BY LOVE SERVE

Sunday Morning:  October 26, 2003

Text: Galatians 5:13-16  "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh."

LIBERTY TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER

Galatians 5:13-14  "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14. For all the law (given to control the flesh) is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt (it takes grace to) love thy neighbour as thyself."

DO NOT DODGE HIS COMMANDMENTS

Matthew 15:4-6  "For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 5. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me (to help them financially); 6. And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition."

LOVE IN DEED

1 John 3:17-19  "But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him."

 

BE DEVOTED TO ON ANOTHER

Romans 12:10  "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;"

PROVOKE UNTO LOVE

Hebrews 10:24  "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:"

LIBERTY IS NOT A CLOAK

1 Peter 2:16-17  "As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 17.  Honour [value] all men. Love the brotherhood [brethren]. Fear God. Honour [value] the king."

DON’T LIVE LIKE ANIMALS

Galatians 5:15  "But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another."

DO NOT AVENGE

Leviticus 19:18  "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD."

DO ALL THINGS WITHOUT DISPUTING

Philippians 2:14-15  "Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons [mature children] of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;"

DO NOT BE DIVIDED

1 Corinthians 1:10  "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together [one word, be made complete] in the same mind and in the same judgment."

 

 

 

 

THE CARNAL ARE DIVIDED

1 Corinthians 3:3  "For ye are yet carnal [fleshly]: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal [fleshly], and walk as men?"

WALK IN THE SPIRIT

Galatians 5:16  "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh."

WHAT SPIRIT?

Galatians 4:6  "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."

THE ABBA SPIRIT

Mark 14:36  "And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup [the desire of the flesh] from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt."

EVIDENCE OF THAT SPIRIT

Galatians 5:22-23  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love (for the brethren), joy (in the hope of glory, Romans 5:2), peace (that passes all understanding), longsuffering [patience], gentleness [kindness], goodness [beneficial, from a word translated benefit], faith (faithful), 23. Meekness , temperance: against such there is no law."

A WORTHY WALK

Ephesians 4:1-3  "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation [calling] wherewith ye are called, 2. With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

AS THE ELECT

Colossians 3:12-15  "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14. And above all these things put on charity [love], which is the bond (the glue) of perfectness. 15. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."

LOVE CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

1 Peter 4:7-9  "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8. And above all things have fervent charity [love] among yourselves: for charity [love] shall cover the multitude of sins. 9. Use hospitality one to another without grudging."

LOVE IS THE CATALYST

Galatians 5:6  " . . .  faith which worketh by love."