Practical Christianity

What is been your experience of love. How many people in your life do you think truly love you thinking of that I'm wondering how many people truly love me because one of the greatest desires of the human heart is to love and to be loved by God has made us in his image and God is a God of love and every one of us. Once the love someone or others, and also to be loved and the wonder of the Christian gospel is that whoever you are, whatever your background with every good experience of love and you may have come from the worst form and all of North America and have to experience very very little love that perhaps you came from, most loving home where you've always felt love but whoever you are, the message of the gospel the message of Christ to you is that God loves you.

The Bible says that in many many ways that God so loved the world. Brian is beginning our worship this morning. Quoted from Romans chapter 5 verse that we study some time ago that God shows his love for us. And Paul tells us how God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. It was and when were wonderful people is not that you deserve God's love. In fact, Paul emphasizes the sinfulness of each one of us, and yet God's love is greater than that.

And God shows his love supremely and wonderfully in the cross of Christ that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us now as we come to the passage in Romans chapter 12 verses nine through 13 this morning. Paul is focus. Now I'm not so much on God's love for us is done that, particularly in Romans chapters 5, six, seven, eight. He's done that and it isn't even so much I would love for God, although we are commanded to love God. As we sign with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. Now, with a focus is on our love for others. You love others as you come to Calvary church. Do you experience God's love through his people. Are you loving your brothers and sisters here at Calvary church. Are you loving person. John the apostle of love Wright's beloved as God so loved us, we ought also to love others. God is love June. Therefore we are to love others.

Our Lord Jesus said that the quiet reminder that by this. All people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another, you loving person you want to be loved one to be cared for. Of course you do. Of course I do, but a challenge this morning is are you my loving person DL Moody said Satan separates God unites love binds us together. Our enemy is described as a murderer from the beginning. He is evil he is hated he hates.

He tries to divide. He tries to divide churches in families and friendships. He's the divider he's a hater but when he got it right that God unites, and love binds us together.

Perhaps you thinking of Paul's word in Colossians 3, verse 14, but pulsate beyond all these put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity apostle Paul wrote the apostle John writes little children, let us not love with were done with time. That's easy for someone to say I love you but John is reminding us that I wanted to love in deed and in truth. And so here it in Romans nine Romans 12 other verses nine through 13, Paul turns to this vital subject of genuine wine love earlier in the Romans chapter 12, after giving us the challenge of total commitment.

He deals with the important subject of us functioning together as a local church entity reminds us if were going to do that we must be characterized by humility. We need to maintain the unity we must learn to understand that not everyone is the same as us. We are to appreciate the diversity that God has given us all again to get the difference, but they are to be used in a humble way for the glory of God and for the good of others, and in doing this it is essential that not only are we humble, but that we love. In other words, authentic love, genuine love is to be the pervading atmosphere of the local church that traversing children that you and your home your home a place of love. Is that true of your relationships, but those who know you the best who live with you who work with you to interact with you would say this person is a person of love, genuine love and Paul on this is a very convicting passage, Paul is dealing. I would love in action. This is not some sentimental sickly superficial love noted that raw emotion but this is strong biblical authentic love. Underfed love for God and our love for the word of God doesn't result in love for others. That is something radically wrong as long troubled me that some who claim to be the deep students of the word of God, who claim to stand for the truth is sometimes very harsh, very judgmental, very unloving and very on governing member Paul says in first Corinthians 13 that he could do many things but without love it all amounts to zero, he gains nothing. I Paul as he writes under the inspiration of the spirit. He still dealing with the implications of a life totally committed to the Lord Jesus Christ is called for that in the first two verses in December. What does it look like if I am committed to the Lord Jesus Christ was I going to mean that my life was good wasn't going to mean in my relationships of my home, at work in here in the church while it is here is practical, applied visible Christianity ready for but send and read Romans 12 no verses nine through 13. I mistreated thoughtfully. It's not a long passage but is a very convicting one here this spring with me. Let love be genuine.

Abhor what is evil. Hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. I would do one another in showing honor.

Do not be slothful and zeal. The environment in spirit said the Lord rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality event. Please be seated. The basic command the injunction. The exhortation is made genuine wine in your love verses nine and 10.

If you have a Bible open it with me there.

There's one in the pure Romans nine again. Romans 12 than verse nine and 10. Let love be genuine when reading from the English standard version. Abhor what is evil.

Hold fast to what is good. Love one another and with brotherly affection. I would do one another in showing honor our love must be genuine. The international verses as our love must be sincere, genuine love is the theme of verses nine through 21 in the passage today the focus is is on loving our brothers and sisters in Christ next week as we think.

From verses 14 through 21. The focus is not so much within the Christian community, but would also to love those who are not part of the Christian community fact were commanded to love our enemies love then is to be the greatest characteristic of the Christian and the more we drink of the love of God, the more we spend time with the cross of Christ meditating and understanding of the deeper and deeper way. The love of God for us. More than we will love others. So here Paul says in verse nine let love be genuine is to be authentic is to be sincere. The Greek word here is translated genuine wine or sincere is not hypocritical, your love is not to be hypocritical was epically well this word secular Greek is a reference to the world of the theater. There you have someone deliberately pretending someone on the state acting slowly.

There really are there playing apart they are pretending that in a role policy I know you love is not to be like the hypocrites was Woody Allen who said that if you're going to be a good actor. You really have to learn how to fake sincerity. Well were not to fake sincerity. You're not to fake it happens to be genuine wine is to be authentic.

Don't pretend that you love someone, don't be phoning it, we would say in our vernacular know this love is to be genuine is to be biblical. It's openhearted, not putting on a show, and we must understand this may be difficult for some of us we must understand that different personalities and sadly different cultures shoulder love in different ways. You've always lived in the side you show your love a certain way for those of us who come to this culture takes a little bit getting used to, just as if you went to Scotland door. I spent many about nine years 19 years in Michigan there is a culture is primarily Dutch, somewhat like the Scottish not quite as good but something similar and in Scotland and in the Dutch culture that Lisa Michigan is that not many people committing the sin of flattery compliments are not too much. It takes a while to get to know people and so as you travel as you come into contact with different nationalities and were blessed and calibrated people from all over the world understand that were not talking about a certain cultural manifestation of this love. The important thing is that it is genuine. First time I went to Kazakhstan after being there a few days either meeting with some of the pastors that and at the end event. This man came and planted a huge big kiss right on my lips felt well been installed and we were the kills but we do not kiss my sentiment that I said I'm never had such an experience in my life was a big slacker and he said very seriously.

He said John this means that your brother my brother I was saved when I was 12. He said yes but not who they feel your pastor and they really loves you and this is the way they show their love.

Next time, I just kept a straight arm so that it is no Paul is not talking about some particular cultural manifestation of the love that's not the point.

He say whoever you are, your personality or culture. It must be sincere, must be authentic, genuine in our love. Think of the kiss of Judas, the very opposite of genuine very, very opposite of authentic. It was a case of the hypocrite. It was because the very act of betrayal. No big genuine in your love, not Paul is saying here nothing. We understand that that genuine love makes a difference. This is practical Christianity and J love is demonstrated how wound any of us know that were love unless there's a demonstration, you can say well you can communicate and say to someone I love you. Yes that is true, and that is appropriate, but I think all of us understand that while it is nice to hear someone say I love you. It is much, much better. Much, much more meaningful when the profession of the lips is followed by a certain attitude of helpfulness, attendance now this offending love is not sentimental, but notice what Paul says abhor what is evil. Hold fast to what is good.

Does it surprise you that love and evil are in the same verse know this is very well is notice very carefully how different this is from our present culture when were told if you love someone, you must automatically approve of everything they do.

If our people say that while they love each other what you hang up mine. In other words, if you say you love someone, it must be all right. No, not necessarily that the failure to recognize that that is conduct which is good and that is conduct which is evil, same verse apart what is evil. Hold fast to what is good member. President Bush was criticized after 9/11 for saying that these acts of flying airplanes into buildings in New York City.

He said it was evil, and people were the size for whether this conduct which is good and this conduct which is evil is God, all loving, absolutely the very essence of God is love. The Bible says that God is love but God is also holy is also righteous and this lab holds fast to that which is good and pursues it. It doesn't compromise its standards.

We don't make our definitions out on definitions of what is good and evil moral rights and moral wrongs are not defined by the individual or even by the culture. Ultimately, they are defined by God, not your feelings, not the culture but what God says about particular conduct and I have to remind you that just because some conduct is unlawful, doesn't make it right doesn't make it good when I was a law student in the British Parliament had the British somewhat halfhearted but so Celtic.

It was a lawsuit that the British Parliament had passed a law saying that homosexuality was no was no longer legal and member going to the law society of the law students that attend the University and they had invited sodium problems with this.

They had invited a very famous judge of probably none of you had love called Lord Denning. He was the master of the roles. It was one of the best known at judges and although he was English had been invited to the Scottish University to speak to students and he gave a very eloquent and on the particular subject for which I forget. But then there came the question time and in the course of his lecture to us.

He had talked about the homosexual issue and remember one of my friends, standing up and that with supreme confidence. This youngest law student trying to contradict Lord Denning's question was Lord Denning homosexuality is no longer legal and I think you mentioned the word sin if it means it's illegal, it means it's not sinful and Lord Denning delay that I find out I think was a believer in Jesus Christ very graciously but very carefully put this young man in this position is absolutely not because the parliament say this is lawful doesn't mean that it's morally rights. I think in our society would growing up thinking because the law permits something that it means it's all rights, is it permissible for people to live together although they're not married. Yes, losses that's okay. Is it lawful to commit adultery regarding tort law in many jurisdictions, yes, if you commit adultery you're not going to be imprisoned for its but does that make it right now Paul is saying here very, very importantly, abhor what is evil and hold fast to what is good that is as follows of Jesus Christ.

I'm to learn to love what God loves and I'm to learn to hate what God hates you. See hates that. Interestingly, the NIV at the end of verse nine translates it hates what is evil apart that this time from it. Have nothing to do with it. That means authentic love hates evil practices and others that surprise you shouldn't.

John says in the prologue of his gospel that the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Jesus was the most gracious of man and he was also absolute truth. Psalm 85 says Marseille and truth meet together righteousness and peace kiss each other, as these are not opposite you can say just because someone is loving that whatever they do is automatically good.

No genuine love, authentic love. Biblical love does not overlook evil conduct. Let me say this again another way very clearly genuine love never leads you to do something which is evil, genuine love, the love of God in the heart of the believer will never ever lead you to do that which is evil so the young man who says to his his girlfriend. If you love me you'll allow me to sleep with your and she says no and he then says well that means you don't love me absolutely nuts to love. True love pursues that witches words and abhors that which is evil.

Notice what Paul says here hold fast what is good.

We need to hear visitors decided all my talk so much about love. We are to hold fast to what is good. You want to know what is good and what is evil is why we turn over and over again to the word of God. My notice verse 10 love one another with brotherly affection. I would do one another in showing honor using this love is a tender one. Paul uses the word from which we get Philadelphia up brotherly love the kind of love that you have in your family between children, between mom and dad and the children then the extended family. This is a warm intimates, tender affection that we have for one another. After all they churches the family of God. There should be a sense of warmth, a sense of intimacy ascends of great freedom as we come together. Paul says loving one another with brotherly affection.

This is not some cold Judy is not doing something that we don't want to. This is the very heartbeat of God who loves us and transforms us as openhearted by personality. We are told and plans we come from a home where there was very very little love but not under the grace of God and under the work of the Spirit of God were being transformed and it transforms our relationships where someone comes from a home where they didn't know much love and not with the warmly action it to others is not beautiful thing when you see it is so thankful for brothers and sisters at Calvary here who reaches who reach out to you with this. Brotherly affection and then Paul says I will do one another in showing honor this genuine love is demonstrated in doing others in honoring them the way for people to honor you know you are to honor them don't always push for first place don't always be in the front of the line, particularly going through the buffet. Think of others put others first. This is basic practical Christianity stop putting yourselves cannot be blunt, stop putting yourself at the center of every conversation and every situation. Everything is not about you with the giver Lord, holy and humble of heart. Question is Ashley Jeremiah.

Do you see great things for yourself. Answer seek them.

Not all about you think of that brother and that sister perhaps was more reserved than you.

Perhaps you shyer than you do them and honor them first. The story is told of the author who does show huge ego and these no home within a particular talking and he's talking on these talking head. He's talking all about himself, his accomplishments, the books you'd written everything that you done perhaps even this insensitive man began to discern that the people around the table were getting a little bored by him and did they hide after five minutes, but he got on for a couple of hours and then finally he says well that's enough about me. What do you think of my book easy to become like that doesn't with the recently to outdo one another in showing on, don't be resentful of the successes of others. That's not loving on the them and thank them. Be genuine wine in your love versus 11 through 13. Paul says this genuine love is certainly demonstrated verse 11. Do not be slothful and still be very relevant in spirit serve the Lord rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality to forcible verse 11. This genuine love is demonstrated in caring for and serving others is diligent and zealous is not lazy and serving others is valid.

When does not look warm is boiling. It's a glow be set on fire by the spirit is one translation to this genuine love doesn't lead to mediocrity when we sound of the Lord.

When we love God and we love others. We serve others with passion January 9 caring for them. We just commissioned this team going to Mexico and they're going to be caring again surveying children who are very much deprived. I would later serve them. Just because we send them in a cold, mechanical Judy, absolutely not. With the are to do this with zeal, fervent in spirit, glowing with the spirit, with a heart full of love for these children serving them lovingly sharing with those in need to redo the last time you lovingly share with someone, indeed, and this is going to be demonstrated consistently in her lifestyle. Look at verse 12 rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer we must have joy in our hope reverses back doesn't it to chapter 5, Romans five verse two Paul says at the end of verse two, we rejoice in hope of the glory of God more than that, we rejoice in our sufferings and credible. We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, here we are and were suffering were going through some affliction, some pressure, some some child. The word is used in the New Testament in many ways for persecution and hardship. Send sickness and anxiety and fears what are we to do with to be steadfast we are to be patient in tribulation. We are to rejoice in the hope this is not easy as it were the situations that we find that all of us find ourselves and from time to time an opportunity on thing to a flash point of trust in this God of love to know that I am loved the dog does not abandon me, but am loved with an everlasting love and says Paul because he spent in prayer not halfhearted consistent and faithful. Isn't this a way that we demonstrate our love for one another that we pray for them. Pastor casual encouraged us to pray for this huge team going to Mexico and were sitting there and were getting as it was a picture of them in their minds and were being exalted to keep praying for them, but is very easy on Monday morning or Tuesday night to almost totally forgot about. Go Mexico go Monterey nowhere to be constant want to thank those of you who pray for the watchman prayer. We began that several years ago and there was a tremendous a moving outpouring of people who said yes with the Lord's strength. I'm going to pray for the ministries of Calvary church in this particular hour every weekend day you selected the number so every month my fellow pastors and directors at Calvary. We send out our prayer requests as I'm writing them every month. I sometimes think I wonder how many who signed up for that constant in prayer. Constant in prayer. We finished a week of missions we sense our missionaries were going to pray for your and I got the other day just two or three days ago. The list of the requests for this month are we going to be faithful. You have someone in your life group under the struggling are going to the real difficulty with the family of their marriage or their children or their health or ministry in you genuinely love them and give you Satan can be praying for you that we constant in prayer, perhaps of the prayer journal perhaps write down perhaps send them a note to say I'm praying for you that is a way that we demonstrate that would genuine wine in our love for one another and then Paul says here in verse 13 contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality practical Christianity demonstrating in a practical way of love for one another, sharing with the poor with the stress.

The lonely hunting you say about that. We have such people at Helfrich yes we do. Yes, many of the many of them and I'm thankful for the various ministries that we have at Calvary.

I trusted more than administrative, but I think that an evidence of the genuine love that we have, to contribute to the needs of the St. I think of hearts and hammers for the men and the woman who go to home, but out of a window. Single mother and in a practical way with a heart of genuine love and that, it is a practical way of helping this dear sister in Christ, or the car ministry. Thank you for those of you who spend hours preparing cars of those who are poor or food ministry street ministry genuine love for people and ministry of benevolence and so on. What are we doing we are seeking is a manifestation of this genuine love to contribute to the needs of the saints, and if you feel neglected my brother, my sister, I'm sorry. Let us know and then says Paul seek to show hospitality hospitality here is loving strangers going out of her way to help a person. The saints vascular when the last time you invited one of the saints into your home. Someone didn't know very well, but I'm someone who's new to Calvary, but have someone who's come from the other side of the globe to come here to Calvary church and they know hardly anyone or someone who moves from the north comes down here. The man is very, very busy is working that the wife is a home with three or four children have many of us reach out to someone like that ever done. You invited someone into your into your home. I'm very thankful that good and I work with come from homes where parents invited people to homes. As you know I come from a large family and if I my mother perhaps some. Sunday was a home with her with one of my younger brothers, my dad would meet someone of the local assembly, and invariably he asked them back for lunch. As a boy growing up I never thought about it. I never thought what that meant for my mother, contributing to the needs of the saints.

Remember good admin long married living in in the Scotland this Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time we were at and there were two young men hitchhiking through Scotland's door from Belgium I think are or are the Netherlands.

We spoke to them afterwards and I find I that they had nowhere to stay and I very quickly said will come and stay with us and so they came to our house to the member greatly giving them some supper as they were speaking instantly. These are the kinds and they live and asked me if I had a gun and I had a shotgun in fact we we were living out from the city in the country and that we had quite a number of rabbits would come onto my property. None was the little garden and that they like to eat my garden and so I'm sorry for those of you who love rabbits. I'm really I love people and love rabbits as a boy I had to rabbits.

One was called sweep and when it was called but also I love rabbits but no one there eating my vegetables and so Isaac came on the lawn.

I get my shotgun and the goodbye to the little rabbit so I'm sorry I apologize. In the last in this terrible feeling came. I thought you were going to murderous banks. In fact the room where they were staying at the shotgun and so I indicate the good need to them talking, went into the room took the shotgun into our bedroom and that she did know we did survive can be risky. Yes, it can be risky.

Remember, member, writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 13 that some have entertained angels never had someone into your home can ask you to begin to do that practice hospitality as the followers of Jesus we are to care for the poor and the oppressed, the immigrants for those different from us. This love is genuine world can be a very very cold and lonely place, and I often think how wonderful it is. Perhaps today, even with the difference someone has made their way into Calvary church in the city, sitting up in about God and his sovereign purposes had brought them here. Whether, and perhaps they are really discouraged.

How wonderful to know that as they come not because it's a program, but because, like people like you who have experienced God's love in your heart that you going to reach out to that person to that young man that woman with the love of Christ.

What a difference. Paul is saying this genuine love is to be demonstrated, not just in our attitude, not just in our words but in this consistent care and so today before you leave before you leave. This campus will each one of you reach out to someone you don't know you can find. I could be here 30 years in the organization or you take that risk. Reach out to someone you don't know, introduce yourself smile. Get to know them.

Show genuine love. Love is the bond of the Christian community. We are to love Jesus said by this shall all men know you are my disciples, because you have love one to another. Yes, I believe in this book. I believe in the truth of this book, but I also believe that God is a God of love and when he saves us. He pours his love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit was given to us so that above all other things we are people of love as we will see loving others who are unbelievers, but also loving within the cone purgation not can I say to those of you who quite new.

You're sitting and saying well I'm I'm waiting for someone to love me welcome to the human race were all sitting waiting for people to love us for universal need that we have, but don't isolate yourself. Don't just come sit in the balcony and then quickly leave.

We have life groups. Yes, it will study the word of God but an opportunity for people who do love you to give them to put yourself in an environment where people can reach out to you coming to the newcomers reception at the Caf� will be someone there who want to love you and to get to know you so that each one of us whatever we are and whatever we're doing are demonstrating this great love to others. We love John says because while he first loved us. You received this love John says in this God's love is shown to us now that we loved God but that he loved us and gave his son to be the propitiation, the atoning sacrifice for our sin in their some of you here who never have experienced this divine love to a greater or lesser extent, you know something of you my love. But I want you to experience in the very depth of your feeling the love of God as you look to the cross of Christ with within our ceiling that there Jesus Christ died for you so that your sins could be forgiven with a tremendous act of love your sins not only forgiven by that you personally can receive this divine love. This supernatural lab this love that transforms. Is this love that changes all of life that you will receive this life and be an authentic follower of Christ never committed your life to Jesus Christ the state believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. And for those of us who love Christ, may we show our love for Christ and loving others. Today, tomorrow, love someone, some of you have children and your children may not even have heard from your lips. I love you not only tell them you love them show by your actions by your kindness, your tenderness that God is a God of love, so that the world that talks about love, but know so little about love will know that we are followers of Jesus by her father and the God we thank you that you are a God of love infinite and blows our minds we can take it in your the creator of the universe and yet you know us by name you sent your son to pay the price for our sins. May all of us open our hearts and trust the Lord Jesus Christ and receive your love and your forgiveness and that we will go and make a tremendous difference because this love is genuine in this love is demonstrated helpless father and help us at Calvary church to be known not just as a big building.

What a wonderful campus, but so that people would say there are people of love.

We asked in Christ's name