Love can do that

8 May

One of my favourite quotes from Martin Luther King is “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hatred cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” Love is a powerful thing! Today’s scripture is about how that power abides in a family context, referred to as brotherly love. The Thessalonians had to overcome a great deal in their journey of faith. The way they did it was to bound together in loving brotherhood and in doing so, they turned the world upside down!

Scripture

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 ESV (9) Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, (10) for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, (11) and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, (12) so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

Bible Study Questions

Brotherly love

As we’ve learnt on our journey through Thessalonians so far, they had to deal with a great deal of persecution in their coming to faith. How do we know that brotherly love is necessary for us to stay true in our walk of faith?

1 Thessalonians 4:9 ESV Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.

John 13:34-35 ESV A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Don’t judge one another

We can learn a great deal from the brotherly love displayed by the Thessalonians, which helped them overcome many difficulties. Paul teaches about this brotherly love in Romans, where one of the most important things we can do is to not judge one another. Why is this so important for brotherly love?

Romans 14:3-4 ESV As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Never lead a brother or sister to stumble

Another foundation Paul laid for the functioning of brotherly love is to never lead a brother or sister to stumble. In what way do we lead our loved ones and our brothers and sister in Christ to stumble?

Romans 14:13 ESV Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.

Practice makes perfect

In verse 10, Paul tells the Thessalonians to keep doing what they are doing! Why does he tell them this?

1 Thessalonians 4:10 ESV for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more

Philippians 4:9 ESV What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

The power of love

By practising brotherly love and doing it more and more, the Thessalonians developed a strength that changed the world. In acts, we see the Jews accusing the Thessalonians of turning the world upside down! What would happen if all of Christ’s Church had this kind of brotherly love?

1 Thessalonians 4:10 ESV for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more

Acts 17:6 ESV And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,

Living quietly

In verse 11, Paul instructs the Thessalonians to live quietly. What do you think he meant by this instruction?

1 Thessalonians 4:11 ESV and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,

Proverbs 17:1 ESV Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.

1 Timothy 5:13 ESV Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.

Working with our hands

Paul also instructs the Thessalonians to work with their hands. In Thessalonica in those times, many Greeks looked down on people who worked with their hands. But it was an honest living. How do you think this applies to our lives and careers today?

1 Thessalonians 4:11 ESV and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,

Acts 20:35 ESV In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Prayer

Father, living King of the universe, almighty God, thank you for the gift of love. Thank you that through our salvation you have invited us into your family, who through your blood we declare one another family. Please teach us your ancient decrees of brotherly love, so that we may understand them as you intended. Give us the wisdom, strength and patience to love our brothers and sisters as you commanded us. May we build each other up in Jesus’s name so that we may let the world know that we are your disciples.

Worship

A new commandment I give to you
Love one another as I love you
A new commandment I give to you
Love one another as I love you

That's how they will know that you follow Me
If you show My love then My love they'll see
A new commandment I give to you
Love one another as I love you

I believe I believe I believe His Word it is true
The redeemed must say so (Psalm 107:2)
I believe I believe I believe His Word it is true
That the just live by faith (Romans 1:17)
I believe I believe I believe His Word it is true
The Lord's joy is my strength (Nehemiah 8:1)
I believe I believe I believe His Word it is true
God and me can do all things (Philippians 4:13)

Love one another as I love you
Receive My love as I love you
You know how I love you
Now you can love one another too
Love one another love one another

Service

The church has various initiatives that it’s working on to promote brotherly love in the way we learn it from the Thessalonians. It starts with our services and fellowship on Sunday mornings and continues through the week with our home groups and outreaches. But there is more we could be doing to ensure we are acting out and promoting brotherly love. What suggestions do you have to help create a brotherly loving Church? Speak to one of the staff about your suggestions.

Martin Lamberti