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Loving one another also means Serving one another.

1. Why is it Hard to Serve one another?

a. Serving one another is Not Easy.

b. So Paul tells them Real/Genuine Spirituality looks like.

2. What Happens when we Serve one another?

a. We Experience true Freedom.

b. We Fulfil the Intention of the Law.

3. How do we Serve one another in Love?

The Challenge to serve one another is Actually an Invitation to Live by the Spirit.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Loving one another also means Comforting one another.

God is Pictured in the OT and NT as a God of Comfort.

1. What does it Mean to Comfort One Another?

The Greek word parakleto means “to Draw Near” “to Come along Side”

The Holy Spirit is referred to as the Comforter. Comfort involves Personal Presence.

2. Why is Comforting one another Important?

Bad things, Tragic things, happen to Christians too.

But Christians do not have to face Troubles and Difficulties Alone.

3. How do we Comfort each Other?

a. By Experiencing Personally God’s Comfort.

b. By Recognising that God is in Control.

Comforting one another Focuses on God’s Truth which brings Comfort.

How is Instructing one another a Practical Demonstration of loving one another?

It is Speaking the Truth in Love.

1. We need to Understand the meaning of this word “Instruct”.

Admonish is a better term. To Admonish is “put something Into Mind”, “to Caution”, to “call Attention to something”.

It Conveys the meaning of Eph 4:15 - Speaking the Truth in Love.

Admonish one another is a way that we show we Care, we Love.

2. Competence is Required to Instruct each other.

What made them Competent to Instruct one another?

a. They were Full of Goodness.

b. They were Complete in Knowledge.

Goodness is important for Strong Christians to Instruct others.

Knowledge is important for Weak Christians to Instruct others.

God’s Word is Living, Reliable and when Applied to life we Grow.

Admonishing one another Speaks the Truth in Love.

Why do we have Trouble Accepting one another?

1. We Misinterpret the Concept of Biblical Acceptance.

- Biblical acceptance is a Commitment to Receiving people Where they are.

- Biblical acceptance is the Avenue by which God works Through Us to bring about Transformation in others.

2. Because there are Strong Christians and Weak Christians.

- Disputable matters are Not taught clearly in the Bible.

- Disputable matters are Lifestyle issues that Change from

Generation to generation and from Culture to culture.

How can we Accept One Another?

1. Acknowledge that there are and there will be Disputable matters among Christians.

- There are areas where Christians do Not Agree.

- There is Room in the Kingdom of God for a bit of Diversity.

2. Acknowledge that our fellowship is Not Based on Total Agreement on Disputable matters.

- There must be Agreement on the Essentials to have Fellowship.

3. Submit to God’s Authority.

- Both the Strong and the Weak are under God’s Authority.

4. Practice your personal Convictions on Disputable matters.

- Things God has Impressed on you, Without making it an Issue with Other believers.

5. The Strong are to Loving uphold the Weak.

- To exercise our Freedom in Christ Knowing it is going to Cause the Weak to Stumble is Wrong.

6. Follow the Example of Jesus Christ.

- When we Accept each other God is Praised.

All the other “One Anothers” of the Bible are simply Practical ways of Fulfilling the Command to “Love One Another”.

To honour one another is to Regard each other as Valuable.

We will Value each other:

1. On the basis of our Spiritual Transformation.

Human beings, Don’t Naturally regard other human beings as Valuable.

We need a Personal Transformation.

2. On the basis of our Spiritual Gifts.

All of us Belong to one Body. We all Have Value.

When we honour each other we Recognise that God is Active in each Person’s Life.

3. On the basis of our Supreme Example.

Jesus is our Supreme Example. Honouring one another Produces Rejoicing.

1. Recognise what Love is Not.

Love one another is a Suggestion.

Love one another is a Command.

2. What does it Mean to Love one another.

a. Love is what Proves the Reality of our Faith.

b. Love is the Primary Expression of the Fruit of the Spirit.

c. Love is the Greatest of the 3 Christian Graces.

d. Love is the most Identifiable Characteristic of his Disciples.

He is asking us to make a Choice. To choose for the Highest Good of another.

3. How Do we Love Each Other?

Love is something that is Demonstrated by Actions and not by Words.

Our love for one another Demonstrates that God’s indwelling Presence is in our Lives.

It Demonstrates the presence of God in your life to the World Around you.

1. Who were the First People Filled with the Holy Spirit?

a. Ordinary People.

When the Holy Spirit filled these people they Turned the World upside down.

b. People with Unremarkable Character.

When Holy Spirit fills Unremarkable people, they are able to do Extraordinary things.

2. What Happened After they were Filled with the Holy Spirit?

a. They became Passionate Messengers.

Messengers Enabled by the Holy Spirit.

b. They became Compassionate and Sensitive.

Now they Noticed people who Needed help.

c. They became Courageous.

Fear now been Replaced by courage.

d. They became Wise.

In handling an issue, Maintaining Priorities.

e. They became Grace-filled and Forgiving.

Seek to Bless our enemies.

Look to Him for Grace to forgive.

f. They became Obedient.

Obedience to God’s Word.

g. They became Ambassadors.

A genuine indicator of the fullness of the Spirit in a persons live is that they Develop a “Missionary” heart.

3. Being Filled with the Holy Spirit is Not “Optioned up” Christianity.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is a Command for all who name Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

What led to the spiritual explosion of Acts 2?

1. The Reality of the Resurrection.

Spiritual Power That Matters comes to those who are Totally Convinced that Jesus Christ Lives.

2. Personal Restoration.

Spiritual Power That Matters comes to those who freely Acknowledge their personal Failures and have been Forgiven and Restored by Jesus Christ.

3. Renewed Vision.

Spiritual Power That Matters comes to those who are Not Distracted by various Agendas but have been Consumed and Involved with the Agenda of Jesus Christ.

4. Promise of the Holy Spirit.

Spiritual Power That Matters comes to those who recognise their Spiritual Weakness and have opened their hearts and minds Completely to God the Holy Spirit and have asked Him to Fill them and Control them.

5. The Assention.

Spiritual Power That Matters comes to those who embrace Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and who Long for His Coming and Carry Out Matt 24:14.

6. Barrier Lowering Prayer.

Spiritual Power That Matters comes to those who lower the Barriers Between people by Consistent, Regular, United, Prayer.

John 16:33

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

7 Truths:

1. We need to Remember this is Not Heaven.

2. God is not the Creator of Evil and Suffering.

3. Though Suffering is Not good, God Can and Does use it to Accomplish good.

a. God can use Pain to Draw people to Himself.

b. God can use Trials to Sharpen the Character of His children.

c. God sometimes Disciplines His children to Teach them the Right Path to take.

d. God uses Bad Circumstances to bring about Good Ends.

4. The day is coming when Suffering will Cease and Evil will be Judged.

5. Any suffering we Experience in this life Pales in comparison with the Good God has in Store for His Followers.

6. You and I Decide whether our Pain in this world is going to Harden us or Soften us.

7. God Promises to Walk with us in our Pain and Suffering, if we Will let Him.