Love Your Neighbor
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Story: Driving home from church the other day (a road rage experience).
Someone asked me recently: what is the most difficult part of being a pastor during this coronavirus season?
It is not the fact that our campus has been closed.
It is not the I have four teenagers, a wife, and a mother-in-law at home—during a safer at home experience.
It is not the face that I am working hard with our ministry teams to re-launch our campus ministry.
My number one difficulty as a pastor is experiencing a lot of anger expressed by people—and protecting the church from divisiveness that anger can bring to the church.
I know many of you are impatient, frustrated, concerned, and even mad about what has happened - to your jobs, your health, your routines.
And, in many cases, it is ok to be angry. But don’t allow your anger to damage your witness of the Good News of Jesus Christ,
To be specific, don’t let your anger affect your love for God and your love for one another.
Today, I am launching a new series: Love One Another.
Today’s message: Love Your Neighbor.
Text: Romans 13:8-10
Text
8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Main Idea
Romans 13 is a wonderful theological environment to linger during the coronavirus experience.
It addresses two main themes of Christian responsibility: (1) Respect authority; (2) Love one another.
As we prepare to relaunch our face-to-face service—I sincerely believe we need to prepare our attitudes, emotions, and actions—that everything we do honors God.
And, what honors God above all else is love. (Question: Does the quality of your love honor God?)
Transition
In Romans 13, I find four essential principles of love that need to be at work in our lives as true believers in Jesus Christ.
1. Love is a Debt.
1. Love is a Debt.
The Christian is to allow no debt to remain outstanding except the one that can never be paid off—“the debt to love one another.”
The obligation to love has no limit. It is the one debt we cannot pay off.
We are to love not only those of the family of God but all people as well.
Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus said “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
As God’s love extended to all, so must our concern reach out to believer and nonbeliever alike.
2. Love is a Responsibility.
2. Love is a Responsibility.
We have a responsibility toward others—a responsibility rooted in empathy, patience, and compassion.
When you look at the commandments of the Old Testament, many focus on proper actions toward others (adultery, murder, stealing, coveting).
These commandment can be summed up in a simple, but profound statement: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Which begs the question: “Who is my neighbor?”
An expert of Jewish Law asked Jesus that very question.
Jesus responded by telling him a story of a Jewish man who was robbed and beaten and left for dead.
A Jewish Priest walked by—saw the man on the ground—a passed him by, purposely avoiding him.
A Levite—another religious expert—did the very same thing—seeing the man on the ground and leaving him.
But a Samaritan (the enemy of the Jewish people) came to where the Jewish man was—and bound up his wounds—taking him to an inn—paying the expenses.
Then Jesus asked the Jewish expert of the Law a question: “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” The expert of the Law answered: “The one who showed him mercy.”
Then Jesus responded: “You go, and do likewise.”
Friend, we cannot look the other way. Racism, abuse, loneliness, hurt, fear—we need to show mercy. It is our responsibility.
3. Love does no Wrong.
3. Love does no Wrong.
The Scripture says: “Love does no wrong to a neighbor.”
Personal Illustration:
I belong to a homeowners association. All the homeowners have an obligation toward following the restrictions laid out in a covenant—a list of rules.
It is has been a point of frustration with people in our association. Arguments between rights and responsibilities can get quite heated.
But if my neighborhood is going to be a place of peace—the neighbors are going to have to get along with one another.
For the believer in Christ, we have covenant with God. And one of the rules say that “Love does no wrong to a neighbor.”
So, what does that mean?
We are quick to listen and slow to speak.
Not everything has to be an argument.
Our words should show patience, mercy, and compassion.
PLEASE THINK BEFORE YOU WRITE SOMETHING ON FACEBOOK.
4. Love fulfills the Law.
4. Love fulfills the Law.
Love for God and love for people, as Jesus said in Matthew 22:40: “On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
The need to love is supremely important in view of the critical age in which we find ourselves.
Love shapes the way we live.
The world lives as though human history were destined to continue for ever.
The Christian knows that God is in control of the events of people and nations and is directing history to a predetermined end.
Since the end is near, we are to arouse ourselves from sleep.
In the light of our obligation to love:
13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Conclusion
In a couple of weeks, we are going to resume campus ministry.
For those who are eager to attend face-to-face services—do not suggest that those who are going to stay home somehow lack faith. Show compassion and understanding.
For those who are going to stay home —do not suggest that those who will attend campus services are foolish. Show compassion and understanding.
Love is what will hold us together and demonstrate the authenticity of our faith to the world.
Jesus said:
35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”