Lessons in Brotherly Love Christian Brothers: 1. Love Even When They Disagree 2. Love In Practical Ways 3. Believe the Best of Each Other Walk i

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1 Christian Heritage Church Congregational Prayer Indeed my Heritage is Beautiful To Me (Psalm 16:6b) Christian Heritage Church Indeed my Heritage is Beautiful To Me (Psalm 16:6b) Acts 21: After these days we got ready and started on our way up to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples from Caesarea also came with us, taking us to Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple of long standing with whom we were to lodge. After we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. After he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, "You see, brother, how many Acts 21: thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. "What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. "Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; Acts 21: and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law. "But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication. Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purifying himself along with them, went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them. 1

2 Lessons in Brotherly Love Christian Brothers: 1. Love Even When They Disagree 2. Love In Practical Ways 3. Believe the Best of Each Other Walk in Humility Toward One Another 6. Acts 21:15-16a16a After these days we got ready and started on our way up to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples from Caesarea also came with us, Acts 21: When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, "The will of the Lord be done! They disagreed, but they did not desert Paul They didn t just agree to disagree they could both agree that they wanted the Lord s will to be done They demonstrated brotherly love by supporting Paul even though they thought he had made an unwise (but not sinful) decision They demonstrated brotherly love by continuing to walk together until God gave them more understanding Are there circumstances when you should disassociate with a brother? When your brother will not agree that God s word is the only sufficient standard for determining God s will When a so-called brother is living an immoral lifestyle and refuses to repent 1 Corinthians 5:9-11 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so- called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one. When a so-called brother is given to anger Proverbs 22: Do not associate with a man given to anger; or go with a hot-tempered tempered man, or you will learn his ways and find a snare for yourself. When a so-called brother is a gossip Proverbs 20:19 He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, therefore do not associate with a gossip. When a so-called brother is being divisive Titus 3:8-11 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned. 2

3 When a so-called brother is preaching a different Gospel Galatians 1:6-9 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! When a so-called brother is depraved 2 Timothy 3:1-8 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. Love In Practical Ways Acts 21:16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea also came with us, taking us to Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple of long standing with whom we were to lodge. Mnason is a Greek name and he was most likely a Hellenistic (Greek) Jew who believed He would be familiar and comfortable with Gentiles in his home vs. staying with a Jewish believer who is zealous for the law and tradition Making Paul and his party comfortable was a practical expression of brotherly love and concern Love In Practical Ways It was also a practical demonstration of brotherly love on the part of Mnason to open his home to them Mnason is described as a believer of long standing they knew that he was mature enough to handle a potentially volatile situation Romans 12: Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Believe the Best of Each Other Acts 21:17 After we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. With all of the rumors being spread about Paul and his companions, the fact that the brethren received them gladly, shoes that they believed the best about them They didn t believe the false reports Vs. 20 They distanced themselves from the those Jewish believers zealous for the law and they gladly received Paul and his party they not we are zealous for the law Believe the Best of Each Other Vs. 22 They wanted to remedy the situation - what then is to be done Love believes the best of others, but what is our tendency? Are we ready to believe the best of everyone or are we ready to jump to conclusions and prematurely judge someone s intentions? Do we encourage and spread gossip or do we shut it down? Do we stand with our brother when he is standing for the truth? 3

4 Acts 21:18-20a20a And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. After he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it they began glorifying God; When Paul met with James and the elders in Jerusalem did they first discuss the problems at hand or did they first glorify God for all that He was doing? What is more important, our differences or God s glory? Paul related one by one we detract from God s glory when we generalize Paul didn t say we planted six churches and we baptized two-thousand thousand people He told them about Lydia and her family getting saved, the church at Philippi that met in her home and the tremendous support they were to him He reported how he and Silas were arrested and how God saved the jailer and his family He spoke of how Jason risked his life during the riot in Thessalonica and the church that was started there He related how Dionysus and Damaris came to Christ in Athens and how the Lord used him to defend the faith He told them about how at Corinth, the Lord providentially led him to Aquila and Priscilla, to provide for his needs, how God used him to lead them to the Lord and train them for ministry He spoke with great joy about Crispus, the leader of the synagogue who believed with his whole household Paul explained how he was able to leave Aquila and Priscilla in Ephesus as he went on to minister to the Galatian region and Phrygia He told them how Aquila and Pricilla discipled Apollos and how he went back to minister in Corinth He told them about the training that took place in the school of Tyrannus and the disciples sent all over Asia And he spoke of the meaningful relationships he had with the Elders of Ephesus and the tears shed at his departure Paul related one by one the things that God had done among the gentiles through his ministry If we see the fruit of ministry as a result of our own efforts we do not glorify God We will be plagued with pride and an unthankful heart, we will lose all awe and wonder and glory The miracle is - that God wants to do His work through us 2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves Christian brothers put God s glory first, they are more concerned about and give greater priority to God s glory than their differences or disputes Walk in Humility Toward One Another Acts 21:20-23a23a And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. "What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. "Therefore do this that we tell you. Think of Paul s humility in approaching this situation 4

5 Walk in Humility Toward One Another Paul received revelation directly from the Lord Jesus and was personally appointed as an apostle by the risen Christ he had both the truth and the authority He was bringing an offering from the Gentile churches for the poor people in the Jerusalem church Humility is especially important when we disagree 1 Peter 5:5 All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Do you want to be in a place of opposition or grace? Acts 21: "Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law. "But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication." Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purifying himself along with them, went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them. Many commentators think Paul was wrong for consenting to their counsel Paul shows a consistent pattern of patience with weak brethren as long as it was not sinful to do so and as long as it did not compromise the truth of the Gospel Galatians 2:3-5 But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. There is great diversity in maturity of believers in the body of Christ and the more mature must be patient with the less mature Ephesians 4: And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Speaking the truth in Love a key element is the willingness to have long and loving conversations that promote unity 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails 5

6 Lessons in Brotherly Love Are we willing to: The Lord s Table Love Even When We Disagree Love In Practical Ways Believe the Best of Each Other Walk in Humility Toward One Another Be Patient With Weakness Christian Heritage Church Indeed my Heritage is Beautiful To Me (Psalm 16:6b) 6