CHRIST FOR PRISONERS WEEKLY BULLETIN
Sunday, June 10, 2007

One of our Christian Duties: Love for Our Fellow Men

A. Love for Men:

    1. It is the second great commandment. Matthew 22:37-39

    The first part of this verse is quoted from Deuteronomy 6:5; 10:12; and 30:6

    “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” is Quoted from Leviticus 19:18; and is called the Law of Love.

    Luke 10:27
    Love for God must come from the following:
    1. The heart: all inward affections.
    2. The soul: all consciousness.
    3. The mind: all thoughts.

    2. It is greater than all else.

    1 Cor. 13:8
    Three things that will fail or be superseded: prophecies, tongues, and knowledge.

    1 Cor. 13:13
    And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

    Three things that eternally abide: faith, hope, and divine love.

    3. It is one of the fruit of the Spirit.

    Galatians 5:22

    Love is mentioned first in the nine fold fruit of the Spirit. This is the Greek word Agape, divine love. This is a strong, ardent, tender, compassionate, devotion for the well-being of someone. It also means, spontaneous and divine love.

    Col. 1:8

    4. It is the end of the commandment. 1 Tim. 1:5

    Three blessings of love:
    1. A pure heart.
    2. A good conscience.
    3. A faith unfeigned or sincere.

    5. It is divinely commanded. 1 John 4:21; 1 John 3:23; John 15:12

    This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

    6. Nothing can take its place. 1 Cor. 13:3
    7. Spiritual gifts are nothing without love. 1 Cor. 13:1-2
    8. Ministers are to be an example in love. 1 Tim. 4:12; 2 Tim. 2:22

    “Be an example” means “set a pattern”. Are you an example in the 6 things mentioned above? If not, you have the choice of doing something about it.

B. Love will cause us to do the following things:

    1. Clothe the naked. Isaiah 58:7; Matthew 25:36
    2. Visit the sick. James 1:27
    3. Relieve strangers. Lev. 25:35; Matt. 25:35
    4. Supply others needs. Matthew 25:35; Hebrews 6:10
    5. Sympathize with others. Romans 12:15; 1 Cor. 12:26
    6. Cover the faults of others. Proverbs 10:12; 1 Peter 4:8
    7. Forgive injuries. Ephes. 4:32; Col. 3:13

C. Examples of Love to Fellow men:

    1. Joseph. Genesis 45:15
    2. Jonathan. 1 Samuel 20:17; 1 Samuel 20:41-42
    3. The Centurion. Luke 7:5

    This is a great story of faith, not the faith of the elders who said the centurion was worthy because he loved them but the centurion’s faith. He told Jesus, “I am not worthy for you to enter my house, but say a word and my servant will be healed”. Jesus had not found so great a faith in all Israel.

    4. Moses. Heb. 11:25

D. Love for others:

    1. Is necessary to have real happiness. Proverbs 15:17

    Better is a poor man’s dinner where love is than a rich man’s feast where hatred and strife are.

    2. Is of God and proof that you are of God. 1 John 4:7
    3. Is a consequence of love to God. 1 John 4:20

    There are 6 liars mentioned in 1 John, (1:6; 1:8; 1:10; 2:4; 2:22; 4:20).

E. Love should be extended to:

    1. Our families. Ephes. 5:25; Titus 2:4
    2. Strangers: Leviticus 19:34; Deut. 10:19
    3. Our enemies. Matthew 5:44; Romans 12:14; Romans 12:20
    4. To all men. Gal. 6:10

I trust that this study on Love will help you. It is a basic “Christian Duty” to have love for one another. Ask yourself, “Do I really love my brothers and sisters in Christ? If I do then no unkind words should be said about each other.

Love You, Pastor Dave