If you would open your Bibles into the book of 1 John chapter 3, and we're going to read the first three verses. And let me just point out the fact that this is going to be the first part of a two-part message, so I will not be able to finish this message until next Sunday. But let's read the first three verses. The title of the message is, The Reasons we are different. Think about that, the reasons we are different. Verse 1, What manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God? Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be. But we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. It seems as if in our day and time that no one wishes to differ from others. There is much peer pressure today, not only exerted upon children, but also exerted upon adults as well. The pressure is to conform to certain ideas, rules, ideologies, and manners of life. And this, of course, takes place not only in the workplaces, in the vocations, but yes, in churches as well, where conformity is basically demanded. And you can certainly see the conformity that was demanded during the COVID pandemic as well. And then, of course, just think about every area of life where we are being pressured to conform and look at, if you would, at public education. Instead of saying education, we should say indoctrination, because that's exactly what they're doing. really pressuring these kids to conform to a certain way of thinking. Now, let me just say that conformity is not bad as long as it is conformity to the Lord Jesus Christ and or to the Word of God. In fact, the truth of the matter is God the Father commands us to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. In Romans 8 and verse 29, the Bible says this, For whom he did foreknow, them he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. So note, if you would, we are to be conformed to the image of his Son. Now, the Greek word for conformed there is summorphos. Sum, of course, is a preposition which means with or unto, and morphos is where we get our word morph from, or morphē is another Greek word there, which means to the image or to the likeness of. So the word actually means that we are to be conformed unto Jesus Christ. fashioned unto Jesus Christ, or like Jesus Christ, or be brought into the same form. So let me give you a good illustration. Years ago, Alice, when we got real milk, Alice used to make butter. And once she got the butter, she would, of course, form it in her hand, and then she would press it into a mold, and then put it into the refrigerator. And once the butter hardened and she took it out of the mold, the butter was in the same shape of the mold. So this is exactly what God is telling us, that we are to be conformed or molded or fashioned like unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I want you to listen to this. 1 John 4 and verse 17. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. Stop and think about this, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. Would you like to be bold when you face God? Listen to what He said, "'Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world.'" In other words, we've been conformed to Him. We are living like Him. We are thinking like Him. We are acting the way He would have us to act. So the Scripture commands us then to be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ or to the Word of God. But on the other hand, The Word of God forbids us to be conformed to the world and to the wicked, all which is contrary to the Word of God. So here's a passage that everyone can quote. Romans 12, verses 1 and 2. Now listen carefully. He said, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto him, which is your reasonable service, and be not conformed to this world. But be ye transformed," how? "...by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and perfect and acceptable will of God." Now, the interesting thing is this word, conformed, in Romans 12 and verse 2, is the Greek word, suskinmadzo. And it literally means to conform. or to fashion oneself or to pattern oneself or one's mind or one's thinking. So he says we are not to be patterning ourselves or conforming ourselves or our way of thinking to the way of the world, but rather we are to be transformed. And by the way, the word transformed is the Greek word from which we get our English word metamorphosis, like a butterfly goes through changes. So actually, he tells us that we are not to be conformed to this world, but we are to be metamorphosized, that is, we are to be changed by the renewing of our minds. Now, if you would turn back just a few pages to I Peter chapter 1, I want to show you the same Greek word that you find in Romans 12 and verse 2. So look if you would beginning there in I Peter chapter 1 and verse 13. He says, Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, Not fashioning yourselves according to the former lust in your ignorance, but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all matter of conversation. Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy. Now, go back to verse 14, As obedient children. What do obedient children do? Obedient children conform themselves to Jesus Christ and to the Word of God. Obedient children do not fashion or conform themselves according to the former lust of our ignorance." So, clearly then, He is telling us once again that we are not to fashion ourselves according to the world or our fleshly lust. Now, there is a vast difference between the saved and the unsaved. And that vast difference can be explained in what you and I would call conformity, because the child of God is seeking to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. obedience to the Word of God, where the unsaved man is trying to conform to his lusts and to the world's ideology and that which the world demands. So, there's a passage in I Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 7 that asks this question. The fact is we are different. But listen to this question in I Corinthians 4 and verse 7. He said in asking this question, Well, who makes you to differ? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou boast of glory, as if thou hast not received it?" In other words, he's saying, who made us to differ? Why is it that we're not conforming ourselves to the world and ourselves to our fleshly loves? Who made us to differ? Well, the truth of the matter is, it is God in His grace and mercy. Now, I want you to look back in 1 John chapter 3, because We're only going to be covering verse 1 today, and I want you to see the impact of the very first word in the very first verse, and that word is behold. When you and I hear the word behold, we automatically stop and look around. In other words, we hear the word behold and we understand that it means stop and see, or stop and look, or pay attention, or stand in awe. In other words, there's something in front of you that you need to really perceive and grasp and understand. Now, the Greek word for behold is the word oida, which means I know, which is closely connected to the word eido or eido, which means I see. So actually, when you look at this word behold, It means that you are to perceive something, you're to see something, you're to grasp something, you're to understand something. Now, it means that you are to discern by fastening your eyes upon whatever you are beholding. So let me give you an illustration. Hold 1 John 3, but look back in your Bibles to the book of John, the Gospel of John, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And look in John chapter 20. Now, you know the story of how Thomas has denied, or not really denied our Lord, but what he did say was this, "'Except I see the prints of the nails in his hand, and thrust my hand in the spear wound in the side, I will not believe.'" So therefore he's called Doubting Thomas. Well, in John chapter 20, our Lord appears to the disciples, and Thomas happens to be there. So look, if you would, in verse 26, And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Now the first time he appeared, Thomas was not with them. Watch, And then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then said he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, look at this now, and behold my hands. And reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing. Now the word behold is exactly the same word that is used in 1 John 3 and verse 1. So when he says to Thomas, behold my hands, He is inviting Thomas to see and to know. He's inviting Thomas to perceive and to discern and to understand that he is in reality the crucified, resurrected Son of God. So, the word behold means, yes, you see, you hear, you pay attention, you learn, and you grasp. Now, if you'll go back to I John chapter 3 and verse 1, He begins once again by saying, Behold. So what is it that we're to behold in our text? Well, I'm going to give you three points today. The first thing that we're to behold is the manner. That is the manner of love. Look what he says. what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us." Now, I want you to note that when he says, behold, here, stop, discern, look, see, lay hold of this, he is talking now about the quality God's love, not the quantity. So this is, when He says, Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, it is what you and I would call a qualitative interrogatory. He is asking us a question to discern the quality of God's love. Now, He is not asking us at this point to discern the quantity of God's love. There's a difference between quantity and quality. You know that when you buy stuff and especially when you pay a cheaper price and you get more of whatever you want, and then you find out it's vastly inferior and you buy quality and you pay more, but you have less because it costs more to produce quality. So I want to show you the difference between the quantity and the quality of God's love. And the truth of the matter is we cannot really conceive either one in their fullness. So if you will turn back in your Bibles holding I John to the book of Ephesians, Galatians, Ephesians, and look if you would in Ephesians chapter 3 beginning there with verse 16. In this passage the Apostle Paul is praying for these Ephesian Christians. Look what he prays, that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that you being rooted and grounded in love, look now, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God. So have you ever contemplated the breadth, the length, the depth, and the height of the love of God? Have you ever understood that the love of God surpasses all knowledge? So, if you and I cannot really and truly discern the quantity of God's love, how do we expect to comprehend, even to a little bit, the quality of God's love? Well, thankfully, He reveals to us an illustration in which we can perceive that. So, if you look back in your Bibles to I John chapter three, I look at verse 1 again. He says, Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. Now, the word manner is very important. It is the Greek word patamos. And it refers to quality or what manner or what kind or what quality the Father has showed, has stowed upon us or bestowed upon us. Now, behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us. So I want to give you three verses in the New Testament where we have the same exact Greek word. And I want you to see how the word behold is used, because it is used the same way in this passage as well. So I want you to look, hold I John, first of all, to the book of Luke chapter one, Luke chapter one. And this is where the angel Gabriel comes to Mary. So in Luke chapter one, I want to begin reading there, let's see, with verse, oh, let me go back a page. Let's begin reading with verse, hmm, yes, verse 26. And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin, a spouse to a man whose name was Joseph, the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou art highly favored, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women. Now look at this next verse. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God. And he goes on. But now notice, if you would, the Bible said, She was troubled at this saying, and cast in her mind. Who is this? Why is he saying this? Is this supposed to be a blessing? What is happening? So, I suppose that we would be questioning something as well if an angel just happened to appear to us and spoke to us in an unusual frame like Gabriel did unto Mary. But what manner of salutation is this? What does this mean? What is the quality of this? What is the kind of this? Now, if you look in your Bibles, and just go ahead and flip back, if you would, to the book of Matthew, we're not going to look there right now, but if you'll go back to II Peter chapter 3, which is just a few pages beyond where we, back from where we were, II Peter chapter 3, and look, if you would, please, beginning there. Oh, let's begin reading there with verse, oh, 10. He says, But the day of the LORD will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heaven shall pass away with great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth also and the works therein shall be burned up. We're talking about the end of the world. Look at verse 11, Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, Here's the question, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation in godliness? What kind, what quality of person should you be? The end of the world is near, the end of the world is coming is what he's saying. What kind of quality of person should you be? Wow. Well, that's the manner. Now, one more, if you'll go back to Matthew 8, Matthew 8, this is where our Lord has healed, not healed, well he did heal, but he calmed the storm, he calmed the sea, he calmed the winds. So notice in Matthew chapter eight, and verse 26, he's speaking to his disciples, and he said unto them, why are ye fearful, O you of little faith? Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. But the men marveled, saying, what manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him? What manner of man is this? What kind is he? I mean, obviously, he's more than a man. He is the God man. He is God incarnate. He is God in the flesh. And that's what they're asking. A normal, ordinary man could not calm the wind nor calm the sea. So what manner of man? So this is exactly what John is asking in first John three in verse one. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. Now, I said the only way that we can understand the quality of God's love is by an illustration. Well, what is the illustration? Well, here it is in verse 16, 1 John 3, verse 16. Now look at the words, hereby, Perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. Now, hereby perceive we. Now the word perceive is the Greek word ginosko, which means I know. So the word ginosko means literally to know, to perceive, to understand, to learn, to get a knowledge of, or to get a grasp of, or what you and I would say, get a handle to it. In other words, it's something that we can pick up. It's something that we can see and something that we can understand. So he says, hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us. Which, by the way, when you stop and think about this, it is the Lord Jesus Christ who was our sacrifice. who gave himself on our behalf. And the Bible says, hereby we perceive the love of God because he laid down his life for us, which means then that Jesus Christ is God. He's God in the flesh. That's what 1 Timothy 3 and verse 16 tells us. And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, seen of angels, preached on the world, believed on by the Gentiles, received up in glory. Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. So, he's now giving us an illustration as to how we can grasp the quality of His love. He laid down His life for us. But there's even more. So go back to verse 1 of I John chapter 3. He says, Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. So now you have the measure. what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." So here the Bible is telling us that He loved us with the quality of the love of a father in that He made us His children. Now, first of all, the word bestowed, it is the Greek word didomi, which means it is a gift. It is something that is given. We did not earn it. We did not marry it. He simply bestowed it. He gave it to us. Moreover, It's not only a gift, but in the Greek, this is known as a perfect active indicative. A perfect active indicative means this, that it's something that had happened at one time, but it always continues. So when God then bestowed His love upon us, and made us His children. It happened at one time, but it always constantly and continually continues. It never, ever stops." Now, so when He says in verse 1, Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God, The word sons is the word techno, which means the children of God, which would include sons and daughters. This word techno is a word that is used to express the bonds of love, trust, and friendship between parents and children. So the scripture is telling us that we're not just the friends of God or the friends of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are the children of God and the children of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, let me show you, still we're talking about the quality of His love. I want you to hold, I John, but I want you to turn back in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Ephesians, chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2. So as you're turning to Ephesians chapter 2, I'm going to give you an illustration that you can probably identify with very quickly. Let's suppose that Alice and I are out and about, so to speak, and I happen to look up and I see a man with a pistol pointed at Alice. And I see it just as he presses a trigger. So what do I do? I jump in front of her and I take the bullet for her. And that's what I should do because I'm to love her and protect her and give my life for her. You say, well, that would make you a hero. No, it would not make me a hero. That's just simply doing what I'm supposed to do. And you'd say, well, I understand that. You've been married for 62 years. I mean, yeah, I understand that. Well, let me change it just a little bit. Let's suppose that Alice is not my wife. Let's suppose that she is a woman that absolutely hates me, despises me. She lies about me. She slanders me. She does everything she can to take my life. She does everything she can to destroy me. And I'm on the street and I see a man aiming a pistol at her. And just as he presses the trigger, I jump in front of her and take the bullet for this woman who hates my guts. That's a little different picture, isn't it? Well, wait a minute. See, it's one thing for me to love my wife. It's another thing for me to love someone who hates me and despises me. So if you look in Ephesians 2 and verse 1, And you had the quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. Now look at this. Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world. who are worldly, according to the prince of the power of the air, ha, you are disobedient, a child of Satan, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, watch this, among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." Here's the fact now, When God loved us, we were unlovely. When God loved us, we were full of sin and wickedness and rebellion. We hated Him. We despised Him. You remember that passage in Romans 5 and verse 8, but God commended His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He did not die for us when we were holy and righteous and pure. He died for us while we were sinners. You're talking about the quality of God's love. Wow. He loved us when we were unlovely. He chose us when we were unlovely. He adopted us, gave us to Christ when we were unlovely. Now, let me show you something else. We're still talking about the quality of His love. If you would turn right over to the book of Colossians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and look in Colossians chapter one at verses 12 and 13. Colossians 1 verse 12, giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." So the Bible tells us that we are to give thanks unto the Lord because He has translated us out of the kingdom of darkness and put us into the kingdom of His own dear Son. You remember in the Old Testament, David was asked to be the king's son-in-law. And of course, the reason he was asked to be the king's son-in-law was because Saul wanted him dead. And he promised to give him one of his two daughters, Merib or Michael. And of course, when it came time for Merib to be given to him, she was given to somebody else. And Saul said, well, I'll tell you what, Don't let my hand be upon him, let the hand of the Philistines." And he had the men come to David and say, the king delights in you, and he wants you to be his son-in-law. And David said, do you think it a light manner to be the king's son-in-law? Why? He said, I'm the least in my family, and my family is least in our tribe. Why? Who would expect me to be the king's son-in-law? Now, if David thought it something to be the son-in-law of a king, what about being the son and daughter of the King of kings, and Lord of lords, and God of gods? Now, I want you to stop and think about this. Have you ever meditated upon the fact that you are, by the grace and mercy of God, a child of God, you are His son, or you are His daughter. Have you ever thought about the quality, not just the quantity, but the quality of His love in the fact that He regenerated you, He converted you, He drew you to Himself. He gave you repentance. He gave you faith. He brought you into His family. He worked in you that which would make you suitable to be a child of God. Now let me show you. Since we're in the book of Colossians, go back, if you would, to verse 12 of chapter one. He says, giving thanks unto the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." Wow. The word meet is from the Greek word hikonauo, and it literally means to make sufficient, to render fit, and to equip one with that which is necessary. Now, wait a minute. He made us meet. He equipped us He gave us what was necessary to make us a child of God. Now, I want you to turn right back to the book of Ephesians and look in chapter one at verse six. Let me show you what it means to make someone meet, to make someone suitable, to make someone fit, to make someone with everything necessary to be the son of God. In Ephesians 1 and verse 6, the Bible says this. Let's read verse 5, "...having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace," now look at this, "...wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved." So the Bible says that God has made us accepted in the Beloved. Now, the word accepted in Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 6 is karitao in the Greek. The noun karis means grace. So karitao here actually is a word that means to make us gracious. to make us acceptable, to make us lovely, to make us charming, to make us agreeable, to make us highly favored. So what did God do in making us meet to be partakers with the inheritance of the saints and the like? He made us gracious, and kind, and loving, and charming, and agreeable, when in reality all we were were wicked, rotten, hellish sinners. By the way, this is why I never ask sinners to accept Jesus Christ. Now don't look at me like I'm stupid, but think about this. Jesus Christ does not have to be made gracious, loving, kind, and wonderful. He already is that. What we have to do is receive Him as He is fully and freely offered in the gospel. He has to make us acceptable. He already is acceptable with God. That's why God raised Him from the dead and seated Him in His own right hand. We must receive him as he's fully and freely offered us in the gospel. He's made us acceptable because he's washed us in his own blood. Now, here's the interesting thing. The Bible tells us he's made us acceptable in Jesus Christ. He's made us meet to be partakers with the inheritance of the saints and light. He's made us his children. I would challenge you to do this. I would challenge you, especially to read through the New Testament and to discover and underline how many times that we are called the sons of God. Just, if you'll hold, I John, but go back in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 8, Romans chapter 8. Let me just show you a couple of passages right quickly to get you started on this. Look in Romans chapter 8. And let's begin reading there with verse 14, Romans 8, verse 14. He says, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Now, let me just stop right there. Well, I'll come back. The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joiners with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, we may also be glorified together. Now, go back if you would. The Bible says that we're the sons of God in verse 14. In verse 15, he says, but you've received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Do you remember what the word Abba means? Papa, it means Papa, which is a term of endearment to every grandfather. And I thought about this this morning, when my oldest grandson, when he was four or five years old, he would call me on the phone and he would say, Papa, I need. And then he'd tell me whatever he wanted. But he never said I wanted, he'd say I need. And I said, well, okay. I said, son, let me ask you, have you talked to your mother and father about this? Yes, sir. I said, well, what did they say? They said to call Papa. So translated, that means mom and daddy not gonna buy it, but Papa will. But, I mean, the truth is, I mean, you know, I love to hear them say, Papa, you know. Well, this is what God is saying. This is a term of endearment. This is a term of intimacy where you can just call the sovereign God of heaven and earth your Papa, your Father. So He tells us that we're the sons of God. Skip down to verse 19. He says this, "...for the earnest expectation of the creature of the creation waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." So the whole world has been placed under curse, and when we are set at full liberty in Jesus Christ, so will the world. But notice He again calls us the sons of God. If you would turn right over to II Corinthians chapter 6, II Corinthians chapter 6, and look at verses 17 and 18. II Corinthians 6, verses 17 and 18. He says, wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you. Look at this, and will be a father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. God said, I'm willing to be your father. You'll be my son, you'll be my daughter. Now, as you turn back to I John, I want you to stop at the book of Galatians chapter four, Galatians chapter four, and I want you to look at verses four through six. because you see this blessed truth again. Galatians 4, verses 4 through 6. The Bible says, But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Note if you would, and because you are sons. So if you look back now to verse John 3 and verse 1, he says, what manner, what quality of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. And when you stop and think about the quality of God's love, He loved us when we were wicked, when we were vile, when we were ungodly. He delivered us from the power of darkness. He delivered us out of the kingdom of the enemy and took us into the kingdom of His own dear Son. He adopted us. He made us His children. and He allows us to call Him Papa. So you have the manner, you have the measure. Here's the last point today. Here's the misapprehension. Look at verse 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Now, we are all fallen but safe sinners. And we should really know something about misunderstanding and about misapprehension as well. I've heard husbands say, my wife doesn't understand me. I've heard wives say, my husband doesn't understand me. I've heard complaints between Christians, between family members. Nobody ever seems to understand anybody. Now, you may find misunderstanding very easily. Oftentimes, though, you will also find misapprehension. You will find it not only in your family, in your friends, you'll find it in the church as well. We understand the word misunderstand. Because I could say something to Steve, and I would think I'd be speaking plainly and making everything exceedingly clear, and he would not understand what I said. So he misunderstood. In other words, it was not clear in his mind or I did not make it clear enough for him. But when you get to the word misapprehend, it simply means to get the wrong idea about something or to get the wrong impression about something. It's not that you do not understand what was said. You understood it, but you just got the wrong idea and the wrong impression concerning it. So let me give you a good illustration because And I know every one of you have heard me say this before, because when I have a class, and especially if there's a lot of young girls there, young women, I usually say at the beginning of the class, now if I called you honey, sugar, or sweetheart, Please understand, I am not flirting with you. And I'm not, because I've called my wife that for almost 62 years. I call my four daughters that all of their entire lives. And I say that all the time. I've caught myself even saying that to married women. I have to correct myself immediately when I catch that. In fact, Alice can testify, because I was talking to my father one day, and I called him sweetheart, and boy, did he ever balk at that one. And I had to say, no, dad, no, I don't mean you're my sweetheart, you know. But it's just a habit. And so I tell people, you know, at my age, sometimes it's easier to refer to a young woman as sweetheart as it is to try to remember her name. Kind of like the old man, he and his wife, invited another elderly couple to their house for dinner. And after dinner, the ladies got up and went to the kitchen to take care of the dishes. And the man said to his friend, you know, he said, my wife and I ate at a wonderful restaurant last week. He said the food was really delicious. The man said, well, what restaurant was that? He said, oh, I can't think of that. What's the name of that flower that's got thorns? The man said, rose. He said, that's right. Rose, rose, honey, what was the name of that restaurant? So you're beginning to identify with that, Steve. Well, you know, this is what I'm talking about misapprehensions. I mean, you know, one would think, just stop and think about all the misapprehensions. One would think that the world would really appreciate someone who was honest, someone who was hardworking. You would think the world would appreciate truthfulness and faithfulness. You would think the world would appreciate someone trying to live right and do what is right and what is pleasing and acceptable unto God. but that's not true! The world does not appreciate that, and if you don't believe that, just become a whistleblower on the federal government or the state government, or become a whistleblower on the corruption of a business or an organization. You know why? The world misapprehends and misunderstands us. Here is why. Because it cannot and does not and will not recognize the Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore it will not recognize that we differ from the world. And they do not like that difference. The world does not understand our principles. It does not understand our conduct, our suffering. It does not understand our source of joy, our comfort. In fact, They think that we are strange. I'll show you. Look in your Bibles if you would turn back just a few pages to I Peter chapter four. I Peter chapter four. And look if you would please at verse four. In fact, let's read verse three. Because verse three tells us what we used to be like before God saved us. I Peter four and verse three. He says, For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, or the unsaved, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries. That's what we used to do. Now look, look at this, where they think it's strange, that you run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you." In other words, you don't act like they act. You don't do what they do. And now they think you are strange. And by the way, the word strange is xenadzo in the Greek, and it literally means shocked, surprised, astonished. They're shocked. They're astonished. that you're different, that you don't like to get drunk, that you don't like to whore around, that you don't like to defraud and deceive and be deceitful. They think it's strange, and therefore they speak evil of you because you are not like them, you are different. So look in verse 12. Again, our Lord says this, and it's the same Greek word, beloved, think it not strange or don't be surprised or shocked or astonished. He says, beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you. In other words, you have to understand if they persecuted Jesus Christ, they're going to persecute you. Don't think that strange whatsoever. Now, I want you to follow me. I'm going to show you why. They do not, the world does not like the fact that we're different. If you will turn back in your Bibles to the book of John, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and let's begin reading there with verse 18 of chapter 15. So we'll go to John chapter 15. And let's begin reading there with verse 18. Look at this. Look at what our Lord says, John 15 and verse 18. Our Lord says, if the world hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. It hated him first. If you were of the world, the world would love his own. That's why they think we're strange, because we're not of the world. But because you're not of the world, but I've chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. And if they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. So our Lord said, if they hated me, they're going to hate you. If they despise me, they're going to despise you. Now look in chapter 16, if you would, beginning there with verse one. These things have I spoken unto you that you should not be offended. Words don't, don't get, don't get in a knot over this. They, they, That would be the world and the ungodly and the religious leaders. They will put you out of the synagogues. Yea, the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God's service. And these things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me. They don't like it because we're different. And the reason we're different is because of the grace and mercy of God. Now, if you look in Matthew 10, very quickly, Matthew 10, and begin reading there with verse 24, Matthew 10, verse 24 and 25, our Lord said it like this. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, that is the devil, how much more shall they call them of his household? In other words, if they curse Christ, they're going to curse us. If they said Christ is of the devil, they'll say we're the devil. them not therefore, for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, and hid that shall not be known." So he said, look, the disciple is going to be as his master. The servant is going to be as his Lord. It's just that simple. Now here's a good quote from John Calvin. Listen to what he said, talking about the world. It is a trial that grievously assaults our faith, that we are not so much regarded as God's children, or that no mark of so great an excellency appears in us, but that, on the contrary, almost the whole world treats us with ridicule and contempt. Hence it can hardly be inferred from our present state that God is a father to us, for the devil so contrives all things to obscure this benefit. He obviates the offense by saying that we are not as yet acknowledged to be such as we are, because the world knows not God. Now listen, a remarkable example of this very thing is found in Isaac and Jacob. For though both were chosen by God, yet Ishmael persecuted the former, that is Isaac, with laughter and taunts, and Esau persecuted Jacob with threats and with the sword. However, then we may be oppressed by the world still our salvation remains safe and Secure and that is true That is true. Now. Let me make a couple of applications. The first one is this It should be no surprise to us that the world does not love us it should be no surprise to us that the world is not a going to rush to praise us or to recognize us or bestow admiration upon us. They did not look upon Jesus Christ with admiration. They did not recognize Him as the Messiah, as the Son of God, and certainly they're not going to look upon us as anything other than strange and that they're astonished that we don't do what they do. We should expect to be lied about. We should expect to be slandered. We should expect that the world will misunderstand and will misapprehend. You know. I have had. Over the years of preaching 60 years, I've had people to lie about me, slander me. And the crazy thing is. I don't even know them. I've never met some of them. I've never even talked to them. And yet some of them are going around telling people what I believe, and I've never spoken to them in my entire life. And you would think if somebody is going to say something about you, at least they would have the courtesy enough and the character enough to call you and ask, well, do you believe this? Or do you say this? But no, that doesn't matter. You know, that doesn't matter at all. They're just going to say, in other words, you need to expect to be lied about. You need to expect to be misunderstood. You need to expect to be misapprehended. They're going to put a, wrong impression upon it, take everything the wrong way, it doesn't matter what you say, and our Lord is telling us this. Now, in light of this truth, that brings me to the second application. We should be wary whenever the world does begin to recognize us and admire us and praise us. Why should I say wary? Well, I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Matthew chapter five at what our Lord said in verses 11 and 12. Matthew five, verses 11 and 12. Our Lord says, blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Now look what he said. He said, Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you. Notice this next word, falsely. Don't let it be true. It's gotta be false if you're gonna be blessed. So he says, you can expect to be lied about. If the world is praising you and recognizing you and admiring you, something is wrong somewhere. So we have to be wary about this. Now, I want you to think about this this week. Lord willing, I'm going to finish this message next week. But listen to this. Behold, Stop, think, look, pay attention, know, discern what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. So you think about this week of the quality of God's love and not just the quantity of it. Think about God as your Father who loved you and gave himself for you. Hereby perceive we the love of God. This is how we lay a handle on it because he laid down his life for us. We understand to some degree the quality of God's love. Behold, think about it. What manner of love it is. a gracious, merciful, and eternal love. Well, let's pray. Father, thank you again today for the Lord Jesus Christ, for his grace and mercy to us. And Father, we love thee today. We thank you for your great love. May, Father, we think about the quality of that love and not just the quantity. Yes, we need to know the height and the breadth and the depth and the length, but Lord, we need to know the quality as well. So give us some apprehension, give us some understanding, not a bad apprehension, but may we apprehend, may we understand to some degree the quality of your love as well as the quantity of it. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray, amen.