Love One Another

John 13:34-35

Introduction

Last fall, on one of our invite Sundays, we look at the purpose of the church.

In that lesson we dealt with the role and responsibility of the church as an institution.

We pointed to kingdom language particularly and how kingdoms are to be about the interests of their kingdom and individual churches as embassies ought to be about the work of the kingdom they represent.

I’d like to take that notion one step further and think about application at an individual level. As individual members of the church, how does that truth affect our actions?

A Family Love

You have a unique responsibility of love toward your physical family (1 Tim. 5:8).

I think we would all agree that this passage is specific and not generic.

No one would (or should) take this verse and posit that if there is any widow anywhere in need and you are not taking care of that widow, then YOU are worse than an infidel.

Paul means you have a particular responsibility to those you are biologically connected to.

We also have a specific responsibility to our spiritual family (Jn. 13:34-35).

“Interpersonal love almost without exception means love for one’s brother in the faith, love of Christians for one another. There seems to be hardly anything else about the New Testament which is as intensively suppressed as this fact” - Gerhard Lohfink, Jesus and Community

It is a foundational, defining aspect of who we are.

It should be greater than civic camaraderie.

It is a shame when members of this family must go elsewhere to have needs met (Matt. 25:35-46; 1 Cor. 6:5-6; Jas. 1:27).

Orphans and widows are in the context of brethren and how we treat brethren in need.

Further, while the care of orphans is not mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament, widows are, and always in the context of widows among you.

This is not to be callous toward needs in the rest of the world.

Is it callous toward you that I don’t jump to the same level of action as you when your child is sick. That isn’t to say I just to NO level of action but it would be strange actually if I took the same measure of action toward your child as I take toward my own.

What would be even more strange is if I took greater action than you. That would be a real shame to you.

We come to the aid of our family as a responsibility toward family not as a generic desire to do good to all.

There is a difference in an opportunity and a responsibility (Deut. 22:1-4).

It is one thing to say if you see this, do something about it.

It is another to say, it is your job to go find this happening somewhere and do something about it.

It is your job to start an organization who’s goal is to alleviate this problem wherever it happens.

Not every need is going to be present in every age and place (Matt. 25:31-46).

A Primary Commitment

We are talking about the question of love in layers (Lk. 14:25-26).

We need to make sure we have those layers in the appropriate order.

We should not order this by whoever is making our life the hardest at the moment.

We should order this by God’s guidance. Too often, the responsibilities of love are met for self satisfying reasons and not selfless reasons.

Our love toward each other takes a particular priority (Gal. 6:10).

The word especially is not a throw away word there.

This isn’t just true of the church as an organized entity but even as individuals.

Our lives should be characterized as a togetherness (Acts 2:44-46).

There is a unique situation here that probably means the daily is a little more intense that would be typical.

But the idea that needs are taken care of and opportunities to be together in daily life are sought is an element here.

And that is not just a generic thing, that is with the church.

Such demands require reduced commitment to other opportunities (1 Cor. 7:29-31).

We can’t be THAT GUY for the things of this world.

We won’t be the ones to win the awards for most dedicated employee or world’s biggest fan.

Wisdom Toward Outsiders

Firstly, we must recognize the distinction (2 Cor. 6:14-18; Jas. 4:4).

Like an ambassador in a foreign country, we are not trying to make war.

But we are loyal to another country.

There is an element of us and them.

We live quietly, respectfully, and wisely among them (1 Thess. 4:11-12; 1 Pet. 2:11-12).

We should be known as people who love to talk about God (1 Pet. 2:9).

We should also take opportunities to do good to all (Gal. 6:10; Matt. 5:45).

But not as our primary mission.

And not to the neglect of our primary mission.

Conclusion

How commited are you to the family of God?

Is it one of many equally demanding commitments in a long list or does it get priority?

Do you wear yourself out with good things and leave no time for the vital things?

Our love for one another is not just a generic command, but a call to something more.

The most wonderful element of this kingdom and family is that while it is exclusive, it is also very open. Come and join us is ever the call.