INSIGHT
 

   Wherever you go today, you cannot help but to see or hear advertisements for health clubs.  These health clubs focus on one thing: Get your body in shape! In other words, for a certain price, they will help you lose weight and tone your body down to a healthy status! We understand that if we do not take care of our God-given bodies, we will grow tired, weak and fall prey to all kinds of diseases and sicknesses. Therefore, society understands (and we understand) how important it is to take care of our bodies--we only get one! So what do we do? We eat right (feed the body) and we exercise (strengthen its parts) by jogging, walking or any other aerobic exercise to make it strong and healthy.

 

   In the same manner, since we are members of Christ’s church, His body (Ephesians 1:22,23), we ought to spiritually take care of ourselves. 1 Cor 12:1-27 teaches that we individually make up the one body of Christ: whether we be a leg, hand or foot. No matter what part of the body you are,  God places a strong emphasis on the care we ought to have for one another; that its parts should have equal concern for each other (1 Cor 12:25). As Christians, it is our task to spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24) and to show genuine love for each other! Like food and exercise to the body, is fellowship, honor and love to the members of the Body of Jesus Christ. These can only make for a stronger, healthier spiritual body that can only produce spiritual  goodness, encouragement and growth!

 

   God summarizes all of our duties towards one another (the body)  in one word: LOVE.  Romans 13:8  says, “let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.” We can be debt free, but one thing we must render at all times is love! Romans 12:10-16 speaks of various kinds of love we must display to one another: an affectionate love (vs 10a), an honorable love (vs 10b), a sharing love (vs 13), a sympathizing love (vs 15), a uniting love (vs 16a), a condescending love (vs 16b) and a peace-seeking love (vs 18). So lets get in gear and lets keep the Body of Christ spiritually fit! Value one another!
The Royal Law: Loving Relationships
Valuing One Another

Key Text:                      Romans 12:10 

 

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."

 

Theme:

 

The Bible teaches that our love for God is displayed by the way we love and honor one another.  Therefore our Christianity is directly affected by the way we treat one another. 1 John 2:8-11 says that anyone who hates his brother is still in darkness.  Remember the Lord’s command: "...Love one another. As I have loved you...By this all men will know that you are my disciples..." John 13:34-35

 

Application:

Here are some practical suggestions:

 

1. Get to know one another. Don’t be satisfied with

     just knowing about your brother or sister; get to

     know them! Fellowship with them.  Build a loving

     relationship with the saints by  spending quality

     time with them!

 

2. Watch what you say and how you say it.   You

     may not say anything that is discouraging or hurtful,

     but your body language could be saying something

     else. Be a positive spirit!

 

3. Learn to listen!   When a brother or sister comes to

    to you for advice or to talk, make sure you give

    them your full attention. Be ready to meet their

    spiritual needs!!

 

4. Encourage. If you see a brother or sister doing

    something that is praise worthy, let them know

    how encouraged you are by  their example!

 

 May the Lord richly bless you!

 

Sermon Outline

 

Valuing One Another

 

“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture,

‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.

 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted

 by the law as lawbreakers” James 2:8-9

 

Practical Ways To A Loving Relationship

 

I. Preliminaries Of Love: Action vs. Profession

 

   1. Starts with honor (placing a high value)

       a. A soul is very valuable (Mt. 16:26)

       b. Honor: lowers self, raises others (Rom 12:10)

   2. Find out facts about the person (know their needs)

       a. Eph. 4:29--you can’t meet their needs if you

                            don’t know their needs.

   3. Learn the skills (how to fulfill their needs)

       a. What must I do? How must I do?

           1. Prov 24:3  By wisdom a house is built

               -- so goes the building of loving relationships

           2. Prov. 11:2 Wisdom is only found in humility

   4. Illustration: The Plant

       a. Know the facts: What does it need?

           --Sunlight, water, soil, air

       b. What does it take to keep it alive?

           --how much of these things?

II. Elements Needed In A Loving Relationship

       Romans 12:10--Built on honor!

   1. Commitment--show your commitment to one

                             another

       a. Love needs to be proved: The Lord proved it

           --Verbal and Non-verbal reminders

           --If you won’t do this, how can you do 1 Jn 3:16?

   2. Meaningful Conversation

           --verbal: Verbal interaction (Col. 4:6)

           --non-verbal: Cheerful look (Pr. 15:30)

   3. Activities:  Meaningful Fellowship (Acts 2:42)

           --Find out what they enjoy (remember: honor)

           --Get involved with what they like

   4. Physical Needs: Meaningful touch

           --hugs (aspazomai=embrace)  (Romans 16:16)

           --provisions (James 2:16)

 

Conclusion: Are you willing? 1 John 3:18

   1. Love not with words, but action!
Small Group Study

Warm-up:

What do you think is the most important element in building a great relationship with another person: whether they be a relative, friend, coworker, fellow Christian or stranger? What would draw you into a relationship?

 

See To It                                                          Romans 12:9-21

 

1. What kind of love must be present in the hearts of

     Christ’s people? Explain.

 

2. In order to have this kind of love, what is the first thing

    one must do? Why?

 

3. Read verses 10-16. What constitutes love according to

    these verses and give a specific modern day example of

    each attribute?

 

4. With whom should we build a loving relationship? Why?

 

Seeing It Closer                      

 

1. Why is love so emphasized in the Bible? Give some

     reasons for its importance in the kingdom?

 

2. Read Ephesians 4:29. How can we fulfill people’s

    needs? Give some specific steps?

 

3. Look at the person to your right. Are you aware of his

    or her needs? How can you fulfill Ephesians 4:29 in their

    life?

 

4. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the least and 5 the greatest),

    how would you measure the effort exerted on your part in

    getting to know your fellow brothers and sisters in the

    church?

 

Getting To It:

 

Romans 13:8 says, “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.” Love is a debt that must be always in the paying, for we always owe love to those around us! Never stop building relationships with love. For it is by loving do we fulfill the royal law as quoted in James 2:8: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

This week's Quiet Times:

VALUING ONE ANOTHER

 

MONDAY

As we have recently learned, God has commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves.  In order for us to fulfill this command we need to learn how to love ourselves.  How can we love our neighbor if we cannot love ourselves?  And how can we love ourselves and our neighbors in a way that pleases the Lord?  In John 12:20-26 Jesus teaches us that we must hate our lives in the world to follow him.  But we need to love the life that he has given us in the kingdom!  In the world peoples self love or self esteem is usually based on their physical attractiveness, abilities and or their achievements in life.  In the Lord we must not fall into these trappings.  We need to love ourselves for very different reasons.  Read 1Peter 2:9-ff.  How does God describe you in verses 9-10?  How did He show you how valuable you are to Him (read verses 24-ff)?  Read Romans 8:15-17.  As adopted children of God we cry out ‘Abba’ (Daddy), Father!! The Lord has adopted each of us to be his own and he is our Daddy, our Father!!  As his children we are blessed to share in his sufferings and in his glory!! Esteem (value) yourself because God loves you.  Think of a particular passage which  helps you understand this.  Call a brother or sister and encourage them with it today.  And praise God, our loving Father, our Daddy - we are valuable because He loves us!!!

 

TUESDAY

 Today let’s focus on how we can love others better.  How can we have the loving  relationships the Lord desires for us?  Read Colossians 3:12-14 carefully.  How are we addressed by God?.  If you were to look at this as a recipe for perfect unity - what would the essential ingredients be?  What is the main ingredient?  Now read the chapter from beginning to end.  The keys to great relationships are here. As you read, notice your need to remember who you were - who you are now in the Lord -and how we are to be different! If we have the ingredients as described in verses 12-14 then we can successfully fulfill verse 18-ff. 

 

WEDNESDAY

 In previous weeks we learned about the power of the spoken word.  Let’s look  at the power of our words in light of our relationships.  Review what we learned in Ephesians 4:29-ff.  Only wholesome words should come out of our mouths.  Do you see the ingredients for unity (great relationships) in these verses?  Very similar to what we read in Colossians, isn’t it?  Notice that we need to know what each others needs are in order to build one another up!!  This is absolutely key to having great relationships.  The opportunity for true loving relationships has been given to us!!  Combine your words with action - read John 13:1-17 and seek to imitate the Lord’s love today.  Look at verse 34 as well and notice the results of our love for one another.  It is the most powerful testimony to the world that we are truly Jesus’ disciples!!

 

THURSDAY

The Lord can use us to build one another up in awesome and powerful ways when we yield to him and follow the recipe for great relationships which he has given us.  In the same way, when we don’t follow his instructions we can destroy our relationships and do tremendous damage to one another.  Read Proverbs 18:19-21.  What are some ways that you offend your brother, sister, son, daughter, husband or wife?  What are the results?  What does verse 21 say about the power of the tongue?  Read Colossians 3:18-21 again.  Wives ask yourself, “am I submissive to my husband as is fitting in the Lord or do I put my own needs before my husbands and offend him with my words and attitudes?”  Husbands ask yourselves, “am I loving my wife (like Jesus loves the church) or am I offensive in my words and actions and harsh with her?”  Children ask yourself, “am I obedient to my parents and pleasing the Lord or am I offensive by being disrespectful and disobedient?”  Fathers ask yourself, “am I embittering my children and discouraging them by being unloving?”  Reread verses 12-14 as a reminder of the ingredients we need to have for loving relationships and repent to those you need to repent to.  With repentance comes times of refreshing from the Lord (Acts 3:19-20)!!

 

FRIDAY

You may have noticed a common ingredient for love in all the passages we have looked at is humility.  In Philippians 2 the Lord teaches us that we must honor (value, esteem) one another above ourselves.  His example to us is exactly that - he honors us above himself and that is how he shows he loves us!  Read Ephesians 4:1-16.  Humility is absolutely necessary for unity and love.  Without humility we will not attain maturity in Christ nor will we have the love we all need so much.  Pursue love (1Tim.6:11-16), strive for it in all your relationships because God is love (1John 4:16)!!