OTHERS

“OTHERS”

 Acts 3:2  And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

THERE COULD HAVE BEEN MANY WRONG POSSIBLE ACTIONS TAKEN BY PETER AND JOHN.

1. THEY COULD HAVE PLACED THE EXPECTATIONS OF MOST OF THE BEGGARS ON THEIR AGENDA (what were they people gathered for ? To obtain an alms).

2. THEY COULD HAVE PLACED THEIR OWN PRIORITIES UPON HIM. THEY WANTED TO GO AND WORSHIP, SO THE COULD HAVE BRUSHED HIM OFF.

3. THEY COULD HAVE LOWERED THEIR EXPECTATIONS BY ASKING FOR SOMETHING NICE FOR HIM. LIKE A NEW SUIT OF CLOTHES, OR A FULL HEAD OF HAIR.

4. THEY COULD HAVE EXCEEDED THE PLAN OF GOD BY ASKING FOR THE MOON. THEY COULD HAVE ASKED FOR HIS HEALING OF HIS LAMENESS, AND FOR EVERY MOLE, WART OR BLEMISH TO DISAPPEAR, FOR EVERY TOOTH TO BE HEALED, AND FOR HIS EYES AND EHARING TO BE PERFECT TILL HE DIES.

 HOW DO YOU MINISTER TO OTHERS ?  WITH GODLY LOVE ?

SOME HERE DO THAT, AND ARE SUCH POWERFUL BLESSINGS TO OTHERS.   BUT, SOME COME UP VERY VERY SHORT.

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****Interactive portion of message where scriptures are given to each person who is asked to read the scripture aloud and tell what verse means to them.****

 DO THESE VERSES TELL US WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO FOR EACH OTHER ?

YES !

–John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

–John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

–John 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

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

–Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

–Romans 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.

–Romans 15:7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

–Romans 15:14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

–Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

–Ephesians 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

–Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

–Colossians 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

–Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

–1 Thessalonians 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

–1 Thessalonians 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

–1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

–Hebrews 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

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

–Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

–1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

–1 John 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

–1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

–1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

–1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

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

–Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

–Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

–Luke 14:10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.

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 THREE QUESTIONS:

1. WHAT WOULD JESUS WANT DONE ?

2. WHAT WOULD THAT PERSON WANT DONE ?

3. WHAT WOULD I LIKE TO HAVE DONE IF I WAS THAT PERSON ?

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LOVE IS A COMMAND FROM GOD.  AND IT IS FAR MORE THAN WHAT MOST CHRISTIAN WANT IT TO BE WHEN APPLIED TO OTHERS. 

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

John 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

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

Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Romans 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. 

Romans 15:7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

Romans 15:14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

LOVE DOES SOMETHING.  IT JUST DOESN’T “FEEL.”

Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Ephesians 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Colossians 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Hebrews 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

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

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

1 John 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 

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

BE HUMBLE.

Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

GOD FIRST, OTHERS SECOND.

Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Luke 14:10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.

TRYING TO HELP A BROTHER OR SISTER IN CHRIST ?

HOW DO WE DO THIS ?   PASS THIS TEST–

1. HOW WOULD JESUS FEEL ? IF WE KNOW IT, CONSIDER HOW JESUS WOULD HANDLE IT. DO WE REALLY KNOW ?  IS THERE A BIBLICAL BASIS FOR YOUR CONCLUSION ?

ARE WE DOING IT BECAUSE GOD COMMANDED US TO LOVE AS HE LOVED ?   SOME SEE THIS AS THEIR ESCAPE FROM DOING SOMETHING.   THEY FIGURE THAT IF THEY CANNOT LOVE AS JESUS DID THEY ARE EXCUSED FROM DOING ANYTHING.   NOT SO !  INSTEAD, JESUS SET A STANDARD BEFORE US WHERE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO COME UP TO THOSE STANDARDS, NOT THROW THEM AWAY SAYING THAT WE CANNOT DO THEM.

2. HOW WOULD YOU FEEL ? CONSIDER HOW YOU WOULD FEEL IN THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES. James 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

3. HOW WOULD THE OTHER PERSON FEEL ? CONSIDER HOW THE OTHER PERSON WOULD TAKE WHAT YOU SAY OR DO.

ASK YOURSELF WHAT RESPONSE A PERSON MIGHT HAVE TO WHAT YOU SAY.  (Do NOT say, “I would have this or that reaction.”  You could take things differently than the other person).  THIS IS TAKING ANOTHER PERSON INTO CONSIDERATION.   THE FIRST AND THIRD POINTS ARE MOST IMPORTANT.

YOU CAN CONSIDER HOW YOU WOULD REACT, BUT THE FOREMOST CONSIDERATION IS THE OTHER PERSON.

WRONGLY, MOST CHRISTIANS MINISTER TO OTHERS AS IF IT WAS NOT BIG DEAL TO BE CONSIDERATE.   JUST SPEAK YOUR MIND AND SAY SOMETHING SPIRITUAL, AND EVERYTHING WILL BE OK.   NOT SO !

POSSIBLE SITUATIONS:

A PERSON HAVING FINANCIAL TROUBLES.  You don’t talk about all the things that they COULD have done.   Help them think about what’s ahead if they seek God’s will.

A PERSON WHO IS SICK.  Do we tell them about all the problems at work that they missed out on ?  Is that thoughtful ?   Do you tell them all the problems at work, and how bad different people have been ?  Do you drop the rumor that says their job is about to be taken by someone else ?

A WOMAN IN THE HOSPITAL WITH 2 BROKEN LEGS FROM CAR ACCIDENT.  Do you visit and tell how the Lord saved you from a very similar situation ?  Or, do you tell her that you had a relative who had the very same thing, and she never was able to walk right again ?   What does THAT leave her thinking ?

“CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER”

• HAVE I CONSIDERED THEIR SPIRITUAL CONDITION ?  ARE THEY BACKSLIDDEN ?  IN REBELLION ?   WEAK ?  A NEW CHRISTIAN ?   **You will be totally unsuccessful if you spend time talking about specifics of the Greek language or intricate meanings of a Greek word in Scripture that blessed you so much this morning.  If you expect too much of them, you miss the mark.  If you shoot too low, you insult their intelligence and their spiritual life.
• DO I HAVE A PLAN TO EDIFY ?   Or, do I speak off the top of my head, which may not bring the best results ?
• DID I PUT MYSELF IN THAT PERSON’S PLACE AND KNOWING THEIR (NOT my own) PERSONALITY, DO I UNDERSTAND WHAT I CAN DO TO HELP THAT PERSON ?   People often say, “I would take it this way.”   BUT, you are NOT them !   Try to consider them, not yourself !
• DO I POINT THE PERSON TO CHRIST ?
• CAN I LIFT THAT CHRISTIAN’S SPIRIT ?

“Others”

A Bible Study with Dr. Ed J. MacWilliams

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