April 2, 2025 • 25 mins
Sincere love isn't something we generate within ourselves but flows from God as its source and is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.
• Abhorring what is evil while clinging to what is good creates the foundation for sincere love
• Treating fellow believers as family members demonstrates love without hypocrisy
• Our Heavenly Father is grieved when His children fight amongst themselves
• Being "fervent in spirit" means allowing God's fire to heat our hearts to boiling love
• Rejoicing in hope strengthens us through tribulations and fuels our capacity to love
• Blessing those who persecute us by speaking well of them and praying for them
• Weeping with those who weep rather than trying to immediately cheer them up
• Associating with the humble and not being wise in our own opinion
• Listening more than we speak shows genuine interest in others
We want to encourage you to not just listen to Heed the Word, but to truly apply what you learn. Take the Word of God and begin applying it to your life every day.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to Heed the Word with our pastor
and teacher, Ken Davis.
Pastor Ken is the senior pastorof Calvary Chapel, Southwest
Metro.
Please join us as we study ourseries entitled Lessons in
Christian Living.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
The love of God, that love that we need in order to
be able to obey His commands,that love that we need in order
to love without hypocrisy, thatlove that we need that we might
demonstrate our love to him, ourlove to the body and our love
for one another.
That love has God as its source.
Hope does not disappoint,because the love of God has been
(00:42):
poured out in our hearts by theHoly Spirit who was given to us
.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
There's no shortage of self-help books, motivational
speakers and even opinions outthere about how we're supposed
to live on this earth, but asChristians, we need to take our
direction in this area from theWord of God.
So we're bringing you ourseries entitled Lessons in
Christian Living, taken from the12th and 13th chapters of
Paul's letter to the church inRome.
(01:08):
Love is the base, thefoundation in a relationship
with the Creator.
However, this love isn'tsomething we generate within
ourselves.
So where does this love?
So where does this love, thisdesire, come from?
In the book of 1 John, we learnthat God is love.
By our submission to him,through the word of his grace,
(01:29):
he gives us a love for his truth.
Don't forget to stay with usafter today's message to hear
more information about Heed theWord, specifically how you can
get a free copy of this teaching.
But for now, please open yourBibles to the book of Romans,
chapter 12, as we join PastorKen.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
When we do not utterly reject them, but we
allow the devil to have afoothold in us and in our lives,
then we are ultimately hurtingthose whom we are supposed to
love.
By contrast, we are to cling towhat is good.
The idea here is that we are tostick like glue to what is good
.
When we see something that'sgood, that's right.
(02:06):
We are to keep our eyes set onthat thing.
We're to focus on that goodthing.
Philippians 4 puts it this way.
Finally, brethren, whatsoeverthings are true, whatsoever
things are honest, whatsoeverthings are just, whatsoever
things are pure, whatsoeverthings are lovely, whatsoever
things are of good report, ifthere be any virtue and if there
(02:28):
is any praise, think on thesethings.
And as Christians, we need tokeep our eyes on those things
that are pleasing to God, thosethings that are good and pure
and holy.
We're told that we're to thinkon those things.
So we are to abhor evil and weare to cling to what is good.
(02:50):
The next part of verse 10 saysthat we are to be kindly
affectionate to one another.
Now, that phrase be kindlyaffectionate to one another in
brotherly love and honor, givingpreference to one another is
really a mouthful, particularlythat word kindly affectionate.
In the Greek the word isphilostorgos and it means
(03:13):
cherishing one's kindred,especially parents or children,
fond of natural relatives, anexample fraternal towards fellow
Christians.
In essence, what it's saying isthis those of us who are
children of God are to treateach other like family,
brotherly kindness, brotherlylove.
(03:34):
That is to exemplify ourattitudes and our behaviors.
We are children of God.
So if you believe in the nameof Jesus Christ this morning, if
you have repented of your sinsand turned to him for salvation,
confessing him as your Lord andSavior, then you this morning
are a child of God.
And if you are children of God,then you are brothers and
(03:57):
sisters of one another.
We're family.
You can pick your friends right, but we're family.
Paul exhorts us in verse 10 tobe kindly affectionate to one
another with brotherly love, inother words, to show each other
the love and respect that wouldbe due someone who's part of our
(04:21):
own family.
How many of you have kids?
A lot of you have kids.
Do your kids obey you?
Not perfectly right, but youwant them to, don't you?
You want your children to obeyyou.
Is there anything worse thanwhen your children fight with
each other?
Not much, I'm sure, if westretched our imaginations we
(04:44):
could think of a few things, butreally one of the worst things
that can happen day by daywithin a family is when the
siblings are fighting, when theyare fussing, when they are at
one another, because it breaks aparent's heart to see these
children, whom you love, treateach other in a hateful or a
(05:06):
disrespectful way.
Now you're children of God.
How do you think it makes yourHeavenly Father feel when you
hate and bite each other, whenyou fight and argue with each
other, when you treat each otherwith disdain or with disrespect
(05:26):
or in an unloving way?
If it bothers you as a parentwhen your children fuss and
fight, how much do you think itbothers your father, who is in
heaven, when his children fussand fight To the extent that the
Bible tells us?
Don't tell me you love God ifyou hate your brother, because
how can you love God whom youhaven't seen if you hate your
(05:48):
brother whom you have seen?
You see, if we claim to love Godbut then we treat each other
with hatred and anger anddisrespect, then how does that
communicate love toward the onewho gave us life?
Because he gave them life, justlike he gave me life.
He is their source, just likehe is my source.
(06:11):
He is their provision, justlike he is my provision.
He's filled them with his HolySpirit, just like he's filled me
with his Holy Spirit.
So if I love him, then I shouldlove him in them as well and
they in me.
So if I love him, then I shouldlove him in them as well and
they in me.
So verse 10 tells us that iflove is to be sincere, we need
(06:31):
to be kindly affectionate to oneanother, with brotherly love In
honor, giving preference to oneanother.
In other words, to considereach other as being more
important than we considerourselves.
In other words, putting oneanother ahead of each other, as
being more important than weconsider ourselves.
In other words, putting oneanother ahead of each other,
caring enough to let the otherperson go first.
(06:52):
Now verse 11 recognizes thatthis is work that this is not
easy because in verse 11 he saysnot lagging in diligence,
fervent in spirit, serving theLord.
You see, when I am kindlyaffectionate toward you in
brotherly love, I am serving theLord, and when you are kindly
(07:16):
affectionate toward one anotherin brotherly love, you are
serving the Lord and you're notto be lagging in diligence in
regard to this.
In other words, you're not tobe lazy about it.
Don't be lazy in loving eachother, don't be lazy about
showing your love to one anotherand caring for one another.
(07:40):
The word not lagging indiligence literally means not
lazy.
Don't be lazy regarding yourlove for one another.
The word not lagging indiligence literally means not
lazy.
Don't be lazy regarding yourlove for one another.
But this next phrase, fervent inspirit, is vitally important,
because we can try all day longto love one another and fail
miserably at it.
In order to truly do this, wemust be fervent in spirit.
(08:03):
It says in verse 10 again Bekindly affectionate to one
another with brotherly kindness,with brotherly love and honor,
giving preference to one another, not lagging in diligence.
So in other words, don't belazy about this, but fervent in
spirit, serving the Lord.
Now, what does this mean, thisidea of being fervent in spirit.
(08:25):
Well, the word ferventliterally is talking about heat.
In other words, it's boilingsomething that is boiling hot or
something that is glowing hot.
Now, you may be the metal, butGod provides the flame that
heats that metal, and you may bethe water, but it's God that is
(08:45):
going to bring you to a boil,you understand?
So we are to be fervent inspirit.
In other words, our spirits areto be glowing hot for God.
Our spirits are to be boilingover with the love of God that
comes from being in fellowshipwith him.
Again, god is our source.
(09:06):
God is the means by which weattain this love for one another
.
So if you lack this love, thenbe diligent in seeking God and
ask him to give you the lovewith which you can love one
another and thereby serve him,which you can love one another
and thereby serve him.
(09:27):
Merriam-webster's CollegiateDictionary defines hope as a
desire accompanied byexpectation of or belief in,
fulfillment.
So we are to be rejoicing inour expectation of God's
fulfillment of his promises tous.
If we want to know what thishope is talking about, turn
again to Romans, chapter 5.
(09:48):
What is the hope that we are torejoice in?
What is it that we are toexpect and to desire?
Romans 5, verse 1,.
Therefore, having beenjustified by faith, in other
words, now that we're saved, wehave peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, through whomalso we have access, by faith,
(10:10):
into this grace in which westand and rejoice in hope of the
glory of God.
So what is the hope that we arerejoicing in?
We are rejoicing in the hope ofGod's glory, both that we would
seeicing in.
We are rejoicing in the hope ofGod's glory, both that we would
see it come and that it wouldbe revealed in us.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
And not only that.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
But we also glory in tribulations, knowing that
tribulation producesperseverance, and perseverance,
character and character, hope.
So this hope that we are torejoice in is actually
strengthened by tribulations.
So when we go through difficultsituations and we look to God as
(10:56):
our supply and our source andour strength, he teaches us day
by day that he's not going tofail us, that he's going to
finish the work he began in usand that he is going to give us
the love that we need to show toone another, the love of God,
that love that we need in orderto be able to obey his commands.
(11:17):
That love that we need in orderto love without hypocrisy.
That love that we need that wemight demonstrate our love to
him, our love to the body andour love for hypocrisy.
That love that we need that wemight demonstrate our love to
Him, our love to the body andour love for one another.
That love has God as its source.
Hope does not disappoint,because the love of God has been
poured out in our hearts by theHoly Spirit who was given to us
(11:40):
.
Now, if the Holy Spirit has notbeen given to you, if you are
not a Christian this morning,then this love is beyond your
reach.
You may have a desire to obeythe things that I've spoken to
you today, but apart from theempowering Spirit of God, you
will be unable to do so.
But the good news is you canacquire that simply by putting
(12:02):
your faith in Jesus Christ.
If you're not a Christian.
This morning you need tounderstand Jesus.
Christ died for you.
Christ died for the ungodly,for scarcely for a righteous man
will one die, yet perhaps for agood man someone would even
dare to die.
But God demonstrates his ownlove toward us in that, while we
were still sinners, christ diedfor us, much more than having
(12:28):
now been justified by His bloodmeaning to be declared just as
though we had never sinned.
By the blood of Christ we shallbe saved from wrath through Him
.
You see, there is judgment thatis coming upon this world
because the world has rejectedGod.
But we who have placed ourfaith in him are redeemed from
(12:49):
this world.
For verse 10 says For if, whenwe were enemies, we were
reconciled to God through thedeath of his son, much more,
having been reconciled, we shallbe saved by his life.
And not only that, but we alsorejoice in God through our Lord
Jesus Christ, through whom wehave now received the
(13:09):
reconciliation.
So we rejoice in hope, in thehope that God has redeemed us
and will glorify us togetherwith him.
Again back to Romans, chapter12.
Him Again back to Romans,chapter 12.
Guys, when you feel like youcannot love, when you feel like
you are out of touch with God,when you feel that you need a
(13:33):
fresh outpouring of His love andHis Spirit in you, you have
access to Him, and all you needto do is to go to Him and to ask
Him in prayer to renew you andto fill you and to empower you
to love.
And don't you think he'll do it?
If he wants you to love andhe's the source of that love,
(13:54):
don't you think that when youask him for some of it, he's
going to give it to you?
He wants you to obey more thanyou want to obey, and so when
you go to him and you say, Lord,help me to obey, isn't he going
to answer that?
prayer.
It's in perfect keeping withhis word for you that you might
love one another.
Now, how is this lovemanifested?
(14:14):
Well, in distributing to theneeds of the saints.
You know, when one of ourbrothers or sisters are in need,
shouldn't they be able to go tofamily for help?
Speaker 1 (14:23):
brothers, or sisters are in need?
Speaker 2 (14:25):
shouldn't they be able to go to family for help?
Now, that's not to say thatthere aren't times when God is
trying to discipline us and tocorrect us, and we need to stay
out of God's way when he's doingthat.
But if we allow ourselves to beled by the Spirit, when our
brothers and sisters come to usin need, our desire is going to
be to help them because we lovethem.
Distributing to the needs ofthe saints, giving to
(14:46):
hospitality.
Now, you know, I've got to tellyou this idea of giving to
hospitality that phrase does notdo justice to the thought
behind it.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
What it's?
Speaker 2 (14:55):
saying here is this, Look for opportunities to be
hospitable.
I mean chase people down toshow them hospitality, you know
there is a lost art isn't therein the world today and in the
church today, People so oftenisolate themselves in their
homes and shut themselves offfrom the rest of the world.
(15:15):
We see each other on Sundaysand Wednesdays at best, and so
often we don't intermingle therest of the time.
But you know what we're to begiven to, hospitality we are to
look for opportunities to bewith each other.
In verse 14, Paul writes Blessthose who persecute you, bless
(15:35):
and do not curse.
Rejoice with those who rejoiceand weep with those who weep.
Now this idea of blessing thosewho persecute you.
The idea of persecute.
There is the word pursue, soyou are to bless those who
pursue you.
(15:56):
I think of this as those peoplethat are always after you about
something right.
They're always after you aboutsomething.
There's always something that'sbothering them, there's always
some issue that they have withyou.
You can never quite do anythingright in their eyes they're
always criticizing you, but theBible says that, rather than
criticizing in turn, rather thanspeaking harshly in turn, what
(16:20):
you are to do is to bless themand not to curse them or to doom
them.
Well, what does the word blessmean?
The word bless here is the wordeulogia, which is where we get
our word eulogy, in other words,to say something nice about,
and it means to speak well ofsomeone.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
To thank or invoke a benediction, or in other words,
to pray for them and to prosperthem.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
So, in other words, if there is somebody who is just
on you all the time and withinthe context I get the impression
that it's a brother or sisterin Christ If they are just
bugging you all the time,they're nagging you, they're
nitpicking at you, they'respeaking evil of you?
Speaker 3 (16:55):
what is your response to?
Speaker 1 (16:56):
be your response is to be that you speak well of
them, that you speak kindly ofthem and to them, that you pray
for them, that you look foropportunities to be a blessing
to them.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Now, is there anybody else here who finds that
difficult?
And yet that is love withouthypocrisy.
Love without hypocrisy says thislook, you may be having issues,
but there are probably reasonsthat you're having issues, and
the more you are frustrated andangry maybe that means that you
really need a little extra lovetoday, and so, rather than being
(17:34):
angry and frustrated with youin turn, maybe I should be a
little more loving, a littlemore patient and a little more
kind to you.
Now I don't have the ability orthe strength to do that in my
own flesh, but Jesus does.
He blessed those who persecutedhim when they were nailing him
to the cross.
What did Jesus say?
(17:55):
Father, forgive them, for theyknow not what they do.
That is a heart that we wouldhave if our love is to be
without hypocrisy.
Bless those who persecute you.
Bless and do not curse.
Rejoice with those who rejoiceWeep with those who weep.
(18:19):
You know, so often when we seesomebody who's weeping, we have
a desire to cheer them up, don'twe?
But, maybe we don't need tocheer them up.
Maybe we need to acknowledgehow they're feeling and to
sympathize with them.
Not to pity them, but tosympathize with them, to share
in their hurt, to share in theirpain, to affirm them in what
(18:44):
they're feeling and what they'regoing through, and to let them
know that, yeah, sometimes lifedoes hurt, but God loves us in
spite of it doesn't mean itdoesn't hurt and what they're
going through.
And to let them know that, yeah, sometimes life does hurt, but
God loves us in spite of it itdoesn't mean it doesn't hurt.
So we're to rejoice with thosewho rejoice.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
We're to weep with those who weep.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
We are in verse 16, we're told to be of the same
mind toward one another.
In other words, we are to bemindful of one another, we're to
think of one another, we're tobe considerate of one another,
we're to care about one another.
Do not set your mind on highthings but associate with the
(19:24):
humble.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
In other words.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
If I only invite someone to dinner who's likely
to invite me to dinner next week, then what good have I done,
right?
If I'm only interested inshowing love to those who will
in some way be a benefactor tome, then what have I
accomplished?
But we are to love those whoare high and those who are low.
We're not to be regarders ofpersons, because God isn't.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Do not set your mind on high things, but associate
with the humble.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Do not be wise in your own opinion?
Now, that is an entire sermonall unto itself.
There are so many people whoare wise in their own opinion.
You know how you can tell ifsomebody is wise in their own
opinion.
They talk more than they listen.
(20:13):
Sometimes I wonder what thatsays about me.
We should all wonder what thatsays about us.
People who talk more than theylisten very often are wise in
their own eyes.
They think they've got all theanswers and they're ready to
tell you what those answers are,before they even realize what
question it is that you'reasking.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
You know if we are going to allow love to be
without hypocrisy.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
if we're going to demonstrate this kind of love
for one another, then we have tobe considerate of one another
and conscientious of one another, and we have to think about
what's important to the otherperson more so than we think
about what's important to ask.
And so when I sit down with youand we spend some time talking
together, I should be moreinterested in what you have to
(20:56):
say than I am in what I have tosay, and if you're coming to me
asking for advice or counsel, Ineed to hear you out before I
try to provide an answer.
And when I do try to provide ananswer, that answer had better
(21:16):
be from the wisdom that Godprovides, not from the wisdom I
have in my own eyes.
Guys, let love be withouthypocrisy.
I want to end with a story thatI think sums up these verses
(21:39):
pretty well and gives us awonderful example to follow.
It is related of the late MrCharles Haddon Spurgeon that on
one occasion he found a boy onthe street ragged and hungry.
Taking him with him home, thegood pastor fed and clothed him
and then, kneeling down, heprayed for the friendless boy
(22:03):
Several times.
In the prayer he referred tothe Almighty as Our Father.
When the prayer was finished,the boy said Did you say Our
Father yes, my boy, yours andmine yes, was the reply.
Then we are brothers.
Yes, gravely replied the pastor, and then he talked to him of
(22:28):
the Lord Jesus Christ andfinally, on taking leave of him,
he gave the boy a letter to acertain boot dealer for a pair
of boots.
A few days after, mr Spurgeonwas passing the boot shop.
When the dealer saw him andcalled to him, he said I had a
strange thing, the other day Aboy came into the shop and asked
(22:52):
for a pair of boots, sayingthat his brother had sent him.
And when I asked him who hisbrother was, he said you were.
That's right, said Mr Spurgeon,and he is your brother too and,
if you like, you will share thecost of the boots.
You see, whether the person ishonored and renowned, like
(23:22):
Charles Spurgeon, or poor andlowly, like a little boy living
on the streets, if Jesus Christis their Lord, then they are our
brothers and we are all toshare the cost of their sins.
We are all to minister to theneeds of the saints.
(23:46):
We are all to let our love bein truth and in beauty and not
just in work.
You know what I want to bewithout the practice.
We're not just to act like weare people, but to really love
(24:08):
as God, and he does.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
Well, that's all the time we have for today.
You've been listening to Feedthe Word, the radio ministry of
Calvary Chapel, Southwest Metro,located in Burlington, Texas.
With so many ideas out thereabout the Christian life, we
thought it necessary to sharewith you a series entitled
Lessons for Christian Living, Ateaching through the 12th and
(24:32):
13th chapters of the Book ofRomans that tackles the issues
of Christian life.
If you were with us at thebeginning of today's broadcast,
you know we mentioned that we'dbe giving additional information
about Heed the Word and how toget a free copy of this message.
For more information about Heedthe Word, log on to
HeedTheWordorg.
(24:52):
That's HeedTheWordorg.
At the website, you'll findeverything you need our contact
information and a link to ouronline order form, which will
allow you to place an order fora CD of today's message in its
unedited form.
Since all of our materials arefree of charge, supplies are
limited, so log on toheathewoodorg and place your
(25:15):
order today.
As we close today, we want toencourage you to not just listen
to Heath the Word, but to trulyapply what you learn.
Take the Word of God and beginapplying it to your life every
day.
Well, that's all the time wehave for this edition of Heal
the Word with Pastor Ken Davis.
Place a marker in your Bibleand join us next time as Pastor
(25:37):
Ken continues with our seriesentitled Lessons for Christian
Women.
Thanks for watching.
You're listening to Heed the Word with our pastor
and teacher, Ken Davis.
Pastor Ken is the senior pastorof Calvary Chapel, Southwest
Metro.
Please join us as we study ourseries entitled Lessons in
Christian Living.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
The love of God, that love that we need in order to
be able to obey His commands,that love that we need in order
to love without hypocrisy, thatlove that we need that we might
demonstrate our love to him, ourlove to the body and our love
for one another.
That love has God as its source.
Hope does not disappoint,because the love of God has been
(00:42):
poured out in our hearts by theHoly Spirit who was given to us
.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
There's no shortage of self-help books, motivational
speakers and even opinions outthere about how we're supposed
to live on this earth, but asChristians, we need to take our
direction in this area from theWord of God.
So we're bringing you ourseries entitled Lessons in
Christian Living, taken from the12th and 13th chapters of
Paul's letter to the church inRome.
(01:08):
Love is the base, thefoundation in a relationship
with the Creator.
However, this love isn'tsomething we generate within
ourselves.
So where does this love?
So where does this love, thisdesire, come from?
In the book of 1 John, we learnthat God is love.
By our submission to him,through the word of his grace,
(01:29):
he gives us a love for his truth.
Don't forget to stay with usafter today's message to hear
more information about Heed theWord, specifically how you can
get a free copy of this teaching.
But for now, please open yourBibles to the book of Romans,
chapter 12, as we join PastorKen.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
When we do not utterly reject them, but we
allow the devil to have afoothold in us and in our lives,
then we are ultimately hurtingthose whom we are supposed to
love.
By contrast, we are to cling towhat is good.
The idea here is that we are tostick like glue to what is good
.
When we see something that'sgood, that's right.
(02:06):
We are to keep our eyes set onthat thing.
We're to focus on that goodthing.
Philippians 4 puts it this way.
Finally, brethren, whatsoeverthings are true, whatsoever
things are honest, whatsoeverthings are just, whatsoever
things are pure, whatsoeverthings are lovely, whatsoever
things are of good report, ifthere be any virtue and if there
(02:28):
is any praise, think on thesethings.
And as Christians, we need tokeep our eyes on those things
that are pleasing to God, thosethings that are good and pure
and holy.
We're told that we're to thinkon those things.
So we are to abhor evil and weare to cling to what is good.
(02:50):
The next part of verse 10 saysthat we are to be kindly
affectionate to one another.
Now, that phrase be kindlyaffectionate to one another in
brotherly love and honor, givingpreference to one another is
really a mouthful, particularlythat word kindly affectionate.
In the Greek the word isphilostorgos and it means
(03:13):
cherishing one's kindred,especially parents or children,
fond of natural relatives, anexample fraternal towards fellow
Christians.
In essence, what it's saying isthis those of us who are
children of God are to treateach other like family,
brotherly kindness, brotherlylove.
(03:34):
That is to exemplify ourattitudes and our behaviors.
We are children of God.
So if you believe in the nameof Jesus Christ this morning, if
you have repented of your sinsand turned to him for salvation,
confessing him as your Lord andSavior, then you this morning
are a child of God.
And if you are children of God,then you are brothers and
(03:57):
sisters of one another.
We're family.
You can pick your friends right, but we're family.
Paul exhorts us in verse 10 tobe kindly affectionate to one
another with brotherly love, inother words, to show each other
the love and respect that wouldbe due someone who's part of our
(04:21):
own family.
How many of you have kids?
A lot of you have kids.
Do your kids obey you?
Not perfectly right, but youwant them to, don't you?
You want your children to obeyyou.
Is there anything worse thanwhen your children fight with
each other?
Not much, I'm sure, if westretched our imaginations we
(04:44):
could think of a few things, butreally one of the worst things
that can happen day by daywithin a family is when the
siblings are fighting, when theyare fussing, when they are at
one another, because it breaks aparent's heart to see these
children, whom you love, treateach other in a hateful or a
(05:06):
disrespectful way.
Now you're children of God.
How do you think it makes yourHeavenly Father feel when you
hate and bite each other, whenyou fight and argue with each
other, when you treat each otherwith disdain or with disrespect
(05:26):
or in an unloving way?
If it bothers you as a parentwhen your children fuss and
fight, how much do you think itbothers your father, who is in
heaven, when his children fussand fight To the extent that the
Bible tells us?
Don't tell me you love God ifyou hate your brother, because
how can you love God whom youhaven't seen if you hate your
(05:48):
brother whom you have seen?
You see, if we claim to love Godbut then we treat each other
with hatred and anger anddisrespect, then how does that
communicate love toward the onewho gave us life?
Because he gave them life, justlike he gave me life.
He is their source, just likehe is my source.
(06:11):
He is their provision, justlike he is my provision.
He's filled them with his HolySpirit, just like he's filled me
with his Holy Spirit.
So if I love him, then I shouldlove him in them as well and
they in me.
So if I love him, then I shouldlove him in them as well and
they in me.
So verse 10 tells us that iflove is to be sincere, we need
(06:31):
to be kindly affectionate to oneanother, with brotherly love In
honor, giving preference to oneanother.
In other words, to considereach other as being more
important than we considerourselves.
In other words, putting oneanother ahead of each other, as
being more important than weconsider ourselves.
In other words, putting oneanother ahead of each other,
caring enough to let the otherperson go first.
(06:52):
Now verse 11 recognizes thatthis is work that this is not
easy because in verse 11 he saysnot lagging in diligence,
fervent in spirit, serving theLord.
You see, when I am kindlyaffectionate toward you in
brotherly love, I am serving theLord, and when you are kindly
(07:16):
affectionate toward one anotherin brotherly love, you are
serving the Lord and you're notto be lagging in diligence in
regard to this.
In other words, you're not tobe lazy about it.
Don't be lazy in loving eachother, don't be lazy about
showing your love to one anotherand caring for one another.
(07:40):
The word not lagging indiligence literally means not
lazy.
Don't be lazy regarding yourlove for one another.
The word not lagging indiligence literally means not
lazy.
Don't be lazy regarding yourlove for one another.
But this next phrase, fervent inspirit, is vitally important,
because we can try all day longto love one another and fail
miserably at it.
In order to truly do this, wemust be fervent in spirit.
(08:03):
It says in verse 10 again Bekindly affectionate to one
another with brotherly kindness,with brotherly love and honor,
giving preference to one another, not lagging in diligence.
So in other words, don't belazy about this, but fervent in
spirit, serving the Lord.
Now, what does this mean, thisidea of being fervent in spirit.
(08:25):
Well, the word ferventliterally is talking about heat.
In other words, it's boilingsomething that is boiling hot or
something that is glowing hot.
Now, you may be the metal, butGod provides the flame that
heats that metal, and you may bethe water, but it's God that is
(08:45):
going to bring you to a boil,you understand?
So we are to be fervent inspirit.
In other words, our spirits areto be glowing hot for God.
Our spirits are to be boilingover with the love of God that
comes from being in fellowshipwith him.
Again, god is our source.
(09:06):
God is the means by which weattain this love for one another
.
So if you lack this love, thenbe diligent in seeking God and
ask him to give you the lovewith which you can love one
another and thereby serve him,which you can love one another
and thereby serve him.
(09:27):
Merriam-webster's CollegiateDictionary defines hope as a
desire accompanied byexpectation of or belief in,
fulfillment.
So we are to be rejoicing inour expectation of God's
fulfillment of his promises tous.
If we want to know what thishope is talking about, turn
again to Romans, chapter 5.
(09:48):
What is the hope that we are torejoice in?
What is it that we are toexpect and to desire?
Romans 5, verse 1,.
Therefore, having beenjustified by faith, in other
words, now that we're saved, wehave peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, through whomalso we have access, by faith,
(10:10):
into this grace in which westand and rejoice in hope of the
glory of God.
So what is the hope that we arerejoicing in?
We are rejoicing in the hope ofGod's glory, both that we would
seeicing in.
We are rejoicing in the hope ofGod's glory, both that we would
see it come and that it wouldbe revealed in us.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
And not only that.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
But we also glory in tribulations, knowing that
tribulation producesperseverance, and perseverance,
character and character, hope.
So this hope that we are torejoice in is actually
strengthened by tribulations.
So when we go through difficultsituations and we look to God as
(10:56):
our supply and our source andour strength, he teaches us day
by day that he's not going tofail us, that he's going to
finish the work he began in usand that he is going to give us
the love that we need to show toone another, the love of God,
that love that we need in orderto be able to obey his commands.
(11:17):
That love that we need in orderto love without hypocrisy.
That love that we need that wemight demonstrate our love to
him, our love to the body andour love for hypocrisy.
That love that we need that wemight demonstrate our love to
Him, our love to the body andour love for one another.
That love has God as its source.
Hope does not disappoint,because the love of God has been
poured out in our hearts by theHoly Spirit who was given to us
(11:40):
.
Now, if the Holy Spirit has notbeen given to you, if you are
not a Christian this morning,then this love is beyond your
reach.
You may have a desire to obeythe things that I've spoken to
you today, but apart from theempowering Spirit of God, you
will be unable to do so.
But the good news is you canacquire that simply by putting
(12:02):
your faith in Jesus Christ.
If you're not a Christian.
This morning you need tounderstand Jesus.
Christ died for you.
Christ died for the ungodly,for scarcely for a righteous man
will one die, yet perhaps for agood man someone would even
dare to die.
But God demonstrates his ownlove toward us in that, while we
were still sinners, christ diedfor us, much more than having
(12:28):
now been justified by His bloodmeaning to be declared just as
though we had never sinned.
By the blood of Christ we shallbe saved from wrath through Him
.
You see, there is judgment thatis coming upon this world
because the world has rejectedGod.
But we who have placed ourfaith in him are redeemed from
(12:49):
this world.
For verse 10 says For if, whenwe were enemies, we were
reconciled to God through thedeath of his son, much more,
having been reconciled, we shallbe saved by his life.
And not only that, but we alsorejoice in God through our Lord
Jesus Christ, through whom wehave now received the
(13:09):
reconciliation.
So we rejoice in hope, in thehope that God has redeemed us
and will glorify us togetherwith him.
Again back to Romans, chapter12.
Him Again back to Romans,chapter 12.
Guys, when you feel like youcannot love, when you feel like
you are out of touch with God,when you feel that you need a
(13:33):
fresh outpouring of His love andHis Spirit in you, you have
access to Him, and all you needto do is to go to Him and to ask
Him in prayer to renew you andto fill you and to empower you
to love.
And don't you think he'll do it?
If he wants you to love andhe's the source of that love,
(13:54):
don't you think that when youask him for some of it, he's
going to give it to you?
He wants you to obey more thanyou want to obey, and so when
you go to him and you say, Lord,help me to obey, isn't he going
to answer that?
prayer.
It's in perfect keeping withhis word for you that you might
love one another.
Now, how is this lovemanifested?
(14:14):
Well, in distributing to theneeds of the saints.
You know, when one of ourbrothers or sisters are in need,
shouldn't they be able to go tofamily for help?
Speaker 1 (14:23):
brothers, or sisters are in need?
Speaker 2 (14:25):
shouldn't they be able to go to family for help?
Now, that's not to say thatthere aren't times when God is
trying to discipline us and tocorrect us, and we need to stay
out of God's way when he's doingthat.
But if we allow ourselves to beled by the Spirit, when our
brothers and sisters come to usin need, our desire is going to
be to help them because we lovethem.
Distributing to the needs ofthe saints, giving to
(14:46):
hospitality.
Now, you know, I've got to tellyou this idea of giving to
hospitality that phrase does notdo justice to the thought
behind it.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
What it's?
Speaker 2 (14:55):
saying here is this, Look for opportunities to be
hospitable.
I mean chase people down toshow them hospitality, you know
there is a lost art isn't therein the world today and in the
church today, People so oftenisolate themselves in their
homes and shut themselves offfrom the rest of the world.
(15:15):
We see each other on Sundaysand Wednesdays at best, and so
often we don't intermingle therest of the time.
But you know what we're to begiven to, hospitality we are to
look for opportunities to bewith each other.
In verse 14, Paul writes Blessthose who persecute you, bless
(15:35):
and do not curse.
Rejoice with those who rejoiceand weep with those who weep.
Now this idea of blessing thosewho persecute you.
The idea of persecute.
There is the word pursue, soyou are to bless those who
pursue you.
(15:56):
I think of this as those peoplethat are always after you about
something right.
They're always after you aboutsomething.
There's always something that'sbothering them, there's always
some issue that they have withyou.
You can never quite do anythingright in their eyes they're
always criticizing you, but theBible says that, rather than
criticizing in turn, rather thanspeaking harshly in turn, what
(16:20):
you are to do is to bless themand not to curse them or to doom
them.
Well, what does the word blessmean?
The word bless here is the wordeulogia, which is where we get
our word eulogy, in other words,to say something nice about,
and it means to speak well ofsomeone.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
To thank or invoke a benediction, or in other words,
to pray for them and to prosperthem.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
So, in other words, if there is somebody who is just
on you all the time and withinthe context I get the impression
that it's a brother or sisterin Christ If they are just
bugging you all the time,they're nagging you, they're
nitpicking at you, they'respeaking evil of you?
Speaker 3 (16:55):
what is your response to?
Speaker 1 (16:56):
be your response is to be that you speak well of
them, that you speak kindly ofthem and to them, that you pray
for them, that you look foropportunities to be a blessing
to them.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Now, is there anybody else here who finds that
difficult?
And yet that is love withouthypocrisy.
Love without hypocrisy says thislook, you may be having issues,
but there are probably reasonsthat you're having issues, and
the more you are frustrated andangry maybe that means that you
really need a little extra lovetoday, and so, rather than being
(17:34):
angry and frustrated with youin turn, maybe I should be a
little more loving, a littlemore patient and a little more
kind to you.
Now I don't have the ability orthe strength to do that in my
own flesh, but Jesus does.
He blessed those who persecutedhim when they were nailing him
to the cross.
What did Jesus say?
(17:55):
Father, forgive them, for theyknow not what they do.
That is a heart that we wouldhave if our love is to be
without hypocrisy.
Bless those who persecute you.
Bless and do not curse.
Rejoice with those who rejoiceWeep with those who weep.
(18:19):
You know, so often when we seesomebody who's weeping, we have
a desire to cheer them up, don'twe?
But, maybe we don't need tocheer them up.
Maybe we need to acknowledgehow they're feeling and to
sympathize with them.
Not to pity them, but tosympathize with them, to share
in their hurt, to share in theirpain, to affirm them in what
(18:44):
they're feeling and what they'regoing through, and to let them
know that, yeah, sometimes lifedoes hurt, but God loves us in
spite of it doesn't mean itdoesn't hurt and what they're
going through.
And to let them know that, yeah, sometimes life does hurt, but
God loves us in spite of it itdoesn't mean it doesn't hurt.
So we're to rejoice with thosewho rejoice.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
We're to weep with those who weep.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
We are in verse 16, we're told to be of the same
mind toward one another.
In other words, we are to bemindful of one another, we're to
think of one another, we're tobe considerate of one another,
we're to care about one another.
Do not set your mind on highthings but associate with the
(19:24):
humble.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
In other words.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
If I only invite someone to dinner who's likely
to invite me to dinner next week, then what good have I done,
right?
If I'm only interested inshowing love to those who will
in some way be a benefactor tome, then what have I
accomplished?
But we are to love those whoare high and those who are low.
We're not to be regarders ofpersons, because God isn't.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Do not set your mind on high things, but associate
with the humble.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Do not be wise in your own opinion?
Now, that is an entire sermonall unto itself.
There are so many people whoare wise in their own opinion.
You know how you can tell ifsomebody is wise in their own
opinion.
They talk more than they listen.
(20:13):
Sometimes I wonder what thatsays about me.
We should all wonder what thatsays about us.
People who talk more than theylisten very often are wise in
their own eyes.
They think they've got all theanswers and they're ready to
tell you what those answers are,before they even realize what
question it is that you'reasking.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
You know if we are going to allow love to be
without hypocrisy.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
if we're going to demonstrate this kind of love
for one another, then we have tobe considerate of one another
and conscientious of one another, and we have to think about
what's important to the otherperson more so than we think
about what's important to ask.
And so when I sit down with youand we spend some time talking
together, I should be moreinterested in what you have to
(20:56):
say than I am in what I have tosay, and if you're coming to me
asking for advice or counsel, Ineed to hear you out before I
try to provide an answer.
And when I do try to provide ananswer, that answer had better
(21:16):
be from the wisdom that Godprovides, not from the wisdom I
have in my own eyes.
Guys, let love be withouthypocrisy.
I want to end with a story thatI think sums up these verses
(21:39):
pretty well and gives us awonderful example to follow.
It is related of the late MrCharles Haddon Spurgeon that on
one occasion he found a boy onthe street ragged and hungry.
Taking him with him home, thegood pastor fed and clothed him
and then, kneeling down, heprayed for the friendless boy
(22:03):
Several times.
In the prayer he referred tothe Almighty as Our Father.
When the prayer was finished,the boy said Did you say Our
Father yes, my boy, yours andmine yes, was the reply.
Then we are brothers.
Yes, gravely replied the pastor, and then he talked to him of
(22:28):
the Lord Jesus Christ andfinally, on taking leave of him,
he gave the boy a letter to acertain boot dealer for a pair
of boots.
A few days after, mr Spurgeonwas passing the boot shop.
When the dealer saw him andcalled to him, he said I had a
strange thing, the other day Aboy came into the shop and asked
(22:52):
for a pair of boots, sayingthat his brother had sent him.
And when I asked him who hisbrother was, he said you were.
That's right, said Mr Spurgeon,and he is your brother too and,
if you like, you will share thecost of the boots.
You see, whether the person ishonored and renowned, like
(23:22):
Charles Spurgeon, or poor andlowly, like a little boy living
on the streets, if Jesus Christis their Lord, then they are our
brothers and we are all toshare the cost of their sins.
We are all to minister to theneeds of the saints.
(23:46):
We are all to let our love bein truth and in beauty and not
just in work.
You know what I want to bewithout the practice.
We're not just to act like weare people, but to really love
(24:08):
as God, and he does.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
Well, that's all the time we have for today.
You've been listening to Feedthe Word, the radio ministry of
Calvary Chapel, Southwest Metro,located in Burlington, Texas.
With so many ideas out thereabout the Christian life, we
thought it necessary to sharewith you a series entitled
Lessons for Christian Living, Ateaching through the 12th and
(24:32):
13th chapters of the Book ofRomans that tackles the issues
of Christian life.
If you were with us at thebeginning of today's broadcast,
you know we mentioned that we'dbe giving additional information
about Heed the Word and how toget a free copy of this message.
For more information about Heedthe Word, log on to
HeedTheWordorg.
(24:52):
That's HeedTheWordorg.
At the website, you'll findeverything you need our contact
information and a link to ouronline order form, which will
allow you to place an order fora CD of today's message in its
unedited form.
Since all of our materials arefree of charge, supplies are
limited, so log on toheathewoodorg and place your
(25:15):
order today.
As we close today, we want toencourage you to not just listen
to Heath the Word, but to trulyapply what you learn.
Take the Word of God and beginapplying it to your life every
day.
Well, that's all the time wehave for this edition of Heal
the Word with Pastor Ken Davis.
Place a marker in your Bibleand join us next time as Pastor
(25:37):
Ken continues with our seriesentitled Lessons for Christian
Women.
Thanks for watching.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.