YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT Part 7 BROTHERLY KINDNESS

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT Part 7: Brotherly Kindness

“Rhythm of Life” Series

ME When I got saved back in high school, the Jesus Movement was in full swing. Many of you were experiencing the same thing here in El Paso. In fact, that Jesus Movement led to the birth of five Jesus Chapels and many other churches in the area.

Worship was a uniting factor in the movement and one of the songs we would sing was…

We are one in the Sprit

We are one in the Lord

We are one in the Spirit

We are one in the Lord

And we pray that our unity

Will one day be restored

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,

Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love

WE This song was taken from a verse in the Bible…

John 13:34–35 (NKJV) A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

So, the question for us is this: Does our love for each other show the world that we are followers of Jesus? PRAYER

GOD 2 Peter 1:7 (NKJV) to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

We have come to the final courses of our great feast. They are mentioned in this verse and are closely related. Today the course is brotherly kindness or brotherly love. This phrase is two words in English but one word in the Greek New Testament: philadelphia

Many of us recognize immediately that city in Pennsylvania by the same name. The nickname for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is “The City of Brotherly Love.”

Peter is encouraging us to supply everything that is needed to practice brotherly kindness and brotherly love.

He has said it before…

1 Peter 1:22 (NKJV) Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV) And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

The topic today is LOVE COVERS.

God has always encouraged His people to love and care for each other. Look at this scene in Jesus’s ministry…

Mark 12:28–34 (NKJV) Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” So, the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” But after that no one dared question Him.

Jesus was quoting two Old Testament passages…

Deuteronomy 6:4–5 (NKJV) Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Leviticus 19:17–18 (NKJV) You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

YOU How do you live with brotherly love?

Let me suggest four areas where you can demonstrate brotherly kindness and brotherly love. For our purposes, we define a brother as any person we come in contact with: family member, another believer, a neighbor, a friend, anyone.

First, you could meet someone’s physical needs.

This practice has always been a part of God’s Kingdom practice.

Deuteronomy 15:7–8 (NKJV) If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs.

Matthew 25:34–40 (NKJV) Then the King will say to those on His right hand, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?” And the King will answer and say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”

Luke 3:10–11 (NKJV) So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?” He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”

Galatians 6:10 (NKJV) Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

James 2:15–16 (NKJV) If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

1 John 3:17–18 (NKJV) But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

Second, you could meet someone’s emotional needs.

Matthew 5:23–24 (NKJV) Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Romans 15:1 (NKJV) We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Galatians 5:13–15 (NKJV) For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

Galatians 6:2 (NKJV) Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:14–15 (NKJV) Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

James 5:13–14 (NKJV) Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

Third, you could meet someone’s spiritual needs.

Galatians 6:1 (NKJV) Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

James 5:16 (NKJV) Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Fourth, and most important, you could meet someone’s eternal needs.

James 5:19–20 (NKJV) Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

The greatest act of brotherly love is the sharing of the Gospel. We are the last hope that many people have. We need to be active in social justice and social ministry, but if we do all of that and do not share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with people, we do not love them. We fail to show brotherly love and brotherly kindness to others if we spend all our time preparing a better world for them to live in here, but do not prepare them for eternity!

Love your neighbor as yourself

Aren’t you glad someone introduced you to Jesus? Is someone else glad that you introduced Jesus to them?

There is coming a day when everyone from all eternity will stand before God and give an account. Believers will stand at the bema, the Judgement Seat of Christ, and be judged for rewards. Those who never put their trust in Christ, who never accepted Him as their personal Lord and Savior, will be at the Great White Throne Judgement where they will be judged by their works, found lacking, and will be cast into Hell for all eternity!

Now tell me, what is more important: focusing on earthly things or focusing on eternity. When I moved to El Paso, the church I served had everything for dealing with the “nasty now and now”, but few things for dealing with the “sweet by and by”. I made this statement one day in the office, “We are doing everything here to help people survive down here on earth, but very little to prepare them for eternity!” It was not well-received!

WE Now, how do we apply all this? Let’s look at some applicable verses.

1. It begins with a right attitude!

Philippians 2:3–4 (NKJV) Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Get your head up, look around, and listen! Be aware of the needs around you. Start at home.

2. Keep your antenna up!

John 6:44 (NKJV) No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Be aware of those around you who are ready to receive Jesus.

3. Pray for a broken heart!

Matthew 9:36–38 (NKJV) But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

INVITATION