The Legacy of Love | Part 1

What is the key to day-to-day communion with the Lord. Listen to Adrian Rogers. How would you like to have sweet communion with the Lord. I ran for the Lord not to be somebody that you read about or hear about. For the Lord Jesus Christ to be in your life. A bride burning loving reality at assurance that confidence that communion with the Lord. They vibrate what you like, well, there is a key to all of that.

That's what were going to talk about today and that key is not welcome to month worth finding featuring timeless truth found in the messages, pastor, teacher and author Roger as we just heard the key to assurance and fellowship with God's love children of God ought to be filled with love. It's our greatest virtue and commandment. It's also our greatest testimony will we be known by our love above all other things and it is our greatest motivation. If we love Jesus we will keep his commandments showing his love to others.

If you have your Bible turnout of first John chapter 3 will begin in verse 11 as Adrian Rogers explains more about the legacy of love at first John chapter 3. Ask your question. How would you like to have sweet assurance to say I know that I know that I know that I'm born in heaven bound.

How would you like great boldness in your faith to be able to pray to come to God and pray with such confidence that you absolutely no that your prayer will be answered and let me ask another question. How would you like to have sweet communion with the Lord.

I mean, for the Lord not to be somebody that you read about or hear about the Lord Jesus Christ to be in your life a bright burning loving, gracious reality at assurance that confidence that communion with the Lord.

They vibrate when you like that. Well, there is a key to all of that. That's what were going to talk about today and that he is love malice and love today is what it's it's sort of a word that we passed by this kind of shopworn but I want you to learn from the word of God today. The legacy of love and when you see you realize what I said a few moments ago that even we were utterly selfish, really selfish. We want to love because we can't be selfish and low so that's really a contradiction in God's word you understand what I'm talking about getting here. First John chapter 3 verse 11 for this is the message that you heard from the beginning that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother.

Wherefore slew he him because his own works were evil and his brother's righteous mama not my brethren, if the world hate you.

We know that we have passed from death onto life because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abides within their and whosoever hated his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him, hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us. We also lay down our lives for the brethren, but also has this world's good faith his brother have need, and shove it up his bowels of compassion from him, how well with the love of God in him my little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and increase, hereby we know that we are the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him were of our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and with all things, beloved, if our heart condemn us not then have we confidence toward God and whatsoever we ask, we receive him, because we keep his commandments and do those things which are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ, and love one another as he gave us commandment. And he that keep with his commandments well within him, and he in him.

And hereby we know that he abide within us by the spirit which he has given us. There are four levels of life.

Let's start at the lowest level of life and that is murderer.

Look, if you will, in verse 11. Again, this is the message that we've heard of him from the beginning that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother Adam had two sons K slew Abel byway the first murder was over religion. That's what the Bible says it was over religion J pain enables religion and Abel was a martyr for the faith. False religion is almost always murderous. It comes from the devil. Jesus said in John chapter 8 and verse 44 that Satan is a murderer.

Jesus, a visa that comes to Carol and a steel and straw, who is manipulating the street gangs who is enticing sometimes well fed and well paid doctors. The snuff out life in the womb, Satan. That's the lowest level of life that that's murder right now let's move on to the next level.

Not much higher. Look, if you will. Now in verses 13 and 14. Mama not my brethren of the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death and life because we love the brethren. He that love is not his brother by death, and death.

And whosoever hated his brother is a murderer now. The next level, not murder and hatred you say.

Well, I never killed anybody but John says if you have hate in your heart.

God noted that in his ledger as murder. Jesus said if you anger with your brother, you have hatred in your heart if your heart is headquarters for Haiti your own.

A mighty low level of life that you might not have pulled the trigger, but in God's sight. God might see you as a murderer, he that hated his brothers a murderer. I member hearing about a woman went to the doctor she been bitten by rabid animal and the doctor came back and said yes you do you have a rabies and she got out a pen and a piece of paper and began to write. He said that what he doing making out. You will she said no I'm making a list of people I'm going to bite that people just like that hatred, God writes it down as murder. That's another level of life.

But then there's another level a little higher, but not a whole lot better.

That's not murder our hatred, but it is indifference look in verse 17, but whoso hath this world's good, and see if his brother have need, and shove it up his bowels of compassion from him, how about the love of God in him now. The minute you say well I'm I'm not a murderer, and I don't hate people. I just I just go my way. I do my thing and I let them do their thing and you are in different that to my friend is not of God. Jesus gave the whole parable. Parable of the good Samaritan about those who pass the man by who had been beaten and bruised and bloodied and left for dead.

The world is full of the beater uppers in the past, rappers. Thank God there are some picker uppers, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now those are three levels of life and I want to deal with the fourth level. That's the level of the child of God.

Those who are saved, and that is the level not murder, not hatred, not indifference, but love now before we get into our text, I just want to take just a little moment and tell you of the great great immeasurable value of love.

I looked up some scriptures, I will share with you.

Get a pen and a piece of paper and just jot the Scriptures down. Let me tell you why love is so very, very important number one is absolutely the greatest virtue just write down first Corinthians chapter 13 verses one into our Lord here is comparing all of the other virgins with love. For example, he says in verse so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I method what Paul is saying is what good is it if you can get rid of mountains and you can get rid of malice alive is greater than greater than mountain moving babe he says if I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and have not love, I'm just like that going on the Gong Show. I'm like sounding brass and tinkling cymbal is the greatest virtue.

Love is the greatest virtue. Love is the greatest commandment. One time asked the Lord Jesus.

Jesus. What is the greatest commandment. But the Scripture down in Matthew chapter 22 verses 37 through 40 Jesus as under him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all our heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind.

This is the first and great commandment.

I watch this and the second is like a good thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself on these two commandments. All the law and the problems you can take the 10 Commandments you can take me out the Pentateuch, you can take Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, you can take it all and just write down this love God with all your heart. Love your neighbor as yourself. That's that's ascetic one on that that is the whole thing some love is the greatest virtue. Love is the greatest commandment. And by the way, if love is the greatest commandment.

What is the greatest sin, but the love because you broken the greatest commandment not love God not love you brother… Love is the greatest testimony. Jesus Christ said in John chapter 13 by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

You have to have a lapel pin. You have to have a bumper sticker. A man on California true story. It was one of these guys always on time.

One of these guys does everything just right businessman woke up in the morning.

He always like to get on the freeway in California early so I would not be late. Wake up when out to trust God's car the battery was being yes is why can I take your car. She said yes. By this time, he missed the window of opportunity, and that freeway had become the world's longest parking lot and he's inching along and then it comes to a dead stop and the man behind him to use the horn back.

The guys already late is already irritated and the man behind him blows the horn he just sits there and stings a little after while the men behind him blows the horn again through store. This executive member find church in California got so irritated he just gritted his teeth, as I don't know why that guy is blowing his horn at me doesn't he see I cannot move.

Then the man tapped the horn the third time this man so angry this exact fit normally well-controlled. Open the car door went back to that man capital the weight of the man lowered the window. He put his finger that man's face as I listen you. I don't want you loyal me one more time.

I cannot move my car.

He said some other things were very nice to the man behind sits or what is wrong with you was wrong.

Lisa was wrong. You should know what is wrong with you Sherry said.

Doesn't that bumper sticker may want to says honk if you love Jesus said, I do love Jesus. I am so sorry.

We need to take the site off the dashboard putting behind the steering wheel in that right busy. Love is the greatest virtue. Love is the greatest commandment love is the greatest testimony by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another is the greatest motivation. You know what the apostle Paul said the apostle Paul said in the second grant is the love of Christ constrain that's what keeps me going is the love of Jesus. I really is. You know to be a soul winner is not even loving souls. Jesus said to Peter, love is thou me feed my sheep not be love. She pretty love to feed them but love is the greatest motivation is the greatest thing in the world and friend. Bauer don't come back to our text.

All that was for free. That's not even in the text are best just to get you ready.

I want to say that love is also the greatest investment you'll ever make the greatest investment you will ever make and what John is giving us here are three things that we gain three things that we receive training benefits and blesses from when we learn to love what is the legacy of delay on the first one is a good conscience. The second one is a great confidence, and the third is a gracious communion. That's the legacy of love mouth. First of all, let's looking we can and see how we have a good conscience. When will not notice in verse 19 and hereby we know that we are of the truth and shout sure our hearts before him for far condemn us, God is greater than our heart and the level what causes your heart to continue. Lack of love.

When you have malice in your heart. We have hatred in your heart you have a condemning heart. God is wired you. That way if you're saying if you're born again you can fail to love and have good conscience. Now we're talking about the word conscience we settle Cedarwood conscience. There will in the Bible the word conscience of the world heart are often used interchangeably when he says if a heart condemns not they save our conscience does not condemn us now when you have love in your heart. Find a wonderful thing that your conscience is going to be clear now. Your conscience is not an enemy your conscience is a friend is something unique. Putting you that God did not put into animals thought about it. Animals can't blush in animals can't laugh.

Man has a conscience conscience.

The little boy said when he asked was asked what conscience is. He says that's a part of us that feel bad when everything else feels good but that's not really true is more than that. That may be the world's frivolous definition of a conscience but that conscience is that part of you that God has put in you. It is an ability to contemplate our actions and make moral judgments and the Bible teaches that all of us should have a good conscience, but the Scriptures down.

First Timothy 119, holding faith and a good conscience, but this was that acts chapter 24 in verse 16. Paul said this is the apostle Paul talks about his ambition, he said, and herein. Do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men.

Bill Gossard said that conscience a good conscience is this that inner freedom of spirit and assurance from knowing that you have a transparency toward everyone that no one is able to point a finger at you and accuse you of wrong stored him that you never made right, you can just take that definition by Bill Gossard and write the word love. There is absolutely no way that you can have a good conscience without love. When you allow you make it right and when you make it right.

You have that transparency when you love. I mean truly love when you made it right you going to have that sweet assurance.

So here's the first legacy of love and he's going to build one upon another. The first legacy of love is a good conscience is the second legacy of love, not only a good conscience, but a great confidence not notice how one falls into another look in verse 19 and hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him for the heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and with all things love it if heart condemn is not that we confidence toward God, confidence, boldness, first all my heart doesn't condemn me and all of this is in the context of love.

My heart is and commitment, my heart doesn't condemn me confidence toward God boldness and the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. We say what good is this confidence with this confidence dear friend that you have with God. This confident heart that comes out of 888 claim conscience is what helps you to pray and get your prayers answered. Look again at this passage of Scripture and I watch this if heart condemn us not then that we confidence toward God and is all linked together. Verse 22 and whatsoever we ask, we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do those things which are pleasing in his sight know what commandments is he talking about what just go down to verse 23. The last part that we should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us commandment is what is talking about his answer. Have a good conscience. What is I do pages are great confidence and you can come to God and ask him his name and get your Branson answered prayer is not answered prayer is not as it is not is not. It is not Bible says if I regard iniquity in my heart.

The Lord will not hear me. That's a prayer promise that we don't like to quote that's one of the promises that separate promise. Let me illustrate this everywhere in the first Peter chapter 3, Peter is telling husbands and wives how to dwell together as heirs of the grace of life. I like that phrase the grace of life. The sky like the cherry on top the grace of life.

A happy marriage.

Husbands and wives well together as heirs of the grace of life, and he says that your prayers to God be not hindered by me to be a real example of this, you and your wife are having what little discussions they can be heard. About three blocks away. They get into a look. Sometimes Christians can do this through. I mean, they get their eyes off the Lord and again one of these things and that was so and whatever else they are doing.

They are not dwelling together as heirs of the grace of life and their mother goes into check the baby and she comes out and she's got a frightened look on her face is obvious that the baby is very sick. You both believers and you know that you need to pray you feel so silly right now you say we better pray RI you can pray you feel like praying in that atmosphere that hostility that you know what you do is a sweetheart, I'm so sorry I was wrong. I was a fool, doll, and forgive. She says will. It was my fault to your case make up the conscience is clear. He assurances back in human brain Jew cannot pray with the condemning heart. I mean if you just cannot have a great confidence and if you have a great confidence you can get your prayers answered just that plan as my job is done is very practical love gives a good conscience and would love gives a good conscience. Love gives a great con's powerful truth in today's program.

Love gives great confidence your part two of this lesson coming up tomorrow you know in love with finding we love hearing how the ministry and messages of Pastor Rogers have inspired you in your faith journey. If you can go to our website and submit your own testimony or read others who shared their stories with us.

We often select stories to be shared throughout her love with finding community and we always will protect your privacy, we can't wait to hear from you.

Go to LWF.org/my LWF story today You like to order a copy of this lesson in its entirety. Call us at 1877 love God and mention the title the legacy of love. This message is also part of the insightful series sweetest fellowship this side of heaven. For that complete collection all 11 powerful messages: 877 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 in God's word with us today. Remember if you'd like to start receiving daily devotions and links to the program sign up for our daily heart emails LWF.org/radio. Tune in tomorrow for the conclusion of the legacy right on the recently we heard from a listener in Texas.

He said this in 2012 while surfing through radio stations. I heard Pastor Rogers speaking through his message.

I felt God reach down into the muck and mire hold me out set me on solid ground and by his grace. Adrian Rogers taught me things I've never heard you're so grateful to hear such wonderful news about the powerful truth of the gospel, found in the messages of Adrian Rogers.

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