On Being "One Another"

If you had six days to live, where would you go and why?

Interesting question, isn’t it?

Suppose astronomers discovered a mass extinction asteroid on a collision course with earth.

And we all know Bruce Willis isn’t available anymore to save us.

And it is going to hit in six days

Where would you go and why would you go there?

Jesus actually lived that situation.

There wasn’t an asteroid - but there was the cross.

And it was six days away and He knew it.

So where did Jesus go and why?

Open your Bibles to John 12:1-3.

While you are looking it up, let me set the stage.

In John 11, Jesus goes to Bethany because Lazarus has died.

He intentionally waited until Lazarus died to go there.

He could have come early and healed Lazarus - but that wasn’t the plan.

So Jesus shows up - Lazarus has been buried for 4 days.

One of my favorite King James words is used here - When Jesus tells them to remove the stone from the grave opening

Martha says, “Lord, by this time he stinketh.”

Jesus told them to do what he said - and with a prayer and a word, Jesus resurrected Lazarus.

That made Jesus a hero in Bethany.

But it added fuel to the fire for the establishment.

The high priest Caiaphas says rather famously, “John 11:50 “Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.””

John 11:53 says: “So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.”

Jesus left and stayed away from the Bethany area - until 6 days before the cross.

Knowing that he had just six days left to live, Jesus went somewhere.

Where did He go, and why?

Hear the word of the Lord from John 12:1-3

John 12:1–3 ESV

Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

This is the Word of the Lord.

Six days before Jesus is going to die, He goes to a party.

But really, it was more than a party - its a church service.

Jesus was there.

Mary definitely worshipped Jesus.

And Jesus was surrounded by people that loved Jesus.

The Bible doesn’t really tell us why Jesus went there - but I think we can figure it out.

Jesus is going to say in the very next chapter: John 13:34 “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.”

Now follow me here:

Jesus went to this party because he knew that he was going to have a really hard week.

Just like you know sometimes you are going to have a really hard week, He knew.

He knew it wasn’t going to end well - he know it was go to end physically in about the worst way possible.

So he did what I think most of us would do.

He went someplace where He knew he was loved.

Where he wouldn’t be alone.

So he would be with “one another.”

If you go to a Bible search engine, like blb.org and search for one another in quotes in the English Standard Version of the Bible, which is what I use

You’ll get 159 exact matches in 146 verses.

And as you read all of these instances of the phrase “one another” you notice something happens right around John 13:34.

The phrase goes from a generic “they were talking with one another,” “they were going with one another,” - the meaning of that phrase changes

Because Jesus changed the world.

Outside Jesus’ band of followers, the world got incredibly hostile.

Jesus followers were getting killed because they told other people about Jesus.

So they needed a safe place to relax, to catch their breath - and that safe place was with “one another.”

Their safe place was the church.

And those two words became the essence of the church.

That’s who “one another” is beginning with John 13 - “one another” is the church.

Now, before you zone out because we’re going to talk about the church for the third time in 4 weeks, let me tell you why.

In 2023, my goal is to lead us to move to an Elder / Deacon model of church polity.

We’ll still be a congregational Southern Baptist Church, we’ll simply run things in a more Biblical manner.

Now the question that has to come to your mind has to be - from most people’s perspective, the system doesn’t look like it’s broken

Why fix it?

And my best answer is, because the world has changed and the church is in danger.

And the church needs to be strong.

Do you guys know that there is an Antifa group in Atlanta?

Not Portland, Oregon.

Not Seattle, Washington.

But in Atlanta.

Sure, they’ve come from all over the place - but they’ve landed in Atlanta.

They have set up an autonomous zone in the woods somewhere on the south side of Atlanta.

One of their members was shot and killed a week or so ago.

A state trooper was seriously wounded.

They called a protest at Five Points.

If you have someone at Georgia State University, the school of Business is 200 feet away from Five Points.

Mercedes-Benz stadium is 3/4 of a mile away.

Centennial Park is 1/2 mile away.

The Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coke are 1 mile away.

The Varsity and Georgia Tech are 1 1/2 miles away.

Have you been to any of those places?

Have you been to Grady Hospital, Emory Midtown?

All within 2 miles of the protest site.

You see, we want to live in Mayberry, but Mt. Pilot is getting really, really big.

The world has changed.

And we were OK with sticking our heads in the sand while the militants were on the West coast.

But they aren’t just there anymore.

They are here.

They represent a special brand of unbelief and anarchy.

And while most people aren’t violent like them, a lot of folks think kind of like them.

Christianity is not their friend.

Natural revelation is a farce.

Common grace is a made up idea.

Jesus is not their Lord.

There is no God.

And if you are a Christ follower - then you are a bigot

You are the enemy.

The world has changed.

So we need “one another” now more than ever and we need to be with one another more than ever.

But we’ve not been real good at “one another” in the church.

Since we didn’t need to resist the world so much, we fought ourselves.

We can’t afford that anymore.

And anyway, Jesus said don’t do that.

He said, “one another” is the second most important thing in the world.

Second only to loving Him.

But, don’t take my word for it.

Buckle up:

John 13:34 “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.”

John 13:35 “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.””

John 15:12 ““This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

John 15:17 “These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”

Romans 12:10 “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Romans 12:16 “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.”

Romans 14:13 “Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.”

Romans 15:5 “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,”

Romans 15:7 “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”

Romans 15:14 “I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.”

Romans 16:16 “Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.”

1 Corinthians 16:20 “All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.”

2 Corinthians 13:11 “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

2 Corinthians 13:12 “Greet one another with a holy kiss.”

Galatians 5:13 “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

Ephesians 4:2 “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,”

Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Ephesians 5:19 “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,”

Ephesians 5:21 “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Colossians 3:9 “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices”

Colossians 3:13 “bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

1 Thessalonians 3:12 “and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you,”

1 Thessalonians 4:9 “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 4:18 “Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

1 Thessalonians 5:15 “See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.”

2 Thessalonians 1:3 “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.”

Hebrews 3:13 “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.”

Hebrews 10:24 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,”

Hebrews 10:25 “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.”

James 4:11 “Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.”

James 5:9 “Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.”

James 5:16 “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.”

1 Peter 1:22 “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 4:8 “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”

1 Peter 4:9 “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.”

1 Peter 4:10 “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:”

1 Peter 5:5 “Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.””

1 Peter 5:14 “Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.”

1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

1 John 3:11 “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”

1 John 4:7 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”

1 John 4:11 “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

1 John 4:12 “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.”

2 John 1:5 “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.”

1 John 3:23 “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.”

This is what Jesus wanted to experience 6 days before he was going to die.

This is what I want if I find out I’m about to punch out.

I’ve seen flashes of this brilliance in the church.

In this church.

You’ve seen it too.

Very quickly, there are at least four things I took away from all of these “one another” statements.

There’s a whole lot of kissing going on

4 times both Peter and Paul tell them to greet each other with a holy kiss.

Peter says, “Greet one another with the kiss of love,” so pucker up!

No, that’s the way they greeted each other.

You know what I enjoy at church.

Shaking someone hand.

Getting and giving hugs.

Putting an arm around someone’s shoulder.

Laying on hands in prayer.

I don’t need to tell you - you tell me.

Why is that a big deal? (Pause)

It means we like each other.

We’re glad to see each other.

We enjoy each other - we care for each other.

We mean something to each other.

That’s important because over time, we’re going to mean more to each other than we can imagine.

There’s a whole lot of humble going on

These verses are chock full of things like, go easy on one another.

Don’t be quick to judge harshly - you have no clue what they are going through or have gone through.

If something you do that is OK in the sight of God causes a brother or sister to stumble, then don’t do it.

Romans 14:21 “It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.”

And that is so contrary to culture.

I have my rights - I’ve got to be me - you’ve just got to get over it.

But really now, if what you are doing really hammers someone else’s conscience

It keeps them from pursuing Jesus - is it REALLY that important?

Live in harmony - the verses say.

Give a little and get a little.

We’ve preached way too many times that Jesus loves you - singular.

But Jesus loves you - plural.

He loves us and He really loves us together loving “one another.”

There’s a whole lot of encouraging going on

Encourage one another.

Build one another up.

Exhort one another so that we don’t let sin creep up on us.

Stir up one another to love and good works.

Encourage each other to come to worship and small groups and be a part of one another.

To Wednesday night and Young at Heart and Men’s Group and Women’s groups and where ever we are doing things.

When you mess up, go to a close Christian friend and confess your sins

And pray for one another.

Hurt for one another, rejoice with one another.

Don’t compare - comparison isn’t the friend of contentment.

But rejoice - be glad - become a cheerleader for one another.

When we are firing on all cylinders with one another, there’s a whole lot of kissing, there’s a whole lot of humble

There’s a whole lot of encouraging and,

There’s a whole lot of comforting going on

We’re encouraged to be tenderhearted towards one another.

Admonishing one another.

Admonish means to warn or remind and one way of doing that is mentioned twice in the verses we read.

Singing.

When we sing we remind each other of what we believe, and what we should believe and what we need to get back to believing.

We encourage one another to be strong, to have courage, to hang on.

We remind one another that the Lord is for you, He is with you, He’s beside you, all around you, in you.

Now, some of us sing like a cat getting it’s tail hung under a rocking chair but let me say this about that.

I was really nerding out the other day.

I was raised on the music of the 70’s and 80’s.

And I played two songs on repeat - nerding out - doing my best to isolate every instrument being played.

And here’s the crazy part - some of those instruments - had they been playing alone - would have been nothing but pure noise.

But all of those pure noises melded together in a band and orchestra makes incredible, breath taking music.

You may sound like someone screaming pain when you sing - but I’ve heard - I know.

I’ve quit singing sometimes and listened and with one another singing, it sounds like the singing of angels.

Don’t be afraid to lend your caterwauling to the group - the Lord makes beautiful music with our voices.

And our singing reminds us of why we came.

Comfort, be tenderhearted, admonish - especially singing in worship.

Show hospitality to one another.

I know Wednesday night supper is a headache to prepare - but you are doing God’s work.

You are showing hospitality.

Those of you who have opened your homes to student groups and D-now and whatever.

Do you realize, you are being obedient to Jesus when you do that.

You are loving “one another.”

You are “serving” one another.

Because, see, it is you and me against the world.

Not doing battle with it,

Not trying to turn the political system into a Christian system.

Our battle is different - we are fighting to keep the world from claiming us.

Keeping ourselves pure.

Looking out for one another so we can persevere.

Because - do you remember this from Revelation chapter 3?

The New King James Version Chapter 3

10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

Jesus isn’t talking to you singular.

He’s talking to you plural.

He’s talking to us - “one another.”

Being “one another” is the only way we’re going to make it.

And being “one another” is going to pay a great reward.