A.The New Testament church at Thessalonica was a model congregation of Christian love.Even so, the apostle Paul knew they could do even more.Notice 1Thessalonians 4:9:
Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more…
B.Indeed, every church of God can excel still more in love, and this excellence will be realized only when individual Christians resolve to love one another in the likeness of Christ’s love.
II.THE NEW OLD COMMANDMENT
A.John described the commandment to love one another as both old and new.Notice 1John 2:7-8:
Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard.On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining.
B.How is the commandment to love one another old?
1.The commandment to love one another did not originate during New Testament times.Even the Law of Moses required the Jews to love one another (Lev. 19:18).
2.In fact, Jesus identified the second greatest commandment in the Law as "You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39; see also Rom. 13:9).He said that loving God and loving man was the essence of the Law, so this commandment was not a new concept.
C.How is the commandment to love one another new?
1.The quality of love demonstrated by Jesus on the cross had never been known before.It is this new level of love that is required of Christians for one another.
a.Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).See also John 15:12, 17.
b.In the likeness of Christ, our love for one another is to be selfless and sacrificial.Notice 1John 3:16 – "We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
2.The commandment to love one another is also new because it is radically different from our former way of life when we were sinners.
a.Notice Titus 3:3 – "For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.”
b.Christians must have an entirely new view of others in order to be transformed from hating one another to loving one another.
III.LOVE IS AS LOVE DOES
A.Christ-like love is manifested by the selfless practice of goodwill toward others.
1.A godly mother may tell her young daughter, "Pretty is as pretty does.”This teaches a daughter to esteem herself by her good deeds and her character rather than her appearance (see 1Pet. 3:3-4).
2.Likewise, Christians must measure their love for others by what they do rather than how they feel.
3.A good lesson on the manifestation of love is found in 1John 3:17-18:
But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.
B.Love must be the chief motivation for all that a Christian does.
1.Paul wrote, "Let all that you do be done in love” (1Cor 16:14).
2.Of course, our first motivation must be love for God, for this is the greatest commandment – "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:36-37).
3.According to 1Corinthians 13, love is the "more excellent way” (1Cor. 12:31) that gives meaning, worth, and profit to all that a Christian does.Without love, no amount of good deeds will profit anything for a Christian.
C.Consider what love does in the life of a Christian.
1.Love’s positive attributes in 1Corinthians 13 are patience, kindness, joy in the truth, forbearance ("bears all things”), optimism ("believes all things”), hope ("hopes all things”), and endurance ("endures all things”).
2.Love’s negative attributes in 1Corinthians 13 are not being jealous, not bragging, not behaving arrogantly, not acting unbecomingly, not seeking its own, not provoked, not taking into account a wrong suffered, and not rejoicing in unrighteousness.
3.Love causes Christians to have a primary commitment to one another."Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor” (Rom. 12:10).
4.Love converts Christians into willing servants of one another."For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Gal. 5:13).
5.Love allows Christians to walk together in a manner worthy of their high calling, "with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love” (Eph. 4:2).
6.Love teaches Christians to communicate with one another in an edifying way."But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ” (Eph. 4:15).
7.Love helps Christians save one another from sin."Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins” (1Pet. 4:8).
8.Love invites God to live in the heart of Christians."No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us” (1John 4:12).
IV.CONCLUSION – LET LOVE CONTINUE AND INCREASE
A.Understanding the vital place that brotherly love has in the lives of Christians, let us pursue and protect our love for one another.
1.Notice that Hebrews 13:1 says, "Let love of the brethren continue.”It is possible for brotherly love to be hindered and stifled, so let us clear love’s path of any obstacles.
2.Let us understand that brother love is a debt and obligation we have from the Lord."Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law” (Rom. 13:8).
3.One objective of our purification through the truth of God’s word is brotherly love, so let us practice it fervently."Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart” (1Pet. 1:22).
4.If we make a claim to being children of God, then we must love one another as our Father loves us."Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” (1John 4:7).
5.See also 1John 3:11, 23; 4:11.
B.Even if we are practicing brotherly love, we can "excel still more” like the church at Thessalonica.
1.Growth in love for fellow Christians and for all men was the object of Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians in 1Thessalonians 3:12 – "And may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you.”
2.Paul also prayed in thanksgiving for the love of the Thessalonians in 2Thessalonians 1:3 – "We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater.”
3.Let us also pray to God that our love for one another may increase, and then let us work to make it happen.Moreover, let us thank God that our love for one another grows even greater.
