Love One Another - A New Commandment for the New Community, Part 2

Did you know you are the greatest Christian someone knows that every day people are watching your life. There's more at stake you I could ever dream and yet God has given you and given me everything we need to be the kind of people want to learn how statement thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge with children Living on the Edge features the Bible to Chip Ingram on this international discipleship program group. This program should continues where he left off previously. Taking a look at one of the very last disciples love one after the teaching chips always with us some more personal thoughts about the best we should stay with us now. Let's get going in Georgia for part two of his talk a new commandment for the new community from John chapter 13. What did Jesus deserve absolute worship and homage and he willfully became a servant that's new commandment.

Why three reasons.

The first one is very tender. If you're in John 13 verse 31.

Interesting thing about verses 3132 and 33 they come right before verse 34 so there's often a real parallel about what's happening there pick it up with me. He's already wash their feet. Judah said taken off is going to betray the Lord when he was gone. Jesus said now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him.

If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the son and himself and will glorify him at once Jesus was seeing Satan leave the room he was seeing how this whole thing is playing out his mind flashback. I'm sure to eternity past and the Council of the Godhead. The sending in the sun before the foundations, and there he saw a on that was it was coming, and now the 11 faithful were around a talk about this hope was glorify means to reveal means to enhance the reputation of a means for these people. All the plan is becoming unveiled so the world can see the now notice how his heart gets so tender verse 33. My children tech very interesting word has the idea of a of a father gathering his Connie younger younger children out of a heart of compassion and he speaking to these grown men he's wash their feet and he looks into their eyes around the table. He says my children. I will be with you only little longer. You will look for man, just as I told the Jews so I tell you now where I'm going, you cannot come now.

Again, we read that single guy she's leaving yet we know is to be ascendancy. We know the story. The story all they knew was the first time I said he was fully God. He was also fully man.

When Jesus sat down in his robe and there was water when he got his robe was wet when Jesus walked through mud. His feet got dirty, and they were money when Jesus got a hold of some bad drink and got upset stomach. He was fully human.

When Jesus walked for many many miles John four, he hired and so he sat down to rest. These disciples had the experience of being unconditionally love accepted.

Affirmed. Listen to they were in a perfect relationship with a perfect human being and now he just said I'm no more late night no more great insight. No more forgiveness no more looking into a set of eyes that said, I knew you blew it know you feel bad about it. I love you unconditionally. Anyway, I'm so glad you came in on top to. I'm so proud of you that's gone. No more theological questions was excuse me, Lord, you know their sand over there in this passage I was reading an image please explain it to me just one more time happening now notice the text after he says that what's next verse looking a Bible verse 34 a new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another. How just as I've loved you.

You see, they had this relationship with Christ and he's telling him will understand later in John 14 is going to the father. This experience of intimacy and love like they've never had anywhere in all the earth.

You don't he say since I'm leaving. I want you all to begin to fill that vacuum by the way you treat one another is number one reason for this command was. I will not be there in my physical presence.

You need eyes to look into. You need an arm around your shoulder. You need at times to be reviewed like I did. Peter on more than a few occasions you can and need a physical body where the Christ in them can give you what you and so that's why for the new commitment.

The second reason is not for their individual personal reason, but it's for the group. A corporate reason. I mean the night before the night before he turns over the mission to them. There still arguing about who is the greatest. This commandment taken seriously eliminates discipleship sibling rivalry, there can be no competition is not if they actually believe this is a new commandment. And this is what there to do the idea of trying to be the greatest just gets cut the roots so that's the second reason in the third reason is global the person was personal for them.

The second was for the group disciples Alaskans global what's verse 35 say by this by what by the way you all to the degree you all to the extent you all to the authenticity level that you will normally honestly love one another. All men will know that your followers of mine.

He's saying the movement.

The revolution everything I've taught the miracle signs on the promises I made it all hinges on something you guys modeling the message. If it doesn't work in your life is not in a cell anywhere. So that's why this commandment became the tax analysis process. Last question before talk about us.

How seriously they take this how seriously did the early church take this new commandment is it's like an Islamic mammoth scenario, Jesus talked to is a lot I know is the last night we were together and all that jazz.

But now no one commandment there's another commandment. How seriously did they take. Let me show you turned acts we ask.

Chapter 2. Acts chapter 2 phenomenal you talk about taking something seriously you talk about that axiom of how serious you take Jesus is how seriously you take his words early church. Pentecost, Peter preaches 3000 come to Christ. Verse 42 of chapter 2 they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship in the breaking of bread in the prayer. Everyone is filled with all the many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were to gather and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and their goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes.

They ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. You see, this environment occurred at the birth of the church devotion corporately from home to home. People haven't deep talks breaking bread sharing heart financially. You know what I've got more than I need. You can have this, no one had need.

And I hear you I hear you can hear you think it will yeah this was their first emotional response unit was early on. Turn the page turn the page. Chapter 4, 5000 more come to Christ. Some time is gone by verse 32 chapter 4. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that many of them had possessions that were his own, but they shared everything that they had with great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and much grace was upon them all. There was no needy person among them for from time to time.

Those who own lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put the apostles feet and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. I would say they take. They took it so seriously, the whole economic structure of their lives change their priorities change their time change their values change turn page not done chapter 5, verse 41 there now that undergoing persecution. I mean, they're getting the disciples have been beaten. Verse 41, the apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they been can counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the name. Now listen, this is a summary we have now a lot of time expiring verse 42 is a summary and characteristic of the early church day after day in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stop teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ, relationships, relationships, relationships, relationships, relationships, love, love, love, love needs needs across all barriers in the early church turned first on with me where you all the way in the back at the revelation you left all the way back I only just highlight a couple things I want you to get what you get. How powerful this is what you trying get your arms around. This is not like a command that sort of it on a salad bar you get to choose one or not she is. This is the whole enchilada. You do this you follow Christ you don't do this, you're not really following them according to Jesus first.

John is the same author. Three quick letters written chapter 2 verse nine.

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness who ever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble, but whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness, turn the page chapter 3 verse 11. This is the message you've heard from the beginning we should love one another. Verse 14, we know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers.

Anyone who does not love remains in death. Verse 16. This is how we know what love is Jesus Christ laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need, but has no pity on how can the love of God be in here dear children, let us not love in words and tongue. In other words, you know be warm beef would be filled. You hope goes well for you. But let us love with actions and in truth.

Verse 23 and this is the commandment to believe in the name of his son Jesus Christ and to love one another as he commanded us, those who obey his command live in him and he in them. Chapter 4 verse seven dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves is been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love whoever does not love does not know God. This is how God showed his love among us.

He sent his son, the one and only wanted to the world that he might live through him. This is love, not that we loved God, but he loved us and he sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins, dear friend, since God loved us, we also love one another. No one is ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete. Are you getting a drift is very very unsubtle message.

Skip down to verse 16. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in him.

In this way. Love is made complete among us so that we have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him don't skip over that in this world we are like and how we love how he loved. There is no fear in love but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment, the one who fears is not made in perfect love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, I love God yet hates his brother, he is a liar. She is a liar for anyone who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen, and he is given us this commandment. Who ever loves God get this down must also love his brother. How serious to the early church taken. They took it so seriously that 11 people and a group about 120 followers who couldn't vote who had no political clout who had no technology, no satellites no talkshows no printing press who only had the word of mouth who had no power in the system. A group of 11. And by now that 120 love one another so deeply so radically that their lifestyle even in the midst of persecution by 300 years later, transform the entire culture of Roman society and the secular historians I mean they were made as lampshades. Christians work. They were fed to the lions. Here's the testimony of secular historians. Oh how they love one another. All how they love one the revolution. And that's what Christianity is. It's a resolution was ignited because the early church took it seriously and I'm telling more about DC when we begin to get outside the lines and love each other in radical ways. What really is there's a price tag works death to ourselves death our agenda out of our comfort zone. Letting people of different color and different background, loving people, you would really like to be a light loving people that your motions don't click on a don't have any legally feeling you choose to extend yourself because they're part of Christ's body loving people from multiple backgrounds, loving people with political agendas that are so far away from years that you say that's okay. I have to agree with you to treat you with dignity reaching into a person's life for a mom or dad or a son of someone who has AIDS, and even got AIDS for all the reasons the Bible condemns and saying you know something. I understand that but you still need that notion you still need a ride to the hospital to Stonington financial aid, don't you, I'm going to love you the way Jesus love me. What a group like this.

It's her arms around that the spirit of God gets a hold of your heart. We start loving each other that way if we love they will come.

If we love the book is not a field of dreams the promise of reality. Here's our challenge.

You ready.

Our challenge pretty well set it let me simply state it is to take Jesus words seriously believe that your giving me right now is the implications of this are absolutely overwhelming and you are right in their absolutely exciting. Why is this so critical. Let me give you six quick reasons why is it so critical. Number one personal loyalty to Christ. I don't know where you're at on what you do, don't how often you read the Bible how much prayer anything else. Latte the stove for you and for me if I don't love other people the way Jesus love I'm disobeying. The only time in all of Scripture. Jesus said, I have a fresh avenue commandment so I'm not loyalty is my first step in obedience to Christ.

Second Christianity is anemic all the Barna research all the Gallup polls tell us what Christians don't live in a different morality and ethics. Not much in the rest the world.

We start loving one another will break through that third reason is so critical, people are hurting.

I don't have time to to grass to explain what it's like for family go through cancer.

I was in Dallas I sat in on faculty meeting of Dallas and for 25 minutes.

They did nothing but take prayer request students and faculty. And I mean it was just so-and-so has cancer. The student in our top students was hit by car. This student has a brain tumor people in the body of Christ in this room in this room.

If we can get everyone a flash card little marker and put the number one critical hurt in your life if you wrote it and then we held them all up. You look around the room and you would just people were hurting and I need your love and you need to be love.

Fourth reason that so critical is that life is complex thought about you. There's so much information coming at me and so we can't navigate life alone. We need each other. The fourth reason is that soul care or life transformation isn't happening for many what I mean by that is there are Christians authentically coming to Christ any really coming to Christ, but they don't have a group around to help them get into the word or process information or what every couple has been a big problem and if you're the exception I bless you mentor us under different seasons in your relationship. You get the point where he does look across the bed across the table he think like that person be very tall.

We don't get divorced, you realize, welcome to the NFL. This is to pass. You get some help. You think differently work on some issues and they look back five years and say, while boy, that's pretty normal but we came through every family has struggles with kids every man that I met struggles last soul care, helping one another in life transformation is not having his people are connected so we put up the sides we play games in your soul shrivels with love each other. We help each other.

You were never designed to become more holy on your last reason is our greatest apologetic verse 35 chapter 13 the greatest apologetic people can disagree disagree disagree when their son is in trouble when I was in trouble when their kid has cancer. Whenever big problem when you love and guess what happens.

All those intellectual reasons start to just filter away.

I just filter away when you remove your prejudging you reaching the people's lives that they think evangelicals don't care about us that there the narrow, bigoted groups when you break the stereotypes and you radically love and when they see us love each other. Say what makes a dog bark you got me quick in this room you're in trouble. Second, how we can accomplish this a little comic relief. Now we move on. Okay, those of the reasons now, here's what you need understand this is not anyone is messages like oh wow, I really need to love people more. There are nuggets in the Bible to talk like a love one another and encourage one another and admonish one another pair up with one another to restore people who send in the way in the right to learn a new commandment given to Jesus as love one another.

How just as he loved us.

Father I pray the name and the power of your son that we would take your words seriously. I asked for grace, courage, sensitivity and wisdom. We tell you we can't do it out of self effort, we can't do by trying harder. We ask that you would.

So, for loss wasn't with an awareness of how deeply and unconditionally. We are love that we can become so secure release significantly secure enough to start giving away receiving God. We know this is your will we offer to you name the power will be right this application just a quick reminder this message new commandment the new community is from his series love one another.

It was easy to lose sight of the bubble, reliving it becomes clear that when Jesus challenges us through Scripture and the status quo's disturbed a little but what if we overcame the fear that rises and made the decision to love one another what Jesus loves us what would happen within our homes, our families and our neighborhoods if we took his commitment seriously and really did love one another like that in this series chip explores the powerful possibilities of lives lived according to Jesus radical one another's to take a look at the resource options for love one another, including chips, message notes, check it out online LivingontheEdge.org or tap special offers on the app. For more information just give us a call a triple late. 333-6003 without her strip with an offer. You don't want to miss before I come back and today talk about how you can put this message into practice, there's a couple thoughts. I want to share with you and give you a resource that I think will be helpful if you think that loving people is impossible. In fact, if there's some people in your life. They might even be in your family right now you feel like it's impossible to love them what you need understand is your absolutely right. All these one another passages. They demand supernatural power unit of the apostle Paul would say put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving each other. Who ever has a complaint against anyone, just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you that here's what I'm gonna tell you I get that I'm supposed to do that. But in my emotions and in my head when I'm in conflict with the person whether it's in my family or in some other relationship and I can't get my way clear.

I get out a pen and I open my journal and I write out my thoughts, my struggles, even my angry feelings. What I think they did I get it out very clearly and then I offer that to God and say, God, help me see this clearly and help me know what's it look like to put on the heart of compassion, show me how to love this person, but the key thing is not to hold it inside to get it out to get clear and then trust God as you take the steps but the critical tool for me is having that journal where I can privately share things that I don't want anyone ever to read about some of these feelings and anger and resentment that I struggle with and so we've created a journal that I think will really be a tool that could help you really process life in a way that helps you love other people. Dave, could you take just a minute to describe exactly what this dribbles like and that may be how people can get it if this is a need in their life was. You can tell we're pretty excited about our new prayer journals. It's one thing to talk about how helpful journaling can be, but we wanted to make one available that it actually encourage you and enable you to do it inside ships given you a few of his journaling tips and while there are a few scriptures" here and there. There's plenty of room for you to write out passages or prayers, or just what's on your heart. Between you and God become of the couple different colors with embossed gold or silver trimmings and the whole thing is dutifully finished and bound for a limited time, our brand-new prayer journals are discounted so we hope you'll check them out today. You'll find all the details@livingontheedge.org app listeners will find when you tap special offers and for more information just give us a call a triple late. 333-6003, you know, if you listen to my voice today. Some of you might be saying to yourself, you know, this topic must be one of chips hot buttons this love one another. Stuff will let me take a minute or two as we close today's program and tell you why I didn't grow up in a Christian home and good parents.

My mom and dad were schoolteachers we lived. You know, in the suburbs. One of those families that tried to do what was right. We went to church pretty often, but it wasn't a church that taught the Bible. And I never had a relationship with Christ. I never open the Bible until I was 18, but what you need to know is that there was such hypocrisy in that church. Such political junk everywhere that by the time I was about 16, I decided I needed no more of God and no more of church by the time I was 18 I didn't want to have anything to do with organized religion.

I was a young guy got focused on school and sports and girls and and just decided I'm going to go to college and make a difference. But along the way.

I had a coach was a believer in my high school and he took a real personal interest in me. At that time I didn't even know the difference between a believer and unbeliever. All I knew was he was a nice guy. He believed in me and he said to me there's a camp it's called the Fellowship of Christian athletes and I would like to pay your way to go to this camp of the best athletes from all over for states, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia and Indiana. There can be there and you gonna love it.

Chip would be very honest going to a quote religious camp and talking about Jesus was not my idea of a good time but I had a conditional scholarship. I had to make the team in order to get my money in school so I thought to myself, well, this is a good idea. I'll go there for six or seven days play against these good athletes sharpen my skills and be ready for my freshman year of college, but something happened that I didn't plan on while I was there I began to see grown men love other grown men in a way that I've never ever seen. I saw the Bible opened up and explained and instead of being weird. It was authentic and it was real, and I'll never forget the day I saw the wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons and the fullback the University of Illinois walking off a practice field, arm in arm, sweaty after a big workout in a manly masculine way, sharing their hearts with one another and I remember as a tiny little freshman in college, but 135 pounds dripping wet, walking behind these two massive athletes, and as I listened to their voice, their conversation something inside said, I don't know what they have. But that's what I want my introduction to a real relationship with Jesus Christ came not because I heard lots of words, but because I saw love lived out.

That's why it's one of my hot buttons and there are people just like me all over the world searching and looking and wanting to find out if God is real and long before they will hear your words are mine. They must see us love one another.

That's why the series is so important. That's why this is a hot button and that's why how you live really makes a difference. Just before we close. I would like each of you who's making this program possible through your generous giving 100% of your gifts are going directly to the ministry to help Christians really live like Christians.

A few phone chips teaching helpful which are not yet on the team you consider doing that today to donate. Just go to LivingontheEdge.org Donate on the app or give us a call at triple late. 333-6003. Your gifts are greatly appreciated will be with us again next time. When Chip continues his series love one another to live for everyone here. This is Dave really saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge