A Gracious and Loving People
Notes
Transcript
Grace... expresses two complementary thoughts: God's unmerited favor to us through Christ, and God's divine assistance to us through the Holy Spirit. - Jerry Bridges
In order to be loving, merciful, charitable, hospitable and all the other things God calls us to be we must recognize that we do them all because of His grace.
Car fuel is grace. Love is the car in action.
This is why we have paragraph 4 in our Church Covenant where it says,
We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and, mindful of the rules of our Savior, to secure it without delay.
In order to do these things we must be a people fueled by grace expressed in love.
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
There is much we can see in this passage and if we were to mine all of it we would be here late into the night but for today I want to look at one truth and two applications from this truth we see in this text.
Truth: Love must be genuine.
Illustration: Ancient Rome on a Hot day. - genuine love
This text starts out by saying our love must not be hypocritical but genuine.
Why? because that is how God’s love for us is.
GOSPEL
Since we have this new life, we are called to love.
Q - Where is my love hypocritical and not like Jesus?
Application #1 - Your Love must be expressed in the Body.
10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
10 - This Love is greater than a “love” for coffee or TV show. It is expressed in serving one another.
11 - Zealousness, Fervency, and serving the Lord give us passion and direction for our love.
Our love is focused. It isn’t like hippies at woodstock or people at burning man. It is a love for one another that is intentional, focused, and unto Jesus.
12 - In all circumstances those who love will be a person who is rejoicing, patient, and prayerful.
This is incredibly important for members of a Church. We must be a people who look past circumstances and preferences and look to Christ so we can live as He calls us to live together.
13 - A loving person will give of their resources for those who are in need.
Biblical Giving to the local Church and to others as a need arises.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
15 - Love will make their responses about where others are at in their circumstances.
We do not rejoice when people are weeping or weep when others are rejoicing.
16 - Love will not be arrogant but will interact with all.
Wise in your own sight will never lead to exclusion of people.
Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Church, Love In
There is a story about a man who was walking down the street. He passed a used-book store, and in the window he saw a book with the title How to Hug. He was taken by the title and, being of a somewhat romantic nature, went in to buy the book. To his chagrin, he discovered that it was the seventh volume of an encyclopedia and covered the subjects “How” to “Hug.”
Everyone knows that the church is a place where love ought to be manifested, and many people have come to church hoping to find a demonstration of love—only to discover an encyclopedia on theology.
Q - How can you be more loving toward the other members of GV this year?
Application #2 - Your Love must be expressed in the World.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
14 - We will love those who come against us and not wish them harm
17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
17 - Don’t repay evil but may your actions be seen by all as loving ones.
give thought about your words and actions and how they will be perceived by a watching sinful world.
18 - May your actions be ones of striving for peace
even when conflict is inevitable, peace should be the goal
sometimes that means falling on your sword for the benefit of others.
19 - God is the one who handles vengeance
I know, i know, but...
20 - Instead of you taking vengeance, serve your enemy
21 - don’t be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.
Inside and outside Paul is saying our hearts should be for good or the benefit of others.
Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Friendliness to Enemies
While still a young boy, a certain Christian formed the habit of praying beside his bed before he went to sleep. Later, when he joined the army, he kept up this practice, though he became an object of mockery and ridicule in the barracks. One night, as he knelt to pray after a long, weary march, one of his tormentors took off his muddy boots and threw them at him one at a time, hitting him on each side of his head. The Christian said nothing, took the persecutor’s boots, put them beside the bed, and continued to pray.
The next morning, when the other soldier woke up, he found his polished and shined boots sitting beside his own bed. It so affected him that he asked for forgiveness and after a time became a Christian.
Q - How can you love and serve someone this week who you are at odds with?
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