Faithful in Friendship

What is it take to make a great church. Here's Adrian Rogers like the same play but we love Jesus and would love one another it takes to make a great start with one another receive one another. Where to greet one another. We have to bear with one another worth playing pastor and Bible teacher Adrian Rogers said the church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for states. The way this world will know Jesus is through the church. There's to be no disunity instead of a common purpose, function, goal could be no arrogance or envy. No rivalry or self-sufficiency. We are instructed to care for one another. If you have your Bible turned out to first Corinthians chapter 12 verse 12 as Adrian Rogers illustrates how we can be faithful in friendship) Chapter 12 verse 12 says for as the body is one and have many members and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. That is, Christ and his body and God says that he made us different and dependent upon one another in order that I began reading them.

Verse 25.

There should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another. Now we are to care one for another. I want to mention some ways tonight that you as a brother or sister in Christ, we need to care for one another in the Bible God gives someone on another commands.

We call these reciprocal commands rather many of the matter fact I looked them up and there were so many of them that I dare not even began to try to elucidate all our expound alone.

All of the one another commands in the Bible, but I do want us to look at chapter 12 verse 25.

Where the Bible says we should care for one another and then I want to mention some ways that we should care for one another. The first one is found in John 13 verse 34 here's what Jesus said. Jesus said a new commandment I give unto you, that ye should love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. Now all of the commandments had been given in the Old Testament, but now along comes Jesus and he says I'm going to give you a new commandment to love one another. This was the last commandment he gave before his arrest is mock trial is crucifixion. He said I give you this command that you love one another deal the bags that the Christian is aware, it is the unseen but always saying badge of love.

Listen to this verse. First John four verse 20. If a man say I love God and hate of his brother, he is a liar but he that loveth not his brother whom he is saying. How can he love God whom he has not seen again.

The Bible Jesus said by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another. The Bible commands us to love.

Now this love is not optional, but it's not automatic if it will automatically would be commanded to do it now.

What is this kind of love.

Why did Jesus say a new commandment I give you that you love one another in the Old Testament were told love.

What is the new commandment the new commandment is that we are to love as he love that is with a new quality that the love that Jesus is talking about here is not just merely doing our neighbor. No harm, but it is seeking opportunity to do him good, even when he doesn't deserve it. That's what Jesus did for me.

God commended his love toward me, and that while I was at the center he died for. Do not real love is love is not your giving me what I deserve is giving me what I need. Love is not giving me even what I want. Love is giving me what I need. Love says you will do me good, regardless of what I do to you. We are to love one another. That's the way we care for one another. According first Corinthians 15 now not only are we to love one another.

Here's another command we are to receive one another during this time the Romans chapter 15 and and just look at this passage of Scripture. It's a very interesting passage.

Romans chapter 15 and verse seven. Our Lord says here wherefore receive E one another.

There's our word again receive the one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

How are we to love where love is a love how are we to receive.

We are to receive as he received now folks, this is one of the most needy commands in all of the Bible that we make people feel love and welcome when they come in to the church is 1/3 thing when we are care one for another. That means we to love one another babies way to receive one another.

It also means because we love them because we receive, we are to greet one another look again now in Romans chapter 16 verse 16 what Paul said to the church at Rome, which is very cosmopolitan church. Romans chapter 16 verse 16 salute one another with all holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you and then in the end. First Corinthians chapter 16 verse 20 all the brethren greet you greatly one another with a holy kiss second Corinthians 13 verse 12.

Greet one another with a holy kiss three times. He said that's I want you to turn to the person next to you is in a way to manifest. You see who's sitting next to me if you think for a minute about what is is me. What is his mean the area salute one another with a holy kiss grade she one another with a holy kiss.

Greet one another with a holy kiss three times as mentioned, we are to greet one another. Now what is all holy kiss is not an erotic kiss is not a kiss on the mouth in the Bible.

People would kiss on the side and kiss on that side. The men would kiss them in the ladies the ladies not a thing in the world. Along with that, but that was a custom then customs change. The Bible says that we are to render custom to whom custom is due. What that really means is show acceptance and a very warm and a very wonderful way there. By the way, there's absolutely nothing wrong with a holy kiss. You want to do that and feel comfortable. That's fine what he is saying is this that we need a warm fellowship. Does that make you uncomfortable with somebody touches you are. If I say now reach out and take hands across the island listening where one of the bond of love. You just kind want to go. I want to touch anybody you know folks like that they folks their people going to die and go to hell because we're so self-centered yes I will.

Some people just don't like that that's true.

Some don't, but most do, and where we get the more loving we need to become my mental maps going over people. I'm not talking about manhandling people. I am just talking about being warm and loving and caring one for another way to treat one another as members of the same body we are in the family together and so we are to greet one another, then I want you to turn to Ephesians chapter 5 with me for a moment. There's another time. The Bible speaks of one another and it speaks of submitting one to another, look you will in chapter 5, verse 18 command be filled with the spirit be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess but be filled with the spirit. Why did he say don't be drunk with wine would be feel the spirit whiteness I don't commit adultery but be filled with the spirit or don't steal would be feel the spirit because being drunk with wine is the devil, substitute for being filled with the spirit he's talking here not only in contrast but in comparison being filled with the spirit is a lot like being drunk with wine on the day Pentecost, Peter said these men not drunk, as you suppose they were drunk on the wine they were felt the spirit of God. And when they were filled. The spirit of God.

They were became free in the spirit, then verse 19 speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things under God and the father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now here's one another verse, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. We are to submit ourselves one to another. What is biblical submission is one equal willingly and lovingly placing himself under another equal that God made therefore and thereby be glorified, built antibody the various members of my body. At various times have to submit to the other parts of my body is all there is to win the body of Christ, and we care for one another. Therefore, there times when I must submit to you. I am the pastor. But I must submit to you, you must submit to one another. We all will come to a place in times when it is right to submit somebody else to leave and he was Bill Guthrie who said when you show people their rights. You have a revolution shown on their responsibilities and you will have a revival when mass alarm all my rights.

What rights does a dead man had. We are crucified with Christ and we need to learn how to yield and give to one another and submit one to another, or mention another one that Ephesians chapter 4 verse one, either for the person of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the location where with your call with all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering nightmares are one another for bearing one another in love for bearing one another and love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace and notice the next phrase.

There is one body you see that list. Look at it for bearing one another. Turn to Colossians and look if you will.

Chapter 3 and verse 12. Look at it but on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mine, meekness, long-suffering, here it is. One more time for bearing one another and will get to this next one in a moment forgiving one another, but where to forebear one another. What is forbearance. Why does he say this several times in the Bible way to forebear one another. Forbearance is graciously enduring and putting up with the displeasing offense of our sinful attitudes or actions of other people. Now folks, everybody in this church is not lovely the matter fact, only one out of three years. Would you look at the person only the side of you is not them is bound to be you. In all seriousness, if you were to start with the pastor, the man standing up here and look me over real good you find so many faults and may be embarrassing and any member of this church. The same thing would be true.

A man and I know that I have. Habits and faults and foibles, idiosyncrasies that may rub you the wrong way and I think you just might have wanted to what we need to do folks is to understand that wherein it together. There always be somebody was a mammoth sound system is great somebody else's life. When legal attunement thing down is so somebody also say why we always have to clap not a theater. Somebody else is all I love it when we praise the Lord and say clap your hands all you people. If you are pastor, what would you do pay folks view it takes to make a great church forbearance say a man in front, we like the same thing but we love Jesus and we love one another is a way to love one another will receive one another winter. Greet one another.

We have to bear with one another.

They something else would really confess to one another look in James chapter 5 verse 16.

Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. Criticize one another. Pray for one another. The confession of a fault is not a call to criticism. It's called prayer.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man obey with much way to confess one to another. Did you know that the failure to confess to one another hold back revival forgiveness and healing.

You confess to one another.

So we pray for one another so that way he real revival is real revival is not just getting the roof all that's fairly easy. Real revival is getting walls down. Is that what you mean getting roof office.

I forgive me. Here's a dozen dozen of us have I done, but when we go to one another and we confess our faults one to another, and pray for one another. That's when that real coin in the weekends. That's when that real fellowship that caring for one another. Hey there a lot of us tonight meet somebody to pray for snow but where it either so rotten proud or else we don't trust that person that we don't confess our faults one to another. Now be careful here. The devil can take anything and take it to an extreme circle of confessional to be as big as the circle need sometimes is a very personal and private things. Be very careful whom you confess that sometimes there somebody that you have wrong then you need to confess that person her privates and private confession personal sin personal confession public sin public confession. What we need to do is to begin to pray for one another.

None of us is perfect know if there were less criticism in churches and in more prayer on a mighty healing that would be physically and spiritually.

I'm coming to the close, but I think all of these kinda come to a head in this last one Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 32.

Be kind tenderhearted, forgiving one another again as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you an unforgiving spirit has ruined so many churches has somebody done you wrong. So what's new when you fail to forgive refused to forgive you destroy the bridge over which you yourself must travel for Jesus, if ye forgive not men their trespasses against you. Neither should you have an appalling forgive you your trespasses against him.

That brings up a very interesting question.

Can you forgive somebody if they have not yet repented, no Bible says if your brother sin against you 70×7 and come and say I repent you forgiving that he's not repented.

You can't forgiving and yet you cannot have an unforgiving spirit. So what you know in a case like that, but if he repents you always forgiving.

But what if he continues to sin against you. You can just live forgive. I forgive even Jesus didn't forgive like that God doesn't forgive unless there's repentance when Christ was on the cross. He didn't say those who were nailing to the cross.

I forgive you. He pray for their forgiveness. I believe that prayer was answered with a pentacles for many what you know in a case like this I mean when there somebody who has perhaps egregiously sin against you and you don't want to carry that fairness in your heart and yet you cannot forgive because they have not yet repented. What do you do what you do is you put that forgiveness in the bank and escrow from your heart. You say there is Lord.

I forgive them and whenever they write a check of repentance is already in the bank ready to be grown.

See what I'm talking about from your viewpoint.

You've already forgiven, but from their viewpoint that forgiveness is not yet received until they do repent. But as far as you're concerned you have all forgive isn't that what God is done when Jesus died on the cross.

There is a legacy of forgiveness wherever one of us, but it never becomes ours until we claimant by repentance and faith. Yet in the great loving heart of God. He died for every one of us. That's the spirit we've got to have folks in this church, that's what we've got to hand this church is a body where the body of Christ where to share for one another. When told one another way to receive one another with one another way to greet one another way to confess one to another.

Where to forgive one another and when we began to do that, folks, I mean really do this church or any church will become a little colony of heaven. What a fellowship.

Celeste just kind of make ourselves a committee one to get it started. Father let that love be the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Amen. What a powerful message for each of our hearts today.

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This message is also part of the insightful series factors of faithfulness for that complete collection all seven powerful messages: 1877 love God or go online to LWF.org/radio or you can write us at love worth finding box 38, 600 Memphis, TN 38183 thanks for studying God's word with us today. Are you a member of a church body that exhibits love reception greeting submission forbearance confessions and forgiveness being the church member and faithful friend. You want to have you join us next time.

For more profound truth.

Simply stated, right where Alyssa rinsed out recently on Facebook and let us know this, she says.

My only wish is to have attended at least one of Pastor Roger services when he was alive he is taught me a lot just by listening to his interpretations of God's word.

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