Sunday, January 28, 2024
DESTINATION 2024: Love One Another 2
Mike Teel, Pastor
FOCAL PASSAGE:
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” —John 13:34-35
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” —Matthew 22:37-40
If we are going to be successful in loving the family of God we must …
CONSIDER BEING A
OF THE FAMILY OF GOD!
— If you are going to be a part of the CommUNITY of loving God family, then you need to be a part of the family.
— Last week we shared with you how to become a part of the New Testament Baptist Church.
If we are going to be successful in loving the family of God, we must …
OUR PERSPECTIVE ABOUT THE FAMILY OF GOD
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” —John 13:34-35
1.
OUR PURSUITS
—It is important we take our eyes off ourselves and put them on others.
—God has placed us here in this world to be a blessing to others, especially the family of God.
2. CONSIDER OUR LIFE’S
—What should our lives be about?
—The Bible tells us God is love.
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. —I John 4:8
—And God wants you to become more like Him.
34c As I have loved you, so you must love one another. —John 13:34c
—Jesus indicated life is about love and developing relationships—with God and others.
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” —Matthew 22:37-40
3. THE
PROBLEM
—Here is the problem: God-like Love (Agape) is unnatural for us.
—It is natural for us to think of ourselves first, to protect ourselves.
—We often do what is in our own best interest, often without any regard for how it affects others.
—Self-centeredness is the root of practically every problem—both personally and globally.
4. WHAT IS
LOVE?
—Real “Godly” (Agape’) love is placing the needs of others before your own.
—It means to love sacrificially and unconditionally.
—Much of the world has no clue as to what real love is all about.
—Although love can create intense feelings (Eros), Agape’ love is not a feeling. It is a choice! (We will examine this more intently next week.)
—Real God-like Agape’ love focuses on how I can serve you, not how you can serve me.
—We must retrain ourselves to think and act in loving ways.
If we are going to be successful in loving the family of God, we must …
UNDERSTAND IT’S GOD’S
CONCERNING THE FAMILY OF GOD
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” —John 13:34-35
1. LOVE IS A
—Love is an act of our will or a choice.
—God says we must decide to love Him just like we must decide to love one another.
2. LOVE IS A
—Our decision to love is not only an act of the will but an act of obedience.
—God considers loving one another so important that He told us we must do it.
21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
—I John 4:21
—It is a lesson so important that the Apostle John consistently describes love and obedience as synonymous: if you love Jesus, you will obey His commands …
15 If you love me, keep my commands. 23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. —John 14:15, 23-24
(John 15:12, 14, 17; I John 2:3, 5:3; II John 1:6)
—Why is love connected with obedience?
—Because it reflects UNITY among believers – a oneness of spirit with our congregation, ministry groups and Sunday School LIFE Groups that is foundation to kingdom work.
11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. —I John 3:11
—Christ crushes the myth that love is based solely upon thinking nice thoughts or feeling gushy emotions. He pushes the definition of love to a higher level—where behavior and beliefs combine into godly actions.
—Jesus requires us to view other people as highly valued children of God, well worth our time, attention, and energy.
—As members of God’s Family, we must choose to love, not WHO to love!
3. LOVE REQUIRES
—We cannot obey Christ’s command in isolation.
—We must be connected to each other in order to “love one another.”
—Being in commUNITY forces us to drop our “relationship fantasies” –where everyone we know is easy to get along with and every conflict is resolved in happy compromise.
4. LOVE CARRIES HIGH
—The love of Christ is selfless, sacrificial, and submitted to the Father’s Will.
—His standard of love is personal—reaching out to the undeserving, looking past their faults and into the desperate needs of their hearts.
—Need I remind you of what we said a couple of week ago: The Church should be a community where messed-up people are welcome, outcast are loved, underdogs find a champion, the hopeless find hope, and the friendless find a friend.
—It is no longer just I who loves, but Christ who loves in me.
5.
LINE
34c As I have loved you, so you must love one another. —John 13:34c
—Jesus asks us to love others the way He loves us.
—You say that is impossible! Then why did He ask us to do it?
—It is possible. Not saying it is difficult.
—So how can you love others as He loved us?
–Be willing to forgive their faults.
–Speak kind words to them.
–Encourage them when they need encouraging.
–Season your conversation with love.
–Be willing to go out of your way for others.
—These are just a few ways we can express our love for others.
—Allow God to direct you to expressing your love for the Family of God this week.
If we are going to be successful in loving the family of God we must …
- CONSIDER BEING A
- UNDERSTAND IT’S GOD’S
LIVE IT OUT
—Are you a part of this Local New Testament Body of Christ?
—If not, what do you need to do to become a member of Cameron?
—How can you concretely demonstrate your love for others of the Family of God?