The “One Anothers” – God’s Family

Speaker: Community Pastor, John Owen

 
Big idea: Jesus Commanded Mutual Responsibility In God’s Family

 
John 13:34 ESV
34 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

 
“One Another” – It’s two words in English, one in Greek — allēlōn.

“a pronoun that refers to mutual participation.”
 

“The practice of such a special love brands us in the eyes of some, ‘See,’ they say, ‘how they love one another and how ready they are to die for each other.’” —Father Tertullian

 
Fact #1: The New Testament repeats and reapplies Jesus’ “One Anothers” command nearly 60x.

Fact #2: All the “One Anothers” in the New Testament spell out the responsibilities of every person in God’s family.

Fact #3: God will hold each of His children accountable for their “One Another-ing” responsibility in His family.

All God’s family members are responsible to…

Help One Another Up

 
1 Thessalonians 5:14-15
14 And we urge you, brothers (family lang), admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone

James 5:16
16 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

All God’s family members are responsible to…

Hold One Another Up

 
Galatians 6:2
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ
 
“Burdens” Greek báros refers to a “weight, heaviness.”

“an onerous or difficult concern.”

 
1 Corinthians 12:24b-25
24b But God has so composed the body (aka the church, God’s family), giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another
 

“Maybe if you have money, health, and a busy schedule, you don’t feel the need to fellowship with other Christians. But when the storms of life hit – and they will – suddenly you’ll find nobody’s there. If you remain shallow in your relationship to your local church, you will lose out on the support of other Christians when you need it most.” —Dr. Luis Palau

All God’s family members are responsible to…

Build One Another Up

 
1 Peter 4:8
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins

Hebrews 3:13
13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin
 

“We must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or omit to do, and more in the light of what they suffer.” —Dietrich Bonhoeffer

All God’s family members are responsible to…

Fire One Another Up

 
Hebrews 10:24-25
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near
 
“Stir up.” Greek paroxusmos is to “provoke, irritate.”
 

“The soul that is alone is like the burning coal that is alone. It will grow colder rather than hotter.” —St. John of the Cross