BY ARTHUR FARRESS
TEXT: JOHN 13:34-35
I. INTRODUCTION
A. WE NEED A REBAPTISM OF BROTHERLY-LOVE AND BROTHEROOD
1. Madolyn Murray O’Hare once said: “The Christian army is the only army in the world that kills its’ wounded .”
— TOO MANY TIMES WE’VE BEEN GUILTY OF DISCUSSING THE FAULTS OF ANOTHER BROTHER INSTEAD OF TRYING TO HELP THAT BROTHER!
INSTEAD OF DISCUSSING THE FAILURES OF OTHER CHURCH MEMBERS OVER COFFEE, WE SHOULD DISCUSS THEM OVER BENDED KNEES!!!
2. Romans 8:14 – “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
IF YOU HAVE THE HOLY GHOST, AND ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, YOU ARE MY BROTHER.
a. I Peter 2:9 – “A royal priesthood ” = ROYAL BLOOD FLOWING THROUGH THEIR VEINS.
BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER!
— THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE HURTING AND ARE SILENTLY CRYING OUT FOR HELP – WILL YOU BE A BROTHER TO THEM?
EXAMPLE: Moses at Rephidim – Aaron and Hur held his hands up for victory.
B. BROTHER DEFINED:
1. A male person having the same parents, same bloodline, and same sur-name.
a. OUR PARENTS:
1. Mother= The Church
2. Father= God
b. OUR BLOODLINE:
1. Can be traced back to Calvary (1 PT 2:9)
c. OUR NAME:
1. We all have the same name – JESUS!
*** WE NEED TO STICK TOGETHER AS A FAMILY!
ILLUSTRATIONS:
– Terry, Randy, & Lloyd Kelly
– Angie, me, & Wally James
WE NEED EACH OTHER!!!!
— WE NEED TO LEARN TO MINISTER BROTHERLY-LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER.
II. BODY
A. BIBLE SPEAKS ON BROTHERHOOD SOME 230 TIMES!
1. Romans 12:9
2. Colossians 3:14
3. I Thessalonians 4:9
4. I Timothy 1:5
5. Hebrews 13:1
6. I Peter 1:22
7. I John 2:7
8. I John 3:18 – DON’T JUST TELL ME YOU LOVE ME – SHOW ME YOU LOVE ME!
DON’T CALL ME “BROTHER” & TREAT ME LIKE A STRANGER.
WE NEED THE LOVE MORE THAN THE TITLE
B. ATTENDANCE IN CHURCH SURVEY
1. 6% based on the man in the pulpit & his ministry.
2. 14% based on the building – looks & comfort.
3. 80% based on the FRIENDLINESS OF THE PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH.
SOMEONE ONCE SAID:
– Make yourself a brother to another and you will find that in so doing you have made that other a brother to you.
– I went out to find a brother, but could not find one there;
I went out to be a brother, and brothers were everywhere.
– He who helps another get his boat to the other side, happily discovers that in so doing he has also made it to the distant shore.
*** INSTEAD OF SEEKING A BROTHER, OR EXPECTING EVERYONE ELSE TO COME TO US, WE SHOULD STRIVE TO BE A BROTHER!
C. LET’S STRIVE TO HELP THE WOUNDED & HURTING IN OUR MIDST.
*** SATAN IS ATTACKING THE FAMILY OF GOD IN FULL FORCE – WE MUST FIGHT FOR ONE ANOTHER!
— SECOND VERSE TO SONG ” WOUNDED SOLDIERS” —
– Obeying their orders, they fought on the front line for our king, capturing the enemies stronghold
– Weakened from battle, Satan in to take their lives – DON’T LET ANOTHER WOUNDED SOLDIER DIE.
– Come let us pour the oil, come let us bind the hurt, let’s cover them with the blanket of His love.
– Come let us break the bread, come let us give them rest – DON’T LET ANOTHER WOUNDED SOLDIER DIE.
AS NEVER BEFORE WE NEED EACH OTHER IF WE ARE EVER GOING TO SURVIVE!
III. CLOSE
A. DOWNS SYNDROME CHARACTERISTICS
1. Very loving
2. Respond to love more than harsh correction
3. Very up-beat; Positive
4. Very loyal – Do anything to please you
B. SPECIAL OLYMPICS
1. 100 yard dash – (trained for months)
– As they ran this race, striving to be #1, one of the runners fell on his face.
* One by one they noticed he had fallen.
* One by one they stop & turned to look.
* One by one they went back to the fallen one and helped him up, and together they all crossed the finish line ARM IN ARM!
*** WHEN WE SEE A BROTHER FALL, WE SHOULD GO TO HIM AND HELP HIM UP AND CROSS THE FINISH LINE TOGETHER.
— LET’S UNIFY OURSELVES IN THIS FAMILY OF GOD SO GOD WILL USE US.
— LET’S UNIFY OURSELVES TOGETHER SO WE CAN HAVE REVIVAL.
— WILL YOU COME TONIGHT AND JOIN TOGETHER AS A FAMILY, PLEDGING TO BE A BROTHER/SISTER TO ONE ANOTHER AGAIN.
— PUT ALL MALICE ASIDE. THROW DISCENSION OUT THE DOOR. FORGET ABOUT ONE-ANOTHER’S PAST, AND PRAY FOR ONE-ANOTHER’S FUTURE.
— LET’S PUT INTO OPERATION THE MINISTRY OF BEING A BROTHER.
THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS TAKEN FROM A TRANSCRIPTION OF A SERMON BY AN UNKNOWN AUTHOR. THIS MATERIAL MAY BE USED FOR STUDY AND RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.
