Behold the Lavish Love
Romans 8:15-18 | 1 John 3:1 | Deuteronomy 6:4-5
I’ve become a pretty decent note taker when it comes to Pastor Jay’s sermons. I can usually follow the outline, catch his key points quickly, and scribble shorthand when necessary. But last Sunday? There were a few minutes there that I could not keep up. I had to put my pen down and just listen.
You might’ve had the same experience. He quoted 1 John 3:1 —“Behold, what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!”—and from there, he was off. Words flying, metaphors tumbling, trying to help us feel how deep and overwhelming God’s love really is.
He called it lavish - like “a keg of Doctor Pepper filling your Big Gulp and overflowing on the pavement” kind of lavish love of God.
The Apostle John was doing the same thing in his letter. He doesn’t just say, “Hey, God loves us.” He says, “Behold!” Stop everything. Look. Be amazed!
“… called children of God"? This is HUGE!
An extravagant love that connects us to Father God!
A love not to just feel warm and cozy, but a love that is about identity. Belonging. Adoption.
Paul also wrote about being God’s children. He told the Romans they were “adopted as heirs.” Adoption is powerful. It means you were chosen. On purpose. It means someone looked at you and said, “I want you in my family.” Not because they had to, but because they wanted to.
Paul says we’re adopted as “sons”, which sounds very exclusive, but in ancient Rome, only sons could inherit. Only sons could carry on a family’s wealth, honor, and name. Adoption wasn’t about rescuing babies; it was about securing a legacy. Families adopted only the kind of person who could carry on their status. No women, slaves, poor, or anyone of low respect.
So when Paul says that all are adopted just like “sons,” he’s doing something radical. He’s taking the Roman system and flipping it upside down. He’s saying that everyone in Christ gets the full inheritance. No one is second-tier.
And John says we aren’t just barely accepted. We aren’t that kid that got chosen last for the kickball team. We’re lavishly loved. God pours out His love in a way that’s meant to leave us speechless, and maybe a little sticky, with joy.
God loves all of us the same way. God sees each one of us - female or male, poor or rich, good reputation or bad, fearful or faithful, traumatized or resilient, and adopts us without reservation.
God’s lavish love is the most life-changing force in the universe and it distinguishes us from the world.
This love, this identity as God’s child, should shape everything. It should grow in us, comfort us in trials, motivate us to live differently, love boldly, serve generously.
The world is desperate for this kind of love, so as we embrace our identity as God’s beloved children we can love others like we’ve been loved - lavishly, graciously, without reservation. In a world that’s suspicious, scared, and scarred, a life soaked in the love of the Father can change the frequency, even if it gets a little messy.
So today, pause and behold. Let yourself be overwhelmed by the love that chose you, adopted you, and called you God’s child.
And then, go spill that love all over the place.
Tuning In
• Where in your life do you struggle to believe that God’s love for you is truly lavish?
• How does understanding your identity as God’s adopted child change the way you see yourself—and others?
• In what practical ways can you "spill that love" this week in your home, workplace, or community?