9-10-06 Love, Day is Near
9-10-06 Love, For the Day is Near
Last week we Celebrated “Letting our Lights Shine” by lighting candles for those who have committed their lives to Christ since we started our launch team meetings in Sept. of last year.
We are going to talk about how we need to continue to Let our Light Shine by continuing to Love one another. FOR THE DAY IS NEAR.
What do I mean by that? Well lets take a look at Scripture.
Rom 13: 8-14 8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 11 And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Starting in (8) I would love to tell you I am out of debt, I can’t because I am not, although I believe the main jest of this verse is that we are to love everyone and in doing so we will be fulfilling the Law (The 10 Commandments etc.)
(9) Goes on further to list a few laws and gives us the commandment of Christ. You may remember we talked about “God’s Don’ts and Jesus’ Do’s.”
Ref:Mk 12:28-31 28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
(10) Tells us something similar we are to continue to Love One another.
Now (11 -12) is the crux of the message Love one another, For the day is Near.
We need to realize that the Lord is coming back for US.
The Day and Hour are Unknown Mt 24: 36 -44 36 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,a but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Christ has told us that He would come back for us as in;
Rev 22: 12 & 20 12 “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. & 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
1 Thes 5: 2-8 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
Also in Col 3 10: 13-14 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Being that this time is close Again - Love one another, For the day is Near.
Now that we realize that time is short we should respond by putting away our sinful ways and be examples to others as (13-14) tell us.
We are to put off the works of Darkness and put on Deeds of Light.
Galatians 5:19 19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
A way to clothe ourselves in Christ is;
Philippians 4:8-9 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
In Review, We know as Christians that Jesus is coming back (WE MAY NOT BE SURE WHEN) and we are to look forward for that day. Called “The Day of The Lord”.
Being ready always we are to put away evil things, clothe ourselves in Christ and Love One another.
In other words Love one another, For the day is Near.
Lets Pray
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