Love Your Brothers

Let's take a moment and ask God to bless the preaching of his word as he reveals himself to us in the words of scripture, the living and active word of God. Let's pray. God of heaven, thank you again for your great mercy to us. We thank you every week for your mercy because, Lord, as we come here and enjoy your presence, we realize that we are here. and now father that grace which calls us to you calls us also to be faithful in following the lord jesus you have told us that the two greatest commandments are to love the lord our god with all our heart soul and mind and to love our neighbor as ourself and so father now as we embark upon this study of loving our neighbor especially loving brothers and sisters in christ I pray that you would work in our hearts.

Oh God, help us in this hour to listen carefully to what you have to say. That we might change, that we might grow, that we might see where we are falling short. Repent and seek to grow. God help us, we pray. For this is so important. In Jesus' name we ask these things.

Amen. My brother and I and a couple other guys used to be in a music group, and we went with my dad to a Bible camp, or a Bible conference, I guess it was, and Dad had some responsibilities at one part, and we went to the young people's part of this Bible conference. And the guy that was leading it was kind of one of these new, back then, okay, back in the 70s, kind of a contemporary guy, right?

He was kind of one of these cool guys going to a Christian college. He had a guitar and everything, you know. He would talk about witnessing to drug addicts and tell them they need a mainline Jesus, you know, and that kind of stuff. He was really cool. And he taught us a song which went like this. We are one in the Spirit.

We are one in the Lord. We are one in the Spirit. We are one in the Lord. And we pray that all unity will one day be restored. And then the refrain. and they'll know we are Christians by our love by our love and they know we are Christians by our love and we walked away from that going a stinking hippie dippy thing love love love that all it about I can believe it you know blah blah blah yes of course it's always the same sappy stuff until one day I read John chapter 13 verses 34 and 35 and this is not coming from a hippie dippy kind of a guy.

This is coming from the Lord Jesus himself. And here's what he said to his disciples in John chapter 13 verses 34 and 35. A new commandment I give to you that you love one another just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. Okay, it's not hippy-dippy crazy theology.

It's really coming from the mouth of Jesus, isn't it? That's what he's telling us here. He's telling us that we need to love one another. This is, again, part of that command, that we love our neighbors as ourselves, but it's a special part. It's not about just loving everybody. It's about loving one another.

It's about loving one another as believers in Christ. It's about loving the people who are sitting next to you in these pews. It's about loving those who claim Christ. We are to love one another. Let's read it once more so we get it in our heads. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another just as I have loved you.

You also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. We have a new radical command to obey. A new radical command to obey. It's new and radical because we live in a new and radical era. You might say to me, how can this be a new commandment?

There's nothing new or radical about this commandment. We read this commandment in the Old Testament. We read about loving our neighbors in the Old Testament. In fact, what you read to us earlier in Confession of Sin was, all these things were to do, why? Because the Lord says, you are to love your neighbor as yourself. How is this a new commandment?

It's an old commandment, we might say. It's one from the Old Testament. How could Jesus call this a new commandment? Well, we need to grasp this essential truth that with the coming of Jesus, a whole new era of redemptive history began one that was entirely different from well one that was indifferent radically different from the old one He introduced a new era a new a distinct a radical way of living You see, Jesus brings something entirely new because he stands as God's new lawgiver.

He stands as God's final judge. It all ends up with Jesus. And when he came, he introduced something new. Now Jesus can say this is a new command because he takes the old and makes something entirely new out of it. Let's say you go to an auction one day and you buy an old 1956 pickup truck. And it's rusty.

The paint job is gone, leaving this brownish kind of tint on the body. The upholstery is shot. The engine sputters a little. But it can't really do much. The shifter on the column has been broken and re-welded back on again. It still has the original tires, and it's pretty old and pretty useless.

But you buy it, and you take it home, and you repaint the body so it shines with a brilliant red. The upholstery smells of new leather. You've rebuilt the engine, so now you have a good, solid machine, and you have new tires on her now. Do you now own an old or a new truck? See? That's what Jesus does.

Jesus comes along and revolutionizes, revamps, reforms, and rebuilds the old commandments so that they become entirely new commandments. They are the old commandments, but they're new as well. He's revamped them. He's revolutionized them. He's rebuilt them in a way that makes them new. How so?

This is a new and radical command because you have a new model. You have a new model to follow, and that is Jesus himself. A new command I give you, love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. We have a new model for this love.

It is Jesus himself. How does Jesus love? Jesus loves by serving. Now if you read the whole of chapter 13, you just see that Jesus, before he says this, has just served his disciples. He has washed their feet. Now make no mistake about it, you didn't wash anybody else's feet.

When you went to someone house what they would do in that day you ran around in sandals of course and so your feet would get dirty And so when you went into someone house they would give you a basin with some water and a towel and you would wash your feet. The servants would bring that to you, and they would not wash your feet. You would wash your own feet.

The servants would bring you that which you could use. The thing is that Jesus now is occupying a place that's even below a servant. He is washing their feet. He's occupying a place that's even lower than a servant. He put himself in that position. Kind of like a guy changing his baby's diapers.

Right, women? That's lower. That's, of course, you're thinking that's normal. That should be the case. But let's face it. You don't wash someone else's feet.

But that's what Jesus did. He served them by washing their feet. The question is, how have you served your brothers and sisters in Christ? Jesus washed their feet even though he knew his death was just around the corner. His death was just, just going to happen the very next day. And yet here he is, knowing that.

He still washes their feet. I love what Tim Keller says. When we are hurting with a load of care on our backs, do we look around and notice that people's feet need to be washed? Life's hard, isn't it? It was hard for Jesus, but he served. Do you do the same thing?

Do you look around and see whose feet need to be washed? The badge of love is a towel in a basin. You know what? Jesus loves by loving the undeserving. Again, listen to what one writer said. Jesus saw them all.

One betrayer. One denier. all forsakers. One of those sets of feet was dirty and sore from an errand that arranged his torture and death. What did Jesus do? He washed those feet. You ever think about that?

Jesus loves and loved the undeserving. Whom do you see as undeserving of your love. Right now, you think about it. Whom do you see as undeserving of your love? You say, well, I love everybody. Well, just wait a minute now.

Who are you avoiding? Who are you avoiding? Who are you trying to stay away from? Okay? Who would that be? Who are you not associating with?

Who are you ignoring? Who are you holding in contempt? At this moment, ask yourself, who am I holding in contempt right now? The person across the auditorium with whom you're angry? The Christian who's a little eccentric, a little weird? We don't have any of those folks here, do we?

You laugh. Because you're thinking of somebody else besides you, aren't you? Who do you avoid? The Christian who is troubled and seems in need of almost constant help. Oh no, there he is again. I'll go that way.

Right? maybe it's someone who's at a different economic or social level than you you need to love all the brothers no matter what they've done no matter what they're like jesus loved us by loving the undeserving but jesus loved us supremely by dying for us you remember what it says in first john chapter 3 verses 16 through 18. Turn there. 1 John chapter 3 verses 16 through 18.

John has a way of, John is the apostle of love. He's always talking about love. That seems to be one of his major themes. And when you come to his epistle, which is probably written before this gospel, but when you come to this epistle, he talks a lot about love. And here's what he says. This is how we know what love is.

Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. Let's just consider that for a moment. How do I know God loves me? How do I know Jesus loves me? Because he died for me. He died for me.

But do you see the very next sentence? How do I know what love is? Jesus laid down his life for us. And we note, ought. We ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. Jesus expects of every Christian in this place that you are willing to die for the person who sitting next to you That what we ought to do Now, it would be nice.

That's what we ought to do. If Jesus died for us, then we ought to die for one another. But not all of us are going to die. I would guess that probably very few of any here are ever going to die for their brother. Well, let's read on. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need, but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth. We ought to die for one another if it's what's called for, or die in lesser ways of giving and sacrificing for them. How do I know Jesus loved me? What's my model? It's one who died for me ought to be willing to die for others. Wherever that is on that spectrum, from giving my life to giving my possessions, Where am I on that spectrum?

So we have a new model, Jesus. It's a new and radical commandment because you have a new motive. There's a new motive given you, and that's God's love for you expressed in Jesus. God's love for you expressed in Jesus. That's your new motive, just as he died for you, right? what could possibly move you to love others like jesus loved us what could move you to do that only god's love for you as he sacrificed jesus for you an unworthy unrighteous rebel do not forget where you you may have grown up in a christian home but in your heart you were a rebel you may have lived a a degenerate life until you came to christ but all of us were rebels against God.

And he sent Jesus to die for rebels. He didn't send Jesus to die for people he liked. He loved us by sending Jesus for us. The Apostle Paul in Galatians chapter 2 verse 20 says, I live my life by faith in the Son of God who loved me and what? Gave himself for me. In 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verses 14 through 16, or 14 and 15, we read these words.

For Christ love compels us because we are convinced that one died for all and therefore all died And he died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. You see that? Because Jesus died, we no longer live for ourselves. Living for yourself is out of the question now. It's living for others, living for God.

That's my motive. only people who are consumed with the gospel would be able to live that way. Only those who look at the cross and see Jesus dying for wretched rebels will be able to love other Christians that way. We need to be consumed with the gospel. With the fact that God loves sinners. Boy, that says a lot, doesn't it? God loved us.

Why? Wretched rebels by sending His Son. And here I am with brothers and sisters in Christ who are irritating. Not rebels. They don't hate me. They're just irritating.

They're weird. They're different. Boy, if you're consumed with the gospel, you'll be able to love someone, no matter how irritating they are, or annoying, or weird, or whatever the case may be. Notice, this is a new and radical commandment because you have a new mission. You've got a new model, a new motive. you have a new mission here as well. And that is to reveal Jesus.

Notice what he says in verse 35. By this all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. They'll know you are my disciples. They'll know about me. To reveal Jesus. If we look back at the commandment in its old setting and I read it to you Leviticus chapter 19 verses 11 through 18.

In effect, the command to loves one neighbor was a summary statement of all those commands, right? Don't steal. Don't put stumbling blocks in front of them. Don't do injustice in the court. Why? Because you're to love your neighbor.

It provided security for others, protection of rights, seeing that needs were met. But Jesus' command has a much greater mission now. It goes beyond that It been elevated now to more than just looking after my neighbor It is that and then this That the world see Jesus by the way we love one another That the world would see the change that Jesus brings There's a people here who love one another.

Wow! It's to show a watching world that Jesus is indeed our Lord. And that we obey this commandment. when we love one another we show the world that we are his disciples when we love one another we're showing the world that we follow Jesus the world will know that we are Christians by our love I don't know of anybody in the world who says I don't think you're Christians your doctrine is not right they don't look at us that way oh I know you're Christians because you don't do X, Y, and Z.

They don't look at us that way. They think we're weird because we don't do X, Y, and Z. Oh, I can see you're a follower of Christ because you're against all these things. Is that how the world thinks? No! But there is one area where Jesus has given the world the right to judge us.

And that is our love for one another. They don't care about doctrine. They don't care. They hate us for what we stand for. But they ought never to be able to deny that we love one another. and that's what's going to reveal Jesus to a watching world a world you remember in Titus as we read the gospel today do you notice Titus chapter 3 verse 3 this is a verse that stands out in my head that the world is filled with people who are hated and hate one another just go out in the world have I told you about holy eavesdropping wholly listening to other conversations that aren't yours?

Here's what you do. I'll tell you how to do it. Go to a Burger King or a McDonald's or an Arby's or any fast food place you want. Sit down. As people get around you, listen to their conversations. I'll tell you what you're going to hear.

You're going to hear this. You know what I told her? I told her, you blankety blank blank, you're not going to get away with that with me. And over here you're going to hear, you know, she thinks she's so. And he on top of it, I'll tell you what. And it's amazing how many people talk that way.

Because in Titus chapter 3 it says, here's the character of the world. full of malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. Just listen to the conversations of the world around you. You will inevitably hear that. It's constant. And what do you think is going to stand out in a world like that? People who aren't talking like that about one another.

People who are loving one another, not just in word, but in action. People whose love is obvious in this dark world of hate. They will see us. It's not talking about loving our enemies now. talking about we love one another. That's what they're going to see. One of the main reasons the gospel spread in the early years of the church was because Christians loved one another.

Tertullian, who was an early church father, around, if I remember right, around the 200s, early 300s. Okay, we're talking centuries ago. He tells us that pagans used to marvel. they marveled at the love shown in the Christian fellowship especially during times of persecution. He says this is what the pagans used to say. See how they love one another. How they are ready even to die for one another.

That stood out. That ought to stand out for us. We ought to be the people who love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples. if you love one another? Are you loving like you should? Are you consumed with the gospel so that loving one another is so important to you?

Now, are you really interested in living this kind of radical life? If you're really consumed by the gospel, you will do whatever it takes to obey. Well, what's it going to take? how will we obey this radical new command? We have to obey this command even when sin disrupts our relationships. You know, as a congregation, we will be plagued by sin, Satan, and the world.

We can't escape our three enemies. by the flesh, the world, and the devil. And they will war against us to keep us from loving one another to keep us from obeying that commandment Our flesh will tell us to gossip and to talk about and to be mean and to avoid all of those things all of those things that we've talked about. Our flesh is going to tell us to do that.

When someone sins against you, right, your flesh is going to say, write him off, break it off. You don't need that person anyway. Go sit on the other side of the auditorium. Satan will try to convince you that the person who's wronged you is not worth your time. Not worth your effort. The world will tell you that some people are just that way.

They're just that way. You might as well leave them alone. Just ignore them. That's not what Jesus says. If we're going to love one another, then we have to work at it. And what Jesus says is we're going to love so radically that we will not let one relationship, not one relationship with a Christian brother or sister end without intense effort at putting it back together.

Not one relationship. Let me put it this way. Everybody sitting in here who's a believer and at the very least a member of this church, you ought to be on good terms with every single other member. There ought to be no problems between us. No relational problems. Am I making that clear?

Right? There's no one here that you ought to be saying, well, I'm kind of done with that guy. I've had enough. No. No. None of you should have ever said, look, we're going to disagree.

Let's go our separate ways. You know what? we'll just never get along. Right? No. None of that is allowed by Jesus. How do I know that?

Let's turn to Matthew 18. Now Matthew 18. We all cringe. We all say, oh no, are we going there again? Because we look at that as the church discipline passage. I'm indebted to Larry Haas.

Whenever we interview someone for membership, we ask him about this passage because we want people to know what they're getting into. We say, well, this is what we do here. We love one another enough to say that you know we got to keep our relationships together Larry I can still see Larry sitting on the right side of my desk Here the people in front of us And Larry sitting there saying now, you know, some people look at this and they say, this is a way to kick people out of the church.

It's not that. This is the passage that's supposed to tell us how to remain together. And that's exactly what it is. It's a passage that tells us how we keep our relationships together. Matthew 18, beginning in verse 15, you're familiar with it. If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.

If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I say to you, whatever you have bound on earth will have been bound in heaven. whatever you have loosed on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.

Again I say to you, two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. By the way, I read those last verses about two or three are gathered together. That has been so misused. It's like wherever two or three Christians are together, let's have a prayer meeting and God will do what we say.

That's not what it's about. You know what it's about? It's about when those two witnesses show up, Jesus is with them. That's what it's about. That's what it's about. It's not about having a, you know, well, where two or three are gathered, Jesus is here.

No, no. That's true, but that's not what this passage says. This passage says, when those witnesses go, you need to take it seriously because Jesus is with them. All right? What's the point? What's the point I'm telling?

Why do we go here? These are the steps Jesus gives us for reconciling a relationship that's gone bad. That's what it's about. A brother sins against you and you're hurt and you're offended and it's awful. What do you do? Do you say, I'm done.

I am done. No, no. Jesus doesn't give us that right. He doesn't give us that right to say, our relationship is over. It's over. We're done.

He does not give us that right. You know what he says? you've got to go talk to that brother. You've got to get it put back together. He will not allow a relationship to be broken Well what if that person doesn listen You get one or two others that say look you two need to be reconciled Let's listen to your stories, and we're going to tell you how you can put this relationship back together.

You see, Jesus thinks it's that important. But what if he doesn't listen to those two? You take it to the church. Why? So the church can say, you've got to put this back together. don't remain at odds with one another. Are you getting the point?

You hear what Jesus is saying here? He says our relationships are so important that these are the steps you take to put it together. And if someone refuses to be reconciled, only then can the relationship be broken. So let me put it this way. You can never, as a believer, ever break off a relationship until the whole church is involved. Now, does that tell you something about what Jesus thinks about our relationships with one another, about loving one another?

If you're going to love someone, and you really love them, you're not going to write them off. You're going to work at that. You're going to do whatever it takes, whatever it takes to put it back together. And this is what it takes sometimes, and that's what Jesus says. That's how important loving one another is. Some people say, oh, well, I can't go talk to him.

I'm just not the confrontive type. Oh, okay. All right. I can see that. Jesus says, go and tell your brother. Unless, of course, you're not the confrontive type.

Then just, yeah, let him go. Is that what he says? No. Not at all. This is how important our relationships are to Jesus. That we do whatever it takes to keep him alive and to keep him put together.

This says a lot to us about loving one another, doesn't it? That's what it takes, if necessary. You know what? Turn over to Ephesians 4 just for a moment. Listen to these words. Hear the Apostle Paul.

Remember, in Ephesians 4 now, in Ephesians 1-3, he's told us all that God has done for us. Now, beginning in Ephesians 4, he's going to tell us what it means to follow Jesus. And here's one of the things he says. Here are two things I just want to point out. Look at verse 26. chapter 4 verse 26 be angry and do not sin so there isn't such a thing as righteous anger but here's how it's unrighteous you know how it's unrighteous angry and do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your anger and give no opportunity to the devil.

Do you hear that? God clearly says to us, if you have a problem with your brother, you better not go to bed angry. You better not go to angry. And I've told you guys this a hundred times, so here's a hundred and one. The only thing Satan needs to break this congregation wide open and to split it, is for two of you to be angry with one another overnight.

Then the devil has his foot in the door. Listen to hear what he says. Don't let the sun go down in your anger. Look at verse 31 and 32. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you along with all malice. So what is he saying there?

None of these things should be present in the church of Jesus. no malice, no envy no slander, no arguing and fighting, no bitterness but what? be kind to one another tender hearted, forgiving one another as God and Christ forgave you, therefore be imitators of God as beloved children and walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice for God none of those things ought to be present. If you're struggling with bitterness, you need to deal with it. If you need help, then get it.

That's how important our relationships are. That's how important loving God is. You know what I love to tell folks? By the way, some weeks ago I was preaching at a church in the state of Kennewick, Washington. And I was preaching this sermon to them. And I said to them, you want people to know if Jesus is here? ask them to your business meetings ask them to your business meetings if a church's business meeting is a knock down drag out fight I can tell you right now they don't love one another business meetings ought to be great times of fellowship and I'm preaching to the choir here our business meetings are always fun I think well maybe a little boring sometimes but we still have a good time now why go through all this Why do all this stuff that Jesus says Why even do that Because you are consumed with the Gospel and what Jesus has done for you.

And because you need to show a watching world that Jesus is Lord and that He has changed you and you are not going to let any relationship die without incredible effort. You will never let any relationship die without incredible effort of obedience to what Jesus has said. This is how much we ought to love one another. All right? Let me make one more point here with a few sub-points.

I don't want to get your hopes up here. But we have to obey this command by making the effort to build unity. We have to obey this command by making the effort to build unity. If we love one another, we will try to be unified. So turn to Ephesians chapter 4. Important words here about the unity that a church congregation should have.

Now here's what I'm saying. If we love one another, we're going to do whatever it takes to obey that command. Even the difficult things of trying to put those relationships together through the steps that Jesus has given us. But also, we're going to love one another if we make the effort to build unity in the body. How do we build unity? Here's what he says in Ephesians chapter 4, verses 1 through 3.

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you've been called. He's talking about identity here. He spent three chapters telling us you're elected, you're called, you're redeemed, you're forgiven, you're sons of God, you're in his kingdom, you are one people you have been raised from the dead to believe in Jesus angels are watching to see the marvelous work that God has done now with all those things in your mind this is how you ought to live as a redeemed, forgiven elected, chosen loved, kingdom people who have been raised from the dead, this is how those kind of people live what are they going to do you're going to walk in a manner worthy of calling to which you've been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience bearing with one another in love eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Now this is not some kind of formula This is not some kind of technique This is the life God expects of people who are consumed with the gospel.

So he's not saying, if you want a nice congregational life, do one, two, three, four. No, he's saying, live this way. This is the way disciples live. How do they live? Well, unity requires diligence. Verse 3, you're eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Unity requires diligence. Can I tell you something? I can tell you this on the basis of yesterday. Beck and I are having the time of our lives now, okay? It's been great. And kids, it's not just because you're gone.

Okay, that's not the issue. That is not the issue. The issue is this. That over the years, God has been gracious to us in telling us, hey, you've got to work at this. You've got to work at this. It doesn't just happen.

Right? I mean, I had a friend who posted on Facebook yesterday, I've been married to this woman for 38 years. Tell her how much she's done. Right? She's been a magnificent woman. Why? because she's had to live with me.

That's the way I feel with my dear wife, okay? And there's just been a few things that I've had to work on with her. But the point is this. The point is this. The unity that we are experiencing now is the fruit of day by day saying, we've got to work this out. We've got to work this thing out, right?

We've got to work at our marriage. And the same thing is true with the congregation. It doesn't just happen. We have to work at it. Doing the things we've talked about, with the mindset that Jesus gave us, that commandment, we've got to work at it. Love will be diligent.

Love will be diligent. And he says in verse 3, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit. I'm going to work at this. Notice this, that unity requires humility. Verse 2, with all humility. Pride will disrupt unity.

Pride always disrupts unity. If you look at Proverbs chapter 13 verse 10 Proverbs 13 10 noted it said pride only breeds quarrels but wisdom is found in those who take advice Pride breeds quarrels A proud person seeks his own honor. A proud person considers himself extremely wise, right? You can't tell him he's wrong. I got it all figured out. Pride assumes that in any conflict, the fault lies with you, not with me.

It's your problem, not mine. In short, a proud person does not love very well. Humility makes for unity. A humble person so fully acknowledges his sin, it looks like a log compared to the speck in your eye, Matthew 7. Right? If I've sinned against you, what am I supposed to do?

I'm supposed to take the log out of my own eye before I start poking at that speck in yours. I see my sin first, and I see it as worse than yours. All right? Now, if you're sitting there right now saying to yourself, I hope my husband hears this, then rest assured, you are the proud one. Or if you're saying, boy, I hope there's no Melanies here. I hope Melanie over there hears this because she really needs to hear it.

You are the proud one. Okay? Isaiah chapter 57 verse 15 Isaiah chapter 57 verse 15 For this is what the high and lofty one says He who lives forever whose name is holy I live in a high and lofty place but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit we will experience unity because god's presence is especially ministered to humble people if we seek humility god will manifest his presence in a great way and we will have unity love is humble unity notice next requires patience patience treating people with sensitivity and tenderness.

A gentle person is not prone to quarreling or yelling or embarrassing people into submission. Hmm. Love is going to be gentle. requires patience. Patience. Wait a minute. Yeah, patience.

I was mixed up there. Patience there is the word long-suffering. Some of your translations may have that. Long-suffering. What does that mean? It means he suffers long.

You don't overreact to disagreements. You just don't overreact to disagreements. You're going to be patient. You're going to be composed under pressure. You're not going to display irritation. That's what it means to be patient.

Love is going to be patient. And then the last thing he mentions, unity requires forbearance. That involves allowing people to make mistakes or be different without putting them down. It's going to distinguish between the major and the minor issues. It's going to bear long with people. Right? oftentimes you know I'll be in conversation with someone and let's say I'm counseling with them and I'm talking to them there's this give and take going on this person says you know something about luck and then something about I don't know so in their conversation let's just say there are four theological statements that are just blown out I mean it like oh man but we dealing with marriage issues right now I not going to say okay first of all let talk about luck There no such thing as luck Do you not believe in the sovereign God You're going to forbear.

You're not going to pick at everybody for everything that they're saying. You're going to be forbearing. You're going to let people make mistakes. Wayne Mack said this, people who do not practice forbearance feel that not making another person immediately aware of his blunders would be an abdication of responsibility. Do you know people like that? Do you know yourself like that?

Right? Unless I correct you on everything you just said, I've abdicated my responsibility. Forbearance is going to say, I'm going to forbear. Okay? Just, I'm not going to. What if God was not forbearing? think about that for a moment is God forbearing with you I'll tell you what if God pointed out every single sin that you commit every day you would not be here you would you would be laying in bed afraid to put your feet on the floor if God would point out everything that you're doing wrong but he doesn't he's gracious does he convict us of sin absolutely sure he does so you will grow but, but he doesn point out everything be forbearing love is going to be forbearing You say Pastor Tim is this how we love one another Are you kidding?

Who can live this way? Well, nobody perfectly. But this is why we have a Savior. When I'm not forbearing, I can go to Him and say, Lord Jesus, I blew it. please help me. Help me to go to my brother and ask forgiveness and forgive me for just not magnifying your name in that relationship. No, sometimes I say cruel things about people.

I need to own up to it. But because Jesus died, you know what that means? It's forgiven and he says, now grow. The only reason you can grow is Jesus says, I'm forgiving you but I still expect you to do it so keep working keep going keep going keep going and keep growing because I've paid for your sin and I will give you the power to do it just keep at it and so dear friends we need to love one another am I concerned about the love of this congregation absolutely am I in terror that we're not loving one another?

No. But I do know this. We can always grow, can't we? We need to love one another and we need to love one another because there is a world out there a world of darkness that needs to see the light of people who are devoted to one another and loving one another because the name of christ is attached to us and he says they'll know you're my disciples if you love one another now maybe you need to consider this and think about it maybe you need go home and reflect.

Are there areas where I'm not loving like I should? Are there people I'm avoiding? Are there people whose names I don't even know yet? How can I love? And ask God to open your heart. It's that important.

We need to love one another. Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for our Savior, Jesus, our Lord who gives us these commands. Would you please help us? Father, we cry out to you as people whose heart's desire is to love and to serve you. So Father, I ask that you would help us.

You would help us to love one another in a way that would be so radical people will notice. Help us to that end, we pray. In Jesus' name. Amen.