Wed Night Bible Study – “Loving Each Other”

Jon Beck

Church

Loving Each Other – Chapter 11

When We Gather – This section of the book

  • Understanding Worship
  • The Role of the Pastor
  • The Roles of our Different Gatherings
  • Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
  • Loving Each Other

We get the previous chapters in order so we can be a LOVING AND GROWING CHURCH BODY.

John 13 :34-35 – [34] A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. [35] By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

  • Command is not new.  OT taught to Love God and Love thy Neighbor.   Yet, Jesus came to fulfill the Old (the comm – NEW;
    • New by his sacrificial example
    • New… empowered by the Holy Spirit
  • He gave His life.  We should give ours.
  • If we say we cannot love, them maybe the Spirit is not within us.

Relationships that are mutually encouraging and helping people grow spiritually.

  • KNOW CHRIST
  • GROW IN CHRISTLIKENESS

Churches should be full of spiritually dynamic friendships in which older Christians are helping to reach and guide younger Christians in the Word, where peers get together regularly for accountability and prayer, and where Christians are reading nourishing Christian books together and talking about how they can use them to grow spiritually. (Dever)

Ephesians 4:11–16 – [11] And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, [12] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, [13] until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, [14] so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. [15] Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, [16] from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (ESV)

Hebrews 10:19–25 – [19] Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, [20] by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, [21] and since we have a great priest over the house of God, [22] let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. [23] Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. [24] And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, [25] not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (ESV)

5 Aspects of a culture of mutual love

GROWING A CULTURE OF MUTUAL LOVE

Covenantal

  • To agree. WE agree that WE ARE THE CHURCH.
  • Agree that they are there for each other.
  • Agree as a church
    • On our leadership
    • Our purpose – Why are we here
    • Our vision – Where are we going
    • Our strategy – How will we get there
    • Our values – What will guide us

Careful

  • To walk obediently to the things of the Lord.  To stay on task and mission.
  • IT MUST ALWAYS BE SCRIPTURE that dictates who we are, what we do, and why we do it. (Piper/Lewis example)

Corporate

  • Not a church of individual walks with the Lord, but a corporate relationship with Christ.
  • Obviously, our individual walk/relationship is key, but it should lead to a corporate walk/relationship.
    • Praying for one another
    • Encouraging one another
    • Worshiping with one another
  • We cannot live the Christian life alone.  That is not what it is.

Cross-Cultural

  • Church is for everyone.  We are here to reach and grow together.
  • The danger of reaching a particular target audience.
    • Race, Social, Economical
  • We may not have everything in common, but we should have Jesus in common. (the Gospel and the Word in common)

Cross-Generational

  • We are a family.
    • Just as in our home. Families need each other.
    • Loving each other
    • Living for each other
    • Learning from each other
  • Rather than catering to one generation of the other.  The picture is one of A BIG FAMILY.

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