06PM June 25 Various Verses

June 25, 2006—Evening Worship

The “Go Fish!” Series – Part 4

Developing a Heart for Others

Actions that Balance Our Efforts

Various Verses

Intro:  [There was a young man who wrote his girl-friend a letter, telling her of his undying love & devotion to her. He wrote:

          Darling, I would climb the highest mountain; I would swim the widest stream, I would cross the burning desert; why, I would even die at the stake for you. P.S. I’ll see you on Saturday – if it doesn’t rain!]

You know sometimes we put limits on our devotion to God. Sometimes we put limits on our servant attitude. Sometimes we put limits on our willingness to help others.

I don’t want to be like that. I don’t want others to see our church that way. In fact, this week I’ve begun to pray that God would set me on fire for Him in such a way that I might light the way for others to come to Him. I’ve begun to pray that our church would be willing to do whatever is necessary, so that people—whether around the corner or around the world—would see Jesus at work in us for their sakes.

If the world is to see Jesus at work in us for their sakes, they must also 1st see that we have loving relationships in the church w/o neglecting those outside the church. There must be a definite, delicate balance of loving those both inside & outside our comfort zone.

We must concentrate on the true value of the souls of men & women, & boys & girls; & not allow ourselves to be distracted by external issues. IOW we must express the love of Christ to all & if we don’t have a heart for others – we desperately need to develop a heart for others. The Apostle John asked the question in 1 John 4:20, “for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?”

John was known for his loving heart. He continuously reminded believers to love one another. But he is also quick to point out that we are also to love, care for & meet the needs of those who are still unbelievers. John wrote in 1 John 2:6 “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” IOW we are to do whatever Jesus would do.

- So we are to have actions that balance our efforts of loving both those inside & outside the church.

- Since love is not merely an attitude or a feeling, but an action—in action…

1. Your love must reach In to the Church. (1 John 3:11, 14, 16, 18; John 13:34­35).

- Notice that’s John’s…

    A. Primary Message (1 John 3:11) 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,

- The Apostle was very near the end of his life at this point.

- His readers probably wanted to hear something new, some new teaching, but John was like a broken record.

- He just kept on repeating the same point & he repeated it then & needs to be repeated now!

- This is not a new teaching but it’s what you’ve been taught all along!

- This is the same truth that Jesus taught to His disciples & which John was still passing on.

- This is the primary message of the gospel! Love is the source of our hope b/c God loved us & gave Himself for us!

- It’s His love that ignites our love! It’s His love moving & flowing in us & through us that is seen & felt & experienced as we reach in to the Church & help others!

- The fact that your love must reach in to the church is not only the primary message, but in doing so it also…

    B. Proves your Faith (v. 14) 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, b/c we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.

- John says here that if you love the brethren, those who are in the body of Christ, you can “know” for sure that you have experienced the new birth.

- That word “know” means “to see, or understand, or to experience, or to grasp” the truth of something.

- IOW it means “you get it!” & you know you got it! You know you are a believer!

- & it also means that other believers can know your faith b/c you live your life in such a way as to display your faith through your love for them.

- People who truly love others put their own desires at the end of their wish list. People who truly love others put the needs & wants & desires of others ahead of their own.

- IOW godly saints who truly love others are not selfish; they’re not always trying to get something from someone else.

- But rather, those who truly love others are givers; they desire to share; to help; to encourage; to equip; to motivate; to assist others as they walk through life!

- & John says if you do not desire to serve others through your love – then you are still dead in your trespasses & sins & have not passed from death to life!

- IOW if you don’t love others you are still in your sin!

- So your love must reach in to the Church b/c love is the primary message of the gospel & b/c in reaching in to the Church w/your love you prove your faith is vital & real.

- But notice also that John says that love is the…

    C. Pattern to Follow (v. 16) 16 By this we know love, b/c He laid down His life for us. & we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

- The only reason we know what love is, is b/c of the example that Jesus gave.

- God so loved the world that He sent His Son to die in the place of sinners! That’s love!

- & that’s the standard, that’s the high bar we must reach as we reach in to the church w/our love!

- Jesus loved us so much that He was willing even to die for us – even when we still hated Him!

- & as we follow that example; as we follow His pattern for life, we ought to be willing to do whatever is necessary for those around us.

- When someone else is helpless, we can provide help!

- When someone else is sinking under the waves of distress, we can be their support!

- When someone else is caving in under the pressures of life, we can be their re-enforcements!

- John is telling us that it’s not just a pattern to follow but it’s also your…

    D. Purpose of Life (v. 18) 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed & in truth.

- God left us here after our conversion for a purpose. That purpose is to glorify Him.

- We glorify Him through our lives; through our actions; through our love.

- If we, as a church, don’t reach in to love & support & encourage those around us, we are NOT glorifying God!

- If we don’t reach in—we will never reach out!

- If we don’t have a good reputation here—we can never have a good reputation anywhere!

- “Charity begins at home” they say. & if you are a child of God, the church is your home!

- Your purpose is to glorify God as you support your brothers & sisters in their struggles of life.

- Your purpose is to be loving, caring & nurturing to the rest of the body!

- IOW don’t just say you love them—LOVE them w/ACTION!

- B/c Jesus Himself gave us the…

    E. Power to display Love (John 13: 34-35) 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

- This is a command that Jesus gave & Jesus never commands you to do anything that He does not equip you to do! He always gives you the power to do whatever He asks!

- So you CAN love others w/the same intensity; at the same level & to the same degree that Jesus loves you!

- “How is that possible?” you ask. It’s possible b/c Jesus lives in you & loves through you!

- It’s possible b/c Jesus gave you the power to do it at the moment of your conversion.

- It’s possible b/c Jesus never commands us to do anything He does not empower us to do!

- & this is what will grab the attention of the world & help them see Jesus is real & His love does make a difference! & they’ll get that message as soon as Christians start living by Jesus’ command!

- Healthy, loving relationships must be built w/in the church.

- This is the proving ground for us as Christians.

- Those outside the church are watching what happens inside to see if we really are who we claim to be—followers of Jesus.

- & that brings us to the 2nd point of the message; to the other side of the scales, so that our actions can balance our efforts.

- You see not only must your love reach in to the church but…

2. Your love must reach Out from the Church. (Matt. 28:18­20; Rom. 10:13­14; 2 Cor. 5:17­20).

          [A woman by the name of Leah Abrams called the church this week & asked for clothes for her children. She has twins that are 3 ½ years old & a new born infant. We were able to help her get some clothes, not only for her children, but for her as well!]

- But it would not have done her any good for me to tell her, “God bless you & your children & I hope you find some clothes.”

- No! You see the old saying is true, “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care!”

- So, your love must reach out from the church b/c…

    A. You have been Commanded to do so. (Matthew 28:18-20) 18 & Jesus came & spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven & on earth. 19 Go therefore & make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; & lo, I am w/you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

- Jesus Christ is Lord & if He is your Lord, IOW you acknowledge His right of lordship over your life—& He said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven & on earth” & He also said, “Go“—that means your Lord has commanded you to go!

- & if your Lord has commanded you to go—then you have no other choice, you have no excuse, you have no reason, you have no justification for not going!

- You have been commanded to reach out from the church w/your time, your talents, & the truths of God’s word & to teach others all that you have learned while walking w/Jesus!

- You cannot do that in & of yourself, but you can do it through the power that God supplies by the Holy Spirit.

- Brothers & sisters, we are not here to get all we can—we are here to give as God did; we’re here to love as Jesus did; we’re here to lead others as the Holy Spirit leads us!

- Hey! Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go! For the glory of God! & in obedience to His word!

- Your love must reach out from the church b/c you’ve been commanded to do so & b/c…

    B. You have been Challenged to do so. (Romans 10:13-14) 13 For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." 14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? & how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? & how shall they hear w/o a preacher?

- The Bible says that, "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

- At the SBC there was a lot of talk about different theological beliefs. Some believe that man has a part in his salvation & some believe that God does the saving.

- Well, in all reality, they are both right! God alone saves the souls of men whom He has drawn to Himself.

- But that in no way negates man’s responsibility to repent & believe the gospel!

- Paul’s point in these vv. we’ve just read is: Whoever calls on the name of the Lord for salvation—in repentance—will not be turned away!

- But if those who are already believers are not telling the good news; if we don’t share our faith w/others & tell them what Jesus has done for us—then how can they be saved?

- If we don’t tell—they will never hear—& if they don’t hear—they cannot respond to the word of God.

- Our challenge; your challenge is to be a herald; your challenge is to be a witness; your challenge is to be the bearer of good news for nations!

- We can start small; we can start close; we must begin by reaching out to our own community & then to our state, nation, continent, hemisphere & world!

- Your love must reach out from the church b/c you’ve been commanded & challenged to do so. But also notice w/me that…

    C. You have been Commissioned to do so. (2 Corinthians 5:17-20) 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, & has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, & has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.

- When you were saved, you were changed! Now you are a new creation!

- & God has given you the message that the world needs to hear!

- God has commissioned you to share the word of reconciliation; He’s commissioned you to be ambassadors for Christ.

- You are to plead w/men as God speaks through you—calling them to Christ!

- Your message is simple, clear & at the same time profound!

- Your message is a call to repentance & faith in Jesus Christ!

- You have been sent w/that message so that as you are going you may share the wonderful, life-changing truth about Jesus’ completed work for sinners!

- But we will not share the love of Christ if we don't care about the salvation of others.

- We must become people who care.

- We need to see w/God's eyes & feel w/His heart toward those who don't know Him.

Conclusion:  A healthy spiritual life will be found in those who reach out in love w/their words, their time, & their energy, both to one another & to those who are w/o Christ.

          In the book, The Power of Commitment, Jerry White wrote; “In all creation, fruit-bearing is the preeminent mark of maturity. In the human physical realm, maturity is gauged by when a person is able to bear or father children. A tree is mature when it bears fruit. A stalk of grain is mature when it can be harvested. Certainly the spiritual realm [is no different]. A mature believer bears fruit of 2 kinds. The 1st is that of character & holiness of life. The 2nd is becoming a spiritual parent either by leading others to Christ [or teaching them to do so].”

Invitation:  Heads are bowed & eyes are closed. Would you commit to taking actions that balance your efforts? Would you – could you through your love reach in to those in the church body & offer encouragement & support? & can you also, through your love reach out to those w/o Christ & share the good news?

          If God has spoken to you & called you through His word, would you come? If He has challenged you would you come? Will you be the ambassador for Christ to those in your sphere of influence?

Hymn 283 Take My Life, and Let It Be Consecrated