One Another Recap

Opening:

Back in June Roy Benn was up here and read to you from 2 Hezekiah 3:8 in the King James which declared that I must go on my way for 3 months and be refreshed-

And Roy I took that to heart- I feel refreshed- it feels good to be here again with you in this way this morning

2 Hezekiah 3:8 also said that other men from within the congregation would bring messages and that the congregation would be blessed- I hope that happened and I think it did from what I have heard

So thank you again to; Roy, Sammy, Simon, Sheldon, Nelson, Kent and Matt Byler for your willingness to do that

Body

The Greek word allelon- which is translated “one another” or “each other” appears about 100 times in the NT, I think its 94 to be exact

It marks reciprocation between two persons or groups

Of those 94 times about 59 times it appears alongside a command- I think the book of Romans and 1 John contain the most commands to “one another”

The command to love one another is the most prominent of the commands appearing 19 times in the NT

In 1 John one another is used 5-6 times and each time it is connected with the command to love

This makes sense- if we are loving each other well than the other one another commands naturally flow out of that-

in being devoted to each other

in considering others better than ourselves

in how we teach and admonish

in how we judge

in our confession and prayers for

in how we comfort

in how we forgive

by extension loving each other well naturally rids us of the do nots- slander, grumble, lie etc.

I tend to believe Solomon when he says that there is nothing new under the sun- I know that evil and human violence and a lack of love for one another has existed on this planet from the beginning of time- we don’t have to read very far in Genesis to see that-

This week we were reminded in several ways that we indeed live in a world were evil does exist and where there is a clear lack of love for each other

A young Ukrainian girl is stab to death on a train in Charlotte, NC

We saw an assassination of Charlie Kirk on a College campus

A school shooting in Colorado

We remember the events of September 11 when thousands of people lost their lives in a hateful attack

While all of those events are heartbreaking and invoke a range of emotions- we should expect nothing less from those who either know nothing of God or choose to ignore him

The command to love one another- along with the other commands that we have been looking at- they only flow out of the abiding presence of God in our lives

So if God doesn’t live in you then I can’t expect you to live this way- I should expect nothing less what we see in our world on a daily basis- unfortunately is the acts of evil that get reported and overshadow the good that also happen on a daily basis

What is our responsibility?

Read 1 John 4:11

How did God love us?

Read 1 John 4:9-10

Continue reading 1 John 4:11-12

Since God loved us in the way described in verses 9-10- by sending his one and only son- we have an obligation; or this command to love one another

Until we live out that command the plan of God’s love remains incomplete- he loves you; he sent his son to die for you; but his full plan for his love in you would be that you show that love to others

His plan for love remains incomplete in us- not because God’s love lacks anything- until we love others because that is the fulfillment of his plan in loving each an every one of us.

Nod your heads if you are with me- because he is going to say it again

Read on in 1 John 4:13-17

God is love. Whoever lives in love, lives in God and God in them- This is how love is made complete

When God’s love in you is put into action it reaches its appointed goal- its made complete- it no longer remains in the incomplete stage of talk but reaches the stage of action

John Piper says it this way “Perfect (or complete) love is love that does not die on the vine. It’s love that comes to fruition.”

God’s plan for his love is completed/accomplished when we move from just talking about how we need to love and ways that it could be done to doing it

1 John 3:18–19 NIV

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence:

The completed love of God in us gives us confidence

Verse 19- “this is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence”

John is saying the same thing in 1 John 4:17

1 John 4:17 NIV

This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.

The reason that we have this confidence is because active love shows that we are like Jesus- isn’t that what we claim to be as “Christians” as those who are “belonging to Christ”?

So, because we look like Jesus we need not fear the judgement day- God is not going to condemn those who look like his son

So, the fear of judgement is removed- because “love in action” drives out that fear

Conclusion

We are living a world- full of evil, violence, hatred- because its filled people who don’t know the love of God

How will they ever know that love- unless someone shows them

1 John 3:18 NIV

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

In doing so love is made complete in us and “perfect” or complete love- that is love in action drives our fear

1 John 4:18 NIV

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Let me ask you this question? What are you afraid of?

We often talk about love requiring sacrifice- and it often does- but is it really a sacrifice to love one another, to serve each other

David Livingston in 1857 speaking to the students at the University of Cambridge was trying to convince them that a life of love in service of other is no ultimate sacrifice. In doing so he said this:

“Is that a sacrifice which brings its own blest reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind and a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter?”

Healthful activity and the consciousness of doing good- that is love completed- love in action

That results then in- peace of mind and a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter?

Or to use Johns words- “confidence on the day of judgement”

So, I ask you again, what are you afraid of?

I admit there is good reason to be afraid- for the afore mentioned events of this past week

And a natural response would be in the direction of self preservation- which most likely lead us to withdraw ourselves- to play it safe

A few weeks ago we were challenged by our overseer Joe Byler to wrestle with the tension of living a life of love as Jesus did and not falling into what he called “the sin of indifference”

Love in action removes the fear of judgement- what else is there to be afraid of?

I’m not suggesting that we live recklessly- but maybe we could be a bit more reckless in our love of others

I am afraid that...

1 John 4:19 NIV

We love because he first loved us.

1 John 4:21 NIV

And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.