The LORD's Day May 20, 2007

An Important Exhortation

Hebrews 13.1-3

Let brotherly love continue.

The things man think are important and vital to the church often is not what God says in His Word.

God is love. He wants His church to reflect that and demonstrate that and be known by that. Churches are known by many things today- their music, their programs, their size their buildings, their mass media outlets, the personality of their pastor. When was the last time you heard someone say of their church, when they were talking to you about it, “The people love one another deeply,” or “The love of Jesus Christ is spread all over the congregation.”?

Jesus said that this would be the way that all men would know we are His disciples.
This is the proof that you are filled with God’s Spirit. It is proof that you are a follower of Jesus Christ.

The writer to the Hebrews was commending this group of believers that there was love among them. He is exhorting them to let it continue. The LORD would have had him make this exhortation unless there was a possibility of it not continuing.


1. How Does Love Leak Out?

Pride
Love cannot exist where there is no humility. If you want to keep love in a relationship you have to be willing to say a number of things. I was wrong (intentional or not). I am sorry (truly- kids when they are forced to say it). Please forgive me. (From the heart too with sorrow) A relationship based upon love cannot continue without these elements and they all stem from humility.

If you think you are better than someone else it is not possible to truly love them. Philippians 2.3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Not bearing with each other
We are different and we have differences of opinions and preferences. If we let these get in the way it can destroy love. We must allow for each other’s differences.

Allowing little foxes to do in the vines. Things nibble at us.

Getting too busy. I used to call this guy up and when he would answer the phone I would ask him how he was. He would answer, “Busy.” I don’t call him anymore. If you are too busy to love and to demonstrate that love then your schedule is overloaded and there needs to be some adjustments.

Not spending time with each other.
There is an old saying: “Distance makes the heart grow fonder.” Someone added this truth: “And it also makes the heart to wander.” We need to be with the ones we love.



2. That Little Word ‘Let’ is a Big Issue.
It involves yielding to God’s Spirit. It is allowing the LORD to do His will in our lives, in our relationships. His will is for us to be holy and for love to flourish in the church, His Body.

It means remaining or abiding in love. John 15

It means to endure. I Corinthians 13.7 Love endures all things (or perseveres).

We are given choices each day whether or not we are going to love. In the church it is vital that we keep love within it because that is the true basis of any fellowship with the LORD and with each other. We have to yield to the Spirit or we will have head on crashes or side swipe one another. Illus- Driving today. You will have daily accidents if you don’t yield- if you say that I have a right to be in this spot.

3. The Essence of Brotherly Love

Philadelphia

love of brothers or sisters, brotherly love

In the NT the love which Christians cherish for each other as brothers.

This love is based on Family, the family of God. God our Father sets the tone for this. He forgives, He loves. He loved so much that He gave His One and Only Son that whoever believes on Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

Believing we are adopted into the family of God. We become children not born of natural descent or a father’s will but born of God, born again, born from above.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. I John 4.7

A friend of God and God’s people.

A Companion. We walk with each other to heaven. It is not a solo trip. We need one another.




One of the bridegroom's friends who on his behalf asked the hand of the bride and rendered him various services in closing the marriage and celebrating the nuptials.
We are to tell people about the Bridegroom (Jesus Christ), ask them to come to Him and nurture them in the faith.

4. Let it continue

Actually this is the same word as let- if we translated this directly it would be “Continue Brotherly love Continue.”

God repeats things. The Bible is repetitive. We have thick skulls sometimes- most of the time. I cannot believe how long at times it takes me to get some simple truth.

Brotherly love is simple. You either have it or you don’t. Either you are continuing in it by yielding to the Spirit or you are needing to return to your first love this morning.

Detecting whether there is love or not is so easy a child can pick up on it.

Our granddaughter was over the other day and she was getting hugs and kisses from her Grandma. While this was going on Emma looked at me with a big smile and said, “She sure loves this kid, doesn’t she? ”

Gospel Annie and Dr. Airhart: We could sure use a lot more of the love of Jesus on this bus.

We can want things done our way (We know that is the “best” way- that is a joke).
We have a way that something is done we like or prefer. Yielding to the Spirit is allowing love to overrule our preferences!

Continue brotherly love continue.

When this happens (and I believe it is happening here) the church is strengthened. When we yield to the Holy Spirit He is not grieved but is able to accomplish His work. Part of that work is bring us into complete love, to have the Spirit produce the whole realm of His fruit in you and I.

Continue brotherly love continue!

His will in you and I, His likeness shining forth in me and you. This is such an important exhortation. We cannot afford the leakage of love. This is the thing Jesus looks for in His church. This is the reflection of His Image in us.

Let brotherly love continue
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The LORD’s Day
May 20, 2007

We Worship In Singing
We Worship In Prayer
We Worship In Hearing the Word of God
An Important Exhortation Hebrews 13.1
*Tithes and Offerings can be placed in the box at the rear of the sanctuary*
Please join us for coffee and bagels downstairs if you are visiting today.

This Week
Bible Reading Psalm 104-106
Monday Men’s Prayer Meeting 6:30am in the church basement
Wednesday Bible Study 7:30pm 1312 Pine Acres Blvd.
Thursday Bible Study 10:30am at the church
Next Lord’s Day
Morning Prayer- 10am in the church basement
Morning Worship- 10:30am(Sunday School for Children) The LORD’s Supper will be served
Spanish Service- 4pm
In Your Prayers For All of God’s People
Remember the men serving in the armed forces: Bradley, Julia Bujold’s grandson with Special Forces in Afghanistan, home on leave right now, Ken Brown, Pastor’s friend’s son on his third tour of Iraq. Please pray for the whole family. Billy Knapp, Jr. in Iraq with the Marines (neighbor of the church and Pastor- Billy’s sister graduated from Good Shepherd) One of Billy’s friends (also from the Island) was killed two weeks ago in the fighting in Iraq. Please remember that family in prayer. Matthew Klaus, brother of Good Shepherd parent in Iraq as a firefighter for Haliburton... Pray for them and the others away from their families. Praise God for keeping David Louis, Jake Morgan and Tom Hindelang safe during their times in Iraq. Christine Frankland, Katharina’s daughter continuing to recover from surgery. Please pray for Monica’s (Katrina’s granddaughter) mother-in-law, Rosemary, with breast cancer doing well. Kathy, Ziggy and Margot’s daughter-in-law, under the doctor’s care for fibromyalgia. Praise God for their son Michael’s recovery from surgery. Pray for Eloise Brooks in Sunrise Manor undergoing rehab. She wanted to be remembered to everyone again. Remember Jean Louis as both he and Eloise are on dialysis. Christopher (Uncle of Good Shepherd Grad) with leukemia. Grace Martin, Edie Raevis’ daughter, fibromyalgia. kidney stones and liver inflamation. Edie’s Sister, Grace, recovering from internal bleeding. She needed 5 pints of blood this week. Reginald Mooney, friend of Terri and John Garry, with a tumor in his kidney. Lisa Siler, a staff member of John’s, is expecting a baby and had three year old named Lauren with scarlet fever. She is home and doing well. Praise the LORD
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A number of nursery school families are going through difficult times. If you would like to sponsor a child presently at Good Shepherd, see Alice or call the school at 666-7503
If you would like to help with the Sunday Morning Bagel ministry see John or Terri Garry.

Notes on Our Time in the Word of God This Morning:
An Important Exhoirtation
Hebrews 13.1






Pastor’s messages are now available online:
http://thesundaymorningmessage.blogspot.com/
Church e-mail: bayshorenaz@rock.com
Church Phone: 631-969-1730
1314 Pine Acres Boulevard, Bay Shore, Long Island, NY 11706-5436



Whatever you do, in word or deed, do all for the glory of God