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Enough To Share With Them? When seeing a brother in need, our heart ought to move us to help 1 Jn 3:17 We shouldn’t “pass by” Lk 10:30-35 There will always be needy brethren The test of love will be how we view our own possessions Acts 4:32, 34-35
Enough To Suffer For Them? Since Christianity entered the world, disciples have suffered Heb 10:32-34 We’ve been taught this 2 Tim 3:12 Notice the writer’s 2 examples v. 33 Ê Some suffered “partly” through public humiliation re: their own sufferings
Enough To Suffer For Them? Since Christianity entered the world, disciples have suffered Heb 10:32-34 We’ve been taught this 2 Tim 3:12 Notice the writer’s 2 examples v. 33 Ë Others suffered “partly” because of their association with their brethren who were being mistreated
Enough To Suffer For Them? Another exhortation Heb 13:1 The writer doesn’t say “Have brotherly love” His exhortation “Let it love continue” was already proven by 10:32-34 The true test of brotherly love = who stays around when things don’t go well
Enough To Die For Them? Another “true test” of brotherly love for one another 1 Jn 3:16 Jn 15:13 A sign of spiritual maturity = willingness to lay down one’s life for another There is not a more basic human instinct than to live Yet, we are called to die for one another
Enough To Die For Them? Some might dismiss such “dying” as cultural…only for the 1st century If we don’t have to do this, we are thankful John didn’t say we must die for brethren He taught we must be willing to do so… we “ought” to lay down our lives for brethren
Enough To Die For Them? We “ought” to do this… Speaks to our willingness to do something A word used 36 times in the N.T. Proper definition = a monetary debt Mt 18:28-34
Enough To Die For Them? We “ought” to do this… Speaks to our willingness to do something Metaphoric definition = “to be bound; to be under obligation; bound by duty or necessity; to do something” 1 Cor 7:3 Heb 5:12 1 Jn 3:16
Some Concluding Thoughts… Select a brother/sister in this family & consider some probing questions A failure to be able to answer them points to a failure to be as close as we should be The 3 questions in this lesson would be answered “YES” re: our physical family
Some Concluding Thoughts… Remember…physical families stop at the grave Mt 22:29-30 If these 3 questions are answered with a “NO” or a hesitant “YES” …what would John say about us? 1 Jn 3:14
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