Greater Love Hath No Man Than This
John 15:13 KJV
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Brethren, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us and he gave us a commandment to love one another.
John 15:12 KJV This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
How do we love one another in the body of Christ? How do we lay down our lives for the brethren?
1 John 3:16-17 KJV
16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
One way is to give your time and goods to help the brethren. Hospitality for the brethren is a commandment in scripture as well. The truth is, if you love God you will keep his commandments and there are commandments to do these things for the brethren.
We are in Jesus Christ, brethren, and he gave himself for us. We ought to give ourselves for his service.
Here is what Jesus has said:
Luke 9:23-24 KJV
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
God laid down his life for us. If we come after Christ we must deny ourselves. No more loving the things of this world, but instead you love God and keep his commandments.
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 KJV
14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Acts 20:35 KJV I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Other ways to lay down your life for the brethren is to sing hymns with them, or share scripture with them. You may also pray for them.
Also, elders must be a good example of laying down their lives for the flock.
John 10:11 KJV I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
If you are in the body of Christ you are among the other sheep. Being an example to others of how to follow Christ. If you are an elder or bishop you feed the flock of God by laying down your life to help them.
1 Peter 5:1-3 KJV
1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
Take the time, brethren, to turn to the scriptures declared in this video study. Also there is one last verse for this blog post.
Ephesians 5:2 KJV And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
