The Badge of Discipleship - Part 2 of 2

The fire, and this should share. Bradley Junior inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace and in an and in an and in an and today we continue with the message entitled the badge of discipleship taken from the Gospel of John chapter 13 verse 35 the words of Jesus by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have low one to another. We first have noted that it is a commandment that he gives described as a new commandment.

We then see that he sets the example in this matter of love and come now to consider the description of it that is further given in God's word. First John chapter 4 rate beginning of the seventh verse 11.

Let us love one another, for love is of God were talking about something that originates with God.

God is love and everyone that loveth is born of God and God. He that love is not. No, not God, for God is love in this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten son into the world that we might live through him no greater display of love that God giving his son Jesus Christ the perfect God man to go to the cross and died for ungodly sinners herein is love, not that we love God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sin. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also love one another. We believe God love you, that he gave his son for you that he has rescued you that he has called you he has redeemed you here saved you by his grace.

This being the case, beloved, we all also love one another. Jesus Christ sets a high standard is an example of this. Love is described in detail and with very definite specifics in the book of first Corinthians chapter 13 fact the importance of it is emphasized in the third verse when it says on the lobster all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity or love, it profits me nothing would think that's truly commendable. If a person sells everything to have gives all of their goods to feed the poor. That's that's an outstanding gesture if if they were giving themselves as a marker to be burned rather than to deny their testimony for Jesus Christ. What a remarkable thing but to get all that said, the thing charity suffers long and is kind charity envy is not charity vote is not itself, is not puffed up not behave itself unseemly seek not her own, is not easily provoked.

Think of no evil rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth Baris all things, believe us all things.

Hope with all things in your old. I know that you're very familiar with that passage you heard it preached a number of times. Hopefully you rated a number of times, but it's easy to rush over those words and failed to get the lesson. What's it saying. Love suffers long its patient. Are you a patient person. Are you patient with other people. Are you patient with your husband with your wife with your children with people that you work with with people that you disagree with love is patient, love is kind is never any excuse for Christians to be unkind, no matter what the circumstances, no matter how difficult the situation may be what somebody else may say or do. If you love your always kind.

Love does not envy not being jealous of other people not presenting their success and their prosperity love is not envious it doesn't vault itself, meaning it does not boast, if you motivated by love boast not going to try to exalt yourself about other people and point out what you have and what your successes are. Love is not puffed up, that is, it's not practical for person is walking and pry their ways strictly does not please the Lord pry to such a deceitful sin.

It creeps in unawares cannot readily and quickly detected. We need help. We need to pray Lord search our hearts probably help me to know what's within me. Love does not behave itself unseemly, that is. Love is not rude's conduct is not inappropriate love Sheikh is not alone is not selfish. The fact is that, by nature, where all: to be selfish we think about herself. We want our way. But where loving as Jesus Christ set the example loving others as he loved us regularly selfish or self-centered. It's not easily provoked, not quick to get angry and told him a lot about how full of love, your heart may be, but if you get angry at the drop of a hat. You ready to blow up because something didn't go your way, deceiving yourself, love thinks no evil that is does not keep a record of offenses at a couple some years ago come for counseling and the lady began to list the faults and failings of her husband went on for an extended period of time. He was sitting there listening to it.

If I she said that's just the start. I've got books at home all written down. I can bring him next week I sent. I will be necessary aboard. Is that enough love doesn't keep a record. Love does not delight in evil love rejoices in the truth.

James Boyce makes an interesting suggestion in his commentary. Just insert the name of Jesus in this passage where the word charity or love is used in think of it now.

Jesus is our example the one after whom we are to pattern my life. Jesus is kind Jesus does not envy Jesus does not boast, he is not proud. He is not rude.

He is not self-seeking, is not easily angered.

He keeps no record of wrongs. Jesus is not delight in evil but rejoices in truth, he always trustee, always perseveres. Jesus never failed your to love one another as I have loved you. Now, how about inserting your name and you read the passage and say I am patient. I am kind. I do not envy. I do not boast. I'm not proud.

I'm not rude I'm not self-seeking or selfish. I'm not easily angered.

I keep no record of offenses. I do not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. I always trust in always persevere and therefore do not fail.

Now if you can put your name in there and read that passage and not feel some sense of conviction that we need to pray that your eyes are open that you can best get a better view of self. Surely, when we see the high standards set by Jesus. The example that he sets.

We realize how in ourselves, we often miss the mark. So far, we know we must have the enabling grace of God. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit to love as we walked. May it be our prayer that we will grow continually in manifesting that love. The third thing we see here.

After observing that there is a commandment and there is an example there is a testimony, he says. By this shall all men know that you are my disciple that you have love one to another. See a contrast is to be observed between the ungodly and those were followers of Jesus Christ the world in the day in which Jesus spoke these words and very much like the world that were living in today is divided by great prejudice. That was the difference between the bond and the free the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews had a reputation of being the haters of the world a talk whatever God was doing he was doing for them through them by them and look down upon others referred to the Gentiles as being dolls how great the passion great difference between the educated and the uneducated.

Those of different ethnic backgrounds had no dealings with each other no interest in one another from a positive standpoint, you know, when Jesus went through Samaria to meet the woman at Jacob's well it was something highly unusual, so there were differences difference in language differences in religion often just the difference in the color of someone's skin because a wide separation all those differences were observed in Jesus time you can see them all the world today as nations fight against nations and ethnic groups within a nation will rise up one against the other, and even the places where there is not outward violence there often is that inward deep resentment toward anybody that is a bit different.

But Jesus says my disciples are going to be identified with the fact that they love their not hateful and hating one another as the unbelievers describe the look of Titus, my people are people that love love one another. Galatians chapter 3 verse 28 says there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for he are all one in Christ Jesus. Those barriers are broken down person has prejudice and resentment.

This person comes from an entirely different background. I can't relate to him. This person speaks another language. I can't relate to him. This person has different ideas about a lot of things in life and so feel totally justified in building up your resentments. But Jesus says by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, that you have love one to another.

Jewish people as followers are not recognized by some impressive activity.

Some great notable work, not by their knowledge, not by their orthodoxy, but my love. This is a sacrificial love go back to the book of first John R, Texas taken with the gospel of John in the same writer under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit expands this theme and emphasizes it repeatedly in the three epistles that he writes that the three verse 16, the first John, hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us and we don't to lay down our lives for the brethren, that you may never be put to the test is whether you can actually lay down your life and die dying a physical death for the sake of the brother, but if he tells us, we ought to be willing to lay down our life, even in death.

Does that not indicate that we ought to be willing to lay down our life in lesser degrees as we live from day to day. This man is in direct opposition to a self-centered, selfish attitude in life we perceive the love of God, he laid out his life for us.

We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren but whoso hath this world's good, and see if his brother have need, and shut up up his bowels of compassion from him, how'd one of the love of God in him. Other words hear somebody with a great need in a child of God is capable of meeting that need. But he for a variety of reasons that I'm not willing to do it. This person doesn't seem worthy to me. This person has their faults and flaws and I'm not going to do it. It had grown to love them, not in that kind of a person.

This love that is of the Lord is a sacrificial love means that we are to be willing to make sacrifices where to be willing to be inconvenienced so often a person will justify their inactivity and inattention toward those that might need help on the basis that there are other things of major priority. But if we are willing to lay down our life, we are willing to be inconvenienced to manifest this love for others. Love then is a love of action that should be love displayed when conflicts arise.

Matthew chapter 18, the 15th verse says that if your brother offend you do what love moves you to go to that one not talk about them not try to harm them and slander them.

If you are offended you go to that one seeking reconciliation that love sad to see today that even professed Christians not only ignore that, but ignore the plain declaration given in the Corinthian letter first Corinthians chapter 6 verse one says dare any of you having a matter against another go to law before the on just and not before. The same what harm there is still Christians testimony. It is taking a brother to court.

Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge in the smallest matters. In other words, don't go to the courts of the land to settle your differences you can you can find ways of doing that within the body of Christ. Verse six but brother both along with brother and that before the unbelievers.

Now, therefore, there is only a fault among you because you go to law one with another. Five. Do you not rather take wrong. Why do you not rather suffer yourselves to be defaulted concept that's almost unheard of in this day why should I have to suffer. Why should I be defrauded. Why should I have to take the wrong that's what the inspired writers telling us rather than for Christians to believers to be going to court before unbelievers to decide whatever the problem is there's another way of doing love love when conflicts arise love in the whole person observed the situation in your whole but they say yes love is evident there is love the book of Colossians chapter 3 verse 18 wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is for the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children obey your parents in all things for this is well pleasing to the Lord fathers, provoke not your children to anger Leslie B discovered that others observe you in your marriage in your home situation is that there's a follower of Christ because there is love, the philosophy, the day is that if a person is unhappy in their marriage that ended thought unexpectedly unhappy. So rather than to stay there and work and display love will in the marriage. Sad to say that the divorce rate among Christians is only slightly less than the news among unbelievers, which clearly indicates that somebody has forgotten the importance of what love is about love in the whole husbands.

What about the way you treat your wife the way you talk to her. Would somebody observe love wives about the way you interact with your husband. You build up resentment and sadness like this thing of being submissive where's the love children you come to church. You hear God's word preached many of you have made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. What about your behavior. You honor your father and mother you show respect for them to you display love toward them. Love in the home and circulate there needs to be love in the church. What a terrible testimony was given.

If a church cannot resolve whatever differences might arise within it in a God honoring way.

Colossians chapter 1 verse four said since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have all the saints were giving thanks boss is this church class.

He had love to all the saints. How is it with you.

You love your brothers and sisters in the church, the love of the believers who may not see everything just like you see it, but nevertheless you love them because they love Christ and in fact this love that Jesus talks about go so far as to even embrace our enemies.

Jesus said if you love your enemies, your imitating your father which is in heaven. It's a tall order in the none of us can fulfill it in our own strength, but by the love of God said about out in our hearts and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit we can love by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, that you have love one to another, are you wearing the badge of discipleship. Would somebody pick you out in the workplace in the neighborhood wherever you travel in life. I believe that's a follower of Jesus Christ because I see an abundance of love being displayed made reference to the passion, the book of Titus that says prior to our calling. Prior to the grace of God being stowed upon us. We were hateful and hating one another. That's our nature has God dealt with you to convict you of your own anger in your own hatred in your own sin humbled you to understand that the only hope for user centers through the love of God by the gift of his son Jesus Christ and to see that it's in his sacrificial death that guilty hateful centers are safe. You lose all the old song. Your hearing is often been used at the close of the meeting when people have enjoyed a time of warm fellowship around the gospel, rejoicing in the good news concerning Jesus Christ and because they have a sense of his love. There's an outflowing flow for one another, may we indeed wear the badge of discipleship that Jesus designates when he says by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another town to we preach again next time. This Sarah Bradley Junior saying that God richly bless you and will