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Letting Brotherly Love Continue
April 23, 2022

Thank you for joining us today. My name is Tom Laign with Sabbath Bible Study. We recently commemorated the death of Jesus Christ who is our Passover. Without His death and resurrection, death would be the only option for us and now we have this hope of eternal life. The death of Jesus was an act of love by Jesus.

John 15:12-17
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.

Having love for one another is something Jesus commanded us and this is one of the reasons why we see reminders to let brotherly love continue, and to remember those whose circumstances in life are more challenging than ours.

Hebrews 13:1-3
Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

David indirectly touched on brotherly love when he wrote the one hundred thirty-third Psalm showing how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.

Psalm 133:1-3
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

We know we are to have love for each other and that this love is to continue. We also know that at times those closest to us are sometimes the greatest source of our frustration.

Proverbs 17:17
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Even Jesus had to respond to frustrations among His disciples. When James and John came to Jesus asking Jesus to allow them to flank Him on either side on the throne, this brought frustration to the other disciples, even though Jesus never answered the question posed by James and John. Jesus used this frustration to teach a lesson and refocus the efforts of the disciples. Jesus showed that instead of focusing on privilege, status, and rank, our focus needs to be on serving others. According to Jesus, society gives deference to the elite who often rule without question. Jesus taught that those who are the greatest servants are worthy to be the most prominent.

Mark 10:35-45
And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared. And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Saul, the first King of Israel found himself at odds with David who would be the second king after David had killed Goliath. The people celebrated the death of Goliath and celebrated David who brought death to Goliath. This celebration caused Saul to be cautious of David, seeing him as a direct threat to his throne.

1 Samuel 18:1-9
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants. And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick. And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

Saul was offended and became wary of David, just because of how people reacted to something that David did when no other warrior of Israel was willing to challenge Goliath. David would never regain Saul’s rust, though at times Saul would tolerate David. People like Saul who are offended can be hard to win back. These people might always be mistrustful or live within shadows of doubt.

Proverbs 18:19
A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

If we want to be around people whom we do not offend, we must take the advice that is given to us a few verses later and show ourselves friendly, in this case we must be friendly to, aware of, whatever sensitivities another person may have. When we consider the needs of others with this level of concern, we are more likely to have friends that are more like family.

Proverbs 18:24
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Sometimes we realize the problem is not with us, but with the other person. We could be like Saul and completely mistrust this other person creating a rift in the friendship that may never be healed, or we can proactively resolve the problem. Jesus taught that the best way to do this was to privately share the concern with the other person.

Matthew 18:15-20
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

In a strange twist of human nature, it is sometimes easier to do something for others than if we are just doing something for ourselves, and we can see this playing out in a passage from Nehemiah. It’s also easier to take action when we are not the only ones taking action, when it’s a group effort. With Nehemiah was the need to repair the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah enlisted the people to help rebuild the wall for not only themselves and their family, but for their neighbors, and had each working and defending the wall, not just for the city but for each other. Working for others beyond the self and seeing others also doing the same gave people the reason to continue rebuilding the wall.

Nehemiah 4:9-23
Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you. Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work. And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us. So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared. Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day. So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.

With the focus on love for others is a reminder this never gives us a license to abandon those who are within our family. Paul wrote to Timothy and told him that if a person cannot honor need within the family, that person is unfaithful and has denied the faith. When Jesus commands us to have love for each other, we need to understand this means we continue to provide for our family.

1 Timothy 5:3-8
Honour widows that are widows indeed. But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless. But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

We should never use faith as a basis for material gain, nor should we use faith as a basis to entrap or enslave others of faith. We understand we are commanded to love each other. We cannot demand this of others, just like Jeremiah taught against slavery.

Jeremiah 34:8-9
This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them; That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free; that none should serve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother.

To the Romans, Paul wrote that brotherly love is to be part of our life by giving honor and preference to each other, overcoming evil with good, and not minimizing the struggles of others, being happy for those who have reason to be happy, and validating the sadness that life brings to some, being fair and impartial with others.

Romans 12:9-21
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Knowing that we are to have love for each other can sometimes be hard. Even when it is hard, we need to remember that God wants all people to be saved, and that would include anybody for whom it might be difficult to have brotherly love.

2 Peter 3:8-9
But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

All of us, including any for whom it might be difficult to have brotherly love are all saved through the blood of Jesus Christ who died so that all of us could have eternal life.

1 Timothy 2:1-6
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

The command to have brotherly love is very much aligned to the beatitudes that Jesus taught. Blessings were ascribed to those who are peacemakers, and for those who are reviled by others. Sometimes the peace we must make and the reviling we encounter comes from the people closest to us.

Matthew 5:3-12
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Malachi warned against dealing treacherously with others showing how the inability for families to get along can become a cancer that grows into a national problem. Dealing treacherously with each other is the opposite of having brotherly love for each other.

Malachi 2:10-16
Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god. The Lord will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the Lord of hosts. And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

Brotherly love is sometimes enveloped by our own anger. Sometimes we allow anger to overtake our relationship with those who should be closest to us. James tell us anger does not develop the righteousness of God. If we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, we cannot allow anger to separate us from brotherly love.

James 1:19-25
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

To the Colossians, Paul instructed of the need to be patient with each other, forgiving each other, and being merciful with each other. Brotherly love is something we should seek in all of our interactions with others.

Colossians 3:12-17
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 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. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

As children of God we know God is the father of the fatherless and protector of those in need. If we have brotherly love for others, we will not ignore these people who are protected by God.

Psalm 68:4-6
Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Jah, and rejoice before him. A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

Brotherly love does not change when we see a change in status of class or privilege. A rich person should receive the same type of brotherly love as would a poor person, because God is the God of both.

Psalm 69:30-34
I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God. For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners. Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.

We should never have concern when it comes to brotherly love, having thoughts that because of this or that we need to withhold brotherly love. God is quite able to fight our battles for us, if we will permit, and if we do there will never be a situation where God will let us down. Even when we see people who have a problem with us, it is not reason to withhold brotherly love. God will uphold us in all situations we face in life, including those situations when others might not have brotherly love for us, even when they seek our harm.

Isaiah 41:8-13
But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

Jesus taught instead of seeking revenge when wronged, we should be gracious.

Matthew 5:38-42
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Even when brotherly love is hard, we can take comfort in the words of Paul who in writing to the Romans explained that all things work together for good to those who love God and who are called according to His purpose. He also added that no one will bring an accusation against us because Jesus will defend us against these accusations, that nothing will separate us from the love of Jesus.

Romans 8:28-39
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus commanded us to have love for each other and we are reminded to let brotherly love continue. It may not always be easy, especially when considering the other person, and yet even in these more difficult situations we must remember we are all children of God, the same God Who desires to bring all to salvation.

There is no basis given in the Bible to not have brotherly love, as each of us who fall short of the glory of God needs forgiveness that comes through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As much as we all hope for eternal life knowing that we are imperfect with sin and need forgiveness that comes through mercy, we must have forgiveness for others also showing them mercy. We are to let brotherly love continue.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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