Love Brings A Reward! (Check Your Savings Account pt. 3)

 

Sunday Morning

Pastor Jim Lowe III

Sunday Morning,  9:30am Stream

09/19/21 (3rd Sunday Message)

 

 

 

{All scriptures are NIV84 unless stated}

 

Starting with a scripture from last 2 weeks:

 

Matthew 6:19-20 (NIV)

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

 

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth.

 

We have 2 types of treasures.

 

Earthly Treasures:

 Not To Be Our Focus

 Can Be Destroyed

 Can Be Stolen

 

And

 

 

Heavenly Treasures:

 Should Be Our Focus

 Can NOT Be Destroyed

 Can NOT Be Stolen

 

We have an account on earth.

 

We have an account in heaven.

 

Which Savings Account Is Bigger?

 

Luke 16:19-31

19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.  22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.  23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

 

—————————————————————

 

This story points out the idea of storing up treasures.

 

Luke 16:19-21

19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

 

On Earth:

 The Rich Man had all the things people would want.

 

 - He was rich!

 

 - clothed in good things.

 

 - lived in luxury.

 

 - had a gate (implied lived in a mansion or very nice house)

 

 Lazarus had the things people would not.

 

 - He was a beggar.

 

 - He had no home.

 

 - He had no food.

 

 - He laid at the rich man’s gate.

 

 - He longed to have food from the rich man’s table.

 

These are the differences on earth…

 

But there’s one we haven’t mentioned before.

 

Lazarus had a name.

 

The Rich Man did not.

 

Jesus - telling the story knew Lazarus’ name.

 

Jesus didn’t know the rich mans name.

 

 - Many scriptures mentioning Jesus knows his sheep.

 

The Rich Man Had No Name Because He Had No Savings Account!

 

“Away from me!  I never knew you.”

 

Does God know your name?

 

Do we only think about storing things here on earth?

 

The bible tells us to store up treasures in heaven!

 

So how do we store up heavenly treasures?

 

What do we do?

 

How Do We Store Up Heavenly Treasures?

 - Spend More Time With God

 - Learning and Living His Word

 - Walking In Your God-Given Purpose

 - Showing Love To One Another 

 

Last week we talked about storing up treasures by walking in purpose.

 

Today we’ll talk about showing love to one another.

 

A year ago we talked extensively about love.

 

It’s time to talk about it again.

 

Why?

 

Because not only is it a command…

 

It is part of our reward!

 

John 13:34-35

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

 

God gave us a command.

 

 We are to love one another.

 

 As he as loved us…so we must love.

 

 This is how others will know we follow him.

 

 If we love.

 

We Are To Show Love To One Another

 

It was a command.

 

Not a suggestion.

 

Not an ideal.

 

Not “special level blessings.”

 

Galatians 5:16

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

 

We aren’t just serving ourselves.

 

We are serving one another.

 

We Are A Support Group For One Another!

 

As a believer, you KNOW life happens for you.

 

You know the things you go through.

 

You know the “John 16:33” stuff that happens to you.

 

We go through things regularly.

 

But if YOU go through things…

 

Don’t think others don’t as well.

 

Part of love is being there for them when they need us!

 

We are to serve one another in love!

 

1 Corinthians 13:6

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 

Love doesn’t delight in evil.

 

Love doesn’t delight in bad things.

 

Love doesn’t get happy when bad things happen to other people.

 

Love doesn’t delight in “gossip.”

 

“Who’s doing what.”

 

“Who’s doing who.”

 

“Where they’re doing what they do.”

 

“What’s happening to what…”

 

“Who said what to who?”

 

We are in a Social Media World…

 

It shows how much gossip we love!

 

As Much As We Talk About Others, Do We Try And Help Them?

 

“As I have loved you.”

 

What does the love of Christ show?

 

It shows unconditional love.

 

It shows us that we don’t delight in the evil things that happen to others.

 

It’s not funny.

 

It’s not our place to determine what someone “deserves.”

 

“All have sinned and fallen short…”

 

We are no better than anyone else.

 

Proverbs 24:17

Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice..

 

If the bible tells us not to do this for your enemies…what more for one another?

 

Let’s Love Better!

 

When trouble comes for you…you’d want someone being there for you!

 

Let’s try harder!

 

Let’s do better!

 

Let’s mean it!

 

Romans 12:9

Love must be sincere.  Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.  Honor one another above yourselves.

 

Love must be sincere.

 

Love must be real.

 

Devote yourselves to BE there for someone else.

 

Don’t make it just about you…

 

Show love to someone else!

 

This is Christ’s example!

 

 

Philippians 2:3-4

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

 

Consider others better than ourselves…

 

That’s a hard one.

 

As a sign of humility…

 

 consider others better than us.

 

Are We Really Humble?

 

Do we see ourselves better than others?

 

That’s a hard question!

 

We have to work on loving one another better!

 

Are We Really Looking Out For Others?

 

Luke 10:25

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 

27 He answered: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 

 

- This was a man who was an expert in the law.

 

 - He stood up to test Jesus.

 

  - Testing…trying…wanting to trick…

 

 - How do we know?

 

  - He knew the answer to the question before he asked.

 

 - Would Jesus break tradition?

 

 - Would Jesus teach against what others were teaching at the time?

 

- Side Note: This still happens today.

 

 - People teach Religion when they should be teaching Relationship.

 

 - Then get upset when people want to point back to Christ and the bible.

So the man wants to trick Jesus.

 

Jesus has him answer his own question.

 

“Do this and you will live.”

 

 

Verse 29:

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” 

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

 

So it’s easy to see it when Jesus explains it this way.

 

It brings up the idea of someone who had a heart to do something…

 

But who skipped over the person???

 

The Priest 

 - the man who is supposed to be tight with God

- was probably more concerned with his own cleanliness than helping someone in need

- they have to “look” clean.

- it could have been about status.

- it could have been about staying clean.

- yet he chose to go across the road and keep moving.

- For some reason it was more important to NOT help the man.

 

The Levite

• • the one who’s people carried the ark,

    • the very presence of God on their shoulders and would lead God’s people in worship

    • they crossed the street and kept moving.

    • For some reason it was more important to NOT help the man.

 

Who helped?

 

The Samaritan

 -  the one who was least likely to help the man.

 - Samaritans and Jews traditionally didn’t get along.

 - but still helped!

 

But which of these three best represent how we would act?

 

What’s the problem with this??

 

The Priest?

 

The Levite??

 

Do you realize this was the CHURCH!?

 

The ones who claim to know God.

 

And the Samaritan was someone who didn’t care about that.

 

The Samaritan saw someone in need.

 

Why Do We Let Others Show Us How To Love?

 

We have a command to love…

 

Yet many times we have people who don’t care about that “out-loving” us.

 

They aren’t even trying to “store up” anything.

 

They do it because they think it’s the right thing to do.

 

Why won’t we love better?

 

Romans 12:13

 Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

 

God placed us here to help one another.

 

We are to lend a helping hand.

 

These things don’t go without their reward.

 

{used last week}

 

Matthew 10:42

42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”

 

If you could give a cup of water and receive a reward…

 

What if you were an unexpected blessing?

 

Let’s Be An Unexpected Blessing To Someone!

 

{Summary}

 

Christ tells us not to be so focused on right now.

 

Work to store treasures in heaven.

 

We can live life thinking we have everything.

 

But truly have nothing.

 

How Do We Store Up Heavenly Treasures?

 - Spend More Time With God

 - Learning and Living His Word

 - Walking In Your God-Given Purpose

 - Showing Love To One Another

 

We’ve talked about walking in purpose last week.

 

Today we discussed love.

 

Is our definition of love the same as the one Christ told us?

 

Are we willing to help others in need?

 

Or are we willing to “not help” and talk about them?

 

Let’s do better.

 

Let’s stop being out-loved by others.

 

This Week:

- Study This Message

- Ask God For Help To Remember To Seek Heavenly Treasures

- Do Something That Brings Glory To God

- Be An Unexpected Blessing To Someone Else