Please take your copy of God's Word and turn to Matthew chapter 7.
Jordan, thank you for leading us in that song.
! If you've ever requested a song to be learned and sung here on a Sunday morning,
I want you to know how much time it takes to get that accomplished.
I asked Jordan to do that song back at Easter.
I want to think I carry a little bit of extra request weight, maybe.
So be patient.
It takes those guys a lot of work to put stuff together,
and I do appreciate you taking the work to do it, Jordan.
Yeah, it blessed me this morning.
The doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture teaches us that the Bible contains everything in it
that we need for life and godliness.
And we believe that the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture
applies to how we meet together as a church.
And so across the years, as we have considered what was necessary for us in our growing,
so as we started to add particular mics and sound equipment and things of that nature,
Wes and I worked very carefully together to say,
what would happen if we suddenly didn't have those things?
Like if the power went out.
If the power went out, could we still meet the way that we meet as a church?
And I want you to know that when the power went out this morning,
a little bit of me was excited because I said,
yes, we get to prove that it's possible to do it in this way.
And then quite a bit of me was excited when it came back on
because my voice is hurting this morning,
and I'm glad I don't have to yell in this room.
I can speak in my normal speaking tone.
So, a blessing on both sides.
Our text for today is Matthew 7, verses 7-12.
And before I read it, beloved, this is God's Word to us.
It was written for His glory and our good,
and we would all do well to listen to it
in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
Jesus says,
Ask, and it will be given to you.
Seek, and you will find.
Knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds,
and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
Or which one of you, if the Son asks him for bread,
will give him a stone.
Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent.
If then you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your Father who is in heaven
give good things to those who ask Him?
So whatever you wish that others would do to you,
do also to them.
For this is the law and the prophets.
At first look at this morning's text,
you may be wondering
why it is that I jumped across
the uninspired subheading
that is likely found in your copy of God's Word.
There between verse 11 and verse 12,
your text probably says
the golden rule.
An uninspired addition to our printings of the Bible.
Why did I read from verse 7 through verse 12?
Why did I include verse 12 in today's text,
which seems to be some further teaching about prayer?
You may also be wondering,
why is there further teaching about prayer
in verses 7 through 11?
Doesn't this teaching about prayer belong
back with Jesus' prayer instruction
in chapter 6, verses 7 through 13?
Let me assure you that our Lord did not here
have an afterthought about prayer.
As we would tend to do,
I find myself quite forgetful
and want to go back and tack something on
to something I said previously.
Jesus, I'm confident,
even in His humanity,
was not nearly as scatterbrained as myself.
He's not just going back
and tapping on random instructions
at the conclusion of His sermon on the mount.
And many commentators treat it this way.
He's been working thematically.
Now He has some final things to say,
and so He's dropping in
these related but random instructions
here at the end of the sermon.
Quite the opposite, in fact.
Jesus is bringing His sermon to a close
and He is finishing His teaching
on kingdom ethics in verse 12.
He is wrapping up that portion,
the major portion of His sermon
on kingdom ethics.
What does it look like for citizens
of the kingdom of God
to live in this world?
The summary of all that He has said
is found in verse 12.
And it begins with this important word,
so.
So.
In light of everything that I've said so far,
so whatever you wish that others would do to you,
do also to them.
This teaching is often referred to
as the golden rule.
That would be to say the rule
that rules other rules.
And we can know that it is a summary statement
because in Matthew 5,
verse 17-19,
Jesus says this,
Do not think that I have come
to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have not come to abolish them,
but to fulfill them.
For truly I say to you,
until heaven and earth pass away,
not an iota,
not a dot,
will pass from the law
until all is accomplished.
Therefore,
whoever relaxes one of the least
of these commandments
and teaches others through the same
will be called least
in the kingdom of God.
But whoever does them
and teaches them
will be called great
in the kingdom of God.
And we spent quite a bit of time
establishing the difference
in the Old Testament law,
the civil,
the ceremonial,
and the moral law.
And we have put forth
that the moral law
is still meant to be obeyed.
It is still the kingdom ethic
by which we live
empowered by the Spirit
and having been redeemed by Christ.
We spent quite a bit of time
in Exodus 20
walking through each of
the Ten Commandments
and considering all of the commandments
that flow out of those commandments.
So we have been there
and then we find ourselves here
where Jesus declares
in chapter 7, verse 12,
for this is the law
and the prophets.
This is very similar in form
to what Jesus says
in Mark chapter 12,
verse 29 through 31
when He is asked,
which commandment
is the most important of all?
Jesus answered,
the most important is,
hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God,
the Lord is one,
and you shall love
the Lord your God
with all your heart
and with all your soul
and with all your mind
and with all your strength.
The second is this,
you shall love your neighbor
as yourself.
There is no other commandment
greater than these.
Love toward others
is a volition of the will,
it's a decision being made
aimed at another's good
at our expense.
Which means that we cannot
love others well
unless we first love God.
So in loving others
as ourselves,
we are keeping the law
and the prophets.
Last week we saw
in chapter 7, verses 1 through 6,
that to love others
the way God would have us
first of all requires
that we do not
self-righteously,
carelessly criticize
and condemn others,
but rather lovingly,
carefully aid others
in the pursuit of holiness.
We looked last week
at Galatians chapter 6
and verse 1,
which reads,
Brothers,
if anyone is caught
in any transgression,
you who are spiritual
shall restore him
in a spirit of gentleness.
This is a loving act
of those who are called together
as a family of God.
Paul continues to say
in Galatians 6, verse 2,
Bear one another's burdens
and so fulfill the law of Christ.
So I hope that you are seeing
the connection
between Matthew chapter 5,
verse 17 through 19,
and chapter 7, verse 12.
They're kind of bookends
in that way.
Citizens of the kingdom of heaven
will be characterized
by their love.
Specifically, their love
for one another.
In John chapter 13,
verse 34 and 35,
as Jesus is eating
the last supper
with his disciples,
he says,
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.
By this,
all people will know
that you are my disciples
if you have love
for one another.
We are not meant
to be known
by anything else
but love
for one another.
We may prove ourselves
to be disciples
of someone
or something else
by the dressings
that we put on.
But the way
we're to be known
as disciples
of Jesus Christ
is because of the way
we love
one another.
Now,
this ethic
of reciprocity,
track me for a second,
this ethic
of reciprocity
was not new
to Jesus'
day.
but it was
always stated
in the negative.
Let me show you
what I mean.
The Jewish
Rabbi Hillel,
all of these
predate the teaching
of Jesus here
in Matthew chapter 7.
The Jewish
Rabbi Hillel
quoted a saying,
What is hateful
to yourself,
do not
to someone
else.
The book of
Tobit,
which is included
in the Apocrypha,
says,
What thou
thyself
hatest
to no man
do.
Confucius
taught,
and I quote,
What you do not
want done to yourself,
do not do
to others.
An ancient
Greek king
named
Nicocles
wrote,
Do not do
to others
the things
which make you
angry when you
experience them
at the hands
of other people.
And the Greek
philosopher
Epictetus
once wrote,
What you avoid
suffering yourself,
do not
afflict
on others.
You see,
the ethic
of reciprocity
had been taught
for a long,
long time,
but not
in the way
that Jesus
taught it.
The hearers
of Jesus' day
would have been
very familiar
with this form
of teaching,
but what Jesus
does with it
is astounding.
He flips
the teaching
on its head.
He makes it
rather than
a negative
exhortation,
he makes it
a positive
exhortation.
He makes it
from a
avoid harm
done to you
into a
do good
for others
ethic
of reciprocity.
It's significant
that he's even
using this
form of
language
because the
people in his
day would have
gone,
Wait,
what?
being a
citizen of
the kingdom
of heaven
is not
about me
and getting
mine.
It's about
what I
can do
for others.
And Jesus
would say
to that,
yes,
this is
exactly what
it looks
like to
be a
citizen
of the
kingdom
of heaven.
And so
in our
text,
Jesus gives
us three
reasons to
obey the
command to
love others
as ourselves.
three reasons
to obey the
command to
love others
as ourselves.
First reason
is God's
promise to
his people.
And we see
this in
verse 7
and verse
8.
Now,
I don't
believe,
some do,
I don't
believe that
we're given
here some
kind of
code by
which to
get response
from God.
This
asking,
seeking,
knocking.
These are
three different
steps in
some process
by which.
I think
that Jesus
is just
elaborating
on the
point.
If you
go to
God for
something that
God is
willing to
give,
he will
in fact
give it
to you.
Ask and
it will
be given
to you.
Seek and
you will
find.
Knock and
it will
be opened
to you.
For
everyone who
asks,
receives,
and the
one who
seeks,
finds,
and the
one who
knocks,
it will
be opened.
And so
for us,
this is
most readily
a teaching
about prayer.
It is,
in fact,
some teaching
about prayer.
And I
want to
look first
at its
general
application,
and then
we'll look
a little bit
at its
specific
application,
and try
to understand
why we
find it
in the
flow of
text here
in Jesus'
sermon on
the mount.
So there
is certainly
a general
application
for our
praying,
right?
God
promises
to
answer
prayer.
God
answers
prayer,
and this
should
move
us
to
pray.
God
wants
us
to
ask
and
seek
and
knock.
This
text,
however,
is not
meant for
us to
think
that God
has
written
us
a
blank
check
that
we
can
fill
in
any
way
we
want.
Many
have
used
these
verses
in
this
way.
It's
a
plain
teaching
of
Jesus
here.
Ask
seek
knock.
It
will
be
given
to
you.
These
people
will
also
use
texts
like
John
chapter
14
verse
13
and
14
in
the
same
way
where
Jesus
says
whatever
you
ask
in
my
name
this
I
will
do
that
the
Father
may
be
glorified
and
the
Son
if
you
ask
me
anything
in
my
name
I
is
the
nature
of
what
Jesus
is
saying
about
his
name
right
they
merely
tack
in
Jesus
name
onto
the
end
of
a
prayer
and
that's
not
why
we
say
that
at
the
end
of
a
prayer
we
don't
say
in
Jesus
name
as
an
incantation
to
get
what
we
want
but
rather
in
Jesus
day
a
name
carried
much
more
weight
than
it
typically
does
in
our
day
the
name
represented
all
that
a
person
was
in
Jesus
case
his
name
represents
all
that
he
is
to
ask
for
something
in
someone's
name
is
to
ask
for
something
consistent
with
who
that
person
is
and
so
at
the
end
of
my
praying
and
almost
every
time
I
pray
possibly
every
time
you've
heard
me
pray
publicly
I
will
say
something
to
the
effect
of
in
Jesus
name
and
for
his
sake
we
pray
and
what
I'm
saying
is
I
believe
that
what
I've
prayed
is
consistent
with
who
Jesus
is
consistent
with
his
character
it's
consistent
with
the
way
he's
working
in
the
world
and
then
we
utter
our
amen
God
let
it
be
believing
it's
consistent
with
who
Jesus
is
and
how
it
is
he's
working
in
the
world
his
mission
and
what
he
intends
to
accomplish
please
let
these
things
be
so
when
Jesus
makes
this
promise
if
you
ask
anything
in
my
name
he's
saying
if
you
ask
me
to
do
anything
that
I
would
do
I
will
do
it
some
other
texts
first
John
chapter
three
verse
twenty
one
and
twenty
two
John
writes
beloved
if
our
heart
does
not
condemn
us
we
have
confidence
before
God
so
if
we
are
not
finding
ourselves
in
sin
and
whatever
we
ask
we
receive
from
him
because
we
keep
his
commandments
and
do
what
pleases
him
so
as
we're
obediently
following
the
commands
of
God
or
asking
!
things
consistent
with
his
name
he
we
ask
and
later
in
first
John
chapter
five
and
verse
fourteen
and
this
is
the
confidence
that
we
have
toward
him
that
if
we
ask
anything
according
to
his
will
he
hears
us
so
if
you
want
to
pray
effective
prayers
and I
hope
that
you
do
if
you
want
to
take
hold
of
the
promise
of
God
found
in
this
test
that
for
the
one
who
asks
and
seeks
and
knocks
right
that
they
will
receive
then
we
need
to
know
our
God
we
need
to
know
who
this
Jesus
is
who
says
if
you
pray
anything
in
my
name
I
will
give
it
to
you
and
how
do
we
know
this
Jesus
we
meet
with
him
in
the
Bible
we
meet
with
him
in
the
scripture
we
go
to
it
regularly
and
often
and
we
dive
deeply
into
it
we
know
the
text
we
begin
pray
his
will
so
this
is
a
massively
encouraging
general
application
of the
text
is it
not
we
should
love
and
obey
God
which
will
find
our
desires
coming
into
line
with
his
so
that
as
we
pray
he
will
hear
and
answer
our
prayers
this
is a
promise
of our
text
today
but
there
is
a
more
specific
application
so
if
you
understand
the
text
in
that
way
in
other
applications
I
think
you're
correct
in
doing
so
there
is
general
application
for
your
praying
but
there's
specific
application
for
our
text
today
why
does
it
come
here
in
chapter
7
again
our
Lord
did
not
have
an
afterthought
about
prayer
and
begin
to
tack
on
random
instructions
!
confidence
in
your
praying
he
is
instructing
us
to
pray
as
we
are
about
the
work
of
lovingly
carefully
aiding
others
in
the
pursuit
of
holiness
we've
seen
that
at
the
beginning
of
chapter
7
he's
saying
to
us
as
you're
doing
this
great
work
of
helping
each
other
pursue
Christ
likeness
pray
the
father
deeply
cares
about
this
thing
and
he
will
answer
your
prayers
so we're
about
supposed to
be doing
that
and
as
we
are
going
about
the
work
praying
for
strength
to
obey
the
command
to
love
others
as
ourselves
his
teaching
concerning
prayer
is
bridging
these
two
ideas
of
love
to
others
together
it's
bridging
it
together
right
verse
12
begins
so
what
so
because
you're
praying
in
this
way
it's
bridging
these
two
ideas
together
which
ought
to
make
it
so
clear
how
very
much
we
need
his
help
if
we
are
to
love
others
well
we
desperately
need
him
to
work
in
our
working
as
we're
loving
one
another
oh
may
we
be a
people
who
obey
the
command
to
love
others
as
ourselves
because
of
God's
promise
to
his
people
to
answer
their
prayers
may
we
also
be
a
people
who
obey
the
command
to
love
others
as
ourselves
because
secondly
God's
pattern
for
his
people
we've
got
God's
promise
to
his
people
secondly
God's
pattern
for
his
people
verse
9
10
and
11
Jesus
asks
here
three
rhetorical
questions
everyone
knows
the
answers
to
these
questions
if
any
one
of
my
sons
asked
me
for
bread
of
course
I
would
not
give
them
a
stone
too
many
of
us
are
familiar
with
loaves
of
bread
then
looked
like
a
stone
it
was
brown
and
it
was
roundish
I
wouldn't
give
them
a
replacement
item
for
the
thing
that
they
asked
for
I
would
gladly
provide
for
them
in
our
family
gluten
free
bread
I
love
my
sons
and
their
sustenance
is
of
great
importance
to
me
when
my
boys
are
hungry
I
want
them
to
be
fed
if
any
one
of
my
sons
asked
me
for
a
fish
which
none
of
them
would
but
again
this
was
a
common
item
of
sustenance
right
this
would
have
been
a
common
thing
to
ask
for
if
one
were
hungry
of
course
I
would
give
them
the
good
nourishing
thing
for
them
and
not
a
thing
that
could
injure
them
not
a
thing
that
could
be
injurious
to
them
the
good
thing
that
they
need
to
sustain
them
Jesus
then
says
if
then
you
who
are
evil
know
how
to
give
good
gifts
to
your
children
he's
not
speaking
of
any
specific
fathers
but
of
all
fathers
in
general
he
is
saying
that
all
human
fathers
are
imperfect
the
fathers
in the
room
know
this
very
well
probably
because
you
all
have
fathers
you're
very
aware
of
this
none
of
us
have
had
perfect
fathers
none
of
us
will
be
perfect
fathers
all
human
fathers
are
imperfect
but
we
can
manage
the
giving
of
good
gifts
to
our
children
we
can
manage
when
they
ask
for
food
to
give
them
food
and
not
something
else
right
he
then
asks
his
third
rhetorical
question
Jesus
says
how
much
more
will
your
father
who
is
in
heaven
give
good
things
to
those
who
ask
him
the
answer
here
is
meant
to
be
obvious
our
heavenly
father
will
give
to
us
the
good
things
we
ask
for
specifically
the
ability
to
love
one
another
and
to
provide
for
all
that
is
necessary
for
us
to
love
one
another
not
only
is
our
heavenly
father
willing
to
give
us
good
gifts
he
is
also
able
he
does
not
lack
the
power
to
give
us
exactly
what
is
good
and
necessary
for
us
he
can
do
all
that
his
will
purposes
and
we
know
that
he
will
provide
for
all
that
he
commands
!
that
if
he
has
given
you
a
command
in
the
scripture
that
he
will
provide
for
you
the
grace
necessary
to
keep
the
command
right
it
is
never
an
excuse
for
to
say
oh
I
can't
do
that
it
is
too
hard
right
then
you're
not
asking
ask
seek
knock
right
God
provides
for
all
that
he
commands
so
if
we
are
being
told
to
love
others
as
ourselves
he
will
provide
all
that
is
necessary
to
do
so
he
will
provide
the
ability
to
forgive
the
ability
to
be
patient
the
ability
to
see
past
each
other's
differences
the
ability
to
love
each
other
even
when
we
don't
like
each
other
the
ability
to
have
difficult
conversations
the
ability
to
be
bold
when
necessary
the
ability
to
be
humble
all
the
time
you
see
beloved
he
has
given
to
us
his
spirit
who
leads
us
into
all
righteousness
Paul
tells
us
in
Galatians
chapter
5
verse
22
and
23
the
fruit
of
the
spirit
is
love
joy
peace
patience
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
gentleness
self
control
against
such
things
there
is
no
law
and
in
fact
that
what
I
think
Paul
meant
these
things
are
law
fulfilling
things
right
the
spirit
is
working
them
in
us
to
God's
glory
God
if
God
will
God
can
and
will
infinitely
outdo
them
in
every
way
a
couple
of
times
each
Sunday
I
think
I
have
managed
it
a
few
times
by
now
I
refer
to
you
as
beloved
I
think
you've
heard
this
I
hope
that
you
have
and
I
hope
that
it
arrests
your
brain
at
least
a
bit
maybe
if
only
to
say
I
wonder
why
does
he
use
that
terminology
with
us
on
Sundays
here's
why
when
Jesus
was
baptized
by
John
in
the
wilderness
God
spoke
from
heaven
saying
you can
see
this
in
Matthew
chapter
3
verse
17
this
is
my
beloved
son
with
whom
I
am
well
pleased
God
the
father
called
God
the
son
beloved
and
now
for
those
of
us
who
have
placed
our
faith
in
Christ
who
have
believed
in
him
for
the
salvation
of
our
souls
this
same
terminology
is
extended
to
us
we
are
now
co-heirs
with
Christ
we
are
his
brothers
and
his
sisters
so
God
looks
at
us
and
he
calls
us
beloved
how
would
I
know
such
a
thing
later
in
history
in
the
writing
of
first
John
uses
this
title
for
the
Christians
that
he
is
writing
to
he
and
I
and
using
that
terminology
intend
to
remind
you
that
if
you
are
in
Christ
you
have
all
the
blessings
of
being
called
God's
children
it's
my way
of saying
to those
in the
room
Christian
listen to
this
thing
right
but
rooting
that
in
us
being
God's
children
him
being
our
father
Paul
wrote
in
Ephesians
chapter
1
verse
3
blessed
be
the
God
and
father
of
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
who
has
blessed
us
in
Christ
with
every
spiritual
blessing
in
the
heavenly
places
we
have
full
access
to
God
and
all
that
he's
promised
for
us
and
we
can
see
that
so
simply
in
this
pattern
right
that
fathers
know
how
to
give
good
gifts
to
their
children
how
much
more
will
our
heavenly
father
provide
for
us
all
that
we
need
as
we
endeavor
to
love
one
another
as
we
should
so
may
we
be
a
people
who
obey
the
command
to
love
others
as
ourselves
because
God
promises
God's
promises
to his
people
God's
pattern
for his
people
and
third
and
lastly
God's
purpose
for his
people
we
find this
in verse
12
so
whatever
you
wish
that
others
would
do
to
you
do
also
to
them
for
this
is
the
law
and
the
prophets
there
is
no
capacity
in
an
unbeliever
one
who
does
not
follow
Christ
to
love
others
as
ourselves
sinful
man
is
only
interested
in
self
all
that
he
does
is
aimed
at
his
own
well
being
the
affirmation
statements
of the
ethic
of
reciprocity
were
only
aimed
at
self
interest
not
harming
others
so
that
they
would
not
harm
us
don't
do
to
others
so
that
they
won't
do
to
you
but
God
asks
so
much
more
of
his
people
he
asks
something
supernatural
of
his
people
that
he
would
accomplish
it
and
be
praised
for
it
loving
others
as
we
love
ourselves
this
kind
of
love
is
not
self
serving
the
self
love
comes
so
very
naturally
what
Jesus
is
trying
to
say
to
us
is
that
we
turn
that
natural
impulse
to
love
ourselves
outward
to
others
selfless
love
served
for the
sake
of
the
one
being
served
and
serves
in
the
way
it
likes
being
served
whether
you
are
served
in
this
way
or
not
beloved
when
was
the
last
time
you
gave
of
yourself
for
the
sake
of
another
you
may
find
yourself
being
one
of
those
people
this
morning
that
are
rather
unloving
maybe
you're
looking
for
others
to
love
you
well
and
then
you're
ready
to
love
others
you're
willing
to
play
in the
game
this
ethic
of
reciprocity
but
others
must
act
first
and
then
the
other
way
around
most
of you
have
jobs
or have
worked
a job
and how
often
have we
or
others
that we
work
with
said we
would work
harder
once we
got that
raise
guess what
that's
not the
way the
world
works
if you
ever
want
to
raise
you
better
work
really
hard
first
exceed
what
you're
being
paid
for
and
then
the
person
paying
you
I
hope
will
consider
giving
you
a
raise
we're
this
way
with
relationships
all
the
time
we want
others
to
invest
in
us
and
then
we'll
turn
around
and
invest
in
others
and
beloved
one
sided
relationships
are
almost
always
failed
almost
always
do
so
you may
find
yourself
in
that
place
this
morning
but
let me
tell you
that
I
think
that
may
be
the
minority
of
us
so
often
when
I
preach
text
I
go
oh
what
a
place
for
us
to
grow
in
oh
there
needs
to be
rebuke
brought
this
morning
but
I
want
you
to
know
that
I
see
many
examples
of
this
kind
of
selfless
love
in
our
midst
I
see
it
again
and
again
and
again
and
I
am
so
very
encouraged
by it
it
just
absolutely
it
encourages
me
to
no
end
even
the
simple
little
things
that
will
happen
on
slack
as
we
communicate
and
somebody
needs
a little
something
here
a little
something
there
and
somebody
jumps
right
on
helping
in
that
way
I
am
so
encouraged
by
it
and
I'm
encouraged
because
selfless
love
in our
midst
this
kind
of
love
that
seeks
!
is an
evidence
of the
working
of the
spirit
of God
amongst
us
sacrificial
love
does not
come
naturally
it
doesn't
and we
should
rejoice
in those
things
that seem
so
simple
and so
mundane
this is
the way
God
is often
working
amongst
us
little
acts
of
loving
kindness
toward
one
another
Don Carson
who is a
contemporary
pastor
theologian
I would
commend
to you
once
wrote
the church
itself
is not
made up
of
natural
friends
what binds
us
together
is not
common
education
common
race
common
income
levels
common
politics
common
nationality
common
accents
common
jobs
or anything
of the
sort
what he's
saying
is at
least
that
shouldn't
be
what
binds
us
together
I
think
what
he's
saying
is
the
true
church
itself
is
not
made
up
of
natural
friends
anything
of the
sort
Christians
come
together
not
because
they
form
a
natural
co-location
which I
had to
look up
partnership
but because
they have
been saved
by Jesus
Christ
and owe
him
a common
allegiance
in the
light
in light
of the
fact
that
they
have
all
been
loved
by
Jesus
himself
they
commit
themselves
to
doing
what
he
says
and
he
commands
them
to
love
one
another
in
this
light
they
are
a
band
of
natural
enemies
who
love
one
another
for
Jesus
sake
beloved
we
love
because
God
first
loved
us
John
does not
write there
in
first
John
that we
have the
capacity
to love
or that
we
can
love
because
God
first
loved
us
but
we
do
in
fact
love
because
God
first
loved
us
like
we
are
moved
to
this
and I
see
this
in
our
church
you
do
this
do
it
more
you
do
it
already
but
do
it
more
in
closing
I
want to
encourage
you
from
first
Thessalonians
Paul
writes
to the
Thessalonian
church
the very
same
thing
the
thing
I'm
trying
to
say
to
you
and
the
thing
I'm
trying
to
encourage
you
with
in
first
Thessalonians
chapter
four
verse
one
he
says
finally
then
brothers
we
ask
and
urge
you
in
the
Lord
Jesus
that
as
you
receive
from
us
how
you
ought
to
walk
and
to
please
God
just
as
you
are
doing
that
you
do
so
more
and
more
and
he
begins
to
work
through
some
examples
and
so
down
in
verse
nine
and
ten
those
!
those
!
those
brothers
those
brothers
this more and more. To continue to press on, to love one another well and continue and do more
loving of one another. Because how is the world meant to know that we are disciples of Jesus
Christ by our love? We are meant to be a community of people who are set apart for God's praise. You
hear me say, we're supposed to be peculiar. Why? Because we're selfless in the way that we love
one another. We don't love the way the world loves. We give of ourselves. For other people's good,
at our expense, we love others. So I hope that you can see why we address verses 7 through 12
this morning. I think it's proper to carry through and ignore the subheading and go right through verse
12 to wrap these ideas together. I hope that you are moved to love more and more and to be
continue loving in more and more and higher and greater ways. I hope that you can see that Jesus'
kingdom ethic is summed up in command. So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to
them. May we be a people who continue to obey the command to love others as ourselves because of
God's promise to his people, God's pattern for his people, and God's purpose for his people.
Let's pray together.