“Brotherly Love”
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An American who was walking down the streets of a Chinese city was greatly interested in the children, many of whom were carrying smaller children upon their backs, and managing at the same time to play their games, says a writer in the Youth's Companion.
"It is too bad," the American sympathetically said to one little fellow, "that you have to carry such a heavy burden!"
"He's no burden," came the quick reply; "he's my brother."
"Well, you are chivalrous to say so!" said the man, and he gave the boy some money.
When the American reached home he said to his family: "A little Chinese boy has taught me the fullest meaning of the words, `Bear ye one another's burdens. and so fulfill the law of Christ."' He recounted his interview, and added: "If a little Chinese boy can carry and care for his brother and refuse to consider him as a burden, surely we ought not to think it a burden to carry our little brothers, the weak and the needy ones, who look to us for help. Let us rejoice as we carry one, and say, by our actions, `He's no burden; he's my brother.'"
Brotherly love is a such an important component to what it is to be a healthy Christian community. Genuine Christianity is characterized by those who show evidence of loving other Christians. We cannot say that we are walking in the light and at the same time have hatred for a fellow believer. What is hatred? Websters - extreme dislike or disgust. Ill will or resentment that is usually mutual : prejudiced hostility or animosity. The sad thing today is that hatred is unfortunately a reality in the body of Christ.
Over the 25 years of ministry I wish I could say that I have never seen it. I have said it many times… In the church I have met some of the most loving and caring individuals I have ever known, but in the church I have also met some of the most hate filled people I have ever known. Now according to the Apostle John, this is a very serious issue. Why? You can’t have hate and love in your heart at the same time. It’s impossible. Lets take a look at this today.
You can’t have hate and love in your heart at the same time. It’s impossible.
If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness. Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.
1 John
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.
Allen, D. L. (2013). 1–3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p. 78). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
2: ill will or resentment that is usually mutual : prejudiced hostility or animosity
The Positive
The Negative
The Good News
The first thing we will look at today is the positive in how those who love their brother lives in the light and will not cause stumbling. Second, we will look at the negative in how those who hate their brother is blinded by the darkness and do not know where they are going. Finally, we will hear the good news on how Jesus did not just lay down His life for His friends, but also for His enemies bringing life and life more abundant to His people.
Thesis: Though the pattern of this world and the deception of sin cause hatred to to bring darkness and blindness to those infected by it, it is the love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit that will free us from the bondage of hate, darkness, and blindness for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.
I. The Positive
- One of the fundamental virtues of the Christian life: love.
A. John says if you say you are in the light but hate your brother, you are actually still in darkness. The moral and spiritual atmosphere in your life is darkness.
one of the fundamental virtues of the Christian life: love.
If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness.
Allen, D. L. (2013). 1–3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p. 80). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
John says if you say you are in the light but hate your brother, you are actually still in darkness. The moral and spiritual atmosphere in your life is darkness.
B. To hate a brother is not a trifling matter. John repeats the thought of this text in each of the next two chapters when he says, “Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer” (3:15), and “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar” (4:20). Whoever hates a Christian brother breaks God’s commands, is devoid of truth, and lives in spiritual darkness.
1 John 2:9
To hate a brother is not a trifling matter. John repeats the thought of this text in each of the next two chapters when he says, “Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer” (3:15), and “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar” (4:20). Whoever hates a Christian brother breaks God’s commands, is devoid of truth, and lives in spiritual darkness.
C. The Gnostic claim, John’s opponents, claimed to have been ‘enlightened’ because they possess the secret ‘knowledge’ of God. John is now exposing the falsity of their claim to be in the light not now because of their disobedience, but now by their by hatred. So you see the true Christian, who knows God and walks in the light, both obeys God and loves his brother. The genuineness of his faith is seen in his right relation to both God and his fellow human beings.
D. And now John wants to bring a positive point to the picture.
As William Barclay said, our brother cannot be disregarded; he is part of the landscape. The question is, how do we regard him? We may regard him as negligible, with contempt, as a nuisance, as an enemy, or as a brother. As a brother, his needs are our needs and his interests are our interests. He must be loved.
Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.
E. Charles Spurgeon - “Love” is the word that perfumes this entire letter. And here John shows us two things about the one who loves his brother.
Allen, D. L. (2013). 1–3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p. 80). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
“Love” is the word that perfumes this entire letter. John
Allen, D. L. (2013). 1–3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p. 80). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of James and the Epistles of John (Vol. 14, p. 263). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
F. First, he menei Photi “abides in the light.” Or another way… he lives in the light. He is not only enlightened by the gospel and thus a true Christian, but he obeys the command of Jesus to love others and thus he abides continually in the light. He is showing that if you do love your brother truly does live in the light.
G. Second. And we will spend a little bit of time here. Second, in such a Christian there is “no cause for stumbling.” Because we live in the light we do not stumble. Many of us could attest to the dangers of walking around in the dark. Just recently I was walking around with a limp for a couple of days, because I was walking around in the dark and I stubbed my toe. Swelled up and turned black. It was horrible. It is proverbial to understand that we will stumble if we walk in the dark. Not loving you neighbor is a darkness that will cause you at some point to stumble. Those who love their brother walks not in the dark but lives in the light.
Allen, D. L. (2013). 1–3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p. 80). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
H. When we as Christians become angry with a brother or sister in Christ, if we are not careful, that anger over time can turn into resentment that, left unchecked, can give birth to hatred. And it will cause us to stumble… how?
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
When we as Christians become angry with a brother or sister in Christ, if we are not careful, that anger over time can turn into resentment that, left unchecked, can give birth to hatred.
Allen, D. L. (2013). 1–3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p. 79). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
Second, in such a Christian there is “no cause for stumbling.”
I. But did you know that you are walking in darkness you can become a stumbling block? We can cause others to stumble. Its like walking around blindfolded… bumping into people causing them to stumble. Causing others to take up your offenses. Causing others to begin to hate others as well. Causing strife, division, slander, ect. We become a stumbling block to others instead of being a stepping stone.
John Stott - The light shines on our path, so that we can see clearly and so walk properly. If we love people, we see how to avoid sinning against them.
J. This is what happens when we have brotherly love in our hearts. We live in the light. The light that lights the way. It lights up the path. We can see where we are going and what we are doing. We will not stumble. We will not cause others to stumble as well. Great peace is there.
Allen, D. L. (2013). 1–3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p. 80). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
J. This is what happens when we have brotherly love in our hearts. We live in the light. The light that lights the way. It lights up the path. We can see where we are going and what we are doing. We will not stumble. We will not cause others to stumble as well. Great peace is there.
Great peace have those who love your law;
nothing can make them stumble.
II. The Negative
- He does not know where he is going.
A. The proposition… People who hate fellow believers walk in the realm where sinful behaviour predominates, and their own sinful behaviour blinds their eyes so that they do not know where they are going.
But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.
Kruse, C. G. (2000). The letters of John (pp. 86–87). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
B. John gives us three things that are true about those who hate their brother. First of all, he is in darkness and is separated from the light of the gospel. Now if he just stays put he would be relatively safe, but if he walks around, he will be walking in darkness and this is not good. Just stumble after stumble
Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going.
C. Number three. There was a study done concerning those who spent too much time in complete darkness. Three days and ten day. They were in some way blinded. Though temporary, they were blind. Dwelling in Darkness can cause blindness. He does not know where he is going, because he is blind.
When a person is in spiritual darkness, life becomes meaningless and goals are without purpose. And in some cases… they don’t even know it.
Proverbs
But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.
They have no idea what they are stumbling over.
D. Hatred so zaps purpose and direction in life that you can’t know God’s direction for your life. Hatred takes you out of God’s will. You cannot be in God’s will and hate your brother.
When a person is in spiritual darkness, life becomes meaningless and goals are without purpose. The
Hatred so zaps purpose and direction in life that you can’t know God’s direction for your life. Hatred takes you out of God’s will. You cannot be in God’s will and hate your brother.
Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of James and the Epistles of John (Vol. 14, p. 264). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
John Stott - Hatred distorts our perspective. We do not first misjudge people and then hate them as a result; our view of them is already jaundiced by our hatred.
Hatred distorts our perspective. We do not first misjudge people and then hate them as a result; our view of them is already jaundiced by our hatred.
Stott, J. R. W. (1988). The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 19, p. 99). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
E. Lets be honest today. Are we dealing with hatred today? There is a possibility that we are dealing with it and don’t even know it because we have been in darkness so long that we are now blinded to it. Hatred will steal our eyes.
- There is a haunting photo in the October 1993 issue of Life magazine of a boy playing a flute. Ten-year-old Jeison lives in a charitable institution in Bogotá, Columbia. When you look at his eyes, that is, where his eyes should be beneath his long, dark bangs, you see only empty sockets. When he was ten months old, his mother took him to the hospital with acute diarrhea. Returning the next day, she was surprised to find that bandages covered Jeison’s eyes and dried blood was spattered on his body. Horrified, she asked the doctor what had happened. He answered harshly, “Can’t you see your child is dying?” and dismissed her. She rushed Jeison to another hospital in Bogotá. After examining him, the doctor gave the chilling news: “They’ve stolen his eyes.” Jeison was the victim of “organ nappers.” Eye thieves. Healthy eyes to be used for cornea transplants can bring a hefty price on the black market. Organ thieves in Bogota are not the only ones stealing eyes. Hatred for our brothers will as well.
There is a haunting photo in the October 1993 issue of Life magazine of a boy playing a flute. Ten-year-old Jeison lives in a charitable institution in Bogotá, Columbia. When you look at his eyes, that is, where his eyes should be beneath his long, dark bangs, you see only empty sockets. When he was ten months old, his mother took him to the hospital with acute diarrhea. Returning the next day, she was surprised to find that bandages covered Jeison’s eyes and dried blood was spattered on his body. Horrified, she asked the doctor what had happened. He answered harshly, “Can’t you see your child is dying?” and dismissed her. She rushed Jeison to another hospital in Bogotá. After examining him, the doctor gave the chilling news: “They’ve stolen his eyes.” Jeison was the victim of “organ nappers.” Eye thieves. Healthy eyes to be used for cornea transplants can bring a hefty price on the black market. Organ thieves in Bogota are not the only ones stealing eyes.
F. Hatred is not to be a characteristic of a Christian. It is not the posture of a Christian. We cannot walk in the light and hate our brother. It is not possible. What is the deal with all the hatred for government officials by those who profess to be Christian. What is the deal with all the hatred for special interest groups and institutions by those who profess to be Christian. But some of them may not be brothers Shane. Well we are supposed to love not hate our our enemy anyway. But lets go with it... what is the deal with hatred for those who do profess to be Christians? Another member of a church. A Member of our own church. A church leader. A Pastor... Your pastor.
Allen, D. L. (2013). 1–3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (pp. 81–82). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
H. Another ministry leader. I remember the emense hatred for Hank Hanegraff when Christianity in Crisis came out. Even Benny Hinn said publicly that he wishes there was a scripture that say it was Ok for him to kill him. I was also grieved over the hatred some evangelicals have for Palestinians because of bad theology. I read a letter written by a Christian Palestinian who could not understand the hatred and persecution coming from professing Christians in America. Remember… The people of God, true Israel, has to do with faith not race. But even if there is bad theology here… we should not be hating period.
Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
I. Do we love our brothers in Christ? Do you love them enough to serve them? Do you love them enough to pray for them? Do you love them enough to worship with them? Do you love them enough to bear their burdens with them? Do you love them enough to forgive them? Do we love them?
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Do you love them enough to serve them? Do you love them enough to pray for them? Do you love them enough to worship with them? Do you love them enough to bear their burdens with them? Do you love them enough to forgive them?
J. Jesus said that. And Jesus did that. And even more than that.
Allen, D. L. (2013). 1–3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p. 81). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
III. The Good News
- Christ died not for his friends, but for His enemies.
A. The beauty of the example of the love of God for us.
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
B. It is easy to love those who are good to us. But loving those who treat us badly? Those who spit in our face, hit us, beat us, whip us, humiliate us, curse us, nail us to a cross, and persecute and kill our friends and family.
C. Christ cried out from the cross… forgive them for they know not what they do. He gave his life for us. We did not earn it nor did we deserve it. But He fulfilled the command to love His neighbor and to love His enemy and by doing it He made all things new. Where we failed, he succeeded. Salvation is here.
D. Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures...