My Bucket (2 Corinthians 4:7-5:10)
James Reynolds
Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 35:35
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1 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. 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, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
In every step of life we must walk in a way that pleases the one we follow… pleasing God, pleasing to the church, and pleasing to the world.
Last week - pleasing to God
This week - pleasing to the church.
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, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more,
This is one of those times that we see God using expository preaching.
After the recent events of multiple terrible acts of violence and hate in our country, today we will not only be challenged by the words of Paul
But, reminded that our love will be even more evident the further we get into the last days.
2. Walk in love toward one another (vv. 9–10)
2. Walk in love toward one another (vv. 9–10)
God is infinitely glorious in all his attributes.
But the Bible seems to focus on His Holiness and Love.
That pattern is all over scripture.
We see it here in our passage.
Paul calls them to increase in holiness.
Now to increase in love for fellow Christians.
“The early Latin writer, Tertullian of Carthage, declared that the one thing that converted him to Christianity was not the arguments they gave him, because he could find a counterpoint for every argument they would present. But they demonstrated something I didn’t have. The thing that converted me to Christianity was the way they loved each other.”
Notice it wasn’t how they loved HIM
But how thy loved each other.
35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Our love and devotion to God finds its outward expression by loving one another.
The Bible teaches us that we cannot truly love God without loving each other.
A. Love is taught by God (v. 9)
A. Love is taught by God (v. 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.”
In the area of brotherly love Paul said he really didn’t have to say anything.
The church in Thessalonica was a caring community with a strong reputation for loving others.
Taught by God means the direct ministry of the Holy Spirit as He instructs, guides, and urges us to love others.
5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Let’s take a minute to understand something.
Remember who the unbelievers are in Adam…
13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
A. Love is taught by God (v. 9)
A. Love is taught by God (v. 9)
We need to remember that those of us who are believers were once like that.
Yet now, because the believer is in Christ - God’s love has been poured out in our hearts.
So we must NEVER be like the unbeliever, rather be must be growing more and more in love.
Though love is a work of God, it takes willing and obedient hearts as well.
Paul first commends them!
He points out that they are not only loving their own local church well, but loving other churches as too.
They were reaching beyond themselves and sharing love to all of Macedonia.
Churches tend to build siloed ministries.
Worrying about only themselves.
Pastors are often slow to share things with other churches.
The Thessalonian church didn’t live that way - they came alongside other churches and tangibly loved them.
God has allowed us to be used in other churches as well.
Yet Paul urges them to love more and more.
I am greatly encouraged by our love for one another, but we need to do so more and more.
Let’s take some time to think about what the Bible says about loving each other.
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.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
A. Love is taught by God (v. 9)
A. Love is taught by God (v. 9)
Worship of God is the ultimate reason for our constantly working to increase more and more in our character.
We live out Godly graces most practically to our brothers and sisters.
B. Love is others-focused (v. 10a)
B. Love is others-focused (v. 10a)
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
Jesus’ love was others-focused.
Love can never really be love it there isn’t action.
Real love gives even if there is great cost to self.
10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Paul points out that their love for their brothers extends beyond the borders of their own church.
Paul already mentioned that this church was impacting more than their own community.
7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.
B. Love is others-focused (v. 10a)
B. Love is others-focused (v. 10a)
God used them to spread God’s Word and teach all over Macedonia and Achaia.
Not only that, they became examples that were followed.
Their influence was traveling hundreds of miles.
Now Paul says their love spilled out through Macedonia as well.
Not only were they loving their own people well, but they were loving others in other churches, in other communities hundreds of miles away.
Our example is spreading but what about our love for other believers?
Not just in theory but tangibly?
Are there churches we can do more with - partner with?
There are some ways I am able to do this and by extension you too.
We show love for other churches by supporting their missionary pastor.
But is that the bare minimum?
Are there ways to get to know other churches and show love to them?
We don’t often pray specifically for other churches.
Are we willing to help other churches who might be struggling?
C. Love is always increasing (v. 10b)
C. Love is always increasing (v. 10b)
“We urge you to do this more and more.”
Our love for others is never finished.
Our love should be limitless.
If we are to love like Christ loved, we have a long way to go.
9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
C. Love is always increasing (v. 10b)
C. Love is always increasing (v. 10b)
We have a lot of room for improvement to love at this level.
So our love should always be increasing.
This passage shows us the tension between it being all God’s work and being our work.
Look at what Paul says:
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,
With the same stroke of the pen
10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more,
Becoming like Christ through our progressive sanctification is both the Work of the Spirit as He works in us and produces the fruits of the Spirit and our own obedience.
Thus we must continue to grow in love more and more.
10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
C. Love is always increasing (v. 10b)
C. Love is always increasing (v. 10b)
Outdo one another in showing honor - loving them.
The idea is going before or setting an example.
This isn not what the world experiences.
The Bible teaches us that the closer we get to Christ’s return the darker our world will be.
Over the past month the news has been full of violence.
The darker it gets, the brighter even a small light shines.
The more we set the example to our little group of Christians, the brighter our light will shine.
Take the lead in loving and showing genuine appreciation for believers.
If they don’t love you back love them anyway.
If they do love you, love them more!
In Paul’s day competition for honor dominated society - especially in Rome.
Paul reminds us that following Christ is counter cultural.
Instead compete to give honor to others.
Not because we have to.
Not because we feel like we owe them something
But out of the overflow of our love for God!
Love increases family commitment and family joy.
Understanding that love has been poured into us by God and is a work of the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of it in our lives, how can we fulfill our responsibility?
Jerry Bridges, Practice of Godliness gives us three practical things we can do.
FIRST: Fill our minds with scripture.
17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
If we want to grow in love, we need to fill our minds with scripture that teaches us what love is and how to love.
SECOND: Pray for the Holy Spirit to help us apply what we are learning.
Before Paul challenged the Thessalonians to grow more and more in love, he prayed for them.
12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you,
THIRD: Do the things that love dictates.
Make it a point to put other’s needs before your own.
Make it a point to do kind and loving things for your neighbor.
Even when you don’t feel like it, rely on the strength of the Spirit and do it anyway.
Pastor George Crane tells of a wife who came into his office full of hatred toward her husband. "I do not only want to get rid of him, I want to get even. Before I divorce him, I want to hurt him as much as he has me."
Dr. Crane suggested an ingenious plan "Go home and act as if you really love your husband. Tell him how much he means to you. Praise him for every decent trait. Go out of your way to be as kind, considerate, and generous as possible. Spare no efforts to please him, to enjoy him. Make him believe you love him. After you've convinced him of your undying love and that you cannot live without him, then drop the bomb. Tell him that your're getting a divorce. That will really hurt him." With revenge in her eyes, she smiled and exclaimed, "Beautiful, beautiful. Will he ever be surprised!" And she did it with enthusiasm. Acting "as if." For two months she showed love, kindness, listening, giving, reinforcing, sharing. When she didn't return, Crane called. "Are you ready now to go through with the divorce?"
"Divorce?" she exclaimed. "Never! I discovered I really do love him." Her actions had changed her feelings. Motion resulted in emotion. The ability to love is established not so much by fervent promise as often repeated deeds.
We should want to love others, but we should do loving things even when we don’t feel like it.
Eventually we will feel like it.
Love is taught by God.
Love is others focused.
Love is always increasing.
We urge you to do this more and more.
