The UK Christmas retreat concluded on Sunday morning on 22 December 2024, delivering a message based on John 3:16-17, reminding listeners of God’s unfathomable love at the heart of the Gospel.

The message highlighted that God’s love is infinite and unchanging. It extends to everyone, regardless of background or worthiness. 1 John 4:16 declares, “God is love”, which reveals the very nature of God Himself. He is the source and origin of love. There is no bound to His love. Even though all humans sinned and fell short of the glory of God, God’s love remains steadfast.

In Matthew 22:34-40, Pharisees and teachers of the Law came to ask Jesus which Commandment is the greatest. Jesus summarized it as loving God and loving our neighbours as ourselves, which reveals the essence of the Commandments is love. “We were created to love as how we are loved by God. However, the fall of men is that we failed to do so. Pride and arrogance entered our hearts, leading us to prioritize our own desires. Love with myself as the center is not true love,” said Pastor Andrew.

He then explained true love demonstrated by Jesus who went to the cross for us, showing selfless and sacrificial love, as it says in Romans 5:8. To find true love, we need to go back to the origin and return to God. When receiving love from Him, we can love like how He loves. This love is not earned but freely given, like the unconditional love of a parent for a child.

In addition, true love is revealed through action and it compels us to act. God loves us and He acted by sending His Son into the world for us. Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection are the ultimate revelations of God’s love. Through Him, we are reconciled to God and filled with hope, regardless of our circumstances. Romans 8:32 assures us that God graciously provides all we need. His unchanging love gives us peace and security, dispelling fear and worry.

When God’s love is planted in our hearts, it has the power to transform us and make us a new creation. As recipients of this transformative love, we are called to be vessels of His love in the world, so that His love can overflow from us to many others. Listeners are inspired to have faith in God’s love, allowing His love to shape our identity, thus being fruits of love.