We Should Lay Down Our Lives for the Brothers

Lay Down Our Lives

for the Brothers

Sunday, December 14th, 2008

"By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers."

(1 John 3:16, ESV)

1. The phrase “by this we know love” sets the stage for believers and is the very definition of Christian love. (John 15:12-13)

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:12-13, ESV)

2. Then we need to look to the “who” of this love - Jesus Christ.

"In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:10-11, ESV)

3. Jesus laid down His life for His sheep.

"just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep." (John 10:15, ESV)

"Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood." (Acts 20:28, ESV)

"And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:2, ESV)

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her," (Ephesians 5:25, ESV)

"and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood" (Revelation 1:5, ESV)

4. We are to follow His example

"whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked." (1 John 2:6, ESV)

"Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:11, ESV)

"By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit." (1 John 4:13, ESV)

"who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well." (Romans 16:4, ESV)

"Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all." (Philippians 2:17, ESV)

"for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me." (Philippians 2:30, ESV)

(1 John 2:6; 4:11; 13; Romans 16:4; Philippians 2:17; 30)