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February 16, 2020 6:47 pm
Of course Bridget on the living God bless you which of which one we talked about the love of God for his people. And then last week we talked about love for him.
Our we on how we are called to not only be loved by God, but to love God a man and they don't want to talk about love for others, love for our neighbor love for the stranger and have a good understanding of it.
I believe that it's God's will that this church fulfills the great commission of the last day you believe that for this town. The town of King Triad area to declare the gospel of Christ with power and not be ashamed of it but declarant with power because it's the gospel. Everybody say gospel that is the power of God unto salvation. A man we want to do everything we can to preach and teach up your gospel. Here, and rightly divide the word of truth.
A man and to preach the word to be instant in season, out of season reproved rebuke and exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine is that we want to do and I pray today that you receive the word of the Lord.
John 13 go with me if you would John 13 to look at verse 34 the Lord is like a couple of things on my heart that I feel are necessary to give to you today. I know that sometimes when we read God's word.
It comes alive doesn't. That's because it is a living document. It's the word of God living in that it has the power to change the lives of people and also has the power to reveal sin and righteousness and has the power to reveal a wayward soul has the power like a hammer to beat things out of you, so to speak, so I want you to receive it today. John 13 verse 34 Jesus said these words a new commandment I give to you that you love one another. Now Jesus is getting ready to go to the cross and he's getting his disciples prepared for his exit course he would die take upon himself the sins of his people, and then he would resurrect in 40 days after his resurrection he ascends to heaven but during the time leading up to his crucifixion. He prepares his disciples and he says a new commandment to love one another, just as I have loved you, you also love everybody shall love agape, self-sacrificing, making a choice to love one another. By this, all people say people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. Now, many people quote verse 34 out of context. They do it all the time as a new command I give you that you love one another as I have loved you, and we think that means to love the world to love the sinner like he loves us, but know he's talking to his disciples and he says I'm commanding you, that you love one another and by this shall all people the world know that you are my disciples. Now let me ask you something. How in the world can we show the love of God. If we cannot get along with one another and that's what he was saying. In fact there's many here today would go home during the weekend, talk negatively about church members and leadership in front of people who are lost and Jesus is saying I command you love one another get along with one another and by that will all people know that you are my disciples, I had a privilege when I was in law enforcement. Gang task force unit that we would observe the local gangs and in one of the hardest things to do in law enforcement is to defeat organized crime because gangs are loyal to one another. In fact that's what attracts people to gangs is the loyalty and the love and I think about the church. If were going to attract the world were going to have to love one another and get along with each other. No schisms among the backbiting, no gossiping, not taking offense easily, and when you do take offense. Make it right with the person because when we love one another that's in the power of God operates in our mix-and-match from the world will be attracted to us. Are you hearing what I'm saying is what Jesus was referring to here Jesus ascended to Calvary. During his absence. They were to be governed by the commandment of love.
This commandment was not new and point of time because the 10 Commandments taught love to God and to one's neighbor. But this commandment was new in other ways it was new, because now Jesus would send the Holy Spirit to put the love of God in our hearts. You can't love God without him first. Loving you write first John 419 we love him because he first loved us.
We love him because he changed our heart and remove the heart of stone and gave us a heart of flesh so that we can have reverence in all agape self-sacrificing love toward God and, in turn, Jesus is now you can love your neighbor on this. It was new and that it was superior to the old.
The old said love your neighbor, but the new said love your enemies. Jesus said in Luke 628 bless those who curse you, pray for those who despitefully use you, pray for those who hate you. Now that's a powerful way to put it.
Jesus said not only love your neighbor but love your enemy the one who does offend you the one who talks badly about you love them and pray for them.
Those who despitefully use you powerful word from Jesus. It has been well said that the laws love to others is now explained with new clarity enforced by new motives obligation illustrated by a new example Jesus gave us the example didn't we know that he loves us.
John 316 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. We see Jeremiah 31 verse three God says I have loved you with an ever lasting love verse John 14 here is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and gave his son to be the propitiation for our sins.
God loves you so much that he was willing to become like you and if the habitual sin by never committing an act of sin and that he went to the cross.
A perfect man, he now empowers you and I be righteous and in turn, love him, he believes a man hallelujah what is done with the badge of Christian discipleship is not a cross worn around the neck cross worn on the lapel or any type of symbol. The true mark of a Christian is love for his fellow Christian, not necessarily the world love for his fellow Christian and when you have love for one another. The Holy Spirit is going to put the love of God with it. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
First, critics 361 know you know that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost. There, he's referring to the body of Christ, not our physical body. The body of Christ we are indwelt by the Spirit of God who puts the love of God in our hearts in which we can express to others. The world is not attracted by your programs. The world is not attracted when you pack them on the back and say your sins okay. Come join us. The world is attractive by a church that loves one another. This requires divine power. This power is only given to those indwelt by the Spirit Galatians 514. Turn with me verse of Scripture here. Galatians 5 verse 14. The apostle Paul. Very powerful, puts the law of Christ into motion. Galatians 514 for all everybody say all for all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
When we believers lose the motivation of love, we become critical of others and give them that we stop looking for good in them and see only their faults now. We should never overlook sin. However, our motive in love should be to restore someone back communion with the father. Do you realize that you and I have been given a ministry of reconciliation. We have been given a ministry to bring people to Jesus and in turn bring people back to Jesus a man that is our ministry governed by the love of God. Look at chapter 6 of Galatians in verse one brothers. If any man be taken in a fault overtaken in a fault, restore such a one with the spirit of meekness, lest you be tempted verse two says bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill what that it the law of Christ. Once the law of Christ. Love your neighbor as yourself to bear one another's burdens a man, if somebody within this body is hurting. We are hurting we should feel the pain.
We should feel the burden to pray and if you don't feel that burden I encourage you repent today, come back to your first love and make it right with one another because that is the burden of the Holy Spirit what is the law of Christ.
One love one another as yourself. Matthew 22 turn their love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22 verse 35 Jesus is encountered by some Pharisees, some lawyers subscribes who want to get him caught up in a pickle. They want him to misspeak. They want him to go off the deep end doctrinally and listen to what they say and one of them. Verse 35 Matthew 22, and one of them, which was a lawyer that's described Pharisees. Someone who knew the Old Testament law asked him a question, tempting him saying master which is the great commandment in the law. Jesus said to him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all my soul, with all my mind, this is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love my neighbor as myself on these two commandments_verse 40 on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. In essence, Jesus was like if you want to fulfill the laws of the Old Testament. Here's how you do it.
Love God with all your heart, that's the First Amendment, and in turn love your neighbor as yourself. The Pharisees who had classified over 600 walls often try to distinguish the more important from the less important. So one of them. Here we have an expert in religious law asked Jesus to identify the most important law and he quoted Deuteronomy 6 verse five love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul and strength, and he said by fulfilling these two commands a person keeps all the others.
They summarize the 10 Commandments in the Old Testament moral laws. Jesus said that if we truly love God and our neighbor, we will naturally keep his commandments. That's why he says if you love me you will keep my commandments because it's natural to do that.
Does that mean you'll never make a mistake, absolutely not.
You will when you do you repent is admit someone will hurt me eventually.
Absolutely you will get offended you will get your feelings are but at that moment, you need to be quick to repent. Jesus said that if we truly love God and our neighbor, we will naturally keep the commandments. I let that this is looking at God's law positively rather than worrying about all we should not do. We should concentrate on all we can do to show our love for God and for others.
Romans 13 verse eight. Listen to this, O no one anything except to love him powerful of the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. I love that the commandments you shall not commit adultery shall not murder, you shall not steal. You shall not covet any of the commandment are summed up in this work, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Verse 10 of Romans 13 says love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Pastor cannot discipline myself to do this. Absolutely not. You cannot. You cannot make a decision and discipline yourself to do this. That's called worldly deal see love and worldly guilty love is futile without the love of the Holy Spirit in your life and in your heart without the love of the Holy Spirit being your motive to do ministry your motive to bring somebody into the kingdom of God. It's empty and it's void.
Love never seeks to harm another. Rather, it actively seeks the welfare and honor of all. Therefore, the man who acts in love is really fulfilling the requirements of the second table of the law, he realized when you take the commitment to an commandments and split them up Moses at two tables if you love God with all your heart, to fulfill half of the commandments. If you love your neighbor as yourself.
You feel the other half to realize that you fulfill the law of God by loving him with all your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself. Listen to the golden rule. Your first grade teacher can come up with. Jesus said in Matthew seven in verse 12, so whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them for this is the law and the prophets.
This is called love in action a man every time I have a burden and I come to the hospital not play with you, doing that to earn a paycheck. I'm doing that because my heart bleeds for you with the love of God.
Every time Ron and Irvin could put together a box to hand out to the community that's love in action every time Stephen bring the right minister to someone who's in addiction that's love in action loving action loving out loud, Jackie and Randy every time you take a child that's love in action doing at others as you would want them to do unto you because there may be a time in your life you're going to need the help and love of God by the Church of Jesus Christ. But sometimes we confuse love with enablement sometimes tough love is the best way to go, whom the Lord loves he chases and sometimes a rebuke is what is necessary. Sometimes it is and sometimes I need to be rebuked. Sometimes you need to be corrected right and we must be a people who can accept and receive critique because everybody in here can improve somewhere in your life if you ever get to the place that you feel like you don't have to. You don't need to the Bible since pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. You are susceptible to entertain with me. Everybody shalt love out loud.
Luke chapter 10 I will read a parable to you from Jesus familiar, but I would often times we misunderstand meeting, Luke chapter 10 verse 2510 verse 25. Listen, and behold, a certain lawyer. This is the same lawyer for Matthew 22 lives just giving his account of certain lawyer stood up verse 25. LinkedIn attempted him saying master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life. He said to him what is written in the law how Rita style. How do you hermeneutical interpret this passage, 20 saying how do you interpret the Scriptures listen to what he said. He gave them a good answer and answer and said, thou shall love the Lord thy God with all my heart all my soul, with all my strength. With all thy mind and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said to him, thou hast answered right this new about shall live, but verse 29.
He thought he was smarter than God. He was trying to be evasive.
Verse 29 but he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, and who is my neighbor who exactly is my neighbor in verse 30 goes into a parable.
Listen to this Jesus entrance at a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead, and by chance there came down a certain priest that way. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
Likewise a Levite came by when he was at the police came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. Verse 33 but a certain Samaritan. This was a group of people that the Jews despised would not have anything to do with listen to what it says as he journeyed, verse 33, came where he was and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, everybody say, compassion.
He had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, verse 33.
In the Greek actually says he was moved by compassion just as we are moved by the Holy Spirit to have compassion. Verse 34 and went to him out of his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him and on the morrow when he departed, he took out 2 pints and gave to the host and said to him, take care of him and whatsoever thou spend us more like him.
Again, I will repay the which now of these three fingers now. Jesus said, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves and listen to what he said he that showed mercy on him and then said Jesus unto him, go and do thou likewise. Like some theologians and Bible students. The Jewish rabbis enjoyed debating the finer points of doctrine. This logger describe a student of the Old Testament law wanted to hear what Jesus had to say we get the impression that the man was not seeking truth, but was only trying to involve Jesus in a debate that he hoped he would win the lawyer proved to be evasive when it came to facing truth honestly and obeying it. Our greatest responsibility is to obey the greatest of commandments which the man quoted accurately but we cannot listen to me. We cannot rightly love God and love our neighbor without first without first being born again without first being saved without first being transformed by the power of God without first being cleansed by the blood of the Lamb of God. We cannot experience love for God nor our neighbor. The parable of the good Samaritan was given to answer the basic question of the lawyer. The lawyer said define your terms. That's what he said this is an old trick of lawyers and debaters.
Instead of getting involved in abstract terms. Jesus presented a concrete case and the lawyer understood the point, we must not spiritualize this parable.
Listen to me today. The point is simply that our neighbor is anybody who needs us anybody whom we can to help the hero of the story was the good Samaritan not the priest of the Levites Samaritan to say who is my neighbor who can I be a neighbor, a man, not who is my neighbor who can I be a neighbor to Ronald Reagan, says you can help everybody but everybody can help somebody. I like that.
What if you just took one person and concentrated on them for six months or year what he just picked one person in your family.
One person on your job. One neighbor in your neighborhood and minister to them play for them. Intercede for them, take them to lunch. Show them the love of God.
Everybody wants ministries that have 1670 people that I can listen to them talk. Why don't you just pick one person one person everybody in here were taken one person. This church would double in a month if you just concentrate on one, just as Jesus went after the one he left the 99 just to get the lawn. Why don't you do that you motivated to do something like that. The distilled one person.
Love never fails.
First Corinthians 13.
We know this passage listen to it. King James uses the word charity that's a strong word it stronger than just folio love love the just as I love you brother.
I love you sister appreciate you charity is agape love. It's love that is self-sacrificing love that looks beyond what you need and what you desire to the desire of others first printed 13 verse one in the context of spiritual gifts.
The apostle Paul is saying, Corinthians, you have a lot of gifts, but their empty their void. They're useless because you're not motivated by love your motivated to be seen. Your motivated to just feel the presence of God are motivated to just have a mass hysteria and not the love of God, because if you were truly motivated by the love of God, you would not be out of order and using the gifts of the spirit was and what he said. Verse 13 prescriptions verse one. If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing if I give all my possessions to feed the poor.
If I surrender my body to be burned but do not have love, it profits me, you realize there are people today there are people in Hollywood who give charitable charity donations they give an abundance to the needy to the poor.
But it's all empty.
It's all noise if it is not motivated by the love of God, what is he saying to the church. Everything we do is just making a bunch of noise if were not motivated by the power of the Holy Spirit to have a desire and a passion to reach a lost and dying world, you realize that and if you don't have a passion for the perishing. You need to check your south facing, did you hear what I just said if you do not have a passion for the perishing check your commitment to Christ. Your commitment and salvation go way beyond saying a prayer for goes way beyond showing up here on Sunday morning. It goes to deep place about a charitable burden and agape love for a lost and dying world to where you have to intercede on their behalf to see somebody born again. I found myself with every person I come in contact with their either born-again or there somebody I'm going get born-again a man and that's how you have to operate. That has to be the status of your relationships is this person because folks I'm telling you, just because they're your family. God is not going to say all I was gonna let them into heaven because you serve me know you need to make it a commitment to make it a mission field. Your spouse just because you're on fire and your spouse may be lost. They're not going to heaven on your coattails, your children are not going to heaven on your coattails, they will only go to heaven and see the heavenly father by saying Jesus Christ is Lord. Verse 430 love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous.
Love does not brag and is not arrogant. It is not act unbecomingly.
It does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account the wrongs suffered another translation says it does not make a list of things that have been done wrong. It does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Verse eight love never fails. The word charity means love in action. Agape love sacrifice for the good of others on the closing first Peter chapter 4 verse eight in verse nine says this about all Peter said keep her fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins be hospitable to one another without complaint. Now we quote love covers a multitude of sins in just overlooking what somebody's doing well.
They don't know any better there centers we diversion overlook that let them join us. That's not what it say he's talking about you.
There love covers a multitude of sins, and that when you are offended you are quick to let it go. Why, because number one you love God and you love people, but if you're quick to get offended. Listen, that's a sign of spiritual immaturity and it's a sign of a lack of agape love not only for God but for your neighbor, love covers a multitude of sins, and that when you are done wrong when you are offended you say I for and move on, do it in your family do it in the church family and the love of God will cover multitude of sins. Do what Jesus did. Father forgive them for they know not what they do.
What if we treated one another like that a man Jesus said a new command I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you. Love, Peter when Peter denied him three times after he resurrected. He said go find my disciples and then he said tell Peter why because he loved, he was willing to overlook the offense and you should be willing to do the same. A man standing figure watching and listening right here today, the love of God. Piercing your heart.
Your enthusiasm to one another. Jesus Christ is evidence that the Holy Spirit is convicting you and bringing you to the foot of the cross and I pray today that you would simply say, Lord Jesus, I give you my heart. I confess my sin and I call you, Lord of my life.
I believe if you play that by faith believe in your heart that God has transformed your life and that you are changed forever and you will forever know the agape love of God in Jesus name Douglas