Exhorting Word: Walking in Love
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Life Together
Life Together
Love, all the world needs is love sweet love, right? Well Paul gives a great affirmation and then exhortation about walking in love with diligence and purpose in our passage today. The church is known by it’s love, and Paul even encourages, urges for more.
Paul prayed for the church (1The3:11-13)
To increase and abound in love, in love for one another.
Paul prayed that God may establish their hearts without blame and in holiness
Paul then exhorts the church how to walk in holiness and in sanctification (1The4:1-7)
Paul warns the church (1The4:8)
8 So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.
Now as we get into our passage today there is some more apostolic instructions (exhortation) given, some conduct that Paul feels needs to be addressed. So, now lets look at the passage together.
9 Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more,
11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, 12 so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.
Love of the brethren, this is “Phileo” (brotherly love). This is love that we love and cherish one another. Some scriptures that demonstrate that (Rom12:10; 2Pt2:1-7)
10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;
The church was known for it’s love, in fact Paul tells them they were taught by God and they do that to all. Hum, let’s delve into this love them a little more.
Demand for love
Demand for love
We know we are commanded to love, love God and love our brother as ourselves. When love is present there should be evidence of our love.
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Evidenced in our spiritual life (1Jn3:14-15)
Evidenced in our true knowledge of God (1Jn4:7-8; 1Jn4:20-21)
Evidenced in our discipleship (Jn13:34-35)
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Evidenced in our spiritual life (1Jn3:14-15)
Love is evidenced to show that we have truly gone from death to life.
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
Evidenced in our spiritual life (1Jn3:14-15)
Evidenced in our true knowledge of God (1Jn4:7-8; 1Jn4:20-21)
Love is from God, and we are to love one another, if we don’t then we don’t know God
If we hate our brother, then we don’t know and love God, for the command is he who loves God should love his brother.
Evidenced in our spiritual life (1Jn3:14-15)
Evidenced in our true knowledge of God (1Jn4:7-8; 1Jn4:20-21)
Evidenced in our discipleship (Jn13:34-35)
34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
All men will know when you love one another, so that now brings about how do we develop this love?
Development of love
Development of love
Develop, grow, nurture, so we can display the love of God and the love of others, which is a demonstration of us walking in love with all diligence.
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God makes it possible because of our obedience (1Pt1:22-23)
God teaches us (1The4:9)
God demonstrates it for us by giving us Jesus (1Jn4:9-10)
Jesus demonstrated it giving up His life for us (1Jn3:16)
It must be developed according to Peter (2Pt1:5-8)
Other scriptures referenced (Jm5:16; Col3:13)
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God makes it possible because of our obedience (1Pt1:22-23)
Having obeyed the gospel and having our souls purified it is from sincere love that we love one another.
Love one another from the heart since we have been born again of imperishable seed through the Word of God.
God makes it possible because of our obedience (1Pt1:22-23)
God teaches us (1The4:9)
God demonstrates it for us by giving us Jesus (1Jn4:9-10)
The Father teaches the meaning of love by the sacrifice given in Jesus.
Jesus demonstrated it giving up His life for us (1Jn3:16)
Jesus demonstrated it in laying down His life for us.
Maybe I should give you a scripture on this.
9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
God makes it possible because of our obedience (1Pt1:22-23)
God teaches us (1The4:9)
God demonstrates it for us by giving us Jesus (1Jn4:9-10)
Jesus demonstrated it giving up His life for us (1Jn3:16)
It must be developed according to Peter (2Pt1:5-8)
The passage discusses adding to, adding graces such as brother affection (love) you can read the passage on your own and it is well worth reading.
One thing we can do also is to reflect on the cross and the sacrifice Jesus made for us so that we can have eternal life.
Develop it by following the example of Jesus.
Develop it by spending time with the brethren, like minded people who are all trying to grow in Christ. Your environment matters!
Develop it through prayer, praying for one another as it says in (Jm5:16), hard not to be unified when we are like minded and we pray for one another.
Develop it by bearing and forgiving one another as it says in (Col3:13)
Display of love
Display of love
Love is not to kept, it is to be given. Love it not to be hidden, it is to be shown. Love can be displayed in and through all things.
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Love when considering the weak (Rom15:1)
Love by being willing to not exercise your liberty (1Cor8:13; Gal5:13)
Love by not judging your neighbor (Jm4:11-12)
Love displays is demonstrating care for one another (1The5:14)
Love (brotherly kindness) prompts us to pursue peace with one another (Rom14:19)
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Love when considering the weak (Rom15:1)
We need to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, so not to just live and please ourselves
Love by being willing to not exercise your liberty (1Cor8:13; Gal5:13)
Don’t be a stumbling block to your brother, not by what you do or eat, or by self service over your brother
Love by not judging your neighbor (Jm4:11-12)
Only one Lawgiver and we are not Him, so we are not to judge but leave the judgment to the Lord. For He is the One who can save or destroy.
Love displays is demonstrating care for one another (1The5:14)
14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
Love can admonish, encourage, help
Love is also patient, kind and the list could go on if you look at 1Cor13.
Love (brotherly kindness) prompts us to pursue peace with one another (Rom14:19)
19 So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.
The kingdom is more than eating and drinking but it is righteousness, peace and joy in Holy Spirit and love, brother love, serves one another and makes peace with one another.
Making peace takes effort at times, be willing to make the effort.
Exhortation for love
Exhortation for love
Paul starts, or introduces exhortation (1The4:10b) but why? Let’s see if we can draw some conclusions about the exhortation and why it is needed of such a loving church.
10 for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you,
12 so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.
After the affirmation comes the exhortation, from how much you love, to love still more.
This seems to be very characteristic of Paul in his writings give the affirmation first and then address the issue of concern. May we learn from his example. Now his is not insincere flattery, we know how much Paul loves the church. May we be a people who preface criticism with praise.
Paul’s exhortation
lead a quiet life (Rom12:18; 1Tim2:1-2; Mt6:33; Php4:11-13; Php4:6-7)
Mind your own business (Php2:4; Gal6:1-2; 2The3:11-12)
Work with your own hands. (1The4:11; 1Tim5:8; 2The3:10-14; Eph4;28; Act20:34-35)
But why? We have not seen any evidence that there is an issue in any of these areas, have we? NO, but Paul would not write it if there was not an issue.
It would seem that word had gotten to Paul that they were not leading a quiet life, they were butting into each others business and they were not willing to work.
So, may I go with the items for just a couple of minutes then see if we can figure out why the exhortation?
(Quiet Life)
Quiet life-
This has the elements of calm, peace, serenity, and those don’t just come natural, they have to be applied, they take effort and diligence, it takes a concerted effort.
I mentioned peace, peace with all men (Rom12:18); may we remember that in Thessolonica they received the word with much tribulation.
Quiet life can be developed through prayer
Praying for all men; including all authorities, so we man lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity (paraphrase of (1Tim2:1-2)
Quiet life can be developed when we seek God first (Mt6:33)
Quiet life can be developed when we learn to be content (Php4:11-13)
Quiet life can be developed when we overcome anxiety through prayer (Php4:6-7)
(Mind your own business)
Mind your own business-
Now there is a time and a place to have concern for one another (Php2:4)
That is looking out for the interest of others not merely your own
Or in help one another overcome sin (Gal6:1-2)
Helping to over come
Willing to be a burden bearer for each other too
Don’t be a busy body (2The3:11-12); I better give that scripture
11 For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.
Peace, and the quiet mentioned earlier are only possible when there is the proper understanding between concern and being a busybody or a gossip.
(Work with your own hands)
Work with your own hands
It is commanded (1The4:11)
Don’t do it and it is bad, very bad (1Tim5:8; 2The3:10-14)
You are worse than a non believer if you refuse to work
So harsh is what Paul said in 2The3 that you are not even to associate with that person who refuses to work.
Do it to provide for your family and those in the community of believers (1Tim5:8)
Do it to provide for others and yourself (Eph4:28; Act20:34-35)
The thief is to steal no more, but to work to provide for others
Paul speaks of how he worked to provide for himself and others
34 “You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. 35 “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
But still, we don’t know why Paul has given this exhortation, there has to be an explanation to it, doesn’t there?
Reason for exhortation?
Reason for exhortation?
The name of this series is “Christ coming for His Church, right?” The major theme is the return of Christ, and what we are to do while we are waiting.
There were questions about the return of Christ, Paul addresses (1The4:13-18)
Paul warns about the waiting so not to be uninformed, prepared (1The5:1-11)
Paul instructs what to do while waiting (1The5:12-27)
With those things in mind, could the problem be that they were not working with their own hands while they were waiting? It was common belief that Jesus was going to return during their lifetime.
They got busy into each others business, stirring up excitement in anticipation of His return, but others in meddling in each others business.
Meddling is not leading a quiet life and promoting peace is it?
Our life together as a church, as a family of believers is not just for our benefit and for God’s glory, look at the last verse of our passage
12 so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.
So that will we behave, act properly towards outsiders and we will not be in any need, we will not be lacking, as we wait.
Two great products of Christian community are
To be a strong witness of Gods love to others (outsiders)
Self sufficiency in taking care of each other
(Invitation slide 1 - Walk in love) invitation (invitation slide 2) song (exit slides)