship. How much more when the Creator of heaven and earth is your close friend — the very fact you breathe today is privilege. John leaned on Jesus’ bosom because he knew one secret: the love of Christ toward him. 💞
“Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.” — John 13:24 (NKJV)
Peter had love — but to ask Jesus a question, he lacked boldness. He told John: “You ask Him.” By knowing the love of God, you gain intimacy — you can know the heartbeat of God; people will ask you what God thinks. 🫀
| Voice | How they speak of Jesus |
|---|---|
| John — man of love | “In Him is no sin” |
| Peter — man of action | “He did no sin” |
| Paul — man of intellect | “He knew no sin” — yet He took your sin so you become righteous |
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” — John 13:34 (NKJV)
4️⃣ Not Being Worldly
Can saying “love, love, love” really turn you from the world? Or must we use fear — “God will punish you unless you behave”? Scripture points elsewhere: when the love of the Father fills you, worldliness loses its grip. 🌍
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” — 1 John 2:15 (NKJV)
“For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” — 1 John 2:16 (NKJV)
People drift toward the world because the love of the Father is not in them. Everything points back: know the love of God → hope won’t disappoint → overflow blessing → intimacy → freedom from the world. ✅
⚔️ The Plot Twist — Love of God vs Love for God
Here is where many get confused. Peter had love. John had love. But one thing was missing in the fight: distinguishing love of the Father from love for the Father. In English grammar (harder to see in Tamil), the Bible uses both — and they are not the same. 📖
| Love of God / Father | Love for God / Father |
|---|---|
| How much He loves you | How much you love Him |
| Knowing His love toward you | Trusting your love toward Him |
| Transforms life ✅ | Peter’s path — failed when tested ❌ |
- Knowing how much He loves you → hope won’t disappoint.
- Knowing how much He loves you → exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond.
- Knowing how much He loves you → intimacy.
- Knowing how much He loves you → not worldly.
Two messages compete in Christianity: “Know the love of God” (life-changing) vs “Love God with all your heart” as self-effort (Peter’s failure). Peter swore agape loyalty — then denied Jesus with cursing, three times. His own love failed. 🌬️
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” — 1 John 4:10 (NKJV)
Can a son equal a father’s love? If you claim you love God with all heart, mind, and strength by your strength, you indirectly claim equality with God. We are not saved by our love or deeds but by His. ⚖️
“As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;” — Romans 3:10 (NKJV)
“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law…” — Romans 3:20 (NKJV)
“And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment.” — Mark 12:30 (NKJV) — the top commandment under the old covenant; before the cross, the new covenant was not yet established. Questions people asked Jesus still came from the law.
“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” — Romans 5:19 (NKJV) — Adam’s disobedience brought sin, sickness, pain; Jesus’ obedience makes us righteous. Not your strength — His.
🇬🇷 Greek Love Words — John 21 Answered
English hides the dialogue. In Greek there are four loves: agape, phileo, storge, eros. Here, agape is sacrificial, divine love — the love with which Jesus died for us. Peter once claimed agape (“I will die for You”). Jesus asks: “Do you agape Me?” — the same level Peter claimed. 🔥
| Round | Jesus asks | Peter answers |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Agape Me? | Lord, You know I phileo You — friendship love, smaller |
| 2nd | Agape Me? | Again: I phileo You — I can’t die for You; I love at my level |
| 3rd | Jesus lowers: Phileo Me? | Yes — You know all things; I phileo You |
Jesus meets Peter where he honestly is: “Your small love is enough for Me to show My big love toward you.” The same Peter who denied three times stood at Pentecost — 3,000 saved through his preaching. Once he stopped trusting his own agape and received Christ’s, he stood bold. Peter means wavering wind — after he understood he could not love God the way God loves us, he became stable in proclaiming that truth. 🕊️
✅ Answers to the Two Questions
Question 1 — Why only John?
John wrote about himself: “The disciple whom Jesus loved.” No one else recorded it that way — he said it of himself. What you write about yourself in your heart matters. Practice saying: “I am the one Jesus loves.” That humility — receiving His love — is greater pride than boasting your love for Him. Most disciples were martyred; tradition holds John lived to old age — receiving His love, not performing yours, marks a different path. 💛
Question 2 — Why three times?
Three denials → three restorations. But deeper: Jesus exposed that Peter trusted his own love (agape he could not sustain). In Greek, Peter finally admits phileo only. Jesus accepts it — and pours agape from Himself onto Peter. That is the gospel fight: love of God wins over love for God as self-trust. 🏆
🎯 The Takeaway — Four Benefits Recap
- 🌟 Hope shall not disappoint — biblical elpis = confident expectation of good; faith needs hope as its substance (Hebrews 11:1).
- 📈 Exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond — according to His riches, not your ceiling (Ephesians 3:20).
- 💞 Intimacy with God — lean like John; know Christ’s love toward you (Ephesians 3:16–19; John 13:23–24).
- 🌍 Not worldly — the love of the Father drives out love of the world (1 John 2:15–16).
Know the love of God poured into your heart by the Spirit — not strive in love for God as Peter did. Write on your heart: I am the one Jesus loves. Allow Him to love you, bless you, and transform you. 🙌
🎧 Scripture-based study on Romans 5:5 and the love of God. If it strengthened you, share it with someone who needs to rest in His love today. 💛