Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Memory Verse John 13:34, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

The Upper Room Discourse John John 13:35 Christ’s Love Seen in You!

“By means of this”, in regards to the new command to AGAPE love one another in verse 34.

PAS “Everyone”, meaning believers and unbelievers alike.

GINOSKO Future, Middle Deponent, - will come to know, recognize, or perceive.

Principle: The people who witness your AGAPE Love will receive back the knowledge of God's love and come to know that you are a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“That” - the conclusion people will come to regarding the believer who operates in AGAPE love.

“You are my disciples”, MATHETES, a disciple, pupil, learner or student.

John 13:35a, "By means of this (vs. 34), everyone, (believers and unbelievers), will come to know that you are My disciples".

Luke 6:35-36, “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

The best students are typically identified synonymously with their teacher. Our teacher is Jesus Christ.

John 17:21, “That they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.”

“If you keep on having love for one another”. The potential of having and continuing in AGAPE love, results in others knowing you are a disciple of Christ.

John 13:35, “By means of this, everyone (believers and unbelievers) will come to know that you are My disciples, if you keep on having love for one another.”

Our Lord not only commanded us to love one another as proof of God's love, but He also demonstrated it in His own actions purposefully.

John 14:31, “So that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me.”

Compare with 1 Peter 2:13-25 and Romans 12:17-21.

Principles: 1. Genuine, deep seated, constant, and self- sacrificial love for one another is the distinguishing trait of the believer.

2. The world is dying for a little love. Our Lord commands us to give that love to them and be known for that love.

3. Unfortunately too many Christians are loveless, and the world does not view them any differently than the next guy. 1 Cor 13:1-13; Gal 5:15

4. The distinguishing characteristic of a Christian is not what he wears or his cross necklace, but his daily actions of love towards fellow believers and unbelievers.

5. When we change our way of thinking we will inevitably have an outward change. A renewed mind results in the transfigured life of actionable AGAPE love. Rom 12:1-2

6. AGAPE Love is the badge of our profession. It is the believer's duty to make all men know that we are disciples of Christ. 2 Cor 3:2-3

2 Cor 3:2-3, “You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”

7. The primary mark of the Royal Family relationship is not similar physical features, but AGAPE love.

1 John 4:21, “And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.”

Grace Fellowship Church Tuesday, February 10, 2009 Christ’s Love Seen in You Upper Room Discourse, Part 242 Tape # Christ’s Love Seen in You Upper Room Discourse, Part 242 John 13:35; Luke 6:35-36; 1 Peter 2:13-25; Rom 12:17-21 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2009