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Love one another… (6 points)

  • 1st – The command to LOVE… vs. 1-3
    • 1st – ABIDE… vs. 1
      • LET brotherly LOVE continue…
        • There are only TWO words in verse 1 in the GREEK – LET / LOVE…
        • LET [μένω] – is the word ABIDE – a familiar word…
        • We are told we must ABIDE in Jesus – apart from Him we can do nothing – John 15:4
        • Including LOVE – we must ABIDE in Jesus in order for us to be able to LOVE others!
        • LOVE must be the driving motive behind everything we do as believers…
        • Because no matter what we DO – if it does NOT come from LOVE – it means NOTHING!
        • I Corinthians 13:3 – “[Even if I give all I have] to feed the poor, [and] I give my body to be burned, but do not have LOVE, it profits me nothing.”
      • Why do we need to ABIDE…
        • Because we MUST let brotherly LOVE CONTINUE…
        • LET – [present imperative] – this is a CONSTANT command…
        • LOVE in NOT optional in the life of a believer – it should be what DEFINES us!
        • John 13:35 – “All will know that you are My disciples – if you have love for one another.”
        • We are not just to LOVE – when we FEEL like it – or when people DESERVE it…
        • We are COMMANDED to ALWAYS love our BROTHERS / SISTERS in Christ…
        • Because we are IDENTIFIED as children of God – through our LOVE…
        • The ONLY way we can LOVE – CONTINUALLY – is by ABIDING in Jesus!
        • I John 4:7 – “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”
    • 2nd – Love our BROTHER… vs. 1
      • There are FOUR words in GREEK that are translated as LOVE…
        • [Έρως] – sexual love – the only one of the loves never mentioned in the Bible…
        • [στοργή] – family love – the love of a sibling / parent / relative – Romans 12:10
        • [ἀγάπη] – perfect love – used over 200 times in NT…
        • [φίλος] – friendship – used 25 times in NT!
      • Brotherly LOVE [φιλαδελφία] – a compound word – LOVE [φίλος] brother [ἀδελφός]
        • We are to be FRIENDLY to our BROTHERS in Christ – by putting them FIRST!
        • Romans 12:10 – “With brotherly love [same word] and kindly affection [family love] to one another – in honor giving preference to one another.”
        • On any given Sunday – we might ask how someone is doing – but do we really care…
        • We might ask because we feel we have to – but there is no genuine LOVE!
        • People can tell if we really CARE – or are just going through the motions…
        • People will not CARE what we say – until they are sure that we CARE…
        • We tend to think the world revolves around us – it is easy to ignore the needs of others…
        • Which is why we NEED to have brotherly LOVE – and become others centered!
        • Philippians 2:4 – “Do not look out only for your own interests but take an interest in others.”
      • Perfect LOVE…
        • I Thessalonians 4:9 – “Concerning brotherly [φιλαδελφία] love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love [ἀγάπη] one another.”
        • No one needs to TEACH us how to have brotherly LOVE – we already know…
        • It is treating others the same way we want to be treated – Matthew 7:12
        • But God has TAUGHT us an even GREATER love!
        • [φίλος] LOVE means that we like our friend – which is good – but not enough…
        • Because those who do not know Jesus – will still [φίλος] those who [φίλος] them back…
        • [ἀγάπη] LOVE means we LOVE our enemies – do good those who HATE us – Luke 6:27
        • That the world NEVER would never do – and it will prove we are the children of God!
        • Luke 6:35 – “Love [ἀγάπη] your enemies… and you will be sons of the Most High.”
  • 2nd – Love STRANGERS… vs. 2
    • 1st – Do NOT forget…
      • Do not FORGET to entertain STRANGERS…
      • A SECOND way we can show LOVE – is by not forgetting STRANGERS…
      • FORGET [present / imperative] – we are COMMANDED never to FORGET strangers…
      • STRANGERS [φιλοξενία] – a compound word – LOVE [φίλος] strangers [ξένος]
      • So we are not only to LOVE our BROTHERS in Christ…
      • We are ALSO commanded to LOVE everyone else – those who are NOT in Christ!
    • 2nd – Entertaining Angels…
      • For by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels…
      • Abraham invited the three STRANGERS to have a SNACK – Genesis 18
      • His idea of giving them a SNACK – was a full blown FEAST!
      • We are not told that Abraham knew who the THREE men were – TWO angels and the Lord…
      • It is possible he knew but more likely that he was just being HOSPITABLE!
      • I Peter 4:9 – “Be hospitable [love strangers] to one another without grumbling.”
      • We must be HOSPITABLE – practically showing LOVE – even to STRANGERS…
      • Not out of OBLIGATION – no GRUMBLING [I have to do this] – but out of genuine LOVE!
      • Not that we are likely to ever entertain angels literally – but you never know!
      • When we take the time to give food the hungry and drink to the thirsty…
      • By doing so we show the LOVE of God to others – the goodness of God – John 13:35
      • Through which we now have the opportunity to tell them about Jesus – Romans 2:4
      • More than that – we when we care for strangers we are actually ministering to Jesus!
      • Matthew 25:40 – “[Jesus] will answer and say to them – Assuredly I say to you – inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren you did it to Me.”
  • 3rd – Remember PRISONERS… vs. 3
    • 1st – Remember prisoners…
      • Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated…
        • REMEMBER – [present / imperative] – we are commanded to ALWAYS remember….
        • PRISONERS – those who have been arrested – as if we were CHAINED with them!
      • A THIRD way we can show our LOVE – is towards those in PRISON…
        • This is definitely out of our COMFORT zone – people in PRISON belong in PRISON…
        • We tend to think they are PAYING the price for their CHOICES – no need to VISIT…
        • But PRISONS are some of the best MISSIONS fields…
        • No one needs to convince them they are SINNERS – they are OPEN to needing a SAVIOR!
        • My Father went into prisons for more than THIRTY years…
        • It was not a glamorous way to serve – or easy – hardened prisoners…
        • But as a result I do not think I could count the number of people he led to Jesus!
        • We are called to LOVE one another – not just when it is convenient or easy…
        • There is great joy as we get to pour the LOVE of Jesus into the lives of others!
        • Proverbs 11:25 – “Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”
    • 2nd – Body of Christ…
      • Since you yourselves are in the body also…
      • We might never pay attention to our BIG TOE till we injure it – then that is all we think of…
      • Try running with an injured foot – and we realize EVERY part is necessary!
      • We all have our place within the BODY of Christ – a purpose God has given to us…
      • Each PERSON is vital for the church – the BODY of Christ – to function properly…
      • If any part is HURTING – or MISSING – the whole BODY suffers…
      • Since we are PART of the BODY – we are called to come along side others – even in PRISON…
      • Because although we each individual – we are all belong to CHRIST!
      • I Corinthians 12:26-27 – “If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.”
  • 4th – Honor marriage… vs. 4
    • 1st – Marriage is HONORABLE…
      • Marriage is honorable among all…
        • A FOURTH way we can show LOVE is by honoring MARRIAGE!
        • HONORABLE [τίμιος] – of great value – precious – VERY important…
        • Marriage is PERFECT – God created MARRIAGE before sin entered the world – Genesis 2:18
        • A LIFELONG relationship between ONE man and ONE woman…
        • That was MEANT to be a PICTURE of the LOVE of God!
        • God calls us His CHILDREN / He also calls us His BRIDE…
        • It is through marriage we understand how much our Heavenly Father loves us!
      • The [marriage] bed undefiled…
        • God intends intimate relationships to be ONLY for marriage
        • The bed is undefiled / pure – ONLY in a lifelong relationship between a husband and wife…
        • Which means that if someone is struggling with purity – better to be MARRIED!
        • I Corinthians 7:9 – “For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.”
      • Marriage ceremony…
        • I had someone once ask – is it necessary to have a WEDDING ceremony…
        • If two people love one another – is that not enough!
        • There is NO biblical layout for HOW [tradition] a WEDDING ceremony should take place…
        • But it is VERY important to have a WEDDING – make a VOW before God and men…
        • It is what establishes a LIFELONG covenant between one man and one woman…
        • It is also required by the government – which we are to submit to – Romans 13:1 
    • 2nd – God will JUDGE…
      • Fornicators and adulterers God will judge…
        • FORNICATORS [πόρνος] – refers to ANY sexual act outside of MARRIAGE…
        • Sex immorality sells – the world / satan do their best to convince us it is normal…
        • Every time we turn on the TV / every time we pick up a magazine…
        • Everyone is doing it – just this one time – it does not hurt anyone…
        • One day we will get married – is just an excuse to live in sin!
      • ADULTERERS…
        • ADULTERERS – refers to having relationship with someone other than our SPOUSE…
        • The world / satan try to convince us the grass is GREENER on the other side!
        • There is no divorce here in the Philippines – yet so often the marriage is NOT honored…
        • I have met many couples who are MARRIED – yet have divorced each other in heart!
        • Men and women divorce – because they think it is going to make them happier…
        • More often than not because they have met someone else who makes them happy…
        • And at first it might seem like a good answer – we put our best faces on at first…
        • But over time they find they left one sinner – only to marry another sinner!
      • God will JUDGE…
        • JUDGE [future / indicative] – a reference to one day standing before the JUDGEMENT seat!
        • I Corinthians 6:9-10 – “Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators… nor adulterers… will inherit the kingdom of God.”
        • These are NOT unforgivable sins – but those who PRACTICE these things – Galatians 5:21
        • As believers – if we sin there should be remorse / confession / repentance – I John 1:9
        • If there is NO remorse – NO repentance for sin – there is GOOD reason for concern…
        • We cannot say we are saved and continue to live in a lifestyle of sin!
        • I John 3:9 – “Whoever has been born of God does not [continue to] sin…”
  • 5th – Be CONTENT… vs. 5
    • 1st – Do not COVET…
      • Let your conduct be without covetousness…
      • A FIFTH way we show our LOVE – is by being CONTENT…
      • Let our CONDUCT – 13x in NT – speaks of our CHARACTER – who we are…
      • Without COVETOUSNESS [ἀφιλάργυρος] – 2x in NT – literally to NOT love silver [money] …
      • I Timothy 6:10 – “For the love of money [same root] is a root of all kinds of evil…”
      • Loving money is not THE EVIL – but it certainly can cause all kinds of EVIL!
      • The problem is people make MONEY their god – instead of Jesus!
      • We cannot dedicate our lives to MONEY and possessions – and to the Lord!
      • Luke 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters… he will hate the one and love the other… You cannot serve God and [money]…”
    • 2nd – Be CONTENT…
      • Be content with such things as you have…
        • CONTENT – [passive] to be enough – to be satisfied…
        • We are to be CONTENT – with whatever we CURRENTLY have…
        • Because God has promised to give us EVERYTHING we NEED– Luke 12:31
      • There is a BIG difference between NEED and WANT…
        • We all have a LOT of WANTS in life – but the question is do we NEED it…
        • When we are NOT content – think we NEED more – we are essentially calling God a liar!
        • The reason people give thousands of dollars every day to the Lotto…
        • They think if I had lots of money like the rich people – then I would be CONTENT!
        • If we have food to eat / and clothing – that is enough – I Timothy 6:8
        • Because when we came into this world – we had nothing…
        • And when we leave – we are going to take absolutely nothing with us…
        • So why do we waste time trying to get things that do not last – Ecclesiastes 5:15
        • When the only thing in life that really matters – is knowing Jesus!
    • 3rd – Jesus will NEVER leave us…
      • For He Himself has said – I will never leave you nor forsake you – Joshua 1:5
        • We are ABLE to be CONTENT [passive] because of WHO is with us!
        • Often times we wonder if God can / will take care of our NEEDS…
        • God does not just want to provide for our NEEDS – He is WITH US…
        • And He desires to GIVE us – His whole KINGDOM – bless us beyond imagination!
        • Luke 12:32 – “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
      • Jesus gives us our desires…
        • As we ABIDE in Jesus – we can ask for anything we WANT and receive it – John 15:7
        • Because We are spending time with God – and therefore know what God wants…
        • Since the desire comes from God – we can be certain He will make it happen!
        • Psalm 37:4 – “Delight yourself in the LORD, He will give you the desires of your heart.”

John 13:34 – “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you!”

6th – Never FEAR… vs. 6

1st – We BOLDLY say…

We boldly say the LORD is my helper – I will NOT fear…

Psalm 118:6 – The LORD is on MY side – I am NEVER [imperfect] afraid…

The final way we can show LOVE – is by NEVER having FEAR!

If we stop to consider WHO is on our side – Jesus – who will NEVER leave us…

Then we understand we NEVER have a reason to EVER be AFRAID!

2nd – What can man do to me…

We HOLD back LOVE – out of FEAR of what someone might do to us…

If we LOVE our BROTHERS in the church – maybe they might BETRAY us…

If we LOVE strangers – they might try and HURT us…

If we LOVE our SPOUSE – what if they do not LOVE us back…

If we LOVE the Lord – what if He does not PROVIDE for our needs!

I John 4:18 – “There is no fear in love – but perfect love casts out fear.”

When we walk in LOVE – there is no room for FEAR…

Because we are NOT looking at what others will do to us…

Instead we are living for what we can do for them – show them LOVE…

The same kind of LOVE that Jesus – who is with us – commanded us to GIVE!


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