Love One Another A Command

LOVE ONE ANOTHER A COMMAND

Jesus said told us to love one another. why would he bother to tell us that? this should come naturally to us? Apparently it doesn’t. What we need to understand in order to obey Jesus command that he gave us?

Let me tell you a story. there was an Olympics held in Seattle Washington. 1976 And the special event that was talked about for years afterward was the 100 yard dash. 9 contestants, were Lined up on the starting line waiting for the gun to go off. When the gun went off, they started their run… kind of. This was the Special Olympics a competition for physically or mentally handicapped people. The nine young men and women as they ran and laughed and raced to the finish line. Were filled with excitement.

But one little boy fell and stumbled on the asphalt.

He tumbled over a couple of times and fell on his face and lay there crying. Now I want you to take notice to something,

The other eight heard him and slowed down and looked back. Every one of them turned around and went back -

One girl with Down's syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, "This will make it better." Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line.

And everyone in the stadium stood, and the applause went on for what seemed like forever.

What do you think the people saw that day?

They had seen love in action.

That love had such a powerful effect on them that they stood and applauded.

Jesus told His disciples: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35

What Jesus is telling us is, if we show love by our actions and attitudes the world will notice,.

Let me tell you “loving one another” was not just a passing comment by Jesus. It was a command. James 2:8 tells us “But if ye fulfill the royal Law according to the Scripture, which saith, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thy self, ye do well. In fact, love was to become such a crucial part of who we are as Christians , Galatians 5 tells us it is THE MARK of the Spirit bearing fruit in our lives.

Galatians 5:22-23 declares “… the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

I want you to Notice… LOVE was the very first item on the list.

Matthew 22:36-40

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

That was because children of God are known for their love for each other. We won’t always agree, but that does not mean you can’t still be friends.

Believe it or not .The phrase “Love one another” shows up 13 times in the New Testament. Each one of us have to ask ourselves a big question , how do I know if I’m A truly a loving Christian? We need to look at some of the other passages and see what it say about loving.

Did you know The phrase "one another" is used 100 times in the New Testament.

"Greet one another," "Bear with one another," and "Be devoted to one another" are a few examples. It's the "one another's" in the Bible that pull us together to make us the family of God.

Let’s look at some of these “one another's”

Galatians 6:2 (for example) declares “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ”.

We can carry another’s burdens by praying for them. Don’t just say “I’ll pray for you” ask them if “they want a prayer right now.” In saying that ,you’re declaring that you going to pray for them NOW and that you going to carry their burden to the very throne of God.

We can carry other’s burdens by helping them when they’re in need. Or you can carry other’s burdens by making food for them when they’re shut-in ,or making a phone call letting them know you care.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 says we can show love in another way: “… encourage one another and build each other up...”

Encouragement is telling someone that they’re doing a great job. Are telling them that they’re doing good and they’re learning, and you are proud of them.

Or tell someone how their faith or their actions have impressed you.

You can send them a letter telling them how much they mean to you. Or tell them I love you. You do not know how those three words can affect someone's life, letting them know that someone loves and cares for them.