And Now, we love

John 13:34–35 ESV

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

Introduction

Recap

Over the last two weeks we have been in their series entitled, “Love is the Standard.”

And through it we have been looking at John 13:34-35 and talking about how Jesus set a Standard in our lives for love as our identity.

Identity

the first week we talked about identity and how Jesus said

we will be known by our love

This was a new commandment of christ

that requires us to act accordingly

Example

Last week we looked at how Jesus did not just command this but exemplified it as well.

We saw how jesus loved unconditionally..

How in love he shared the truth..

and we saw this this love was an act of humbly

where by he acted sacrificially on behalf of others..

Even to us, now in the present, through his death on the cross..

Now

Now, we are required to love other accordingly..

As he tells the disciples..

John 13:34 ESV

…you also are to love one another.

We are required to love people the way in which Jesus loves us..

Nothing less will satisfy the commend Jesus gave on our lives..

So what does that look like to love people?

Love is Practical

I want to suggest to you this morning that love is practical!

The love command again

In 1 corinthians 13 Paul is talking to the corinthian church

A church that he planted and continued to pastor for many years, even at a distance..

And he is writing to the church to address multiple issues..

Among them..

was a problem The church had a with hyper spirituality

Mainly, they viewed spirituality as the greater thing

choosing to ignore pragmatic action

Put another way..

They loved to be spiritual..

To be Pentecostal..

To speak in tongues…

Prophecy..

And give a word..

but victim of this love for the spiritual

was the practical love for others.

Their spiritual life was exciting

but their love and action were dead..

Writes

and so pul writes this ..

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 ESV

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Paul reiterates the love command

Paul says I can be the most spiritual person…

I can speak in toungues..

prophecy..

move mountains with my faith..

BUT IF I DO NOT HAVE LOVE…

I am nothing…

and I gain nothing..

Paul states that super spirituality is pointless if no ballanced with the act of love

In other words..

Paul reiterates the same love command we find in John 13:34-35

THE WORD FOR LOVE IS EVEN THE SAME WORD FOR LOVE JOHN USES..

Agapen..

AND PAUL SAYS THE SAME THING..

LOVE IS REQUIRED..

And goes further and says..

If we don’t have it..

Then the spiritual stuff doesn’t matter.

THIS IS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO LOVE AND HAVE LOVE FOR PEOPLE AS BELIEVERS

The practical element

Paul, as a good teacher

then goes on in verse 4 to illustrate what this love looks like in a practical way..

look what he says..

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 ESV

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

In a nutshell..

Paul says..

like Jesus says.. Love acts..

And it acts in practical and realistic ways..

Its not just some esoteric command..

That we have to figure out..

Rather..

It is the embodiment of the golden rule..

Matthew 7:12 ESV

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

and in case you couldn't see how this verse relates to love..

You remember what Jesus said in Matthew 22:40 talking to the lawyer about the greatest commandment..

He said … these two commands to love god and people are what all the laws of the prophets hang on..

here he says..

This is the law of the prophets..

James

James also reiterates this as well in James 2

James 2:14–17 ESV

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Love is practical action regarding the well being others..

its not just a concept..

So How do we love people?

I want to look at some practical ways the bible says we love others..

and well start right here with Paul..

In the way we treat others

Paul says

1 Corinthians 13:4–5 ESV

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;

Job 6:14 ESV

“He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

Philippians 2:3–4 ESV

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

The first way in which we loved others is in our demenir towards them.

The way we talk to people

The way we act with people

The way we react to people..

We decide to love people in each of these actions.

And the way we handle ourselves with others is a indication of the love, or lack of love, we have within

Ive seen many a christian talk a spiritual game in church…

And then walk out and because the waitress was a little late in brining their lunch, suddenly they lose their kindness..

Thats not loving others as Jesus called them too ..

OR..

Ive see people come in every Sunday..

and they worship ecstatically

and then through the week other members will call wounded simply because of the way in which that person spoke to them or treated them..

YOU CANNOT PRAISE GOD AND BE HATEFUL TO OTHERS WITH THE SAME MOUTH AND SAY YOU EXIBIT GODS LOVE..

One is a lie..

Free

The beautifulful thing is this..

This love cost us nothing..

it cost nothing to be kind..

To be patient..

And we love people in the way we conduct ourselves..

By serving others

Another was in which we love others is in service to them..

Washing feet

I told you last week that earlier in this passage Jesus washed the feet of the disciples..

Jesus, in love as their master, exhibited love through service..

He knelt down and washed their feet..

John 13:13–15 ESV

You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

1 Peter 4:10–11 ESV

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

we are to love others through service to them..

What does it look like to serve others..

It means helping them..

in anyway possible..

You tube guy who cuts grass for people in need for free..

You say.. I cant cut grass..

No.. but you can open a door..

You do little things to help those around you..

You can serve your husband or wife..

You can serve your kids or parents..

LOVE IS HELPFUL BECAUSE LOVE IS SERVICE!

Jesus came and helped us when we could not help ourselvs.

and gave his life in the process..

WE ARE CALLED TO BE A SERVANT!

this is actually a spiritual gift as well!

1 Corinthians 12:28 ESV

And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.

We are called to help!

By bearing one another's burdens

We are called to bear one anothers burdens..

Galatians 6:2 ESV

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

What does that mean?

If means we come up along side people and help them carry the heavy load they have..

It could be through presence.. a powerful tool..

It could be through prayer..

It could be through encouragement..

It could be through a physical nature in helping..

Jesus literally took our burdens on himself on the cross…

Not my issue..

Many times we act like other peoples problems are not our issue..

but in the kingdom.. they kinda are..

Because we are called to be a community of believers to helps one another in carrying the burden..

And if your brother has a problem.. your called to help carry the burden if possible..

Exemplified..

jesus exemplified this..

Matthew 11:28–30 ESV

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

have you ever had a christian brother or sister called you in just the right moment and encourage you?

That was helping carry the burden..

Have you ever had one just listen to you for a while and let you vent?

They were carrying the burden with you

have you ever had someone offer to pray with you for a while..

That was carrying the burden…

We are called to help people carry the burden..

We are our brothers keeper..

By meeting basic needs..

The next way we love is through meeting basic needs..

Deuteronomy 15:7–8 ESV

“If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.

Proverbs 3:27 ESV

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.

1 John 3:16–18 ESV

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

Jesus met basic needs

Jesus fed the five thousand..

Jesus fed the four thousand..

Jesus paid peters taxes..

Jesus healed others of sickness..

Jesus cared about the daily needs for others..

and we are to care about them as well..

Helping someone with groceries..

Giving a stuggling mom gas money..

Even giving in scpecial offerings for benevolent needs of missions needs..

These are all helping meet the need.

Jesus said that in doing this we are ministering to him..

Matthew 25:37–40 ESV

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

We are called to help people.

By showing others the light of Christ

Finally, We show love by helping others see the light of christ..

This is lasting love..

Eternal love..

Ephesians 4:15 ESV

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

1 Thessalonians 2:8 ESV

So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

Matthew 5:16 ESV

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

The ultimate act of loving others is helping them to see the light of Christ..

Ultimately, Jesus love drove him to the cross so we could be free

Penn and teller

Penn story of the bible..

How much do you have to hate someone to without this information from them..

We are called to show people the light..

Altar

Jesus said love is to be the identifying factors of our relationship with him..

He showed us how to love others..

Then he commanded us to do so..

altar

I want to ask you today..

Are you living a life of Love towards others?

If your willing to say..

God today I am making a commitment to love people the way you have loved me..

I want you to come forward.