Love One Another 5 8 31 2008

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

5

John 15:9-12 (NLT)

• 9 "I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.

• 10 When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love.

John 15:9-12 (NLT)

• 11 I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

• 12 I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you.

1 John 4:7-11 (NLT)

• 7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

• 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God—for God is love.

1 John 4:7-11 (NLT)

• 9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.

1 John 4:7-11 (NLT)

• 10 This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

• 11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.

How does God love us?

• He loves us unconditionally

• He loves us forever.

• He loves us by forgiving us all our wrongs (sins).

• He loves us beyond our understanding!

God commands us to imitate Him!

• Ephesians 5:1-2 (NLT) 1 Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins.

How then does God expect us to love each other?

• He expects us to love each other unconditionally.• He expects us to love each other by forgiving each

other of all our wrongs (sins).• He expects us to love each other by serving each

other.• Love for others is the test of a “Christian”.• Love for others is “proof” that we love God!

Three Words

• Give,

• Connect, • Elevate

TWO WEEKS AGO

•GIVE

Last week we looked at

CONNECT!

Today we are going to look at

ELEVATE!

Webster says:

• 1 : to lift up or make higher

• 2 : to raise in rank or status

• 3 : to improve morally, intellectually, or culturally

• 4 : to raise the spirits of

Romans 12:9-11 (NLT)

• 9 Don't just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good.

• 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

• 11 Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.

1 Peter 2:17 (NLT)

• 17 Show respect for everyone. Love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God.

Philippians 2:3-4 (NLT)

• 3 Don't be selfish; don't live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself.

• 4 Don't think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing.

Romans 13:8-10 (NLT)

• 8 Pay all your debts, except the debt of love for others. You can never finish paying that! If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill all the requirements of God's law.

Romans 13:8-10 (NLT)

• 9 For the commandments against adultery and murder and stealing and coveting—and any other commandment—are all summed up in this one commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

• 10 Love does no wrong to anyone, so love satisfies all of God's requirements.

1 Peter 4:8 (NLT)

• 8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.

Hebrews 10:23-25 (NLT)

• 23 Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

• 24 Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.

Hebrews 10:23-25 (NLT)

• 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.

Colossians 3:12-15 (NLT)

• 12 Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves; you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

• 13 You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Colossians 3:12-15 (NLT)

• 14 And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony.

• 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Ways to Elevate others.

• Become genuinely interested others.

• Give them honest and sincere appreciation.

• Make the other person feel important—and do it sincerely.

• Encourage one another with a sincere compliment. One of the highest compliments we can give another is our eyes and our ears.

Ways to Elevate others.

• Be considerate and respectful of other’s ideas and desires.

• Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.

• Always be happy to see them, greet them enthusiastically.

• Remember other’s name and use it often.

JUST FOR FUN!

• Remember the only way to win an argument, “Don’t Argue”!

Don’t forget!

John 15:16-17• 16 You didn't choose me. I chose you. I

appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

• 17 I command you to love each other.

QUESTIONS!

• What kind of fruit are you producing today?

• When was the last time you “made someone’s day”?