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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/isaiah-frazier/love-one-another/
Let's read in John chapter 13, please. John chapter 13. We'll read verse 34. John chapter 13 and verse 34. These are words of the Lord Jesus. John chapter 13, verse 34. A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
By this shall all know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another. Let's read in first John as well. First John in chapter 3. First John chapter 3 and we'll read verse 16. First John chapter 3, verse 16.
John writes again, Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he, of course that has to refer to the Lord Jesus, he laid down his life for us. We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. When we think of how sin has affected this world, we can appreciate that it really has touched every aspect of creation, every aspect of humanity.
We know that creation itself was subject to vanity. It is not what God intended it to be. We know that humans were affected by sin. We still suffer the consequence of sin in our bodies. With disease and sickness and heartache.
We think of how sin has affected our relationship with God. As Adam once knew an intimacy with his creator and after he sinned then there was fear and a hiding from God. Sin would ultimately affect even the relationship between Adam and Eve, between husband and wife.
But we can also see in the word of God that sin affects the relationship between brother and brother. That's what I would like to speak about today. When we go back to the beginning of our Bibles, as sin enters into the world, that is one of the very first things that surfaces, doesn't it?
That Cain not only hated his brother but Cain ultimately would kill his own brother. Genesis chapter 4. You'll read that there was conflict, there was difficulty, strife between Jacob and Esau. You'll read that there was difficulty between Joseph and his brothers.
And the list goes on and on. Difficulties between brother. As we consider the nation of Israel and how they are called out to be a special people for God. Called out to be worshipers for God but also to be a testimony to the nations that surrounded them.
Do you not find it interesting that when God speaks to them God of course makes worship a priority and the commandments that are given have to do with God, the first commandments. You will have no other gods.
You will not make any graven images and you will not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. And you could classify the fourth one as you want keeping the Sabbath but you know the rest of the commandments had to do with fellow men, didn't they?
They had to do with their dealings one with another among the nation of Israel. How they were going to treat each other, how they were not going to defraud or steal or harm their fellow brother. So it again speaks to us to the fact that sin affects even our human relationships.
So I think it's interesting then when we come to the New Testament the Lord Jesus speaking now to his own disciples. He could say a new commandment I give unto you that you love one another. And I take it what he is adding is this as I have loved you so that you love one another.
Of course we can appreciate that is one of the things that the Lord Jesus would condemn even the most religious people on was the fact that they said that they were pleasing God and worshiping God, serving God and yet they did not love one another.
And you'll read that how the Lord Jesus condemns them. You can you can see this time and time again as they would make great claims and the Lord Jesus puts his very finger on that. You read of the of the parable of the good Samaritan was that not the whole point of it?
Who is my brother? Well it's anyone who has need. And if you're like the priest that you can see their need and walk by and be unmoved or if you can be like the Levite and do the same you are not fulfilling even this commandment to love your neighbor as yourself.
But here is the Lord Jesus is speaking to his own disciples. I appreciate what he says that this is actually something that is going to characterize you. And as it should have been for the nation of Israel the worship of their God should have drawn others to their God and their conduct one with another should have drawn the nations to them as a people.
So the Lord Jesus says it is by this that all men will know that you are my disciples. There are many things that we might be known by and we're not going to go into all of those sayings but if there is something that all of us should be known by it is this.
It isn't the way we dress or the places we gather the way that we speak. There is something now to characterize every single one of us that our disciples of the Lord Jesus he says that you love one another.
And I take it this is something that is evidence this is something that's fulfilled then when you come over to the book of the acts something that characterizes believers was this without having to have them a time and time again be reminded and repeat to them what their treatment of one another should be was something as it were that was so automatic.
Their love for one another as you read there of all the poverty and difficulty that believers knew in those first days how it was possible for believers to sell everything that they had to give to someone else.
That was something that was born in their heart. A fruit of the working of the spirit of God in them without people having to twist their arm and to oblige them to do this that they could so willingly see the needs or hear of the needs of other and do what was possible to meet their needs.
Of course this is something that would also be feigned and you read of Ananias and Sapphira of people that pretended to love but they didn't. But something that should characterize us as believers today should be exactly this is our care for one another because how is it that sin affects us?
Sin makes us very selfish people and it's so easy for us to look at ourselves in our desires in our wants but when we come to the purse of the Lord Jesus and examine his example what we will find is this is that others come first even if it means my sacrifice and my suffering.
So the question for myself and for for each and every one of us today is how closely are we following the example of the Lord Jesus? We live in a society that is all taken up with self in my ease and my pleasure and my well-being but we are so often blind to the needs of those that surround us to the suffering to the loneliness of those that surround us.
So this is what has touched my heart the Lord Jesus says that you love one another you can say well that is a command that has always existed that has always been given is a right relationship between one another but as it were he takes it to a higher plane a higher level and he says as I have loved you that you love one another by this shall all men know that you are my disciples you know it is a wonderful thing to be able to come to an assembly know and see that this is evident that this is real.
Isn't that wonderful to go to an assembly where believers want to be together they want to see each other they want to spend time together and not only as assembly is gathered together but maybe there are other needs that are being met outside that believers come alongside to help those who are needy because they have a genuine interest in their well-being in a love for them.
We know that john 3 16 in the gospel is is very famous. But how often do we consider the words of 1st john 3 and verse 16 hereby perceive we the love of God and that Christ laid down his life for us and all of us would say amen.
We would all say thank God he loved me he gave himself for me. But that isn't the end of the verse is it. It says we ought also to lay down our lives for the brethren. That is a huge challenge for most of us because we only think about ourselves and what is good for me and what pleases me.
But john says love is something that ought to characterize us. And how is love going to be known by saying so oh i love you so much you know that doesn't work with my wife. She says don't say it show it.
You know it's the exact same way when it comes to christian living. We can say we love each other. But how often do we make it real. How often is it practically seen. How often do we see the needs of others.
The lord jesus said this i laid down my life for you. John writes we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. That sounds like a tremendous sacrifice. That sounds like that's too much to give what i have for someone else for their well-being.
To sacrifice my time my energy even my means to sacrifice my life. That's exactly what john says. If that is our example to follow he laid down his life for me then we ought also to lay down our lives for the brethren in all reality in all likelihood.
This is not something that physically we are going to have to do. But you know spiritually it is something that we should be doing every single day of our lives. If there is a need that i can meet then to do it.
There's something that ought to be a testimony a witness to this poor world. I was just trying to think of this. There are a few examples of the in the new testament you appreciate a man like demetrius and that paul says who was willing to risk his life for me.
You think of a few examples here when i was thinking of the old testament again thinking of how sin affects relationships and you. You read the carelessness the hardness of of the heart of cain when god comes to him and confronts him out what he did in killing his brother.
God says where is your brother. His callous reply was am i my brother's keeper. It was just a proof of the reality that he did not love his brother. He did not care for him. Actually he hated him. And that is why he murdered him.
It's such a sad such a sad beginning to human history. But is it not also a wonderful thing to come along father in the book and you read of a man like abraham and the examples of that man a man who was going to do whatever possible to enjoy a relationship with his nephew lot.
Just to give you a few examples. You can look at them on your own. But you remember how that after they came out of egypt and with all the great wealth that they had with them that there was not enough land for the herds to be together and there was strife.
There was conflict between between abraham's men and and lot's men. You know abraham could have said now you're my nephew. I'm older. I'm going to make the decision here. You're going to have to listen.
You're going to have to obey what i say. But listen the attitude of abraham is this he says let not there be strife among us. For we are brethren that he saw that that was far more important than anything else even the material loss that he could have known.
He said there is something that's far better. It is to enjoy a relationship between one another. We be brethren and we are going to avoid strife and conflict at all costs even if it costs me something.
You decide where you want to go. And i will respect that. And i just appreciate the attitude of abraham it says is let nothing come between us. Let no difficulty arise because of our own carnality the sin in us.
Far better to have a relationship with one another. And he would be one that was willing to take that low place as we've heard someone who would humble himself. And then of course you could read in the next chapter of how that uprising took place the five kings against the four and ultimately all of sodom including lot and his family possessions were taken away.
And the word finally comes to abraham that lot has been taken. You know lot was living in that place. What was the attitude of abram. Was it this. Well that's his problem. He should have been wise to this.
He should have known he had it coming. He made his bed let him lie in it. The attitude of abraham was this was men. We're going to rescue lot and he and his 300 men. They go and they defeat the five king.
The four kings. Sorry the four kings and rescue lot. Why would he do that. Why would he risk himself and his servants. Well it's because he loved his brother. He was willing to sacrifice on his behalf.
And god of course gave him a great victory to rescue him. It makes me think of the words that paul writes to the galatians in chapter 6 paul writes. If any man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restores such as one in the spirit of meekness considering thyself lest thou also be tempted or tried and fail bury one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of christ.
Is that not a reference to what he said that you should love one another love one another. Even the recovery of those that have been overtaken in a fault those that have been tried and failed. I would take that had been tried and failed something that was not expected just as lot did not expect to be carried away.
And yet there is abraham and his interest is for his well-being. That he might be recovered that he might be brought back again. How sad it would be to think that there are brothers and sisters in our assemblies that are expendable that we can do without and they go their own way.
And let them go and let them let them be. You notice the difference. Ye which are spiritual do you have a love for your brother even though maybe they have failed maybe they have sinned maybe they have done something that's wrong.
If any man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore the word is to men that which is torn which is broken bring it back together again. And you're going to do that in the spirit of meekness understanding that it could have been me it could have been me.
I was just thinking about this the other day that if i were to wander to stray to sin would there be anyone that would look for me. Would there be anyone that would care enough for me to sacrifice their time and their energy to see me recovered.
On the other hand how many people do i know that have wandered away that i have not visited that i have not called that i have not cared for. But but paul says as bury one another's burdens the difficulties of the way sharing in their difficulty working for their recovery so fulfill the law of christ.
It is something that is unfortunately true that we so often offend one another. There are those that sin and those that are sinned against. There are difficulties that come and failures that that we often commit.
I think again of the words of paul. He says. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. Be kind to one another tender-hearted because there is a care a consideration a compassion for one another.
And and what if. What if our fellow believers aren't perfect. What if they're not perfect. What if they are failures. Well then paul says we are to forgive one another even as god for christ's sake hath forgiven you say again the example is a person of the lord jesus the example of god here for christ's sake.
God for christ's sake has forgiven you. So not only was abram going to do everything necessary to avoid conflict with lot and his herdsmen to maintain a good relationship not only was he willing to go out of his way to see him recovered and brought back again.
Of course in chapter 18 we read that god has declared that he is going to destroy sodom. And abraham knows that lot is there. What is the very first thing that abraham does. Does he not begin to intercede on behalf of the righteous.
How often do i spend praying for my fellow believers huh. Why is it so easy to go through the day or the week without praying for them. I hope that we can go through the list of believers in our assemblies and one by one their names and their needs and pray for them.
I hope we understand that this is part of our care for them. We are needy of god's guidance and blessing and preservation. They are needing of god's guidance blessing and preservation. Abraham knew what it was to pray on behalf of lot.
I think this is something that paul would would would oftentimes speak of his prayer on behalf of those that he had seen saved. We heard today already of the burden of the assemblies of all the conflict that he knew from without all the difficulty all the turmoil but likely what weighed the heaviest on him was the care for the people of god.
And paul was a man that prayed for them. But you know what he also he asked them to pray for him. Prayer is something that expresses our dependency upon god. Of course. But it's something that also shows our love for one another our desire for the well-being of fellow believers.
So the lord jesus said a new commandment i give you because sin affects our relationships even as believers today. But that you love one another even as i have loved you. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples.
And i hope that we are characterized by genuine care for one another. And john then writes hereby perceive we the love of god and that he laid down his life for us. That is why we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.