How to ‘Love the Brethren’
John 13:34
Aug 24, 2014 AM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland
I.
Introduction (Galatians 6:10; John 13:34)
A.
Our memory verse this month is
Galatians 6:10
B.
Trying to learn HOW to do good
to the household of faith… How do you “do good” to people who are fellow
followers of the Lord Jesus Christ?
1.
Do just go around giving
people money?
2.
Or feed them food?
3.
What good should we all be
doing for one another?
C.
Now… The World doesn’t mind if
we do good to them… feed the poor, tend to the sick, build homes for the
homeless – it is a great testimony to them of the love of God
D.
But there is a greater good we
can do, when we care for each other – when we demonstrate just what Christ’s
love really is like – and it is shown when we love each other, as Christ loved
us!
1.
It helps homes – a church is
an example TO homes
2.
It helps people, especially
those who have never experienced unconditional love
3.
It helps our cities to know
what is REAL love - instead of only
seeing fake love on TV and in the movies, and sung about on MTV!
E.
But in order to love the
brethren, we need to learn HOW
1.
It is NOT something we will do
naturally
2.
We may THINK we are loving
people, when we may in fact be SPOILING them, or ruining them, or hurting them
3.
So, God not only commanded us
to love, but He tells us exactly HOW to do it in this Book!
4.
And it is more than I can ever
hope to summarise into a message, and it is more than I can ever hope to
accomplish
5.
But I will attempt both, by
God’s grace!
F.
Our pattern to follow is “as
Christ has loved US”
II.
Last Week
A.
We learned about BROTHERLY Love – not just ‘love’ in general
1.
Believers, born again
Christians are all in the same family now, by the new birth
2.
So, Love AS brethren - like
families are supposed to! Love each other like they are a brother, or a sister,
a Mom, or a Dad
B.
We Learned that Loving the Brethren, Loving Other Christians,
is a Command! It
has been called, the Eleventh Commandment, and for good reason!
C.
We Learned that HOW We Love Each Other is a Command Too!
1.
Jn 15:12 This is
my commandment, That ye love one
another, as I have loved you.
2.
We may believe we are loving
someone, but rarely do we take time to learn the right way!
3.
God took the time to fill this
Book with all the ways to love the brethren!
D.
We Learned that Loving the Brethren is Our Greatest Testimony
to this world!
1.
John 13:35
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,
IF ye have love one to another.
2.
All people, everywhere, no
matter the culture, no matter the differences, will notice Christians loving
each other like a family!
3.
It proves to the world that we
are following, living like Jesus taught us to live
4.
And that we are loving each
other as Christ taught us to love!
5.
It proves that Christ’s way to
live is the best!
E.
We Learned that Loving the Brethren is a Test of our love of
God
1.
We SAY we love God… But have
no time or affection for the people in this room?
2.
We say we love God… But still
harbour hatred towards a brother or sister in Christ? A family member?
F.
We Learned that Loving the Brethren is an opportunity to
prove our love for the Lord Jesus!
1.
Mat 25:40
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of
the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
G.
We Learned that Loving the Brethren is Proof that we have
been Truly Converted
1.
1Jn 3:14
We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the
brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
2.
Not because we have conquered
every sin in our lives
3.
NOT because we are so
theologically correct – which we should be
4.
But because we amazingly LOVE
being around other Christians!
H.
We Learned that Loving the Brethren Restrains Satanic Attack!
I.
We Learned that Loving the Brethren keeps you young and
healthy
III.
This Week – Part 2 - HOW to Love the Brethren
IV.
Background (Philippians 2:5-7)
A.
Philp 2:5-7 Jesus “took
upon himself the form of a SERVANT…”
B.
What a statement!
C.
You see, there is a caste
system in the kingdom of heaven! A way that society is divided in God’s eyes!
1.
It is the opposite of the way
things operate HERE in THIS kingdom!
a.
This world, our culture,
applauds wealth and success, and talent
b.
This world’s measure of
greatness is fought for, striven for, and earned!
c.
The world’s kind of love is
given, in order to get something in return
2.
But that is NOT how God’s
system works!
a.
The GREATER you get here, in
THIS kingdom, the lower the position God honours you with in His kingdom!
b.
The more you love, the less
you are loved back!
3.
Do you realise that… in God’s
kingdom…
a.
The greatest people are NOT
those who live well, and preach well, and accomplish all their goals in life?
b.
But rather, the special ones
are the weak ones, the ones who can’t fight for themselves?
c.
The greatest lovers are those
who love the unlovely, and the hard to love?
d.
And the greatest leaders, are
the servants of all?
D.
It is the Last Supper (John 13:1)
1.
Jesus is gathered with His
disciples for the Feast of the Passover – a 2 hour meal!
2.
They ate the roasted lamb, and
bitter herbs, and retold the Passover story
3.
They sang the Psalms, praised
God for all His protection and goodness
E.
But, In the midst of it all (John 13:1-3)
1.
In the middle of all the
singing, feasting, celebrating of this highlight of the year…
2.
The disciples were arguing,
and fighting over who would be the greatest in the kingdom…
3.
Judas was becoming totally
possessed by Satan…
4.
And with the long night in the
Garden of Gethsemane facing Him; with the mockery of the Sanhedrin; and the
beatings in Pilate’s Judgment Hall; and ultimately, the crucifixion of the
cross, all ahead of Jesus…
5.
These words are written…
a.
“He loved His own”
b.
“And He loved them to the end!”
6.
Jesus Loved His Own (Mark 3:31-35; John 1:10-12) – Thank God
Jesus claims them!
a.
Jesus loves those who believed
on Him, not just “IN” Him – everyone claims to believe IN Him, but they do not
TRUST Him and follow Him!
b.
Jesus loves those who are born
again into His family
c.
Not all people.
1)
God so loved this world John
3:16 says
2)
But if you are not born again,
He will not love you to the end – there WILL come a day where you will be judged
for your sinful lifestyle and rebellion against God
d.
You better become ONE OF HIS
OWN! That’s why Jesus said ye MUST be born again!
7.
What KIND of Disciples did Jesus Love?
a.
Think about it – we imagine
they were all saints, with orbiting halos over their heads…
b.
None of them were “great men”
– they came from all backgrounds – fishermen, carpenters, political zealots,
farmers, tax collectors, and mostly unknown men from tiny communities from the
back of beyond!
c.
Some were married, some were
not
d.
Some had great faith – some
had no faith at all!
e.
They constantly argued
selfishly about their own future positions and power
f.
Ended up denying knowing Him
g.
One cursed His name
h.
They ALL forsook and abandoned
Him when He needed them most
i.
They ALL misunderstood Him
j.
THESE were the family members
Jesus LOVED to the end!
F.
Jesus then demonstrated HOW He loved them!
As OUR example of how to love each other
V.
Message
A.
Jesus, the Lord of Heaven, WASHED 24 Feet (John 13:4-5)
1.
While everyone was still talking, and eating, and laughing
2.
Jesus Rose Up Alone
3.
Laid Aside All That He Had –
all that He owned (His clothes)
4.
Took on the Form of a Servant
a.
Put on a simple towel around
His waist
b.
Filled a basin with clean
water
5.
And He Began to Wash Feet
a.
He lowered Himself, to the
level of a person’s feet
b.
He lifted each foot, and began
to wash each with His own hands, rubbing out soil and dirt, and sand
c.
After cleaning each foot, He
would wipe them with the towel that He was wearing – that very same towel!
6.
Think about this!!!
a.
Normally, NO ONE EVER DID
THIS!
1)
If you entered someone’s home,
there was usually a bason at the door filled with water for you to dip your feet
in when you entered – you washed your OWN feet
2)
Only the VERY RICH might have
someone standing at the door to pour water over someone’s feet and dry them –
but this was a luxury almost no one had!
3)
Today, this custom, of washing
feet is still seen in Asian homes where people automatically take off their
shoes when entering a house
b.
And yet here was Jesus, the
Lord from Heaven, the Creator of the universe, the promised Messiah, King of
kings and Lord of lords… washing people’s filthy, dirty, stinking feet with His
own bare hands!
7.
What kind of a God would wash
and wipe the FEET of mere mortal sinners with the very towel that He was
wearing?
8.
OUR kind of GOD! AMEN!
B.
Only ONE of His Disciples Resisted – Peter Obviously!
(13:6-9)
1.
Around that Passover table
Jesus slowly moved, washing foot after foot
2.
There was only silence –
absolute shock and awe by everyone in this room
3.
No one moved; no one said a
thing
4.
That is until Jesus knelt at
PETER’S feet!
5.
That’s when Peter Stopped
Jesus!
6.
He questioned Jesus – what are
you DOING Lord?
a.
Are you actually going to wash
MY feet?
b.
This is not right – AND IT
WASN’T, if you are going to like by the rules of THIS world’s kingdoms
c.
I am a sinner, and YOU are
LORD (Luke 5:8) – a good attitude to have
7.
He hinders Jesus - Peter
forbids Jesus – THOU SHALT NEVER WASH MY FEET!
a.
“It just ain’t right!”
b.
Peter was not mainly
interested in what he could get OUT of Jesus
c.
He was willing to give His
life for his King
d.
Peter was ready to wash Jesus’
feet, but could not ever imagine allowing his Lord to wash his own!
8.
But, Jesus HAS to Do This – He
was Compelled! And it is THAT Important
a.
This was something new
b.
What I do, you cannot
understand right now
c.
But you will soon enough
d.
But if I am not allowed to do
this for you, then you cannot be my disciple!
9.
He LOVES Jesus! With those
words, Peter accepts it completely, and says, “wash every part then!”
a.
Peter SO wants to follow Jesus
b.
I wish all of US wanted such
as well!
C.
Jesus Finally Explains (13:10-16, 34,35)
1.
Christ’s family members are
already washed – cleansed – forgiven
a.
Not by water, but by the blood
of the Lamb of God (John 1:29)
b.
Not by works of righteousness
which we have done – not by all the prayers, the giving, the sacrifices
c.
But by Christ alone, taking
yours & my sins upon Himself and nailing them to the cross
2.
All of the disciples were
clean – “every
whit” – every part – completely!
a.
That is what salvation does
for a person
b.
It CLEANS them completely –
nothing left to do, but accept it
3.
Except for 1 person – Judas –
never was saved! Water will never do him any good at all!
4.
We just need our “feet”
cleaned from time to time
5.
What a truth!
a.
A person gets saved by
believing on Jesus Christ
b.
But a Christian still gets
dirty, soiled, affected by the world in which they walk from day to day – what
they see, hear, feel, struggle with
c.
And often, then should keep
their own feet clean, shouldn’t they!
d.
But Christ calls ALL believers
to make sure they are keeping each other walking, in fellowship, right with each
other and with God
D.
Jesus Commands Us (13:13-17)
1.
Jesus is our Master, Lord – He
OUGHT to be! He has EARNED that title!
2.
Now, IF Jesus, who is the
Lord, the King of everything; if HE has washed your feet…
3.
Then you should all wash each
other’s feet!
4.
It is THAT simple!
5.
Jesus is our example – no one
else
a.
Jesus said, Do as “I” have
done unto you
b.
In the same WAY, and for the
SAME reasons
6.
Jesus says, I command you to
wash each other’s feet
7.
You CAN’T get out of this –
none of us can
a.
Some of you excuse yourself
from soul-winning (too busy, too tired, not good at it)
b.
Some of you excuse yourself
from tithing
c.
Some of you excuse yourself
from serving
d.
But if Jesus, as our LORD has
commanded us ALL to do these things, then there is no excuse – no way out of it
e.
Especially when it comes to
LOVING, CHERISHING, PREFERRING one another!
f.
NONE of us are greater than
Jesus
g.
Whatever the MASTER does,
whatever the King does, must be done by all
1)
When a king stood, all stood
with him
2)
When a queen laughed, everyone
laughed with her
3)
When a king entered a room,
everyone stood
4)
Everyone had to wait to eat
until the king had reached for his first bite
5)
The same ought to be today
when an older person enters, when a woman who is a guest stands, when a woman
enters a room, when we sit down to eat
E.
Jesus Reveals the Greatest Benefit of this Attitude towards
each other – JOY! (John 13:17) So, in other words,
you will never know real JOY until you love this way
VI.
Application
A.
What will you do now? What will YOU do now?
1.
Go on in life, without any
sorrow for the hardness in your own heart? For how uncaring you are?
2.
Try to live ABOVE the Master
and think being a SERVANT is beneath someone like you?
B.
What will you do with other believers?
Let me tell you what you SHOULD do!
1.
Claim them as Jesus did – they
are family – none perfect, all needing to be loved, prayed for, and sacrificed
for
2.
Love them – as Christ has
showed us
3.
To the end (Heb 13:1) – quit
finding al the faults and reasons to stop loving one another
C.
How Should we love one another?
1.
By Rising up – even if you are the only one – up from the
world’s way
2.
And then Go Low –take on the form of a servant
a.
Lay aside all that you own and
claim to own
b.
Take the form of a servant –
an attitude we all need to constantly have
3.
Then, DO the lowest things – the HARD things
a.
Not sinful things, but
possibly the most embarrassing
b.
Wash people’s feet
c.
Cleanse their daily walk –
pray for them, encourage them with Scriptures
d.
Husbands – instead of washing
your car, wash your wife’s feet (Eph 5:25,26)
e.
Wives, instead of just washing
your husband’s clothes, wash his feet – keep them encouraged, keep them trusting
God, and walking with God!
f.
Teens – wash your parent’s
feet – they giet dirty just like you do, and need some encouragement, and
kindness by your towards them that MIGHT help them in a big way! You NEED them
to stay right with God!
g.
Hey CHURCH! Wash your pastor’s
feet. He is flesh and blood just like you, and needs to be prayed for, and
encouraged, and kept right with God!
h.
Hey! When people are in YOUR
presence, they should come away knowing their feet have been washed!
i.
Listen to someone, go shopping
with someone, help and bless them in the way that THEY want or need to be – walk
along side, keep them going
j.
Keep your own mouth shut –
stay humble, instead of so opinionated!
4.
Take Christian’s dirt on you
a.
Get dirty trying to keep other
believers walking with God
b.
Allow people to wrongly affect
you, to hurt you, to misuse you
c.
Just make sure you are making
THEIR lives better
5.
Do this to everyone who claims the name of Christ
a.
First to this local assembly
of believers
b.
Especially to those who you
see as lower than you (Philp 2:3; it is easy to honour those who you see as
‘above’ you)
c.
Even to those who hate you, or
have hurt you
d.
Knowing that they will
probably hurt you again in the future
e.
Love those who are NOT born
again – like Jesus did to Judas
f.
Everyone needs this in their
lives
6.
Don’t expect people’s understanding or appreciation at first
– maybe never!
7.
And, No one is exempt! Not if you are a follower of Jesus!
D.
There are actually FIVE benefits of loving one another this
way
1.
It shuts people up – stops the
infighting, the arguing – focuses people on the reality of Christ’s kingdom
2.
It cleans up a lot of people’s
daily lives
3.
It proves our love for Christ,
and for His Church
4.
It earns perfect rewards in
heaven
5.
It produces GREAT joy in
everyone who just loves other believers
E.
Only God’s kind of love, can change anyone! Has it changed
YOU? If it has, it will show
1.
You and I need to seriously
Grasp the love of God – ponder it for a week!
2.
Get to the place where you
receive it, like a thirsty man accepts a cup of water
3.
Allow it to change you first
4.
And then start to love the
people that Christ so dearly loves!