February 28, 2010

Heb 13:1-3

I want you to memorize verse 1, if you get nothing else out of these three verses, get this Love for each other. Let it; this is an imperative in the original, marching orders from the King to his followers.

Look at the fact that this command says  let it continue. The implication is that love has been demonstrated.   In Chapter 10 32-34 we noticed that in the time of their first being illuminated they endured a great deal of affliction and it says “you became companions of others who were so used, namely you had compassion on me in my bonds. SO…you have shown compassion, keep on in these days.

What is this “love”?  Here he uses the word for brotherly love (Philadelphia). This was a highly regarded trait in the old Testament. Psalm 133:1 says “how good and pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity.”

The term is a combination of phileo.. to love and brother adelphos… the idea is in a fond , kind friendly manner. BE friendly.

Romans 10:12 uses the term in the sense of “be kindly affectioned to each other in brotherly love.”

1 Thess. 4:9-10  But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;  //
In 1 Peter 1:22 Peter speaks of apprehended love of the brothers. In second Peter 1:7 it is translated “brotherly kindness.”
 
But love isn’t mere sentimentality, love can be costly. Look at 1 John 3:16 -18:   We have come to know love by this: that Jesus laid down his life for us; thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians.
 But whoever has the world's possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?  Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth.

I have seen it demonstrated (examples of tending a sick person ) When you love it is not a sacrifice to lay aside your own self interests for the care of someone else. Love may be costly. (we have been the recipients of so much of that in our ministry)
In 1 Thess 4:9 Paul admired them because they didn’t need to be reminded to love, you show love, taught by God to love…but keep on. Love more, love fulfills the commandments.

Love is a major theme of Jesus commands. The term for love in John 13:35 is a synonym of this term, by this will all men know you are my disciples if you have love (agape) one for the other. God to man love is agape. Moulton and Milligan’s Greek lexicon note that it is  used as a synonym mostly with the thrust on God to man love and as a  result of the love God has to man, a special person to person love is encouraged . Here in Hebrews he urges them to let this Philadelphia, person to person love, continue.

Love like brothers, esteem, have close warm friendship, delight in fellowship.  Is that kind of Christian love shown in your relationships? Or is it more a sibling rivalry.  If you are always looking out for number 1 and forgetting the needs and hurts of others, you are not fulfilling God’s commandment here.

1 Corinthians 13 says love is: something better even than the exercise of spiritual gifts.
 
True believers are to act out of love for God and for neighbors.

Note that love is patient, literally “long tempered.” Are you long tempered or short fused? A person with this characteristic has learned to put up with others, to restrain himself in all life situations.

Parents need this. If you really love your children then Dad, show long temperedness with them, do not lose control in discipline.

2. Love is Kind. Not too severe or cruel. It is ACTIVE gentleness, caring about others enough to actively seek their good, their welfare.

3. Love is not jealous.  If you can rejoice when Hector is promoted  above you, rejoice when your rights are submerged for the benefit of others.

4. Love doesn’t boast. The purpose of love isn’t to show off and put others down in order to lift up yourself.

5 . Love isn’t proud. Has proper humility, acknowledges skills and achievements as God at work in us. (not putting self down).

6. Love doesn’t act in ugly ways. It doesn’t offend with indelicate or cruel words, it tries to act in appropriate and kind ways.

7. Love isn’t self serving.

8. Easily irritated.

9. Keeps no record of wrongs.

10. Doesn’t gloat when someone falls.

11. It covers up wrongdoing (doesn’t spread stories) Not Every issue needs to be made an issue.

12. Love believes all things, or is not suspicious.  gives the benefit of the doubt. It doesn’t mean it is naïve or buries it’s head in the sand .
 
13. Love is enduring in the hard times, the “worse” of for better or for worse.

Now that is what love looks like and this writer urges these people, and us to let that continue. He is saying: “When you are being persecuted do not forget how you used to show love when the chips are down.”

How are you doing in this area?  Are you actively seeking others good? Are you being kind on purpose? Are you forgiving those who wrong you?  Listen! we are advertised as a loving church but if that is so, don’t let us rest on our laurels, let that care grow. Even greeting a stranger at the door with a smile and a welcome is a good start.  If he or she is a stranger after the first visit then we may be slipping.

After the exhortation to show love to the brothers he also encourages them to show love to STRANGERS.

Jesus said in Matthew 5: 46 “big deal if you love those who love you, that’s easy. Love your enemies. Now THAT is hard. Love those that persecute you, he says “that is what my children do.”

Entertain strangers, a rare thing isn’t it?  That warmed my heart. That action stuck out, remains with me and it is because it is so rare. Oh if we only dared to take the risk of entertaining strangers. (Mennonite host families) (Brethren lodging)

1 John tells us to show love to others THEN you can say you love God. NOTE that some had entertained Angels unaware. Now I do realize there are a lot of weirdoes in the world today. BE wise, but do not be forgetful to entertain strangers. (hotel clerk/Astor)

So, show love to brothers. Entertain strangers, and in closing SHOW love to the suffering.

Look at verse 13:  Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

Now there may not be anyone in jail for you at this time, but bonds can be bigger than jail and the point of this verse is empathy.  You are  in the body, you know what pain and suffering is. You know what loneliness is, you know what temptation is, so extend your love to  shut ins, prisoners, those bound in the iron grip of addiction, and those who sorrow and suffer.

Stop and listen to that old man ramble on, ask that old lady about her family, take time to let her talk about her late husband.

Now prisoners is what he is talking about here and he wants them to show the same care to others as they did to him in 10: 32-33 even to the spoiling of goods.

How much do you reach out and touch lives in need, not because you are obligated to it, but because you  feel for them, you know what their hurt feels like. Old MA Bell had it right, reach out and touch someone. And that’s the message. First let yourself  be loved by God, then reach out in his love and touch someone else.

Love brothers, Love Strangers, Love the suffering ones.

Do you really love? Brothers. Do you show it by speech that builds them up? Do you hold grudges? Do you gossip, backbite and ridicule or do you seek to build others up?

Think of practical ways to show someone you care this week.

Do you love strangers? Are you one who gladly welcomes a stranger into the assembly? Your home?

Do you love the suffering? Do you put yourself in their shoes or wheel chair or their cast or  their lonely living room?

There are so many people who are starving to be reached out to.

You are God’s hands and it is your serve.