Greater Love

Introduction

There yet. But we’re getting back a little bit closer to normal. There are people in some of the pews, and I can see some of your faces. And as we start transitioning back to some type of normalcy, wouldn’t you be glad when we could quit saying that? The words new normal and back to normal. But as we transition back into this, I think it’s only appropriate that I spend just a little bit of time before we begin our lesson in expressing some thanks. We’ve had several who have helped tirelessly, selflessly, sacrificially, to make this possible to be able to be back today, but also to be able to live stream and to have some form of worship even when we were separated. And I apologize for the names that I will surely omit, but I feel compelled to express some kind of thanks to those that have worked so hard.

High on that list would be Mark Fry and Tony Figpin. They’ve been here at the building just about every other day, if not more than that, working and making sure and running wires and sweating and downloading software and hooking up equipment and running cameras and microphones and testing, and I could go on and on for the work that they’ve done, and I appreciate we could not have done one minute of live streaming, one minute of the posted videos without their help, and I certainly appreciate that. Janelle Thigpin and Josh Duke are also been up in the booth running these things and learning new systems and ways of doing that. And we appreciate their work to make this work so seamlessly and tirelessly.

If you haven’t seen those, you need to check those out and share those with family and friends and all the young ones to make sure that although we haven’t been able to be together, there’s still some kind of connection that we can share and studying God’s Word in all those different ways. For our shepherds, Walcott, Jim, and Ralph, again, you have no idea the number of hours that they have spent together online and in Zoom meetings and different virtual phone calls and things that they’ve done and trying to help to figure out to navigate the stress that they’ve been under, the prayers that they’ve been offering on your behalf and the work that they’ve been doing in trying to do all of this. We cannot thank them enough.

We appreciate that so much. Those who came, those men who are willing to come during the lockdown and to come here without a mask on and to uh lead us, whether it is in singing and leading prayers, making announcements, uh, doing the Lord’s Supper talks during all of this, uh we appreciate that so much. And I know that I’m leaving names off that list, and I apologize for that. But each and every one of you who reached out and tried to encourage and give those words of encouragement and to boost those of us who’ve been working through this, we certainly appreciate that as well. You are certainly constantly in our prayers, uh, and our thanksgiving is not adequate, but that’s all we have to offer. And so thanks again.

And thanks for you who are here this morning, those who are live streaming with us. We’re so thankful to be able to be together.

And for those of you who are members here at South Bumby, like it or not, I’m your preacher. And I understand that really the dual role that I have as your preacher, that one of the primary roles I have is to speak to you. And I say this without any level of arrogance or misunderstanding, I hope, that my role is to let God speak to you through me. And so I try to stand behind his word and only proclaim what is found in these holy scriptures. But I also understand that at times I serve a different role. That I not only speak to you, but at times it’s my task to speak for you. And to try to get up here and not simply deliver God’s message to you, but to speak on your behalf, both to God and to one another.

And that’s what I want to try in my humble way to do this morning. It’s not just to speak to you, but to speak for you. And I am tired. I don’t know any better way to say it. I’m tired. And I know you are too. Some of you feel this in ways far deeper than I can or ever will. We are tired. We’re weary. I’m tired of these masks. I’m tired of social distancing.

I’m tired of life not being as easy as it was before. Some of us are tired of working, working in different ways and maybe working harder than we did before this virus and trouble ever started. Some of us are tired of not working. Tired of trying to figure out what to do, and certainly tired of worrying about paying bills and putting food on the table. I’m tired.

The color of their skin.

To put it simply.

1. Made in the Image of God

What do we do? Well, there may be several things that we can do, but I want to bring you back to the two most simplest things that we as children of God should be doing. We should be talking to him. And we should be listening to him. And so this morning I want us to do those two things. We’re going to do things a little different. I don’t guess we could call this a sermon. And we’re going to be looking at the scriptures together this morning, but I’m going to do just the opposite of what I normally do. I want to ask you to close your Bibles. And just listen to God. In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth. Then God said, Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.

Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over all the cattle, over all the earth, and over every creeping things that creeps on the earth. So God created man in his own image. In the image of God, he created them, male and female, he created them. Then God blessed them and gave them these instructions. Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves on the earth. Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed. For he is made in the image of God. No man can tame the tongue. It’s an unruly evil full of deadly poison.

With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who’ve been made in the image of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing, my brethren, these things ought not to be so.

2. He Who Loves God Must Love His Brother

In this, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There’s no fear in love, but perfect love cast out fear. Because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. But we love him because he first loved us. But if someone says, I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar. For he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from him that he who loves God must love his brother also. Then Peter opened his mouth and said, I perceive in truth that God shows no partiality. But in every nation, whoever fears him and works righteousness is accepted by him.

The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ, he is Lord of all. That word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea and began from Galilee at the baptism of which John preached, which God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we’re witnesses of all these things, which he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. But him, God raised up on the third day and showed him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with him after he arose from the dead.

And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is he who is ordained by God to be the judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets witness that through his name whoever believes in him will receive remission of sins. Now when Peter came to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed. For before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles. But when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with the hypocrisy. But I have been crucified with Christ.

3. Who Is My Neighbor?

I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me, gave himself for me. And behold, a certain lawyer came to him, saying, Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And he said to him, What is written in the law? What’s your reading of it? So he answered and said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your strength, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. And he said to him, You’ve answered rightly, do this, and you will live. But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, But who is my neighbor? And Jesus answered and said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

Now by chance a certain priest came down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise, a Levite, when he arrived at that place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was, and he saw him and had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds and pouring on oil and wine, and he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And on the next day, when he departed, he took out two deneri and said to the innkeeper, Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.

So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves? And he said, He who showed mercy on him. Then Jesus said to him, Go and do likewise. God, who made the world and everything in it, since he is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands, nor is he worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed anything, since he gives life to all, breath, and all things. And he has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for him and find him, though he’s not far from any one of us.

For in him we live and move and have our being.

4. You Also Ought to Wash One Another’s Feet

Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone or something shaped by man’s art and devising. But truly these times of ignorance God has overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because he’s pointed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained. And he’s given assurance of all this by raising him from the dead. Then Jesus returned in the Spirit, in the power to Galilee, and news of him went throughout all the surrounding regions, and he taught in all their synagogues, being glorified by all. So he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read.

And he was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. When he opened the book, he found the place where it was written.

He sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come that he should depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own, who were with him in the world, he loved them to the end. And his supper was being ended, the devil, having already put into the heart of Judas Ishariot, Simon’s son to betray him. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given him all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside his garments and took a towel and girded himself.

After that he poured the water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. Then he came to Simon Peter, and Peter said to him, Lord, are you washing my feet? Jesus answered and said to him, What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will know after this. But Peter said, You will never wash my feet. Jesus said, If I do not wash, you have no part with me.

Jesus said to him, He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean. And you are all clean, but not all of you. For he knew who would betray him, therefore he said, You’re not all clean. So when he had washed their feet, taken his garments, and sat down again, he said to them, Do you know what I have done to you? You call me teacher and Lord, and you say, Well, for so I am. But if I then, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I’ve given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is he who is sent greater than him who sent him.

If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

5. Walk Just As He Walked

And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. Now by this we know that we know him if we keep his commandments. He who says, I know him, but does not keep his commandments is a liar. The truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in him. He who says he abides in him ought himself also to walk just as he walked. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another in brotherly love, in honor, giving preference to one another, not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer, distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Do not repay evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Behold, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath. For it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he’s thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.

Conclusion

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Wash yourselves. Make yourselves clean. Put away the evil of your doings before my eyes. Cease to do evil. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Rebuke the oppressor. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow. Come now and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. And though they are red like crimson, they will be as wool. When we are tired and don’t know what else to do or where to go, listen to him. Listen to him when he tells you that he wants you to be saved. That he wants you to know that this world is not your home, but that there’s a better place.

If you would listen to him this morning, be obedient to him. Listen to him. Believe in his word. Confess your faith before man, repent of your sins, and be baptized for the remission of sins. Why? Because we listen to him and we turn to him. If you need to respond to the gospel call this morning, if we can help you in any way, why not let that be known right now as together we stand and as we sing?