You
Even to bring you one as always the service times are listed there in the upper left hand side
You
I
Give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another
By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you love one another
And that's the title of the sermon tonight love one another and of course in this particular passage
Jesus is speaking to his disciples, and he's speaking very specifically
Saying that you know we as disciples of Christ we as brethren in Christ
We as those who have been bought by the blood of Christ ought to love one another
And I'll point out here that this isn't something that Jesus said, you know if possible love one another
He didn't say you know as if you can get along and everybody can
Get along with one another and not have any problems then go ahead and love one another
There's nothing like that here
He says very explicitly that we are to love one another that is the commandment in the New Testament
Well, we are to love one another and specifically to love the brethren the Bible says elsewhere
I'll just read to you in first Peter to honor all men love the Brotherhood
I mean, it's just a plain command love the Brotherhood fear God honor the king now our end
Do any of those sound optional to you does loving the Brotherhood sound less optional than say fear God?
No one would look at a commandment like fear God and say well
You know as long as God and I can get along then we'll go ahead and love one another
No, that's a very plain command that we are to fear God
It's a very plain command that we are to love the Brotherhood that we are to love one another
In fact, Jesus said that's how others are gonna know that you're my disciples by the love that you have one toward another
He said elsewhere first John 3 for this is the message that you have heard from the beginning that ye we should
Love one another what's that message from the beginning? That's the message that Jesus began to preach
That's the Jesus the message that Jesus taught them at the beginning of the New Testament Church that we are to love the Brotherhood
We are to love the brethren. We are to love one another
In fact, the Bible says in first John chapter 4 very strong language
It says if a man say I love God and hate it this brother. He is a liar
He's a liar about what?
if a man say I love God and
Hated his brother. He is a liar
For he that loveth is not his brother whom he has seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen
He's saying look it's impossible
Man is made in the image of God. You haven't seen God if you can't even love your brother on earth
How can you say that you love God because that is the commandment from God and if we love him
We will keep his commandments
And I think this is important today because you know, we see so much even amongst
Brothers and sisters in Christ where people start to go at each other and
they start to go for the throat and they they get bitter and they hang on to things and people get offended and they
won't let things go and
I think we have to be reminded every so often that we are explicitly commanded in the scripture to love the Brotherhood
You know and there's some I want to just go very quickly over some very practical points tonight about what it means to love
The Brotherhood or why people do don't will do do it why people won't do it
And what it's going to take to actually love the Brotherhood if you look there to love one another verse 13
it says you call me master and Lord and you say well for so I am if
I then you are Lord a master have washed your feet
He also ought to wash one another's feet for I have given you an example that you should do as I have done unto you
You know why some people were never loved the Brotherhood the way they ought to is because it takes humility
It takes humility. I
Mean don't you think that's a pretty humble thing for Jesus to have washed the disciples feet and say look
I'm your master
You call me master and Lord and you say well for so I am
But that not above Jesus said stooping down and washing your feet to give you an example of how to love one another
You know loving your brother is a very practical thing and it takes a lot of humility to love to love one another
You know today we talk about love and people had a lot of different ideas about what love is
They think it's just some emotion that you feel
You know, they think it's just some kind of attraction that you might have to somebody, you know
Love is is a very practical thing. Love is something it's not just an emotion, but it's actually something we are to put into action
Yes, there is emotion and love and you know, there's different types of emotions
And you know, there's different types of love. There's amorous love
There's you know different types of affection and things like that
but when it comes to the love of the brethren loving one another it's a lot more practical and
And it's a lot more
You know, it's much more tangible. I guess I should say it's something that we can really put into practice
And in fact, it's something we have to work hard at exercising in our Christian life
If you would go over to Ephesians chapter 4
Ephesians chapter 4, so let me just give you you know, some practical points about loving the Brotherhood loving one another tonight
One of the first things I would point out when it comes to loving with one another or loving your brother
Loving your brother or sister in Christ is that you would acknowledge them as such, you know
It's hard to love your brother if you don't even acknowledge somebody as your brother
If I'm not even going to recognize you as a fellow child of God then you know
What's gonna compel me to love you?
Well, what need is there for me to obey this command if I'm not even gonna acknowledge the fact that you're saved that you're born
Again that you're a fellow heir with Christ that I'm gonna spend eternity with
You know, what's that?
What's the compulsion for me to obey this command because obviously, you know
We understand people they run wild with this love doctrine. They want to just love everybody. They want us to love people that God hates
They want us to love people that hate God, you know, we sung it this morning Psalm 139
There are some people that we hate
The Bible says that God hates but here's the thing. That's not the Brotherhood
That's not a fellow saved born-again believer blood-washed sanctified Christian. That's not who we're talking about
We're actually commanded to love those people and not just have you know
Some kind of an affection for them or a preference for them or a liking from them
But to actually put some action and some effort into loving that person and it takes humility to do it
The first point I want to make is that if you're gonna love one another if you're gonna love the Brotherhood
You have to start out by acknowledging the fact that that's your brother in Christ. That's your sister in Christ
The Bible says greet all the brethren with an holy kiss now, we're not gonna go that far
Okay, we know we're not doing the holy kiss thing here, all right, I'm not advocating that
But what is that? It's a salutation. That's the way they would greet one another back then
You know, they still do that in some cultures, you know, you get the smooch on either side, you know
They still do that. They'll grab one another and you know, that's just custom there. It's not custom here. All right
Handshake and I'm going back to the handshake. I'm I'm over the fist bumps people. All right, just putting that out there
Everyone keeps giving me the fist. I'm going for the palm. All right
That was COVID stuff. That's two years ago
Bring back the handshake. All right
anyway
If you want to fist bump each other, go ahead. I don't care just none of this. Holy kissing
The Bible says in 3rd John I trust I shall shortly see thee
See thee and we will shall speak face to face peace be to thee our friends salute thee
Greet the friends by name
You know, we should greet one another by name
You know, we should learn one another's names that show up at church every Sunday
We should learn who these people are that are surrounding us as we come to hear the preaching the Word of God as we come
to worship God and song we should take the time to find out who that is across the aisle and
At the very least say hello
the very least acknowledge them and
Anyone who's ever had you know, and I've had this happen to me
You know, I even recently not here praise God
But I've had people just walk right by me like I'm not even there just ghost me
And I'm like, well, maybe they're just that way me. They're just introverted. Maybe they're just not a people person
but then I turn around I see him just
Shaking somebody else's hair. Oh, you're doing great to see it's like well, you know
It's the problem here
something on my face
look, I don't I don't need you to stop and talk about the weather, but how about a
What's up
Something
How's it going? Deacon? How's it going brother?
How's it going? So-and-so
Just a hello a handshake a hi. That's you know, that's something we should do
That's why because that's you acknowledging that this person is a fellow brother or sister in Christ
That's one of the first steps towards loving your brethren
To loving one another to fulfilling the commandment that Christ gave us
To love one another how can you do that if you can't even acknowledge that somebody else is your brother in Christ?
You know and here's the thing who else do we have here on earth
To love as a brother in Christ or sister in Christ who the unsaved can't they're not they don't we don't have the same
Beliefs as them we don't have the same values as them. At least we ought not
You know, we don't have the same things in common with those people
We might maybe there are some things we can relate to but
Who else are you going to heaven with besides the people in this room and people in other like-minded church?
That who are saved who else are you going with?
You know, you might as well start loving them. You might as well start acknowledging them the fact that they are your
spiritual family and
Start greeting them
Acknowledge them. That's one of the first steps towards
You know
Loving one another
He said in 1st Corinthians chapter 16 verse 14
Verse 19 rather the churches of Asia salute you Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord and it's not like a
salute right it's just like a
Salutation like they're just hailing you they're just saying hello all the brethren greet you greet
Ye one another with an holy kiss and there it is again
But the point is this is that you know, everyone is you know churches and other churches are acknowledging each other as brethren
That church is acknowledging this church as brethren. You know, there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, that's what we ought to be doing
You look there in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 1 he said I therefore verse 1 Ephesians 4 I therefore the prisoner of the Lord
beseech you that you should walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called with all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering
forbearing one another in love
You know, what's that forbearing one another in love what is that means putting up with people
Means putting up with somebody when they offend you putting up with somebody when they do you wrong
Putting up with somebody when they have a bad attitude or they just do something you don't like that means you forbear them
You put up with them you suffer them
You know, so I don't want to do that yeah, that's why it takes lowliness and meekness
You know, sometimes it just takes meekness to really just
Just let someone, you know, you just take one on the chin from somebody so to speak
You know, sometimes people I don't know maybe you don't experience this but sometimes people just walk up and say the rudest things
And in my flesh, it's like you sound so rude right now and in my flesh
I would love to just put you right in your place
You know what? I realize is that person has no clue
What they're saying is rude. They have no clue and
I just
Well, you know
whatever and
You know what? Let it slide
Because you know what? I'm sure there was probably some people that even recently. I don't know
Maybe there's plenty of people but I know for sure there's people in my past
Where I said some rude things and they probably did a lot of long suffering with this guy right here
Why did they do that because they love me
Because they're my brethren because I'm a child of Christ as much as they are and they put up with me
He says this takes lowliness this takes meekness this takes long suffering look at verse 3
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in bond in the bond of peace
First at first three starts with endeavoring
You know what that tells me is that the unity of the spirit the bond of peace isn't something that's just given
It's something you have to endeavor at it's something you have to work at
It's something you have to see when it begins to fall apart. You have to put it back together again and hold it
Otherwise it will fall apart
There is and again this goes back to my first point that my point who else do we have
Why are we so quick to just judge our brethren despise our own brethren, you know, just tear our brethren down
When you know the world's we got enough to fight out there in the world
You know, we get enough of it from the unsaved out there
Why do we have to have so much of it within these walls or between churches?
Why does it have to be there?
Who else do we have in this world besides our brethren to stand up and fight for us and be on our side?
That's what he says here there is one body verse 4 there's one and one spirit
There isn't a whole nother body of Christ out there. Well, I don't like this body of Christ. I don't like these jerks over here
I'm just gonna go over this one. Well, there's only one bud. There's only one
It's been a learn to get along and love one another because this is all you get you're stuck with the family you got
Even as you're called in one
Hope of your calling one Lord one faith one baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in
you all
My first point about loving one another is that you have to acknowledge each other's brethren
you know greet the brethren by name salute one another say hello and
Acknowledge that that other person is your brother
Because who else do you have?
You know, but it's not I wish it was as simple as that that's where we could end but you know
Loving your brother as I said, that is something you have to put into action
You have to be when you have an opportunity to show the love that you have for somebody you need to take it
Because loving your brother puts your brother first it'll put somebody else ahead of your own needs
That's that's what it means to love somebody
You know love isn't just this, you know little butterflies in your stomach
It's not just this, you know feeling that you have for somebody
I mean, I understand when it comes to you know, more romantic relationships
More romantic relationships, that's part of that
But even in when that it's something like that leads to marriage hey, you know what every every day isn't butterflies and
And puppy love when it comes to marriage
Obviously that bond grows deeper their motions run deeper over time as experiences are shared
I understand that but love shows up in marriage through what through sacrifice a
Wife sacrifices her body to bear children a
Husband sacrifices of himself and his time and his energy to support that family
It's they put one another they put the needs of the other and the needs of the family unit before their own
It's the same way in church. It's the same way with the Brotherhood
We should put the needs of others before our own look at Philippians chapter 2
Said first Peter finally brethren be all of one mind having compassion one another love is brethren
Be pitiful be courteous, you know this thing about loving you say why do you preach about this every so often?
Why are you going up?
Because I don't know because it just shows up in the New Testament over and over and over again that we're to love our
brethren
You know love and forgiveness correct me if I'm wrong, but it's a major theme in the New Testament
He said be all of one mind having compassion one another love his brother and be pitiful be courteous
No be courteous say hello ask him how they're do we quit be interested you know what also be pitiful
Because some of the brother and you know, they're gonna come in and it's good, you know, they're gonna it's gonna
It's gonna have been a rough week
You know people say man, you look like you're having a rough week yeah, cuz I am
And that's what I you know, what I need is I need some pity and we all do
He said in first John 3 love not in word neither in tongue, but in deed and truth
You know, you have to put action to the emotion
That's what love is. That's what it means to love the brethren indeed and in truth
Not just you can't just say I love my brother
You have to actually do something to prove that
Look, I'm not saying you got to show up here with a bundle of roses and a box of chocolate for some brother in Christ
every weekend
Please don't I don't think that's weird
But what I am saying is, you know when we see our brother in need, you know, we should help them
And maybe it's time in some physical need maybe they just need to talk about something. We don't know what they're going through
Greater love hath no man than this that a man laid on his life for his own friends
And that's how far Jesus went with it and he was our example
Philippians chapter 2 verse 2 he says
Fulfill ye my joy that ye be like-minded that's where you are Philippians 2 2 having the same love being of one accord of one mind
Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in the lowliness of mind let each of you be like-minded
Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in the lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves
Saying look esteem them better than you
That's what it means to love your brother
To esteem them better than themselves
You know why brethren go at each other's throats a lot of times?
Pride
Is why people go at each other feelings get hurt
Somebody says something or does something they don't like
And they and they get puffed up with pride and they say well, you know what right back at your buddy
Look at verse four look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others
You know if you really love the brethren, you know, you would acknowledge them as brethren and and not just that
But you would actually become interested in them
You would actually wonder about what's going on in their life how you can be a blessing to them and vice versa
Go over to Matthew 18 Matthew chapter 18
I mean this thing of brotherly love is just all over the place Romans 12 be kindly affection to one to another with
Brotherly love in honor preferring one another and it's the same thing over and over again prefer one before another
You know
Esteeming other better than themselves looking out on our own things, but on the things of others
It's always this, you know, this lowliness this meekness that's a soda associated with brotherly love of a steaming others better than ourselves
Rather than looking for a chance to put somebody else down to try to make ourselves look good
Galatians chapter 6 he said be not deceived
God is not mocked for what's over a man
So that shall they also reap for he that soweth to his flesh shall reap of the flesh corruption
He that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life of life reap life everlasting
You know often ones you stop right there
Those are very well-known verses but verse 9 goes on and says and let us not be wearing well-doing
For in due season we shall reap if we faint not
Verse 10 as we therefore have opportunity let us do good unto all men
Especially unto them who are the household of faith say I want to sow to the spirit
Okay, well then do good unto them that a household of faith
Yes, do good unto all men as you have opportunity
But if you want to really sow to the spirit and not walk in the flesh to make sure you sow
By by a doing good unto all men, especially those of the household of faith
And look I know we all have busy lives I know we all have things going on
And I know we can't always be there for one another but you know
If a brother or sister in Christ calls me up with the need
I mean if I can I'm gonna drop whatever I'm doing and go help him
You know and I feel like we're pretty good about that here in this church
You know, but what I don't want to see that happen is that that all falls on one person
You know, that's a that's a load that we all have to kind of shoulder up and bear and I get it
We can't always be there
You know, we can't we can't there's only so much piano to go around this morning, right?
We had a lot of guys just kind of standing there
It was great to see a bunch of guys standing there because it's like well, you know, there's only so much room grabbing that piano
But you know what? There's gonna that's not the only opportunity
There's gonna be other opportunities to serve one another there's opportunity to serve one another right here in this local church
Say well, how can I serve my brother? How can I do good under my brother in a local church?
Let me give you a big one show up to church
You know, I harp on this and I get out and I get after this and I know I'm preaching the choir tonight
And I know I and people might think oh you're just preaching that because you're the preacher and you need people to come in and
Make you feel like what you're doing matters
Look, I'll preach to one of you
I know because I've done it
I'll preach to just my family. That's my rule. If there's one person I'll preach
I'll sit there and I'll get up if no one's here. I'll go through the announcements. I'll sing the songs by myself
I've done it and
I had a guy walk in halfway through the second song and
I'm up here by myself not here in this building when we started the North location
Singing to myself to an empty building holding church
And as soon as that door closed like if he looked at me and he wanted to leave
And I just kept right I didn't miss a beat folks. Just kept right on singing and I just went like this
Like have a seat
Glad you showed up
So it's not about me I don't need people here to feel like I'm important
You need to be here for the brethren, you know who really gets discouraged sometimes when people don't come to church
It's the people in the pew
People like to come to church and see other Christians in the pew
It's a it's exciting
Say what's so great about the ran out preaching conference?
Why would so many people drive all the way over there?
I think it's it's great to get in a packed room where it's hot where there's a lot of Christians there that are there for
preaching and
The preaching is good
But you know one of the most exciting things is to see hundreds of people all gathered that all share the same beliefs
That all agree on the same doctrines, you know, that's what's exciting about it
That's what's great about conferences like that, you know
We could have ourselves a little mini red hot preaching conference every single week three times a week right in this room if we wanted
Did you got to show up?
That's one very practical way to do good under the brethren encourage them by coming to church
You know one one of the major themes as I mentioned in the New Testament is forgiveness and look if you're gonna be
Around the brethren if you're gonna be around other sinners because that's all we are folks blood-washed
sinners
We still get in the flesh. We see still saying do stupid things and we offend each other. It's bound to happen given enough time
Hopefully we start to curb that as we go along
But we are going to upset one another and people are gonna say and do things that make us mad and offend us
So one of the most practical ways you could love your brother is to forgive them
Forgive them
You don't want to you know, you don't want to be one of those people that just harbors envy and bitterness in your heart
It will rot your bones
We've all met people like that
People that are you know, well on in your 40 50 60 years old
They're still bitter about something their parents didn't they were a teenager and look I'm not saying it was right
I'm saying yeah, I can understand that you're hurt. Yeah, I can understand it was wrong
But hey at some point you just got to get over it
Forgive and move on with your life
Just walk around like this
My dad my mom they're dead in the grave get over it
Loving your brother means you forgive them look at Matthew 18, and I know we know this parable
verse 21 then Peter came to him and said Lord how I shall I my brother sin against me and
I forgive him till seven times Oh Peter
You
Wonder does he does he was he really gonna tally was he really gonna keep track. I forgive you. Oh
I forgive you. Oh, I forgive you. That's three buddy almost halfway there
You're up to five but I forgive you six hey, this is the last time I'm forgiving you
We why else did he ask that?
That seems silly. No, this is how people are
This is human nature
Alright, I'll forgive him if I have to that's not forgiveness
Jesus say at them I sit on the until seven times but until seventy times seven. Oh, okay. So just a lot more
No, obviously Jesus, you know, he's just saying there's no limit
You really gonna count seventy times seven
There is that he said therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain King and he goes into this parable
It's related to the question that Peter just asked about forgiven forgiveness
Which would he says there is a king therefore is the kingdom of lichen unto a certain king
Which would take account of his servants and when he begun to reckon one was brought on him which owed him
10,000 talents but as far as much he had not to pay his Lord commanded him to be sold and his wife and
His children all they had it in the payment to be made the servant therefore fell down and worshiped him saying Lord
Have patience with me and I will pay thee all then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion
And loosed him and forgave him the debt
What what inspired him to forgive this man?
His compassion what inspired the compassion him falling down his knees and say forgive me
You know, we like to think well, yeah, I'll forgive them if they'll fall down and weep
They're like this guy then I'll forgive them
But you know, you can go ahead and have compassion without that happening
You can go ahead and just be compassionate
You can just forgive people and of course we know the story here
This guy is forgiven but the same servant verse 28 went out and found one of his fellow servants
Which owed him in hundred pence, which is like a fraction of what he owed
And he laid hands on him and took him by the throat
Saying pay me that thou owest and assert fellow servant fell down at his feet beside him saying have patience with me
and I will pay thee all same words and
He would not but cast him into prison till he should pay the debt
So when his fellow servant saw what was done
They were very sorry
Then came and told unto their Lord all that was done then as Lord after he had called them said him
Oh that wicked servant. I forgave thee all that debt because thou desires me
should us not thou have also had compassion on thy fellow servant even as I had pity on thee and
As Lord was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due him
Now notice verse 35 there's a this is what's the point is parable so likewise shall my Heavenly Father do also unto you
If you forgive if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone who his brother
their trespasses
Look if we don't forgive our brethren
God what is it? I mean did I stutter?
I mean God is saying here that his our father in heaven is not going is going to deliver us to the torn
God's going to judge us and punish us if we don't forgive brethren
Well only seven times though right no till seventy times seven if he offends you forgive if he offends you forgive if he offends you forgive
So how can somebody be expected to forgive so much? I'm glad you asked go to Luke 7
How can some how should we
How is it that we can be expected to just forgive somebody and forgive somebody and forgive somebody and forgive somebody and forgive somebody and forgive somebody?
After a fence after a fence after a fence after a fence after a wound after a wound after a wound after a hurt after a hurt after a hurt
How can you expect me to just keep forgiving people sometimes the same people I?
Mean we're to do it Jesus said in Luke 17
I'll read to you take heed to yourselves if thy brother trespass against thee rebuke him and if you repent forgive him
And a lot of people like to say well. Yeah, it says if he repent I'll forgive him
Yeah, that is commanded, but there's nothing stopping you from forgiving somebody even if they don't repent
You can just go ahead that's you know what you know what that would take
Meekness and lowliness of mind that would take you to a steaming somebody else better than yourself
I'll forgive as long as they acknowledge how deeply they have hurt me, and how important I am
And look if they if they repent yeah forgive
But is that why that commands there just so that we can have some kind of stipulation on forgiveness
Or is it there to make sure that that happens that if someone does repent they are forgiven
It's the latter
If he'd rip trespass against these seven times in a day and seven times in a day turn again to these saying I repent thou
shalt forgive him
But there's nothing saying you get you don't have to sit there and wait for them to repent
You can go ahead and just forgive them anyway
Well, I mean that seems a little extreme how can that how could you expect me to do that?
Lowliness meekness
Humility compassion
Maybe remember that you've been forgiven
You know we preach here that if a person puts their faith in Christ
They're saved
Not you know if they repent of their sin and lament
Not if they fall down on their knees and weep and I beg God to forgive them
You know I believe that some people will have more emotional reactions when it comes to salvation, but some people honestly
It's just as logical as a bank transaction
But they're still saved
But
That you know what that shouldn't stop us from recognizing the fact that we have been forgiven
Look at verse 36 of Luke 7 and one of the Pharisees
Desired him that he would eat with him
And he went into the Pharisees house and sat down to meet and behold a woman in the city, which was a sinner
When she knew that Jesus sat at me to the Pharisees house brought an alabaster box of ointment I
Mean here's this woman who's a sinner. She's a woman of ill repute
She's known to be a sinner and
She's going in this Pharisees house because she wants to get to Jesus. Can you imagine how humiliating this must be?
But she didn't care
She wanted to get to Jesus and says in verse 38 and stood at his feet behind him weeping and began to wash his
feet with tears and did wipe them with the hairs of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with ointment and
Look at this Pharisee verse 30 now when the Pharisee which had been him
Spake within himself saying this man if you're part prophet would have known who and what manner of woman this is that touches them
She where she is a sinner
He's disgusted
He's looking at this this this sinful woman who's literally weeping at Jesus's feet
Humiliating herself in front of this all these people just so that she could get close to Jesus and he says oh, it's disgusting
Doesn't he know who that is?
And
Jesus had an answer for him. It says in verse 40 and
Jesus answering said unto Simon Simon. I have somewhat to say unto thee and he saith master say on
Verse 41 there was a certain creditor which had two debtors the one owed him five hundred pence and the other fifty
When he had nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore which of them will love him most
Simon answered I suppose he that to whom he forgave most and he said unto him thou is rightly judged
And he turned unto the woman and said and said to unto Simon see is thou this woman
I entered in thy house thou gave me no water for my feet
But she hath washed my feet with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head thou gave us me no kiss
But this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet
My head with oil thou didst not anoint, but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment
Wherefore I say unto you unto thee her sins, which are many are
forgiven
for she loved much and
Here it is folks, but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little
You know why some people have such a hard time forgiving and loving the brethren
Because they fail to remember how much they've been forgiven
And look I can understand maybe that's difficult for people that you know
Don't don't have a wicked past don't have a sinful past. Maybe that's a struggle, but it shouldn't be
We've all been forgiven much, we're all sinners we've all offended God
We're all potential that we all have the potential to go out and be just as sinful as anybody else
We could all get in the flesh just as easily
Say well, you know I don't have a lot to have been forgiven
Well, you know don't make it a life's goal to make that happen either
You know instead, it's just praise God that you know you're actually in a position where that's not going to be a reality for you
But that you know that doesn't have to stop you from being a loving and forgiving person
It's people that fail to recognize just how much they've been forgiven
It's it's so ironic. You know it's typically not people that that have a
You know a godly upbringing you know or a godly past that struggle with this ironically
It's it's it's the sinners. It's the people who have the bad reputation who have the wicked past that are so quick to just judge other people sometimes
And it's just like well, I mean they'll I mean they'll start just grilling people over some sin, it's like
Yeah, but you've done way worse
You've done so much worse than what somebody said did you see what they said yeah, but what have you done?
It's you know and it's here's the problem you're forgetting how much you've been forgiven if that's you
You know people have a hard time forgiving they just need to sit down and think about how much they've been forgiven
You know those who can't forgive must have forgotten or never understood how much they were forgiven
You know and i'm reluctant to tell you that I've been forgiven for a long time
You know and i'm reluctant to bring this up, but but you know this is kind of what I got to get this off my chest
You know as I I don't think this is so much a problem here, and I pray god it never is
You know this this thing of loving the brethren and forgiving the brethren
It's something that i've been seeing a lot of you know between pastors online
And I get it, you know pastors are going to fight they're going to have disagreements
They're not in there
You know no one's going to see eye to eye and everything people are going to go their own ways
I get that but i'm kind of getting tired of the internet beefs out there
And if you don't know what i'm talking about good for you
You know and and I understand that people are going to get after each other, you know, that's a reality
But let me remind you of another reality your brethren
Forgive that's what the bible commands to love to forgive and if you can't play nice then don't play at all
Yeah, but you know i'm right well, you know what you can go ahead and be right and quiet
Did you know you can be right and quiet
You know, this is good practical stuff, you know, this will help you in a marriage
Yeah, but i'm right
Uh-huh
You can be right and keep your mouth shut too
You can be right and have some compassion
And have some patience and have some lowliness and just let it be bread water under the bridge
That's what you know, that's what you could do if you want to do
Well, why aren't they then why don't why don't people just even when they're right?
Just keep their mouth shut and not have to you know, make a big deal out of everything
pride
Yeah, but i'm right I nailed it I got it I nailed it right on the head
So what
Forgive unless you're right
Love his brethren unless you got it up on them unless you got a leg up on them then let them have it
Go for the jugular
I mean, it's getting to the point where pastors are calling each other
You know, they're they're likening them on to reprobate sodomites over things that they said it's getting ridiculous
And I just want to take them both and just and say your brethren
your brethren
You have to love each other now. I didn't say you have to like each other
You know, we don't have to like each other
Some of you are probably relieved
But you gotta love us
You gotta love one another
And you know and love worketh no ill towards his neighbor
Love, you know, it's charity suffereth long and it's kind it puts up with a lot
Yeah, but I've put up for enough have you have you really
Go to Proverbs 13, I know we know it i'm going to close in Proverbs just two verses two verses there Proverbs chapter 13
The Bible says in Proverbs 10 hatred stirreth up strifes
You know when you see people that you know, whether it's you know between
Preachers or churches or church members or family members or spouses or whoever
Siblings whoever people who just have to keep stirring up strife
Who just can't let things go I have to just keep mixing up the pot keep going back and forth
It's it's out of hatred folks
Hatred stirreth up stripes
You've gotten to the place where it's not just about being right
It's gotten to the point where it's like you now actually hate your brother or sister in Christ
You hate that person that you're supposed to love so you just won't let it go. You just got to keep stirring up strife
Hatred stirreth up stripes
Look and I understand there's a time and place to call things out and say it like it is
You know, there's also a time to just let it go and good night. Who else do we again have on this earth?
Don't we get enough of it out there from the world
We got a fight with each other now and I get it we're Baptist it's like one of our distinctives
Fight with each other in fighting, you know, we're independent fundamental and we infight because we're human, but it ought not be so
You know, that's you know, I don't have to like every Baptist preacher out there
But you know what if they're independent fundamental Baptist King James Solon
And then especially if you add on the fact that they're post-trib they're anti, they're non-zionist. I mean good night
How many of us are there?
You could cut I would don't have to take my shoes off to count how many I don't think
At least at least, you know within the nation
that I know of
You know, it should take a lot. I'm not talking a lot before
I'm not talking a lot
You know, it should take a lot
I'm not talking a lot before
One of us calls out another one of them and goes for the jugular and tries to destroy somebody else's ministry
Look if if if some preacher if some pastor is just so bad
I don't have to go out of my way to destroy him. He'll do it himself
He'll run that thing right into the ground
Doesn't need my help
You know, but what if he's not as what if what if he's not as bad as I think what if it's just that
I hate that person or I can't let things go or i'm just bitter or angry about something
What if it's just that
Who's really the problem then it'd be me, wouldn't it?
It'd be the fact that you know, I just want to stir up strife because I have hatred or there should be love
I didn't say a preference. I didn't say alike
You know, I love the fact
That there's other independent fundamental baptist preachers that can't stand my face
But are still out there winning souls and preaching the bible. I love it
They don't have to like me
The bible says hatred stirs up strife, but love covereth all sins love covereth all sins
You know love doesn't you know, it tries to cover and i'm not saying like sweep things under the rug
Obviously, there's some things that have to be exposed
But sometimes I see people trying to expose things i'm just thinking there's no need to expose that there's no need to
broadcast that to the world
It just shows how much you hate that person
And then other people look at that and say that's christianity
Oh, that's on them by this shall all men know that you're my disciples that you have loved one to another one toward another
That's what jesus said
You know love covers sins meaning I'd rather just say you know what
There's this sin you've offended me. You've upset me. But you know what i'm just gonna do i'm just gonna pretend it's not there
Because I have love
I'm just gonna pretend that that never happened. I'm just gonna let that go
I mean people have done that for me in my life. I don't know how many times probably more times than I even know
Where i've said or done things that have hurt and offended people
And rather than just coming and getting in my face or making a youtube video or preaching a sermon
Or just trying to tear me down in some way. They just said you know what?
Brother corbin's a good guy loves the lord loves the bible loves souls. I'm just gonna let that go
I know people have done that for me
I've been forgiven. You know what? That's maybe that's why it's just a little bit easier
And i'm not trying to say this braggadocios. Maybe that's just a little bit easier why I can just forgive other people
But that's the way it ought to be for all of us
Because we've all been forgiven
The year in proverbs chapter 13 look at verse 10 only by pride cometh contention
I understand the bible says we ought to contend for the faith
but some of the things I see people getting contention over I wonder if that's really
You standing for the faith making some great stand for christ
I highly doubt it only by pride cometh contention
Man, why are these people going at each other pride?
Why is that husband and wife throwing pots and pans and well, it's just their love language
No, it's pride
Why can't they just forgive and forget and let it go and reconcile and move on pride
I'll forgive you when you acknowledge what a rotten dirty scoundrel you are then i'll forgive you that's pride
That's pride
I'll forgive you when you recognize how much better I am than you
It's pride
The only thing that's going to come out of that is more contention
Until somebody just says you know what enough's enough
Yeah, you're right even when they're not yeah, you're right whatever okay, whatever i'm sorry
Let me just cover that up and we'll just move along
Go to proverbs 17 last place proverbs 17
The bible says the discretion of a man deferreth his anger
And it is his glory to pass over
a transgression
It's a glory to pass over a transgression to defer your anger
Somebody transgresses against you offends you says something does something that's wrong the bible says the glory to just let it go
They make you mad and you're gonna go let them have it, you know
The bible says that it's the discretion of a man who says it's not worth it
And defers his anger and says i'm just not gonna let it go. I'm just not gonna pour it out on this person
I'm, not gonna just come down on them like a ton of bricks
Even though I feel perfectly just in doing so
I want you exercise a little discretion and defer your anger elsewhere and let bygones be bygones and get over it
And love one another and just go serve christ
It's his glory to pass over a transgression. Oh, yeah, but they said and they did and yeah, it was wrong
But you know what? I can just pass it over
Well, I want to make sure everybody knows about it
Well, you know that's not a glory to you
I mean I know people that do that all the time they've been doing it all the time
I know people that do that all the time. They pass over transgressions
Their love just hides, you know offenses and sins that were being committed against them
You know and those you know how those same people are described
They say man that guy's just a really nice guy
That's one of the nicest people I know
Yeah, he's so nice and he's so kind because no one's ever offended him
He's so nice and he's so kind because no one's ever transgressed against him
Is that is that what you think it is
Or is it does that because he actually has some discretion and can defer his anger
And knows that it's not worth it that maybe he has that glory because he has the ability to pass over a transgression
Look at proverbs 17 verse 9 he that covereth a transgression seeketh love
And when you see people that are just constantly like oh i'm just gonna expose you i'm gonna just expose everything
That's not seeking love
That's pride that's contention
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love i'm not talking about swiping wiping things, you know, uh under the rug
I'm not talking about sweeping things, you know under the carpet where they can't
Come to light a day when they should be
There obviously are times when things need to be brought to the light and exposed
And and that's happened, but i'm looking around now and even some of these pastors going
What's the point of this why what is this
And look people do this in their own personal lives, they just want to bring things up and they just want to
Expose transgressions. They don't want to let things go. They want to hold on to things
And I just say well no wonder you're not known as a loving person
No wonder your reputation isn't somebody who has a lot of love and kindness and patience because you know what you're you don't
Because if you did you would you would cover a transgression
This person wronged me this person offend me and now everybody needs to know about it
That's not seeking love
That's why it goes on and says he that repeateth the matter separateeth very friends
Obviously, there's a time and place for us to drop it and if we've offended somebody let's not repeat the matter
You know if we've offended somebody if we've done something wrong
Let's admit it and let's go on but you know once a person's done that once a person has admitted that they're wrong
Or they've suffered because of their sin
You know and they're not repeating it. It's done. That's you know, you need to let it go
That's you know, you need to cover the transgression
Not keep bringing it up bringing it up bringing it up
Hanging over people's heads threatening them with it. Let it go
You know people have suffered if they if they've been punished if they've you know, whatever, you know, let it go
Look the bible says we're commanded to love the brotherhood
But what does that mean?
To love the brother to love one another
Is every time we just all look at each other's eyes and just I love you
And just have this ooey gooey feeling inside and all warm and fuzzy
No, it's a very practical thing
And when it's not there
Look it manifests itself
When it's not there, you can see a lack of it just as much as you can see it when it is there
When it's not there you can see a lack of it just as much as you can see it when it is there
And you say well, how do you know when it's not there when you can't forgive them
When you can't forgive a fellow brother in christ and let something go the love of the brotherhood is not there
How can it be?
How can you sit there and tell me you love your brother if you can't forgive them and let things go
You know that is one of the very definitions of love
Compassion
Meekness lowliness of mind esteeming others better than yourselves putting others needs ahead of yours doing good unto all men
Especially they have the household to face and you know what else?
forgiveness
And if you haven't forgotten you haven't forgiven I believe by I believe that
If you still harbor resentment and anger towards somebody over something they did to you you have not forgiven them
I'm not saying you're just oblivious to the fact that something happened
I'm just saying that if you're angry and you're vindictive and you want to take it out. That's not forgiveness
If you want to make sure they suffer and pay for what they did that's not forgiveness
I'm not saying you're oblivious to the fact that it never it happened
I'm not saying that once trust is broken. It might not ever be able to restore it. I get that
What I'm saying is when you're harboring resentment and anger and you're being malicious towards a brother in christ you haven't forgiven
And if you haven't forgiven them, you can't sit there and look me in the face and tell me that you love the brotherhood
It's not possible. Let's go ahead and pray
Dear lord again. Thank you for the example that you've given us lord of humility
And patience and compassion and kindness
And lord, I pray to help us to exercise that in our own lives with the people that are around us
To unto all men lord, but especially of those that are the household of faith lord that we would be
patient with one another forgiving one another
Esteeming other better than ourselves. We ask these things in christ's name. Amen. All right, well go ahead and sing one more song before we
All right
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