To Love Thy Neighbor
Welcome everybody. I greet you all in the name of Jesus. May the peace of the Father and the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. We're going to look at to love thy neighbor. Mainly three concepts. What it means to love thy neighbor. Who is thy neighbor? And how to love thy neighbor in the conversation between the Lord Jesus and the lawyer in the record of Luke chapter 10. a neighbor. It is hereby defined by Christ as any man in this world described to be a or as a fellow man. Because the old covenant divided a brother from an enemy because of a divine sovereign law given to Moses for the sake of the nation of Israel. an enemy was to be hated of which I believe was due to the unrighteousness and unholiness and the wickedness that was not allowed to converge or mingle with the holy nation of Israel. But as the new covenant came and the kingdom of heaven was made known to men, the Lord Christ Jesus commanded that you have heard of them of old that you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies and pray for them that persecute you. Matthew 5:43 to 44. In as much the question of the lawyer was centered around self asssurance to gain eternal life, it has revealed to us one of the most important commandments given unto the whole human race. And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and made trial of Jesus, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said unto him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?" And the lawyer answering said, "Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself." And Jesus said unto him, "Thou has answered right, this do, and thou shalt live." But he, the lawyer, desiring to justify himself, said unto Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Then Jesus told the most significant parable regarding loving thy neighbor, and said, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who both stripped him, and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead." And by chance, a certain priest was going down that way. And when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. This was the priest passing by on the other side. And like manner, a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed came where the man was. And when the Samaritan saw the man, he was moved with compassion and came to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on them oil and wine. And he set the man on his beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of the man. And on the morrow the Samaritan took out two shillings, and gave them to the host, and said, "Take care of the man. and whatsoever thou spend more, I when I come back again will repay thee. Then after telling the parable, Jesus asked the lawyer and said, "Which of these three think thou proved neighbor unto the man that fell among the robbers?" And the lawyer answered and said, "The Samaritan that showed mercy on the man." And Jesus said unto the lawyer, "Go and do thou like the Samaritan." Luke 10 25-37. Let us now look at what the Spirit has revealed to me about what it means to love thy neighbor. The letter of Apostle Paul to the church in Thessalonica. The first letter states, "See that none render unto anyone evil for evil, but always follow after that which is good, one towards another, and towards all." 1 Thessalonians 5:15. As I was looking up to fill up the pages about the verse, I asked the Holy Spirit that he help me with more revelations and more things to say. And he said to me, "But you be careful not to add on to the word of God." So I will just deliver the revelations given to me as they are, for the word of the Lord is alive and active, and sharper than any double-edged sword. See that none render unto any man evil for evil. Verse 22 of the same chapter states, "Abstain from every form of evil. This are some form of evil which the spirit is hereby revealing unto me." 1 Corinthians 6:9 states, "Or, know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God.?
Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 9-10. Be mindful of this. One of the greatest commandment is to love thy neighbor as thyself. So it is not truthful to say you love your neighbor when you do not love your own self. For neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, no drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. It might be confusing to many people to really know what love truly is because the world is working day and night to pull people away from the truth and mold them into its own definition of love, life and truth. Now to love is to keep God's commandment for God himself is love. Second John verse 6 states, "And this is love that we should walk after his commandment." This is the commandment even as you heard from the beginning that you should walk in it. 2 John 6. Apostle Paul also urge us again in his letter to the Romans to render to no man evil for evil, to take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as in you lies, be at peace with all men. Romans chapter 12 verse 17 to 18. To love your neighbor is to be faithful in truth in everything you do. Be it done unto you or to anyone else. Third John verse 5 states, "Brethren, thou does
faithful whatsoever thou does to the brethren and to strangers." Third John verse 5. For you, brethren, were called to freedom. Only use not your freedom for all occasion to the flesh, but through love. Be servants one to another. Galatians chapter 5 verse 13. Let us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:26. For they that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit. For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:5-6. Remember also what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman in John 4:23. Jesus said unto her, "But the hour comes, and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth. For such does the Father seeks to be His worshippers. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth. John chapter 4 verse 22 to 23. The third letter of Apostle John states, "Beloved, imitate not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that does good is of God. He that does evil has not seen God." Third John 11. So understanding others perspective, those who have not seen God and comprehending their limited understanding of love and their ignorance and treating them with humility and kindness in love is to reveal the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit to them and their life when done by faith in truth and love. So beloved, imitate not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that does good is of God. He that does evil has not seen God. Third John 11. So you have to understand that the people who do evil are actually in darkness. For they have not seen the light. So treating them with love in truth is a way to lure them in a way of true freedom and everlasting life. Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently, having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible through the word of God which lives and abides. 1 Peter 1 22-23. Love one another from the heart fervently, putting away therefore all wickedness and all guile and hypocricies and envies and all evil speakings. 1 Peter 2 11. Romans chapter 12 states, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.
And be not fashioned according to this world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:1-2 In loving thy neighbor you love showing patience kindness not out of jealousy or conceit or pride not being ill-mannered or out of selfishness or because you are being irritated. Not reminding people their wrongs so that the Lord may remind you not your own. Not encouraging evil or being happy in evildoing, but rejoicing when thy neighbor is in truth. Because of the patient nature of love, you do not lose faith and hope in loving thy neighbor. Love is centered and focused on the eternal. First Corinthians 13 states, "Love is long-suffering. It is kind. Love envies not. Love vaunt not itself, is not puffed up, does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil, rejoice not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4 to8 Jesus said by this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one to another John 13:35 love thy neighbor as thyself
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