Loving One Another

Temple Baptist Church - 5-1-2022

John 13:31-35

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Last week, we began a series on the Fruit of the Spirit.  Being filled with the Spirit, which is a command of God, means that we have the fruit of the Spirit.  Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.  Three inward, three outward, three upward.

 

B.  When speaking of love, our love for God will dictate our love for all other things. 

 

1 John 4:19-21  We love him, because he first loved us.  (20)  If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?  (21)  And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

 

C.  If we love God, we will love one another! 

 

D.  In our text, we find a new commandment: We Are To Love One Another -

 

1.  Verse 34.  We are taught of God to love one another.  John 13:34  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.   

 

1 Thessalonians 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God ("as I have loved you") to love one another.  (Oh, what love!  Our Lord Jesus loves us despite faults and failures.  His love is an overlooking love.  He looks beyond our fault and sees our need.)

 

2.  Verse 35.  We are commanded of God to have love one To another.  John 13:35  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 men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.  ("love one TO another" is an interesting phrase.  We can love one another without showing that love one to another.  "Don't tell me that you love me, show me that you love me" is an expression that I have heard many times.)

 

E.  In the absence of the physical presence of the Lord, our love for one another is the bond that holds the church together. 

 

Ephesians 4:1-3  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,  (2)  With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;  (3)  Endeavouring (to labor diligently; this speaks of hard work, continuing work, necessary work) to keep the unity (oneness)  of the Spirit in the bond (to tie together) of peace.

 

1.  It Is A Witnessing Love - John 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

 

2.  It Is An Assuring Love - 1 John 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.

 

3.  It Is A Forgiving Love - Ephesians 4:31-32  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

 

4.  It Is A Compassionate Love - John 15:12-13  This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

 

1 John 3:17  But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

 

5.  It Is A Sincere Love - Romans 12:9-10  Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

 

a.  You like to be with them.

 

b.  You do not talk about them.

 

c.  You do not envy them.

 

d.  You only want the best for them.

 

e.  You do your best to help them.

 

f.  You give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

g.  You hold them up in prayer.

 

h.  You try to encourage them.

 

i.  You are willing to forgive them.

 

Galatians 5:13  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.