Sister Sunny Sunday School 7/14/13

Sister Sunny Sunday School 7/14/13

The love of God:

1Jn 3:14  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

1Jn 3:15  Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

1Jn 3:16  Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

1Jn 3:17  But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

1Jn 3:18  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

1Jn 3:19  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

The test of our salvation is if we love the brethren.  If we love not, then there is no spiritual life in us.  Love will manifest itself in people by them setting aside their own life to reach out to and try to meet the need of another.   Brother Gary has said, “Love is only satisfied by giving.”

If you see a brother have a need and you shut up your bowels of compassion toward that one because of what another would think, or what your relationship with that one is, or because of the name or fellowship of the church that they go to, or any other reason that you can think of, how dwells the love of God in you? 

Often when it speaks of Jesus seeing a need it tells us that ‘He had compassion’ on them.  He had compassion on the multitude.  He had compassion on the Jew and on the Gentile, on the innocent child and on the sinful adult.  He was not a respecter of persons and He teaches us not to be. 

Rom 12:16  Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Condescend to men of low estate: set aside your own feelings or agenda to reach out to those that have needs. 

Matthew Henry –
Some think the original word is a metaphor taken from travellers, when those that are stronger and swifter of foot stay for those that are weak and slow, make a halt, and take them with them; thus must Christians be tender towards their fellow travellers.

God sends His rain on the just and the unjust.  We need to be willing to show love to the one that loves us and also to the one that despises us. 

Mat 5:43  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Mat 5:46  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

Mat 5:47  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

Mat 5:48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

This is our challenge even if no one around us is following the same rule.  When they despise us and ignore us or insult us, the challenge to us that Jesus was an example of is that we love them and do what is right toward them anyway.