Loving Others Series

LOVING OTHERS

1 John 3:14-20

If you knew that Jesus was coming back tomorrow, what would you do different? Would you change how you live? If so what? Is there someone that you would repay? What would you do? This was asked to a Clear Creek class. One student said that he would immediately go home and witness to his lost friend. Another said that he would make amends with someone that he had had a falling out with. And one said that he would pay a debt that he owed. This sort of conversation continued. Finally one student was asked what he would do. His response has help establish the way I live. Here is what he said, “I wouldn’t do anything differently. This is where Jesus wants me. This is what He has required me to do. I want to be found faithful!” Are you doing what Jesus has asked you to do? What if He returned today? Would you be found faithful?

Another response is similar. A pastor friend took his wife’s grandmother to a Broadway play. It was very well performed. At the end he asked the grandmother how she liked it. He was expecting a positive response. She tried to be respectful. She said, “Well, it was alright.” His response was, “Alright. What was wrong with it?” The grandmother replied, “Well you see, I didn’t mind the play. But all I could think about was is this where I want to be when Jesus returns.” She went on to say, “I want to be found faithfully praying or sharing the love of Christ to others.”

WOW-

What is it in your life that you are doing that Christ has not asked you to do? What should you be doing? How do you want to be found when He returns? What do you want to be doing when He returns?

14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 1 Jn 3

PRAY

How can I love my others? ASK YOURSELF:

1ST- AM I GOOD SOIL? DON’T ASSUME THAT YOU ARE GOOD SOIL.

14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

Understand, we all have people that we don’t like, or may not get along with; this is not who this passage is talking about. We all have personality conflicts! This passage is referring to that person that you would like to never see again. You hate! If you have hate, don’t assume that you are good ground. Listen to this parable.

Jesus told a parable, “"A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9He who has ears, let him hear." Mt 13

Three out of four are not! Is your life too busy? Good sign that you are not good soil. Is your life filled with worry? Good sign that you are not good soil. Are you receptive to hearing God speak? Honestly? Is your heart hard toward Him? Does hearing from God scare you because you are concerned about the changes you might have to make? If you answered yes to any of these- good chance that your life is not good soil!

Honestly, too many folks this day and time think they are getting to heaven because they are better at behaving than their neighbor! Your neighbor is not who you should compare yourself too! Jesus is our standard. His ways are much higher than ours. We need to face the hard-core facts. Most of us are not good ground! Most of us are like Cain who hates his brother, and killed him.