LUTZ, FL — At the Florida Baptist State Convention meeting, Larry Mouton, pastor of No Greater Love Baptist Church in Tampa, delivered a compelling final sermon.
Mouton’s sermon intricately deconstructed John 3:16 to reveal the depth of God’s sacrificial love. He eloquently argued, “The proof of God’s sacrificial love is that God gave us Jesus the Christ. … He who knew no sin became sin for the sake of righteousness.” This act demonstrates God’s immense love, bestowed not due to merits, but purely from His grace.
He further taught that the essence of this love is in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, an act that opens the door to God’s glorious salvation for humanity.
Delving into the purpose of this divine love, Mouton stated, “The purpose of God’s sacrificial love is that anyone who believes in Him should not perish.” He emphasized that God’s love is inclusive, extending to all who believe, and it calls on believers to love others with the same intensity and selflessness.
He contrasted God’s agape love with worldly love, highlighting unique qualities of God’s love as being “unconditional, unbiased, genuine, sincere, authentic,” and residing “in the heart of the lover. … God loves us in spite of us.”
Mouton, addressing pastors directly, emphasized the enduring nature of God’s love, regardless of the challenges faced in the Christian journey. “No matter where we find ourselves on this Christian journey, whatever the juncture may be, never lose sight of this: love endures all things.”
No matter where we find ourselves on this Christian journey, whatever the juncture may be, never lose sight of this: love endures all things.
He warned, “If we don’t walk in this love, we perish,” underscoring the critical need to embody this divine love.
God’s sacrificial love expressed through Jesus also carries a promise, the gift of eternal life. In a world riddled with confusion and chaos, this promise stands as a beacon of hope and clarity.
Referencing D.L. Moody, Mouton said that man has a false idea about God: he would not believe He is a God of love. But the promise of eternal life is for all who believe. Echoing A.B. Simpson, Mouton affirmed that even the most rebellious can find reconciliation in God’s love.
Concluding his message, Mouton offered words of encouragement to Florida Baptists: “No matter where you are on this journey, it gets tough; it gets overwhelming; it gets wearisome sometimes, and the truth of the matter is if we can be transparent, it is exhausting. … But come hell or high water, little water, drip, drop, sprinkle, splash, or absolutely no water, God’s love will preserve us, sustain us.”
Photos by Michael Duncan