Introduction
Last week we began our series “you ought to see a whole lot of “one anotherness” going on in the church house” and we talked about the first of the two pillars upon which all the rest of the “one anothers” depend upon. And if you remember, the first pillar was forgiveness- there ought to be a whole lot of forgiveness going on in the church house.
Today we talk about the other foundational pillar- Love one another. Seventeen times in the New Testament we are called to love one another. It is told to us by 3 authors in 7 different New Testament Books. It is also the only one another statement that comes directly from the lips of Jesus in John 15 17 when Jesus said: “These things I command you, that you love one another.”
Not only did Jesus speak those words from His lips, but He also lived those words out by His actions in His ministry. And He called us to do the same. I want you to do something not characteristic of my style of preaching. This is more like Bro Greg’s style. But, I want each of you to look around at the people in this room today, you may have to turn your heads or stand up, or move around a little bit to see everybody that is here. Don’t miss anyone; look at everyone. And now I want you to remember the words of Jesus in John 15:17- “These things I command you, that you love one another.” So, let me ask you a question, having looked at everybody in the room, who in this room would God tell us that it is OK not to love? The answer is: nobody. Everybody in this room, you are to love.
You see what makes Jesus’ statement to love one another so amazing to me is that Jesus was having a question and teaching moment with His disciples beginning at the end of Chapter 13 and continuing for several chapters in John, and we know that Judas Iscariot was therein that discussion because Jesus answers Judas’ question in Chapter 14. And as we get to Chapter 15, I can image in my mind’s eye when Jesus gets to His teaching point with His disciples that they are to love one another; I imagine Jesus turning and looking at Judas. That statement to love one another in the presence of Judas tells me that you and I are to love the lovable in the church, but we are also to love the not so lovable in the church. And I don’t believe our church has any downright mean church members (does anyone claim to be downright mean) OK, I thought I was right, but if we did, we are to love them too.
So, my question is: how in the world do we do that? To answer that we are going to begin by looking at two Scriptures. The first on in Colossians 3:14-15 which gives us our main point and in Ephesians 5:1-2, we learn the sub-points. Please stand for the reading of God’s Word!
Scripture
Colossians 3:14–15 NKJV
But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Ephesians 5:1–2 NKJV
Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
POINTS
#1
JUST BECAUSE WE WALK IN THE DOORS OF THE CHURCH HOUSE, WE WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY BE THE RECIPIENTS OR GIVERS OF LOVE. IT REQUIRES ACTION ON EACH OF US; WE ARE TO PUT ON LOVE.
Paul says in vs. 14 in our first Scripture reading: “to put on love.”
To put something on requires work. It requires an action. Before I broke my shoulder, it required work to put a pull over shirt- but not that much work. I didn't think a whole lot about the work of putting on a pullover shirt. It was kind of automatic. But when I broke my shoulder let me tell you it was work to put on a pull over shirt-and let me tell you I thought long and hard about putting that shirt on.
Idealistically, most people think of the church as one big loving family. Not requiring much work at all to love one another. After all, this is a church; it ought to be automatic. But that is far from the true. What the church has substituted for love is social niceness. And social niceness and love are not the same thing. Social niceness says, “I can put up with him or her for an hour and be civil” love says, “I value you and want your best interest.” Love requires much more work than social niceness. So much so that Paul says, “put on love.”
So, I believe what Paul is telling us that if we are to love like Jesus loved we need to know how-to put-on love. So, I want to show you how putting on love looks so differently from social niceness.
• Social niceness causes me to say the appropriate thing to a hurting person; putting on love propels me to bring that hurting person’s need before God.
Bro Greg during the welcome portion of the service today took pray and praise requests. Let’s say someone you like expressed a serious prayer request. So, after church, you meet that person outside of church and you tell them “I heard your request, and I am going to pray for you and bring that request to God.” At this point love has not been extended; you haven’t prayed and stood in the gap for that person with God and propped that person up or ask God to answer that request. You done a socially nice thing by saying appropriate words to a hurting person.
Putting on love is not carried out until you stopped and pray for that person. Ephesians 5:1–2 (NKJV)5 Therefore be imitators of God.
If we are going to imitators of God then our ‘Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' Jesus also did what He said He was going to do. If He told a person, He would go with them to heal a family member, He did. If Jesus told His disciples that He was going to meet them some place, He did. He told His disciples that He was going to a cross, and He did.
If I told you that I am going to pray for you, and I going to put on love, I must pray for you. And let me tell you, forgetting is not an excuse for not praying for someone that you told them you would. If you cannot remember, write it down. If you concerned you might forget, stop what you are doing and pray for them right then and there. Think about Jesus, did He ever forget a prayer request that He told someone that He was going to pray for? And many times, Jesus stopped what He was doing and prayed for them right that moment.
The church has too much social niceness and not enough putting on love when it comes to praying for one another. We talk a mean game about loving one another but no follow through.
• Social niceness causes me to do “pop-ins" to check on a hurting person; putting on love causes me to walk with that person through their hurts.
Let me read Ephesians 5:1 and part of verse 2: Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love.
If I know someone is hurting, you may believe that it is only appropriate that you give them a quick call to check on them. Once you have done that you might feel like you have done your duty. You can check that off your to-do list. Or if they are in the hospital, people do what I call “pop ins”, they come and make a quick visit to the sick and check on them. Once they make that visit all is done and you feel you have done the socially right thing.
Don’t get angry at me but God says that is not enough? God calls us to a higher standard. One of Bro Greg’s favorite passages of Scripture for a funeral service is Psalm 23. I want to read to you verse 4. Psalm 23:4 (NKJV)
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
From that verse how many pop-ins did Jesus do on David to check how he was doing? According to that Scripture, none. He was with him the whole time. We certainly cannot be at all places at all times, but we know how to walk with somebody through their hurts. We have had a couple examples in our own church. Willie Rawls could not be with Jerry K all the time at the nursing home but none of us would say that he didn't walk with Jerry K through her illness. He was there for her. And I am going to brag on Obie because he was there for both of them. Many times, giving Willie a ride early in the morning to the nursing home.
Then there is the story of Jarius, a local synagogue official, whose daughter was sick at home. He pleaded with Jesus to come heal his daughter and Jesus traveled step by step with Jarius to his home. Jesus walked with that man in his pain. If he wanted to do the socially acceptable thing, He could have told the man go on home, I will be there after a while. Jesus demonstrated putting on love, He walked with the man through his hurt.
The church has way too many pop-ins and not enough walking with someone through their hurts. We talk a mean game about being there for people but aren’t.
• Social niceness causes me to offer a helping hand, hoping you never called upon me; putting on love finds a way to actually get in there and meet that other person’s need.
Let me read again Ephesians 5:1 and parts of verse 2. Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice.
Let’s say that Bert has to move some heavy stuff down at his farm in Kentwood. Assuming that he is not shy, he ask for help, he comes up to the front of the church and says: I really can use about five or six men to come over next Saturday for a couple of hours to help move some equipment out of the field into the barn. Can I see a show of hands who can help? Eight or nine hands go up. There, we just witnessed social niceness. But on the way out several of the guys say to Bert give me a call if you need me. What did they just do? They walked back your social kindness and as they got into their cars, I imagine them saying to their wife, I hope he does not call me. In front of the church crowd you looked good hand high in the air. But that is not putting on love.
Putting on love, demands you sacrifice. You hoped Bert didn’t call because you had things you could be doing rather than helping Bert. But putting on love means I drop what I want and help a brother with a need. I find a way to sacrifice and do what he needs.
Jesus, the Bible says went to the Father and said let this cup pass but not my will, but your will and He made the sacrifice.
Putting on Love requires sacrifice. However, the church has too many offers of sacrifice but no follow through. That is social niceness. We talk a mean game about doing for one another, but don’t.
Conclusion
I want you to look in your mind’s eye and see a straight line. On one side at the end of the line is the word social niceness. And the end of the other end of the line, is the words putting on love. Mark your spot on that line. If you were honest, you must confess to God, I have failed you, help me to put on love toward my church family.
Let us pray!
