To Lay Our Lives for The Brothers

DATE: JUNE 17, 2020

TOPIC: "To Lay Our Lives for The Brothers" 1 John 3:16-19 John has presented here, before our very eyes, THE SUPREME EXAMPLE OF TRUE LOVE: THE SACRIFICE THAT JESUS MADE BY GIVING HIS OWN LIFE OUT OF LOVE FOR US! He voluntarily gave his life for us! It is an example to be copied!

I. Someone said: “The sacrifice he made of himself is not precisely a revelation of the love to be admired; it is an example to be copied.”

A. (Vs. 16) “…we should also lay down our lives for the brothers.” We should be willing to lay down our lives for our brothers in Christ.

1. “…we should…” It is like a debt that we’re to pay.

2. We transfer from Christ to our lives his desire and his willingness to give everything out of love: we should lay down our lives for the brothers.

3. We unload from Christ TO OUR LIVES! I think we should do it TO STOP LIVING ONLY FOR OURSELVES!

4. He shows us love in His highest expression.

5. In a sense, love is invisible, but we can see the manifestation of love! It can be seen!

6. Our lives should be a continuous gift in favor of the brothers, such that we should be willing to die for them, if necessary.

7. You may never find yourself in a circumstance that leads you to die for others, but you and each one of us can show brotherly love by sharing with the brothers THROUGH ACTS OF LOVE: RESPECTING, HONORING, FAITHFULLY, WITH ESTEEM, GIVING THEM WHEN IN NEED!

B. (Vs.17) Verse 16 speaks about THE MAXIMUM that we can do for our brothers, and on the other hand Vs. 17 suggests THE LEAST that we can do for our brothers.

1. John clearly says in Vs. 17 that he who sees his brother in need and closes his heart Against him is not a Christian, not giving him what is necessary to satisfy this need!

2. Be clear, we are talking about needs, NOT EXTRAVAGANCES.

3. John here teaches us about the practical, the daily routine.

4. IF THE CHRISTIAN DID NOT CARRY HIS GOODS IN THE HEART, HE WOULD NOT DENY THEM TO HIS BROTHER IN FAITH!

5. Have you ever asked yourself: Does the love of God dwell in me?

C. (Vs. 18) "My dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." Now dear children, are we here to make love grow or to decrease?

1. Since at this time we are in social distancing, there is much for which one can stop loving: apathy and coldness can come.

2. Since one cannot visit, know about the ill, or help someone in their problems, well today everything is in private, LOVE WILL NOT BE IN PRACTICE AND IT CAN GROW COLD!

3. What shows that the love has not grown cold is not what you say, but rather your actions and if they are sincere!

4. In another words, love should not be just a matter of affectionate terms, nor merely an expression, because perhaps it is not true, perhaps it is only appearance!

5. Love should be manifested IN REAL ACTIONS OF KINDNESS! In good deeds, without envy, or jealousy, or thinking that you are superior, without mockery or despise, WITHOUT HURTING THE BROTHER!

6. On the contrary, LOVE HAS EVERYONE in high esteem, it has kindness and should be genuine, of total purity, that it has no mixtures, that it is true, that it is not double-sided, that it is not false!

D. (Vs. 19) How do you know you have the truth? "This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence..."

1. IN THE EXERCISE OF “…THIS…”, OF THIS GENUINE AND ACTIVE LOVE FOR OUR BROTHERS, is that we will know that we are of the truth. And this will give certainty to our hearts as we go before Him in prayer!

2. YOU WILL KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THE TRUTH IF YOU HAVE A GREAT GENUINE LOVE FOR BROTHERS! Amen.