Brotherly Kindness
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Text: 2 Peter 1:5-7
Intro: Today will continue to study on our theme for this year. Today we will be looking at the next addition to our faith. Review:
Wisdom hath builded her house,
She hath hewn out her seven pillars:
As we continue to build our house of wisdom, I want to remind us that these are not pillars that are built simultaneously but one at a time. We must add first,
Virtue: A steadfast mind to please the God that saved us.
How do we get there? Job 11:12 “if thou prepare thine heart.” We are to humble ourselves.
How do we know we have it? James 3:17 “Wisdom that is from above is first pure.”
The result is that our thoughts will change to those things which have virtue and praise. (Phil. 4:8)
Knowledge: A Biblically educated mind learning all that we can about God, Christ, His will, His plan, and the effects of sin.
How do we get there? Job 1:12 “Stretch out thine hands.” We are to meditate on the Scriptures.
How do we know we have it? James 3:17 “Wisdom that is from above is… peaceable.”
The result is peace in this life, that is based upon our learning from God’s word.
Temperance: A mingling of our spirit with the Holy Spirit in our body, yielding to His control.
How do we get there? Job 11:14 “If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away.” We are to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
How do we know we have it? James 3:17 “Wisdom that is from above is… gentle.”
It results in us showing the Spirit’s leading by an attitude of gentleness.
Patience: Serving God in spite of difficult circumstances because of the hope we have that this life is only temporary.
How do we get there? Job 11:14 “Let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.” We live knowing that our lives serve a greater purpose.
How do we know we have it? James 3:17 “Wisdom that is from above is… easy to be intreated.”
It results in improved communication with God, because our will is submitted to His.
Godliness: God’s nature being manifested in our flesh. It is to be “like God,” and to be visible evidence that we are God’s children.
How do we get there? Job 11:15 “ For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot… Make our priority God’s priority.
How do we know we have it? James 3:17 “Wisdom that is from above is… full of mercy.”
It results in us acting like our Heavenly Father.
Today we reach the 6th pillar in our building of our house of wisdom…
Brotherly Kindness:
We will begin today by looking at the very first time we see the word kindness in our Bible and it just so happens to be towards one’s brother. Genesis 12:10-20,Genesis 20:1-18.
How is this brotherly kindness? If we think for a moment about the situation and what Abraham feared. Sarah was willing to be taken, and treated who knows which way, and had done who knows what, to be married to another man, is why she was taken away to begin with… In essence, she was willing to give up her life, so that nothing harmful, or hurtful, came against her brother. She was willing to suffer so that her brother might go free.
A Covenant:
Thus saith the Lord;
For three transgressions of Tyrus,
And for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
Because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom,
And remembered not the brotherly covenant:
And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.
And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.
And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.
Based on a love for God and each other:
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
God is our Father and every believer is His child:
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
Brotherly kindness is an unwavering commitment to the good of other believers.
Let brotherly love continue.
Brotherly kindness is more than just being nice, it is being loving… Meaning:
Sacrificial
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Instruction
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Prosperity (Their best interest at heart)
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
3 John 2:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
Kindness
Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness:
And let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil,
Which shall not break my head:
For yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
How do we build brotherly kindness?
For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot;
Yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
How we know we have brotherly kindness?
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
The Result:
Our relationships will change -
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands?
Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.