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lesson 15 LOVE CAUSES THE BODY TO FUNCTION I. TEXTUAL THOUGHTS 1. Mark 12:30-31 - Love of God and man are of most importance. 2. John 13:34-35 - Jesus tells us to love each other to show we belong to Him. 3. Rom 13:8-10 - Love causes us to treat each other with goodness. 4. Rom 14:13-23 - Love causes us to pursue peace and edification in the body. 5. Rom 15:1-7 - Love causes us to encourage each other so that God is glorified in the church. II. MAIN THEME: Love for God and each other causes us to encourage and edify each other so that the body is united and Jesus is glorified in the body. 1. Love of God and each other is the basis for everything in the body. a. Jesus said love is of first importance (Matt 12:30-31). b. Jesus said that love between members of the body would be a witness that we are following Jesus (Jn 13:34-35). 2. Love causes us to treat each other with kindness. a. We owe love to each other (Rom 13:8, Jn 15:12-14). b. Love does no harm to a neighbor (Rom 13:9-10). 3. Love causes us to pursue peace and edification in the body. a. Love causes us to refuse to judge each other about what we eat (Rom 14:13-15, 1 Tim 4:4-5, Col 2:20-23). b. Love causes us to refuse to judge each other about observance of special days (Rom 14:1-7, Col 2:16). 4. Love causes encouragement for unity so that Jesus is glorified in the body--- a. when we help each other with our problems (Rom 15:1-2); b. and when we follow the example of Jesus (Rom 15:3-7). III. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS · We need to learn to put first things first. It is time for us to stop wasting time and energy arguing about useless things, and to focus our minds on doing what Jesus says is important (Mark 12:30-31). · We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves (Rom 15:1-2). · Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up (Rom 15:2). · We should accept one another, just as Christ accepted us, in order to bring praise to God (Rom 15:7). · We should look to God for the help needed for unity (Rom 15:5). IV. MEMORY VERSES: John 13:34-35 - "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (NIV) |