HOW TO LOVE OTHERS

TEXT- 1 PETER 1:22-25

INTRODUCTION

PETER WROTE THIS BOOK TO CHRISTIANS WHO WERE EXPERIENCING SEVERE PROBLEMS IN THEIR LIFE.

THE MAIN THING HE WANTED THESE PEOPLE TO REALIZE WAS THAT NO MATTER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCE THEY FOUND THEMSELVES IN THEY HAD HOPE.

THIS MORNING OUR TEXT IS FOUND IN 1 PETER 1:22-25 AND THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE IS, "HOW TO LOVE OTHERS."

DOESN'T IT GIVE YOU A SENSE OF HOPE TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE LOVED BY OTHERS?

A MAN WAS A MEMBER OF A CHURCH WHERE THEY WERE HAVING A LOT OF DIFFICULTY.  HE BECAME SO NERVOUS THAT HE COULDN'T SPEAK.  HE WENT TO THE DOCTOR, AND THE DOCTOR GAVE HIM SOME TRANQUILIZERS. TWO DAYS LATER HE WENT BACK TO THE DOCTOR AND ASKED, " DOCTOR, WHAT DID YOU GIVE ME?" HE REPLIED, "I GAVE YOU SOME TRANQUILIZERS." "WELL, I DON'T WANT ANY MORE OF THEM."  THE DOCTOR ASKED, "WHY NOT?"  HE REPLIED, "THEY MADE ME ACT FRIENDLY WITH PEOPLE I DON'T LIKE AT CHURCH."

WHY WOULD A 10-YEAR-OLD GIRL TIE A NOTE TO A HELIUM-FILLED BALLOON AND SEND IT ON ITS WAY TO HEAVEN? ACCORDING TO COLUMNIST BOB GREENE, A GRIEVING ILLINOIS GIRL NAMED SARAH SENT A LETTER TO HER GRANDFATHER, WHO HAD DIED BEFORE SHE COULD HAVE ONE LAST VISIT WITH HIM. THE ENVELOPE WAS ADDRESSED TO "GRANDPA BERNIE, IN HEAVEN UP HIGH." IT REPRESENTED A LITTLE GIRL'S EXPRESSION OF LOVE, AND HER HOPE THAT SOMEHOW GRANDPA WOULD READ IT.

TWO MONTHS PASSED, AND THEN A LETTER ARRIVED ADDRESSED TO SARAH. IT BEGAN, "YOUR LETTER TO GRANDPA BERNIE APPARENTLY REACHED ITS DESTINATION AND WAS READ BY HIM. I UNDERSTAND THEY CAN'T KEEP MATERIAL THINGS UP THERE, SO IT DRIFTED BACK TO EARTH. THEY JUST KEEP THOUGHTS, MEMORIES, LOVE, AND THINGS LIKE THAT."

IF WE ARE MOVED BY THIS GIRL'S LOVE FOR HER GRANDPA, WHAT ABOUT THOSE WE LOVE WHO ARE STILL LIVING? DEATH AND ETERNITY HAVE A WAY OF PUTTING THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE. PAUL, IN HIS FIRST LETTER TO THE THESSALONIANS, WROTE AS ONE WHO KNEW THE LASTING VALUE OF RELATIONSHIPS. HE EXPRESSED HIS DEEP LOVE AND ENCOURAGED THEM TO INCREASE IN THEIR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER.

1 THESSALONIANS 3:12  MAY THE LORD MAKE YOUR LOVE INCREASE AND OVERFLOW FOR EACH OTHER AND FOR EVERYONE ELSE, JUST AS OURS DOES FOR YOU.

LORD, TEACH US THE LESSON OF LOVING,

THE LOVE YOU ARE ASKING TODAY;

THEN HELP US TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER—

FOR THIS WE MOST EARNESTLY PRAY. —ANON.

AS WE EXAMINE OUR TEXT FOR TODAY, THERE ARE TWO THINGS I WOULD LIKE US TO SEE CONCERNING THE CHRISTIAN'S LOVE.