What makes Sunday Morning incomplete is that Sunday morning is not sufficient for us to respond to and experience the command “love one another”
“Love one another”
11 times as a command
For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. —1 John 3:11
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, —1 Peter 1:22
Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, —1 Thessalonians 4:9
And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. —2 John 1:5
And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. —1 John 3:23
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. —1 John 4:11
No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. —1 John 4:12
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. —John 13:34
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. —John 15:12
These things I command you, so that you will love one another. —John 15:17
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. —Romans 12:10
Sunday Morning is not sufficient for us to build the relationships that God intends for us to experience “love one another”
Big Idea: Go beyond Sunday morning to experience God’s love through people
“Love One Another”
Coach and Be Coached
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
Love and good works – that’s the win —Hebrews 10:24Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.
You need a coach… —Proverbs 15:22Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm —Proverbs 13:20
Wisdom comes from the Holy Spirit
In relationships you need someone to be the coach
And, you need to be the coach.
Only in community where the relationships grows so that you can coach and be coached.
Big Idea: Go beyond Sunday morning to experience God’s love through people
“Love One Another”
Carry and be Carried
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. —2 Corinthians 1:4
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. —James 5:16
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Encouragers mean so much. —1 Thessalonians 5:11
Big Idea: Go beyond Sunday morning and experience God’s love through people
Celebrate and Be Celebrated
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. —Romans 12:15
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness[a] be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; —Philippians 4:4-5
But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, —1 Peter 3:14-15
Big Idea: Go beyond Sunday morning and experience God’s love through people
“Love One Another”
Pastor’s Challenge:
- Go beyond Sunday morning and courageously find your community
- You can’t socially engineer relationships…
- Relationships don’t happen to you…
- What does courage in relationships mean to you?
- Offer God’s love to others as the Spirit leads. They need it.
- Avoid the temptation to say, “They’re good” “They’ve got this”
- Look for opportunities to coach, carry, and celebrate
- Spirit? God is an initiator and sustainer. Fruit.
- Receive God’s love from others. You need it!
- Avoid the temptation to say, “I’m good” “I’ve got this”
- Others can’t coach, carry, or celebrate if they don’t know the details from your life.