Look at this passage... This church had a good handle on loving each other, but He wanted it to increase more and more..
| Text: |
1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. |
Tonight it will be impossible to overstate what I'm dealing with... The reason I know this to be true is because OUR Bible says to do this "Above all Things"
In Verse seven God's word tells us to do something above all things.. that something is: "To Have Fervent Charity Among Yourselves"
What is this? The Word "fervent" is used twice in your NT... without ceasing 1 - fervent 1 - 2 It means stretched out or intense or earnest.
Look at this passage... This church had a good handle on loving each other, but He wanted it to increase more and more..
Loving like I'm talking about is the essence of obeying God..
Look at it in it's Bible contrast..
Proverbs 17:9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.
We ought to have a new desire to love the people of God if we are born again..
The word here means... -- hospitable, generous to guests.. When was that time you took someone out? Or invited them over...
Hospitality - Take the last 3 letters off of this word and what do you have? Hospital.
Christians need to learn that this is what church is, this is what Sunday School is, this is what opening our homes up to others is... it's being a hospital.... It's a way of Loving..
This a bible requirement for a Pastor
Titus 1:8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
Have you ever thought that if you'll mind God in this way, you might end up entertaining angels?
16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Do you love people like this? Sow some of it and you'll reap plenty of it..
Oh yea, and while you are loving like this make sure your attitude is right about it..
Philemon 1:14 But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.
James 5:9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
Are you loving like this? A lot of folks love to receive, but what about Giving?
Isaiah 35:3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
Romans 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Ephesians 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Proverbs 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
Proverbs 15:23 A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!
Proverbs 24:26 Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.
Isaiah 50:4 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
Do we know how to love like this? We do it in our activity..