Giving Love To Get Love
Jeff Strite
I John 4:7-21
OPEN: "That's marvelous, having a lion and monkey in the same cage," said the visitor to a small zoo. "How do they get along?"
"Okay, usually," answered the zookeeper. "Occasionally they have a disagreement, and we have to get a new monkey."
APPLY: Now, why do they need to get a new monkey? Why? Because things got along for awhile until the lion started acting like a lion. And as long as the lions act like lions the zookeepers will always need new monkeys.
Hold that thought!
James 2:8 tells us "If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing right."
The Apostle John in 1 John 3:11 wrote: "This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another."
Paul, in Romans 13:8 declared: "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law."
Peter, in 1 Peter 1:22 told us: "Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart."
And, of course Jesus said: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you: continue in my love. If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you." (John 15:9-12)
Does anybody sense a pattern here?
The pattern?
The commandment of the kingdom, the royal law, the proclamation of the King of Kings and Lord of lords is: Love one another.
God lays a heavy emphasis on "loving one another?" … Why say it so often throughout the New Testament? Why not just say it once… and then move on?
I. Because you and I don't come by this naturally
We don't know how to love as we sh ...
Jeff Strite
I John 4:7-21
OPEN: "That's marvelous, having a lion and monkey in the same cage," said the visitor to a small zoo. "How do they get along?"
"Okay, usually," answered the zookeeper. "Occasionally they have a disagreement, and we have to get a new monkey."
APPLY: Now, why do they need to get a new monkey? Why? Because things got along for awhile until the lion started acting like a lion. And as long as the lions act like lions the zookeepers will always need new monkeys.
Hold that thought!
James 2:8 tells us "If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing right."
The Apostle John in 1 John 3:11 wrote: "This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another."
Paul, in Romans 13:8 declared: "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law."
Peter, in 1 Peter 1:22 told us: "Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart."
And, of course Jesus said: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you: continue in my love. If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you." (John 15:9-12)
Does anybody sense a pattern here?
The pattern?
The commandment of the kingdom, the royal law, the proclamation of the King of Kings and Lord of lords is: Love one another.
God lays a heavy emphasis on "loving one another?" … Why say it so often throughout the New Testament? Why not just say it once… and then move on?
I. Because you and I don't come by this naturally
We don't know how to love as we sh ...
There are 8809 characters in the full content. This excerpt only shows a 2000 character sample of the full content.
Price: $5.99 or 1 credit
