WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:26.620 So, this morning, as we begin, and I shouldn't say we begin like it's the beginning of our time together, but it is the beginning of our direct attention to the teaching of the word. 00:00:28.219 --> 00:00:28.820 ! 00:00:28.820 --> 00:00:48.719 As we begin that phase this morning, I want to ask that not only do you pray for me as I preach this morning, but I ask that you pray for me next week as I will be preaching in Chillicothe at a sister church. 00:00:48.719 --> 00:01:00.299 Calvary Baptist Church in Chillicothe has asked me to come down and fill the pulpit, and Pastor Andrew and the board have graciously consented for me to go down there and minister in that sister church. 00:01:00.299 --> 00:01:11.500 So, you are going to have to multitask next week praying for Pastor Andrew, which is a biblical encouragement from 2 Thessalonians, and pray for me as well. 00:01:11.500 --> 00:01:15.819 That's a two-part challenge, and I trust you'll keep both of those focused. 00:01:15.819 --> 00:01:22.159 So, I want you to take a little quiz to begin with. 00:01:23.199 --> 00:01:24.439 Everybody look up, please. 00:01:24.559 --> 00:01:25.659 Look at me right here. 00:01:25.659 --> 00:01:34.959 This is going to be a hard sermon for me to preach apart from the enabling of the Spirit of God. 00:01:37.280 --> 00:01:44.799 It is going to be a hard sermon for you to hear apart from the enabling of the Spirit of God. 00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:51.560 So, let's put some questions out there for you to kind of frame to understand how hard it is. 00:01:53.819 --> 00:01:58.200 A little question that you can ask yourself, and I want you to answer it privately. 00:01:58.340 --> 00:01:59.099 I really do. 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:02.979 Here it is. 00:02:03.259 --> 00:02:06.560 I am doing well at loving other people. 00:02:07.420 --> 00:02:08.539 Check the box. 00:02:08.879 --> 00:02:09.219 Yes. 00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:10.680 No. 00:02:10.680 --> 00:02:10.740 No. 00:02:10.740 --> 00:02:24.080 I am willing to ask God to help me grow at being more loving. 00:02:25.080 --> 00:02:25.840 Yes. 00:02:26.760 --> 00:02:27.360 No. 00:02:29.860 --> 00:02:34.040 I need His help. 00:02:35.400 --> 00:02:35.860 Yes. 00:02:35.860 --> 00:02:35.860 00:02:37.860 --> 00:02:38.580 No. 00:02:40.740 --> 00:02:41.180 No. 00:02:43.460 --> 00:02:44.700 Let me read the passage. 00:02:48.840 --> 00:02:56.080 From 1 John 2, verse 7. 00:02:57.900 --> 00:03:03.140 Beloved, I am writing to you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. 00:03:04.460 --> 00:03:07.520 The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:13.460 At the same time, it's a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:18.240 because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 00:03:19.939 --> 00:03:24.360 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:32.640 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:41.679 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, 00:03:41.979 --> 00:03:45.779 because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 00:03:46.919 --> 00:03:47.739 Let's pray. 00:03:47.740 --> 00:04:01.360 Father God, for us, prayer is not a function that we merely engage in because it is ritualized and a habit. 00:04:03.320 --> 00:04:14.740 Prayer is our confident declaration of dependence upon you who inhabit eternity and pay attention to our weakness and care about us. 00:04:14.740 --> 00:04:18.280 And so we start out with prayer, saying, 00:04:18.699 --> 00:04:28.340 we need you to work to take the beauty of your word and infuse it in our life that we might be more like Christ and less like we naturally are. 00:04:28.339 --> 00:04:34.819 We are thankful that you love us. 00:04:35.879 --> 00:04:42.539 And that you have gone to the length of sacrificing your own son for our salvation. 00:04:43.659 --> 00:04:49.839 And that you are actively engaged in this business of helping us grow to be like him. 00:04:49.839 --> 00:04:59.399 And we, this morning, want to be teachable and yielded and not leave here the same way we came. 00:05:00.479 --> 00:05:10.799 There's not a one of us here, not a single one of us, that does not need a fuller measure of your grace and love. 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:26.900 And we're thankful that we can plead with you to do that and have confidence in both your purpose and your practical encouragement in growing. 00:05:27.560 --> 00:05:30.560 We ask in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:05:32.019 --> 00:05:36.740 So let me kind of start as we pick up this passage and begin by asking the question, 00:05:36.740 --> 00:05:39.139 how is the old also new? 00:05:39.139 --> 00:05:47.740 As you read 1 John 2, verse 7 and 8, it may be a little confusing at the outset because here is John. 00:05:47.860 --> 00:05:49.839 He's talking about, what does he say here? 00:05:50.099 --> 00:05:53.039 I'm writing to you no new commandment. 00:05:53.120 --> 00:05:58.339 And then he turns right around after he's made that statement and he talks about a new commandment. 00:05:58.439 --> 00:05:59.860 It's not new, but it's new. 00:06:01.079 --> 00:06:04.860 And you may ask yourself, okay, what is going on? 00:06:04.860 --> 00:06:06.959 What's the purpose of this here? 00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:18.759 In reality, what John is doing is using a literary method to kind of bring us in to think a little more carefully. 00:06:20.039 --> 00:06:26.439 We've all had those moments when we ought to have been listening and we haven't been. 00:06:26.479 --> 00:06:26.939 Am I right? 00:06:26.939 --> 00:06:32.980 How many of you have ever been on a phone call but also been watching TV at the same time? 00:06:33.399 --> 00:06:39.759 I mean, very meaningful conversation with somebody that you deeply love, but you're nodding and giving uh-huh. 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:46.300 And on your cell phone, every now and then, you tweak it and put the mute on because they're going blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:48.839 And every now and then, you take it off and say, yeah, yeah. 00:06:49.139 --> 00:06:51.300 But then, none of you have done that. 00:06:51.300 --> 00:06:53.220 I know, but I'm saying it does happen, right? 00:06:55.220 --> 00:07:00.720 We need help kind of connecting with what is being said and true. 00:07:01.379 --> 00:07:06.699 And so, John uses this literary device to bring it in and help us make that connection. 00:07:07.160 --> 00:07:14.199 We've probably ourselves relied on comparing two different things that are not directly related to make a point. 00:07:14.199 --> 00:07:15.699 Illustration. 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:23.979 You might say that getting drunk and drinking toilet water really are equal demonstrations of the wisdom of that kind of application, right? 00:07:24.420 --> 00:07:31.019 Or you could say that hitting the same finger twice with a hammer is not the best way to demonstrate pain. 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:36.019 There are different kind of odd little statements that we use to make a connection. 00:07:36.019 --> 00:07:45.399 And here is John relying upon this, well, it's not new, but it is new, to challenge us to think very carefully. 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:55.079 For one, this commandment to love one another is not new in that you pick up on it, first of all, in the Old Testament. 00:07:55.240 --> 00:08:02.000 Over in Leviticus, and I'm not going to have you go there, but in Leviticus chapter 19 and 18, it talks about loving one another. 00:08:02.099 --> 00:08:03.099 It talks about loving brothers. 00:08:03.100 --> 00:08:06.320 It appears again in verse 34. 00:08:07.340 --> 00:08:16.500 And so, that is the premise on which John makes the statement, hey, I'm writing to you a commandment that actually isn't new. 00:08:16.620 --> 00:08:18.960 This is not brand new information to you. 00:08:20.180 --> 00:08:29.580 But on the other hand, he turns around and he repeats what Jesus had said in practical terms when he says, hey, listen, this is a new commandment. 00:08:29.579 --> 00:08:38.259 And so, the question that I want you to kind of grip around, get your hands around is this, is how is this commandment, which is old, also new? 00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:45.360 And if you were to think with me of what Jesus said in John chapter 13, verse 34, he said this, 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:54.019 A new commandment I give you, that you love one another just as I have loved you, and you also are to love one another. 00:08:54.539 --> 00:08:57.779 So, the practical question is, what's being said here? 00:08:57.919 --> 00:09:00.440 Jesus did not make a new command. 00:09:00.440 --> 00:09:03.500 He did make the command. 00:09:03.500 --> 00:09:05.360 He did make the command to love more significant. 00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:08.400 He did not make a new command. 00:09:08.580 --> 00:09:09.760 It had appeared previously. 00:09:10.440 --> 00:09:15.320 But he did make the command to love one another more significant. 00:09:15.680 --> 00:09:16.860 How do we know that? 00:09:17.960 --> 00:09:29.420 Well, if you were to kind of make a comparison, you recognize that Jesus put a greater emphasis on the reality or the importance of loving one another than the Old Testament did. 00:09:29.419 --> 00:09:31.259 Old Testament made the statement. 00:09:31.259 --> 00:09:40.719 But if you were to compare the number of times keeping the Sabbath was explained as an important command, 00:09:41.219 --> 00:09:46.459 and you were to look at the number of times that loving the brethren was stated in the Old Testament, 00:09:46.579 --> 00:09:49.240 guess which would outweigh one another in the Old Testament? 00:09:49.379 --> 00:09:53.719 Well, you had the Sabbath issue appear over and over and over and over again, 00:09:53.980 --> 00:09:57.339 and yet the matter of loving the brethren was not given as much ink. 00:09:57.340 --> 00:10:04.840 Now, does the fact that one command is said 21 times and the other command said two make one 21 times or whatever more important? 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:06.620 No, they're equally important. 00:10:07.379 --> 00:10:12.580 But the emphasis in the Old Testament was not so heavily weighted on the matter of loving. 00:10:12.700 --> 00:10:13.759 And here is Jesus. 00:10:14.780 --> 00:10:16.379 He is putting emphasis on it. 00:10:16.460 --> 00:10:21.780 And one of the illustrations of that, you'll remember that an attorney came to Jesus and asked that little question, 00:10:21.779 --> 00:10:24.899 hey, which is the most important commandment? 00:10:27.240 --> 00:10:34.639 And Jesus said, love God, love one another. 00:10:35.139 --> 00:10:37.720 Love God, love one another. 00:10:37.720 --> 00:10:47.700 And he put an emphasis on it in that he put the great weight of loving God and loving one another as of preeminent importance. 00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:48.800 In fact, here's what he said. 00:10:49.100 --> 00:10:53.860 He said, all the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments. 00:10:55.100 --> 00:10:59.440 All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments. 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:07.880 Secondly, when he put an emphasis on it, he also explained the extent to which this love is supposed to go. 00:11:08.300 --> 00:11:14.820 If you were to look over in Luke chapter 10, verse 25 through 27, and don't need to go there, 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:19.640 but you'll remember that after he had been asked this question about which is the great commandment, 00:11:20.040 --> 00:11:24.040 love God, love your neighbor, the rebuttal was, well, yeah, and who is my neighbor? 00:11:24.120 --> 00:11:24.920 Remember that question? 00:11:25.740 --> 00:11:28.280 It's like, can I narrow the circle a little bit? 00:11:28.279 --> 00:11:30.240 There are people I don't like. 00:11:30.899 --> 00:11:35.159 There are people I flat out, if I want to get down to it, really don't love. 00:11:35.679 --> 00:11:38.759 In fact, we can be a lot like Pharisees. 00:11:39.240 --> 00:11:40.899 You know what the Pharisees were like when it came to love? 00:11:42.120 --> 00:11:43.740 They loved people that loved them. 00:11:44.079 --> 00:11:45.639 They loved people that dressed the same. 00:11:45.699 --> 00:11:47.519 They loved people that had the same mannerisms. 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:49.679 They loved people that made their beds in the morning. 00:11:49.779 --> 00:11:53.799 They loved people that ate right, weren't sloppy, didn't drip on their beard, whatever else. 00:11:53.939 --> 00:11:55.879 They loved a certain kind of people. 00:11:56.699 --> 00:11:58.039 No, we're not that way, right? 00:11:59.240 --> 00:12:00.860 We only love everybody. 00:12:02.079 --> 00:12:06.339 Truth of the matter is, is we can be a lot like Pharisees in that we draw pretty tight circles, 00:12:06.620 --> 00:12:12.699 and even some of the tight circles that we draw get changed from time to time because we have trouble getting along and loving each other. 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:16.519 And Jesus said, hey, here's what I want you to do. 00:12:17.179 --> 00:12:21.899 I want you to love each other and include everyone in the picture. 00:12:21.899 --> 00:12:23.539 Remember the guy said, who's my neighbor? 00:12:23.639 --> 00:12:26.559 Jesus said, it's a lot broader than you think. 00:12:27.720 --> 00:12:34.679 And so when we think about this issue of loving one another, we understand that Jesus made it clear that God-honoring, 00:12:34.860 --> 00:12:41.419 Christ-glorifying, gospel-modeling love takes in all the world. 00:12:41.419 --> 00:12:43.099 Get that. 00:12:43.099 --> 00:12:53.199 Third, we see that Jesus amplified the significance of this kind of love by giving us an example. 00:12:54.879 --> 00:13:00.419 He calls us to love each other just like he loves us. 00:13:00.419 --> 00:13:02.459 You're in 1 John. 00:13:02.539 --> 00:13:04.759 Keep your finger there because we're coming back to it. 00:13:04.759 --> 00:13:10.959 But I want you to go to John 13, verse 34, and we're going to look at that here just for a moment. 00:13:11.199 --> 00:13:13.839 John 13, verse 34. 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:31.519 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. 00:13:31.639 --> 00:13:32.040 Question. 00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:34.519 Who was Jesus talking to at this moment? 00:13:37.940 --> 00:13:42.440 He was talking to his disciples who'd spent a lot of time with each other. 00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:48.780 Do you think they were just absolutely filled with warm fuzzies for each other all of the time that they were trucking down the road 00:13:48.780 --> 00:13:51.500 and going from town to town and doing everything that happened? 00:13:51.580 --> 00:13:52.040 What do you think? 00:13:53.300 --> 00:13:58.000 If you want to know how they got along, you'll remember that after the Lord's Supper had been celebrated, 00:13:58.280 --> 00:14:04.600 as they were marching out to the Garden of Gethsemane, what were they fussing with each other about? 00:14:05.220 --> 00:14:05.900 Does anybody remember? 00:14:07.140 --> 00:14:10.180 Who was going to have the corner office when Jesus became king? 00:14:10.179 --> 00:14:14.859 And their attitudes towards one another were kind of challenging. 00:14:15.799 --> 00:14:19.620 So here's Jesus talking to them, and he says, listen, here's something I want you to get. 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:24.939 I want you to love one another just as I have loved you. 00:14:26.779 --> 00:14:27.659 That's convicting. 00:14:29.159 --> 00:14:35.019 Earlier this week, I found myself kind of having one of those little arguments with myself about somebody 00:14:35.019 --> 00:14:36.899 and having an attitude. 00:14:37.019 --> 00:14:39.519 Anybody else here kind of an attitude specialist besides me? 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:41.860 It's like every now and then I can get wound up in an attitude. 00:14:41.980 --> 00:14:44.299 I don't know where it came from other than the devil. 00:14:44.679 --> 00:14:48.779 And it's like I'm just getting all torqued out about an attitude towards a particular person. 00:14:50.460 --> 00:14:51.199 I'm 69. 00:14:51.340 --> 00:14:52.079 It still happens. 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:57.580 Tim, that's not right. 00:14:59.960 --> 00:15:06.000 You ought to love this person like you love your children. 00:15:08.259 --> 00:15:12.980 And I remember kind of thinking through some of the challenges that I've had on occasion loving my children. 00:15:13.879 --> 00:15:15.180 We raise wonderful children. 00:15:15.300 --> 00:15:17.920 They're perfect, but there are times that I've struggled with loving them. 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:22.620 And then I remembered, I thought, hold it, hold it, hold it. 00:15:22.899 --> 00:15:24.779 Tim, that's not the right standard. 00:15:25.979 --> 00:15:32.199 You are to love this particular individual like Jesus loves you. 00:15:34.360 --> 00:15:42.439 And I got to tell you, that was very convicting to me because at the moment I realized how much of a problem I give to Jesus 00:15:42.439 --> 00:15:47.500 and how unloving I can be and what a pain I must. 00:15:47.500 --> 00:15:54.200 I mean, if I were to love like I love my children, it's marginal. 00:15:54.899 --> 00:15:55.960 I mean, it's not perfect. 00:15:56.940 --> 00:16:04.600 But if I am committed by the Word of God and the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to love other people the way Jesus loves me, 00:16:04.860 --> 00:16:11.100 that's the gold standard and that's the expectation that Jesus has for Tim Knoyer. 00:16:11.100 --> 00:16:24.440 Third, or fourth, the emphasis that Jesus gave to the matter of love made it particularly a matter of effect. 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:25.759 What do we mean by that? 00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:30.980 Love is the central feature of our gospel witness. 00:16:30.980 --> 00:16:37.120 You're over there in John chapter 13, verse 34. 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:41.899 He says, you are to love each other just as I have loved you, etc. 00:16:42.120 --> 00:16:43.519 And then look at verse 35. 00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:45.139 I want you to read this and underline it. 00:16:45.180 --> 00:16:47.240 Go ahead and underline it in your Bible because it's one to remember. 00:16:47.240 --> 00:16:53.720 By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love one for another. 00:16:56.580 --> 00:17:06.279 When I was younger in pastoral ministry, I remember when I would, without hesitation, when I was talking about Maranatha, 00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:11.779 say, listen, if God brings you to Maranatha, I can tell you a couple of the things that you're going to have. 00:17:11.980 --> 00:17:13.420 You're going to be well taught. 00:17:13.420 --> 00:17:16.440 You're going to be encouraged in the matter of prayer. 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:20.279 You're going to be encouraged in godliness. 00:17:20.539 --> 00:17:24.860 You're going to be nurtured in growing to be a person of faith. 00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:27.480 And you're going to learn good things in the Bible. 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:39.620 Last week, we finished on Saturday a two-week period of our hosting the Franklin County Board of Elections. 00:17:39.619 --> 00:17:46.759 We have literally hundreds of people that come through this facility during those two weeks that, for all practical purposes, 00:17:46.959 --> 00:17:55.359 have no exposure to this congregation other than the people that walk around and serve them during those two weeks. 00:17:58.339 --> 00:18:01.639 Pastor David spent two hours talking with a lady. 00:18:02.459 --> 00:18:03.179 Was it Wednesday? 00:18:03.939 --> 00:18:04.579 Wednesday. 00:18:04.579 --> 00:18:04.659 Wednesday. 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:09.579 I had numerous conversations with some of the different, it just happens. 00:18:10.460 --> 00:18:12.960 I mean, God opens the door and we end up in conversation. 00:18:13.419 --> 00:18:15.819 And here's what I said two times last week. 00:18:16.939 --> 00:18:19.399 I said, I want you to come. 00:18:19.740 --> 00:18:22.379 You come and we will love on you. 00:18:24.199 --> 00:18:25.319 That's what I said. 00:18:25.759 --> 00:18:26.339 Everybody smile. 00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:27.599 That's a good thing. 00:18:27.980 --> 00:18:28.500 Right? 00:18:28.500 --> 00:18:28.599 Right? 00:18:31.699 --> 00:18:33.279 I'm not feeling it right now. 00:18:34.579 --> 00:18:37.199 I just really, I'm soaking in being moody. 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:40.240 I'm just not real happy with some people here. 00:18:40.339 --> 00:18:42.179 And I, you know, I wish God would take them to heaven. 00:18:42.419 --> 00:18:42.759 But, you know. 00:18:46.619 --> 00:18:51.339 I said to these people, I said, you come and we'll love on you. 00:18:56.220 --> 00:18:58.659 I'm looking at you and I'm thinking, are you going to help me with that? 00:19:00.099 --> 00:19:00.439 Huh? 00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:07.200 Well, all I'm doing, am I citing the Bible? 00:19:07.320 --> 00:19:08.000 Is the Bible there? 00:19:09.559 --> 00:19:14.220 Jesus said, love is the central feature of our gospel witness to the unbelieving world. 00:19:15.080 --> 00:19:15.299 Okay? 00:19:17.820 --> 00:19:23.940 I mean, would it be appropriate for you as a believer to say, I love Jesus? 00:19:24.440 --> 00:19:25.600 Could you say that this morning? 00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:26.679 I love Jesus. 00:19:28.179 --> 00:19:32.240 And the evidence of how I love Jesus is going to show up in the way I love you. 00:19:33.319 --> 00:19:33.859 Fair enough? 00:19:36.199 --> 00:19:37.359 I love the brethren. 00:19:37.500 --> 00:19:38.859 I'm deeply committed to them. 00:19:39.059 --> 00:19:41.659 That's what Jesus wants us to be characterized by. 00:19:41.660 --> 00:19:44.700 Now, so that we kind of get this in frame here. 00:19:46.620 --> 00:19:56.800 Show me a complaining and persistently unhappy Christian, and I will show you a Christian that has no appreciable gospel impact for Christ. 00:19:56.980 --> 00:19:58.100 Can I say that slowly? 00:19:58.340 --> 00:20:00.120 Because it's probably worth remembering. 00:20:00.119 --> 00:20:13.079 Show me a complaining and persistently unhappy Christian, and I will show you a Christian that has no appreciable gospel impact for Christ. 00:20:13.079 --> 00:20:19.939 That person may have attended every Sunday service. 00:20:20.879 --> 00:20:28.240 I am old enough to remember when, in a younger day, people actually got Sunday school pins for the number of attendances. 00:20:28.500 --> 00:20:28.939 Do you remember? 00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:32.460 How many of you are still old enough to remember Sunday school pins, right? 00:20:33.000 --> 00:20:34.579 And veterans would come in. 00:20:34.619 --> 00:20:36.099 It was a little bit like war trophies. 00:20:36.220 --> 00:20:39.679 You know, they'd hang down on, make the pockets sag down like that, really low. 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:41.920 You know, I've been there all the time. 00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:43.140 You know, I'm a tither. 00:20:44.220 --> 00:20:46.940 I've never missed a single Wednesday prayer meeting. 00:20:47.580 --> 00:20:53.320 I've been every time there's a work project like, oh, hey, spring tea, right? 00:20:53.420 --> 00:20:54.779 I've been there all the time. 00:20:55.120 --> 00:20:57.460 I'm as grumpy as can be, but I'm there. 00:20:58.019 --> 00:21:01.299 You just got to put up with the baggage, but I do lift tables. 00:21:01.539 --> 00:21:03.019 You know, it's like, okay. 00:21:03.019 --> 00:21:11.019 You know, someone who is like that, they're just not going to have very much gospel impact. 00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:11.759 Am I right? 00:21:14.940 --> 00:21:24.099 Show me someone who is soaking in the unfathomable love of Christ, and I will show you someone that is showing that same love to other people. 00:21:24.099 --> 00:21:24.579 I love. 00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:26.339 I love. 00:21:27.539 --> 00:21:34.579 This morning I was talking with an individual on the phone, and it's one of my favorite passages. 00:21:34.740 --> 00:21:38.839 You know, you come and talk to me, I'm going to ask you to memorize Ephesians 3, verse 14 through 19. 00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:44.539 I can't help myself because it was transformative in my life. 00:21:44.619 --> 00:21:46.399 It still is having an effect on me. 00:21:46.400 --> 00:22:01.280 Knowing how much Jesus loves me makes me different because understanding his love helps me love him, and when I love him, I'm doing a better job at loving you. 00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:10.279 So here we see in that passage, John says, you know what? 00:22:11.160 --> 00:22:12.480 I'm writing you an old commandment. 00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:16.599 It's also new, and the emphasis is on Jesus made it supremely important. 00:22:18.619 --> 00:22:26.480 Let's look at the second thing that we want to see in this passage, and that is this, is that we need to understand how our love confirms our salvation. 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:34.360 Confessions of faith are not that hard to make. 00:22:35.059 --> 00:22:36.099 I know Jesus. 00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:37.860 I'm a Christian. 00:22:39.319 --> 00:22:43.759 The thing that becomes a little more tricky is, well, how do I really know that I am? 00:22:46.500 --> 00:22:55.380 If I were to ask you what confirms your relationship with Christ, you may be tempted to say things like, 00:22:55.380 --> 00:22:59.900 Well, I have a good prayer life. 00:23:01.560 --> 00:23:02.960 I mean, I pray every morning. 00:23:03.280 --> 00:23:07.840 I pray for 32 minutes, and I have nine things that I cover every week. 00:23:09.480 --> 00:23:10.500 I've got it down. 00:23:11.820 --> 00:23:20.180 I read five chapters in the Bible except when I get to Psalm 119, and I break that up a little bit because it's long, but I'm all there. 00:23:21.240 --> 00:23:21.800 You get it? 00:23:22.780 --> 00:23:24.000 How do you know you're saved? 00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:26.059 Well, I do A, B, C, D. 00:23:28.259 --> 00:23:32.460 Actually, what we're looking at here, John says this. 00:23:32.519 --> 00:23:33.059 Let's look at it. 00:23:33.799 --> 00:23:36.759 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:39.720 It's kind of a check this out. 00:23:39.720 --> 00:24:01.400 The test of genuine transforming change that comes through faith in Christ is whether or not I start learning how to love unloving, lovable people. 00:24:01.400 --> 00:24:05.259 What do you think? 00:24:05.980 --> 00:24:07.140 You like that, don't you? 00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:11.800 How am I doing at loving other people? 00:24:11.960 --> 00:24:14.660 Am I getting better at it or not? 00:24:14.660 --> 00:24:24.680 And by the way, just so you know, if you're one of his children, everybody smile because I am talking to you. 00:24:24.680 --> 00:24:31.700 God is going to make sure that he populates your calendar with people that are hard to love. 00:24:31.700 --> 00:24:36.220 And guess what? 00:24:37.160 --> 00:24:43.299 Even if you move from here, the next place will have hard to love people. 00:24:43.299 --> 00:24:49.359 Now, the remedy is fly in and fly out and fly often. 00:24:50.359 --> 00:24:55.960 But it doesn't help you learn how to love the snakes and challenges that are part of life. 00:24:56.419 --> 00:25:01.319 And since he wants you to grow to be a real, genuine lover of other people, 00:25:01.559 --> 00:25:05.779 it's a whole lot better to learn where you are than keep in a perpetual motion. 00:25:05.779 --> 00:25:10.819 And here's what we see. 00:25:12.099 --> 00:25:13.399 1 John 2, 9. 00:25:14.579 --> 00:25:20.799 Whoever says that he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 00:25:23.480 --> 00:25:32.480 The challenge of the authenticity of my faith is not how I do 00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:36.660 at reciting certain theological truths. 00:25:36.759 --> 00:25:39.079 I was talking with Caleb Gibbs the other day. 00:25:39.940 --> 00:25:40.920 Charity, where are you? 00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:42.240 There you are. 00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:47.019 I thought you were Kara Rice on Wednesday, but I know you're here now, so I got you. 00:25:48.680 --> 00:25:50.860 She had her head down and turned and all that kind of stuff. 00:25:50.860 --> 00:25:52.380 But here. 00:25:53.799 --> 00:26:00.599 Caleb shared with me the other day that he had spent five hours being grilled by the Bible College 00:26:00.599 --> 00:26:04.399 and some pastors down there in Jamaica as he's preparing for his ordination council 00:26:04.399 --> 00:26:07.359 that is going to take place first week in June. 00:26:07.480 --> 00:26:08.079 They're going to be up. 00:26:08.519 --> 00:26:12.019 He's going to be up, and we're going to have the privilege of hosting that ordination council 00:26:12.019 --> 00:26:14.659 and then ordination service following that. 00:26:14.659 --> 00:26:22.839 And I got to tell you, the test here is not how did you do at explaining the doctrine of salvation. 00:26:23.079 --> 00:26:25.839 The test is how do you do at loving the brethren? 00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:31.879 The brethren, I would rather love neighbors that I don't know and love them only occasionally. 00:26:32.299 --> 00:26:33.980 Brethren are a challenge. 00:26:35.859 --> 00:26:36.019 Yeah. 00:26:37.899 --> 00:26:45.679 Loving others as Jesus loves them is the real test of your faith. 00:26:47.059 --> 00:26:51.939 And I know that this theme comes up repeatedly in 1 John, so I'm going to leave it there for today. 00:26:52.059 --> 00:26:53.399 We'll come back to it another time. 00:26:53.400 --> 00:26:58.820 Let's go to a third little part in this passage that I think is worth our attention. 00:27:00.740 --> 00:27:04.140 Look at verse 11, and I want you to kind of... 00:27:04.140 --> 00:27:09.720 Verse 10, whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 00:27:11.500 --> 00:27:16.100 Verse 11, whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness 00:27:16.100 --> 00:27:20.480 and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 00:27:20.480 --> 00:27:29.299 Let me begin this section by asking you to consider just what John meant when he used the word hate. 00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:32.039 That's a strong one. 00:27:33.360 --> 00:27:37.460 And in particular in our culture, it's one that we kind of stiff arm. 00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:41.640 We don't like to say that we hate anybody. 00:27:41.819 --> 00:27:42.720 I mean, you follow that? 00:27:42.720 --> 00:27:45.180 We're not into hate. 00:27:45.759 --> 00:27:47.620 We're not into hating each other. 00:27:48.100 --> 00:27:50.079 We may not like each other. 00:27:50.700 --> 00:27:53.480 We may avoid being in the same room with each other. 00:27:54.339 --> 00:27:56.500 We may say unkind things about... 00:27:56.500 --> 00:27:57.279 But we don't hate. 00:27:58.360 --> 00:27:59.360 We're not haters. 00:28:00.539 --> 00:28:03.259 But let's understand how this word is being used in the Scriptures 00:28:03.259 --> 00:28:09.119 because I've had to be convicted, and I'm thinking that you may need to be convicted as well, 00:28:09.119 --> 00:28:15.140 that you're struggling with a hateful attitude towards people that are right in this room, 00:28:15.819 --> 00:28:23.799 and you've been wrapping your hateful spirit with ungodly, unwholesome excuse. 00:28:25.660 --> 00:28:29.599 The word John uses can mean dislike. 00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:31.500 How's that? 00:28:31.500 --> 00:28:31.940 Dislike. 00:28:33.079 --> 00:28:33.720 Dislike. 00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:43.980 Or it also can mean to have a really detest for a person. 00:28:45.220 --> 00:28:52.519 How many of you have ever been riding in a car with somebody that really has bad eating habits? 00:28:53.220 --> 00:28:55.579 You're in close proximity is what I'm saying. 00:28:55.880 --> 00:28:57.880 Hours and hours in the same vehicle. 00:28:57.880 --> 00:29:03.020 And every time you stop for something, you know, they're dribbling and they're slopping around. 00:29:03.280 --> 00:29:05.880 And, I mean, it kind of gets to the point where it's like... 00:29:06.620 --> 00:29:12.820 You're just doing all you can to choke it down. 00:29:12.820 --> 00:29:13.120 Hmm? 00:29:13.119 --> 00:29:19.979 The word that John is using is talking about disliking someone, having an aversion. 00:29:20.899 --> 00:29:28.719 I remember a number of years ago when we used to have the same prayer leaders in the same rooms all the time. 00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:38.980 And lo and behold, I was stunned to find out that there were some people that would never go into a room because they knew who was leading the prayer group. 00:29:39.779 --> 00:29:41.240 I thought, really? 00:29:41.240 --> 00:29:41.359 Really? 00:29:43.140 --> 00:29:44.339 So I thought I'd fool them. 00:29:44.400 --> 00:29:48.460 We just started changing and not putting the names on the rooms. 00:29:48.559 --> 00:29:49.599 But people would poke their head in. 00:29:49.740 --> 00:29:50.759 No, I'm not praying there. 00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:53.960 I'm not praying there either. 00:29:55.859 --> 00:29:56.140 Huh? 00:29:56.339 --> 00:29:56.660 Nope. 00:29:57.240 --> 00:29:58.500 I guess I'll sit in the lobby. 00:29:59.240 --> 00:30:01.099 You know, it's like, I'll be spiritual there. 00:30:02.099 --> 00:30:02.859 You know what? 00:30:02.859 --> 00:30:09.359 Is that the kind of attitude that Jesus wants from his disciples? 00:30:09.579 --> 00:30:11.379 And the answer from all of God's people is, 00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:12.319 Meganoito. 00:30:12.839 --> 00:30:13.619 You know what that means? 00:30:13.939 --> 00:30:15.219 May it never be. 00:30:15.779 --> 00:30:19.719 And none of you here are guilty of that kind of attitude. 00:30:19.899 --> 00:30:20.079 Amen? 00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:22.559 Wrong. 00:30:29.399 --> 00:30:29.919 So, 00:30:29.920 --> 00:30:35.420 here's Jesus saying you have to love each other. 00:30:36.580 --> 00:30:38.940 I remember another classic excuse I've heard is, 00:30:39.320 --> 00:30:41.019 I have to love you, but I don't have to like you. 00:30:41.060 --> 00:30:46.279 I wonder, where does that come from in relationship with what Jesus said in John 13, 35? 00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:47.140 What did he say? 00:30:48.060 --> 00:30:50.519 I want you to love each other the way, huh? 00:30:50.620 --> 00:30:50.800 What? 00:30:51.580 --> 00:30:52.240 I love you. 00:30:52.820 --> 00:30:55.900 Imagine Jesus saying to them, 00:30:56.620 --> 00:30:58.860 I have to love you, but I don't have to like you. 00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:01.039 I don't know about that. 00:31:01.940 --> 00:31:04.920 Well, that's not the primary point that we want to look at here. 00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:06.500 Here's what John is saying. 00:31:06.600 --> 00:31:06.900 He says, 00:31:07.360 --> 00:31:10.759 The one who loves his brother has no cause for stumbling. 00:31:12.300 --> 00:31:17.100 So, I want you to think with me here that hateful hearts are stumbling hearts. 00:31:18.580 --> 00:31:21.500 Hateful hearts are stumbling hearts. 00:31:21.500 --> 00:31:26.119 I ran track in a previous life. 00:31:26.579 --> 00:31:29.000 Now, in case you're wondering, I don't believe in reincarnation. 00:31:29.099 --> 00:31:31.539 That refers to when I was substantially younger. 00:31:33.180 --> 00:31:34.700 Don't send me an email about that. 00:31:36.319 --> 00:31:37.480 I ran the 400. 00:31:37.619 --> 00:31:38.440 I ran the 200. 00:31:38.660 --> 00:31:42.039 And at one point, my coach tried to talk me into running hurdles. 00:31:42.039 --> 00:31:48.399 You know, there's no reason to put a barrier in the front of a running man. 00:31:48.559 --> 00:31:49.359 I mean, there's none. 00:31:51.839 --> 00:31:57.639 And I validated the lack of logic in that outcome because I tried. 00:31:57.740 --> 00:31:58.440 I mean, the coach said, 00:31:58.500 --> 00:31:59.500 You'd be good at this, Tim. 00:32:00.639 --> 00:32:02.480 I ran it about four or five times. 00:32:02.480 --> 00:32:09.539 And every time I ran, one or two hurdles, I'm going to bing, bing, and then, you know. 00:32:09.900 --> 00:32:15.720 And it's like, and I thought about Samantha Bernard. 00:32:15.980 --> 00:32:19.160 She runs hurdles, and she's pretty good at it, you know. 00:32:20.980 --> 00:32:26.140 And as good as Samantha is, you can tell her I was talking about her this morning. 00:32:26.220 --> 00:32:27.380 Where are you, Greg, Connie? 00:32:27.480 --> 00:32:27.860 Somebody out here. 00:32:27.920 --> 00:32:28.559 Wait, there you are. 00:32:28.839 --> 00:32:30.039 You can tell her I was talking about her. 00:32:30.039 --> 00:32:34.059 You know, as good as she is, she would never run it in her wedding dress. 00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:39.799 Wedding dresses are designed for careful shuffling to the front, you know. 00:32:40.059 --> 00:32:43.180 Keep your feet down so you don't catch it, you know. 00:32:43.240 --> 00:32:44.659 Just kind of, there's a process. 00:32:46.500 --> 00:32:56.099 And here is John saying that those who don't love end up stumbling. 00:32:56.099 --> 00:33:02.500 An unloving heart will cause you to stumble. 00:33:03.919 --> 00:33:04.859 Well, how's that? 00:33:05.799 --> 00:33:06.579 How do you stumble? 00:33:06.679 --> 00:33:07.819 Well, let me give you a couple illustrations. 00:33:08.399 --> 00:33:08.959 Think with me here. 00:33:09.439 --> 00:33:14.719 An unloving heart spends energy imagining that the other person's motives are not good. 00:33:15.179 --> 00:33:16.399 Can I say that slowly? 00:33:16.519 --> 00:33:19.679 Because none of you have done that other than me, but I just want you to make the connection. 00:33:19.919 --> 00:33:21.240 So you know it happens occasionally. 00:33:21.240 --> 00:33:25.759 An unloving heart spends energy imagining that the other person's motives are not good. 00:33:27.339 --> 00:33:29.579 How does that match up with 1 Corinthians 13? 00:33:30.079 --> 00:33:31.859 Love believes all things, hopes all things. 00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:33.099 No, it doesn't match. 00:33:33.880 --> 00:33:39.680 An unloving heart is easily offended at imagined offenses. 00:33:39.680 --> 00:33:48.120 I'll never forget in the first church that I pastored, there had been a family that had been coming for a number of years, 00:33:48.380 --> 00:33:50.340 and suddenly they stopped coming. 00:33:52.140 --> 00:33:53.860 And I was just, what happened? 00:33:55.220 --> 00:34:01.080 And so I remember going to the house, and they let me come in, and I showed up unannounced, 00:34:01.200 --> 00:34:02.560 and I got to talking to the person. 00:34:02.559 --> 00:34:05.480 And I said, so you stopped. 00:34:05.619 --> 00:34:07.279 I mean, something happened wrong. 00:34:07.379 --> 00:34:09.980 Yes, yes, absolutely. 00:34:10.539 --> 00:34:11.440 Very offended. 00:34:11.619 --> 00:34:12.900 I said, what happened? 00:34:14.000 --> 00:34:19.519 Your wife honked at me at the stoplight because I didn't move fast enough. 00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:23.039 Now, this was back in the 80s. 00:34:23.099 --> 00:34:24.699 We're not talking about when cell phones. 00:34:25.059 --> 00:34:27.920 Nobody starts when the light turns green. 00:34:27.920 --> 00:34:33.659 Because they're always reading the important information that somebody sent them on their phone. 00:34:35.000 --> 00:34:43.880 But I went home and said, honey, did you honk at Bubba or whatever his name was? 00:34:45.440 --> 00:34:46.320 She said, what? 00:34:47.960 --> 00:34:51.059 Well, the town only had like two stoplights. 00:34:51.180 --> 00:34:52.180 I mean, so there weren't a lot of choices. 00:34:52.179 --> 00:34:57.279 I said, well, it was, you know, it was right past the gas station or right across from the bank, 00:34:57.419 --> 00:34:59.960 and you honked at him, and he was right in front of you. 00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:02.079 She says, he was? 00:35:02.940 --> 00:35:07.099 I was honking at Barb who was walking down the street, and I wanted to wave at her. 00:35:07.219 --> 00:35:10.339 And so we were, you know, carrying on. 00:35:11.059 --> 00:35:11.799 Here's a guy. 00:35:12.199 --> 00:35:12.779 Do you follow me? 00:35:12.780 --> 00:35:18.920 He perceived an offense and acted on offense and kind of ramped it up to the point that it was a, 00:35:19.460 --> 00:35:28.540 I'm leaving the church, and I'm severing fellowship with other believers because pastor's wife honked at Barb on the street. 00:35:31.080 --> 00:35:31.519 Yeah. 00:35:33.140 --> 00:35:39.740 An unloving heart is easily offended at imagined offenses. 00:35:39.739 --> 00:35:53.119 An unloving heart is also an unforgiving heart that spends a great deal of time remembering offenses from the past. 00:35:57.919 --> 00:36:05.479 I'll never forget, actually, in a conversation probably 15, 20 years ago here, 00:36:05.480 --> 00:36:09.619 talking with a family that was in the process of leaving the church. 00:36:10.420 --> 00:36:15.019 And when I was talking with them, I said, well, what's caused this? 00:36:18.099 --> 00:36:27.740 And both the husband and the wife brought up something that had happened literally 15 years prior to my sitting in their living room to talk with them. 00:36:27.739 --> 00:36:39.419 They had allowed that offense to fester to the point that they were willing to sever relationship with the body of Christ. 00:36:40.839 --> 00:36:42.179 Oh, they can find another one. 00:36:43.819 --> 00:36:55.379 But they threw relationships that had been nurtured with tears and prayers under the bus because of a perceived offense that they'd been unwilling to solve. 00:36:55.380 --> 00:37:07.360 Hateful hearts are stumbling hearts. 00:37:08.660 --> 00:37:09.780 Well, there's another thing. 00:37:11.200 --> 00:37:14.119 Hateful hearts cause others to stumble as well. 00:37:16.559 --> 00:37:22.119 You're going to stumble if you're not loving, but you're also going to trip other people up by your sin. 00:37:22.119 --> 00:37:30.799 How often do you stumble and when you're walking in close proximity with other people, do you not end up affecting the whole pile, right? 00:37:31.779 --> 00:37:32.940 That's the way it happens. 00:37:34.279 --> 00:37:42.839 And I have lived long enough to see how children are deeply affected by unloving, sarcastic, and critical parents. 00:37:42.840 --> 00:37:48.200 They can't say much to you. 00:37:49.400 --> 00:37:54.380 And they can't admonish you because of where they are in the food chain, and rightfully so. 00:37:54.740 --> 00:37:55.720 But you know what? 00:37:55.760 --> 00:37:58.680 When they reach adulthood, they think, I don't have to put up with that. 00:37:58.820 --> 00:38:01.079 And they pack their bags and go somewhere else. 00:38:03.240 --> 00:38:05.620 And then you sit there and wring your hands and say, how'd that happen? 00:38:05.619 --> 00:38:15.859 I've seen Bible lessons completely blown up by sarcastic comments. 00:38:18.259 --> 00:38:23.119 Great Bible truths can be lost in a fog of unloving and unchrist-like behavior. 00:38:24.539 --> 00:38:26.199 You know, here's what it says about Jesus. 00:38:26.279 --> 00:38:27.059 Let's go back to that one. 00:38:27.179 --> 00:38:29.299 I mean, remember quoting Isaiah? 00:38:29.300 --> 00:38:36.320 It says that a burning wick he would not quench and a bruised reed he would not crush. 00:38:36.400 --> 00:38:38.340 Do you know what that's telling you about the character of Christ? 00:38:39.440 --> 00:38:39.560 Huh? 00:38:41.660 --> 00:38:49.680 There was a profound sensitivity and affection for the people that he ministered to. 00:38:51.280 --> 00:38:56.740 And no one walked away from communicating with Jesus and said to themselves, 00:38:56.739 --> 00:39:01.659 well, I'll tell you what, he did tell me the truth, but he was a real skunk about it. 00:39:08.619 --> 00:39:18.299 Years ago, when I was an English teacher, I remember at one point reading about a reunion 00:39:18.299 --> 00:39:23.519 that took place in a very gritty part of New York City in a public school. 00:39:23.519 --> 00:39:31.739 And as the reunion was kind of moving towards its conclusion, they ended up, a group of students, 00:39:31.840 --> 00:39:35.380 now graduates, you know, they're back for their class reunion, 25 years or whatever, 00:39:35.619 --> 00:39:38.219 and they're all sitting around and a question popped up, 00:39:38.500 --> 00:39:44.519 so which teacher had the greatest impact on you and made the greatest difference in your life? 00:39:44.519 --> 00:39:52.679 Amazingly, there was this one woman that kept on being referenced. 00:39:55.159 --> 00:40:01.179 And the discussion leader asked the question as a follow-up, 00:40:01.300 --> 00:40:05.559 so what was it about this teacher that struck you the most? 00:40:05.559 --> 00:40:18.440 To a person, every one of those students now graduated and off to life said this one thing, 00:40:19.480 --> 00:40:23.059 we knew she loved us. 00:40:23.059 --> 00:40:32.179 So how do I know if I'm struggling in this area? 00:40:32.340 --> 00:40:33.039 I mean, that's practical. 00:40:33.199 --> 00:40:37.400 I mean, a sermon that doesn't have teeth is probably not doing any good, right? 00:40:40.679 --> 00:40:41.900 That's a critical question. 00:40:43.340 --> 00:40:49.460 And one better answered here than in the daily walk of life where sin can actually cause so much harm. 00:40:49.460 --> 00:40:53.179 In other words, let's work on it here so when we step out into the world, 00:40:54.119 --> 00:40:55.960 we do well and don't hurt people. 00:40:56.720 --> 00:40:56.900 Okay. 00:40:57.440 --> 00:40:59.099 Well, here's some positive metrics. 00:40:59.900 --> 00:41:00.360 Pay attention. 00:41:02.159 --> 00:41:06.500 How often do I get caught up and swept away marveling at the love of Christ? 00:41:06.639 --> 00:41:07.599 Think about that with me. 00:41:08.599 --> 00:41:09.179 Come on. 00:41:09.920 --> 00:41:15.340 How often do I get caught up and swept away marveling at the love of Christ? 00:41:15.340 --> 00:41:20.820 How often am I overwhelmed by the thought that Jesus loves me? 00:41:29.000 --> 00:41:38.620 How much do I think about how his love drives me to love others? 00:41:40.019 --> 00:41:41.200 Make the connection. 00:41:41.199 --> 00:41:45.919 Remember I said earlier this week I was struggling with an attitude and I thought, 00:41:46.019 --> 00:41:48.439 well, I don't love this individual like I love my children. 00:41:48.579 --> 00:41:50.219 I thought, no, no, no, that's not good enough. 00:41:51.919 --> 00:41:54.679 I love this person like Jesus loves Tim Knoyer. 00:41:57.319 --> 00:41:59.019 Now let's try a couple hard markers. 00:42:01.299 --> 00:42:06.099 I am struggling with loving someone when my first thought of them is not favorable 00:42:06.099 --> 00:42:11.079 and it's colored by my attitude. 00:42:11.759 --> 00:42:14.420 I am not doing well. 00:42:15.059 --> 00:42:19.480 I'm struggling when my first thought of another person is not favorable 00:42:19.480 --> 00:42:21.940 and it is colored by my attitude. 00:42:25.839 --> 00:42:31.199 I'm struggling with loving someone when I'm quite ready to hear negative things said about them. 00:42:31.199 --> 00:42:38.879 Hey, surprise, I am married to Judith and Judith has been my wife for 48 years. 00:42:39.000 --> 00:42:39.879 I love her to death. 00:42:41.139 --> 00:42:45.859 I do happen to know that there are a couple idiosyncrasies in her that when she gets to heaven are going to be changed. 00:42:47.139 --> 00:42:49.019 But you don't need to tell me about them. 00:42:50.019 --> 00:42:54.319 In fact, if you invite yourself to the conversation, I'll politely let you know it's not necessary. 00:42:54.719 --> 00:42:54.960 Right? 00:42:54.960 --> 00:43:01.820 How ready am I to listen to negative comments about other people? 00:43:03.179 --> 00:43:07.880 I am struggling with loving someone when I am quick to misjudge their motives. 00:43:10.579 --> 00:43:11.980 It's interesting to notice. 00:43:12.880 --> 00:43:19.019 You know, you can be in the lobby and hear a parent make a comment and struggle with a child, 00:43:19.280 --> 00:43:22.139 but if you were to make the same comment, guess what happens? 00:43:22.900 --> 00:43:23.159 Right? 00:43:23.900 --> 00:43:24.740 That's my kid. 00:43:25.619 --> 00:43:26.260 Don't do that. 00:43:27.880 --> 00:43:33.699 You see, the last thing that we need to pay attention to is this. 00:43:33.940 --> 00:43:35.380 How do I change my trajectory? 00:43:35.380 --> 00:43:42.220 How do I change being the way I naturally am? 00:43:44.019 --> 00:43:53.760 There will be no change in your life apart from genuine humility and repentance that cries out on Christ to change you. 00:43:53.760 --> 00:44:04.540 So here is a practical takeaway from this sermon that there is not a single believer here that doesn't need to hear it. 00:44:04.539 --> 00:44:05.840 Walk out that door saying, 00:44:05.840 --> 00:44:07.119 Walk out that door saying, 00:44:07.119 --> 00:44:22.719 Lord, I need to grow in loving the brethren and I am willing to let you do whatever's necessary to change my little grayed out heart. 00:44:22.719 --> 00:44:30.599 Not a bad thing for a pastor to preach. 00:44:30.599 --> 00:44:34.379 His third sermon from retirement. 00:44:34.380 --> 00:44:38.460 Let's close in prayer. 00:44:38.460 --> 00:44:49.039 Not unto us, O Lord, but unto you be glory. 00:44:49.039 --> 00:44:53.000 You have saved us in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:44:55.500 --> 00:44:57.199 You've taken away our sin. 00:44:57.199 --> 00:45:01.399 You've made us sons of the living God. 00:45:03.980 --> 00:45:07.579 You've made us witnesses of the glory of our Redeemer. 00:45:07.579 --> 00:45:15.719 And you've put us into relationships that help us understand how much we continue to need your work. 00:45:18.039 --> 00:45:33.420 I would pray that the word would have free course and that this day, March 29th, 2018, would be marked in our spiritual calendar as a day when we were convicted that we need to love like Jesus. 00:45:33.420 --> 00:45:44.440 And that we were willing to let you do, we pled with you to do whatever it takes to help us stop being careless with this holy responsibility. 00:45:47.960 --> 00:45:52.019 And we give you glory in advance for what you will do in your fellowship and your people. 00:45:52.820 --> 00:45:53.079 Amen. 00:45:54.200 --> 00:45:55.500 John, lead us as we sing.