Pastor Carlton Howell
How to love thy neighbor. And I’m going to break this in two parts because I don’t want to keep us I want to I want to really bring it to our attention the importance of love. We’ve talked about it in the ministry multiple times.
We’ve talked about love in the ministry multiple times. And I know that during times we definitely spoke about love is not. We we explained and we know that love is not, you know, that warm and fuzzy feeling that you get, you know, when you see your spouse for the first time.
It’s not that it’s not this. OK, so there’s a story and I saw it this morning. It’s so funny.
There’s a story of a young lady. She saw a guy she really liked in a store. And so she followed him to the cash register.
And as he was paying, she looked at his name on his credit card. So she went home and she Googled him and found his social media platform. And when she found a social media platform, she looked at his friends and figured out who his mother was.
When she figured out who his mother was, she went and looked and saw what his mother did. And when she found out his mother was in a book club, she joined that book club and she got really close to this mother until one day her and the mother was talking and she told the mother that she was single. And the mother said, oh, you’re such a sweet girl.
You know, I have a single son. And so she gave the mama her phone number to give to the single boy. And so the single boy loving his mama called the single girl.
That’s not love. That’s close to being a stalker. But it is dedication.
Now, like, Pastor, what does that story have to do with love? Absolutely nothing. It’s just weird.
And that is some, but the thing about it, the thing about it is the way we look at love is also weird when we think about true biblical love. Biblical love is a choice. And we’ve decided on that.
It is not the fuzzy feeling that we get when we first see our spouse. And so we have to be able to trust what we are actually seeing. And we have to make that that decided choice, not undecided, that decided choice to love one another.
I’m going to be quickly today because I’m going to break it into two. We’ll talk about it more probably not next week, but the week after next. So it’s going to be a split sermon, but I’m going to skip a week and come back to it because next week we’re going to really be talking about the Feast of the Leavened Bread.
I’m sorry, the Feast of First Fruits, the Feast of the Leavened Bread and things like that. We’re going to be celebrating life. In 1 John chapter 4, actually we’re going to go to 3.
Yeah. So 1 John chapter 3 first. Look at verses 16 through 19.
The Apostle John says this. He says by this we know love that he laid down his life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
But whoever has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need and shuts up his heart from him. How does the love of God abide in him? He says, my little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
And by this we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him. Let us not love in word and in deed. I think better for our generation or for the generation that is breathing today would be more of a better example.
I get so tired of hearing I feel I feel him no more. It’s just infatuation fading. It’s lust going away.
It’s time. Let’s call, I don’t like you right now. Ask Abby by the end of the week if she’d like me.
Probably won’t. It’s infatuation. She may not like me right now.
She may not like me this morning. I didn’t like her for a minute this morning in the car. Yeah, whatever.
So we’re in the car and she says, what did you say? You said, you said you’re going to take me. You owe me.
I said, I owe you nothing but love, infatuation, care, comfort, security. And she, as I’m driving, said, I don’t want that. Almost turned that car and drove us off Frog Hill.
She realized that I thought she was talking to me when she was actually talking to Kyla because Kyla was trying to give her a bagel and she didn’t want the bagel. And Kyla so happened to irritate her so much at the point when I got done saying all the wonderful things that I would give her. She said, I don’t want that.
And it coincided so perfectly. At that point, I felt like I didn’t love her. So love is not a feeling.
Love is a choice. Understanding this, the world is is such a harsh place to live because it’s more overly a really dog eat dog world. It is.
It’s one of those if you don’t know how to fight the right way, you ran over. And this is a it’s a really horrible way to eke out an existence. It is, it is, it is one where it is beneficial in order to profit in this world to put oneself first.
So it goes against the norm what I’m about to be talking about or what I’m talking about to put others first. This is why the true doctrine of Jesus and the gospel really ruffles the feathers of those who proclaim Christ because we’re in such a me centered world because why should I provide for you if you can’t provide for yourself? You know the old thing.
And for a long time I believed the same way. You know, put yourself, put yourself up by your boot straps. Not even willing to teach you how to tie your shoes and I’m telling you to hook up yourself by your boot straps.
Like telling a kid who only know how to pull the Velcro over, tie your shoes. Nobody’s ever showed me. Nobody told me how to handle money.
Nobody told me how to invest. Nobody told me how to start a business. Nobody told me how to be a good husband.
Nobody told me that love is not a feeling. Nobody told me that as time progressed she changes. Nobody told her that as time progressed she changes.
Nobody explained to me the hormonal shift that happens to my wife later on in life. Nobody told her that I’m going to have some weird stuff happen to me too. Nobody even told me that I got this going on but pull yourself up by your boot straps is the clear guidance that we are given in this world and it’s genuinely wrapped up in self-preservation so no one wants to tell the other person how to get there.
Unfortunately that is the way of the world but that’s not how you and I are supposed to be. We have a different way of living. See you know it’s okay for us to you know the shellfish Christ fulfilled all that stuff but if we look back at it what you have to understand is why did God give the Jews such stringent dietary diets clothing restrictions.
It was to separate them from the rest of the world. They didn’t eat like everyone else. They didn’t dress like everyone else.
They were not to marry like everyone else. They were not to talk like everyone else. They were not to act like everyone else.
They were not even to wear their hair the same way as everyone else and that’s what separated them. See God decided that that wasn’t enough. Okay my son’s my son’s my son’s not with a keyboard and mouse.
So genuine love is a choice of love. That’s genuine love. It’s a choice.
It’s a it’s a wonderful choice. It is one that that tells us that we can fulfill the commandments. You and I have the ability to fulfill commandment.
Fulfill commandment. You and I. You know how that’s done?
Through love. Through love woman of God you can fulfill the commandments. Through love I can fulfill the commandments.
All of the things that are required for us that were set by Christ Jesus can be done through the choice of love. The passage before us reveals the truth about love. It reveals the truth about the brethren and love.
See in verse 11 in verse 11 I’m going to go there and I’m going to be as he’s I think so. I had it set up but I’m not sure. No.
311. I don’t think I put it in there. In chapter 3 verse 11 we’re still in first John.
Chapter 3 verse 11 that’s why I said he may not be able to keep up with me because I am so not in notes and in notes and out of notes and everywhere else. This is a lot of studying. This is the message which you have heard from the beginning.
That we should love one another. It goes on in verse 12 and says and not to be like a Cain who was from the evil one and murdered his own brother. Don’t be amazed brothers if the world hates you.
I’m in first John chapter 3 verse 14 we for our part know that we have passed from death to life because we keep loving the brothers. The person who fails to keep on loving is under the power of death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.
This is so interesting and so poignant and so powerful we have to be careful that we don’t hate. Hmm hate such a strong word. This is why forgiveness is so important so instrumental you have to be careful that we don’t hate that we love love is is long suffering well it’s patient love is kind love endures all things it knows all things it puts up with all things I just messed with myself with that one it puts up with all things it reveals what love is look look we’re in same chapter go to verse 13 back at verse 13 go to first go to verse 13 I’m reading the complete Jewish Bible whatever you have read from there I like where he says don’t be amazed some of us be believing and we be shocked that people will hate you but they came to church okay they were selling goods in the church when Jesus came in there and kicked tables over they will hate you and you will love them and they will speak about you you will love them they will call you by your names and you will love them and they will spit on you and you will love them they will call you false and you will love them they will call you fake and you will love them they will take from you and you will love them they will serve you for death and you will love them don’t be amazed because the moment you turn to hate you turn to death is what the apostle was saying it’s not me it’s not me it’s not me it’s not carlton it’s the apostle we can always go back to the gospel of john and see what it says the apostle here is saying look if you hate your brother you are akin to a murderer in 1st john 4 and 20 it says if anyone says i love god and hates his brother he’s a liar this is this is very important so because the in order to really speak about what love is i got to got to show the deepness of what it’s not we are akin to slander if we say oh i love god and but i don’t know me and you just can’t get along no more i’m a liar this is why we have to be careful what we say don’t trust every spirit spirits will tell you it’s all right they’re not like him even if i’ve gone through every step oh i got rebuked the other day by one of my apostles in one of my prophets even if we go through every step that jesus says us to do and even count them as a republican and a tax collector it does not mean we can’t love him or we should not love him or we’re not supposed to love him jesus says if your brother uh uh sins against you go to him in private and if he doesn’t receive you take two or three witnesses because bible says by two or three witnesses every word is i was waiting for lady obby to say established and then if they don’t receive them it says take it before the church and if still no peace is resolved it says let that person be like a publican or a tax collector and i really had to look that up what does that mean and for a long time i thought that meant get away from me kick you down the hill you roll off the cliff and you die oh well good riddance don’t let the door hit you with a good push but you that is not what it means it means they you you become terrified when they come around you just you dread the day that they come because back then when the tax collector or the publican came oh people were like oh man but it’s for a different reason because what i have to give to them they may not even want because i got nothing and i owe them nothing but love one of the things that oh oh no man nothing but love so when that person who has done that thing you’ve done everything you do to reconcile and you let them be as a tax collector or publican you you owe them love let them be like that so yes there is a little bit of like here they come you gonna love them hey how you doing and not fake not gossipy you are truly like i am so happy to see you and it hurts because i know you’re not happy to see me so if i say i hate you and i say i love god i’m a liar 1st john 4 and 20 says for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love god whom he has not seen this verse is 1 of 5 times in the letter of john he mentions liars what does this tell us we can’t trust every spirit every person that or every voice that some of us hear things and we hear loud voices we hear thunderous voices oh i love the conversation me and my brother had on the men’s meeting because he brought it out just because you hear the thunder just because you hear the the western wind just because you feel the earth quaking that ain’t god oh i was like i was like come on i’m gonna push him some more see if i can get some more out of him he said it’s the still small voice because the bible tells us that the spirit of god of the here’s how i recognize the spirit of god see i love instructions y’all know every word of knowledge comes with instructions you don’t follow the instructions and you wonder why life falls apart then well that’s Wow, tell you to follow instructions. So here’s the instructions, this is how you know. Every spirit which acknowledges that Yeshua is Messiah came as a human being is from God.
Every spirit which does not acknowledge Yeshua is not from God. In fact, this is the spirit of the anti-Messiah that you’ve heard is coming. Well, he’s here now.
We’re waiting for the Antichrist and the Antichrist has been running around all this time as a spirit denying Messiah. You’ve been waiting for the Antichrist with the 666, you know, all them people out there. He’s here.
He walks around. You and I met him. He’s tried his best to convince us to hate one another and to deny Messiah.
How do I deny that Messiah is Messiah and came in human form? By not following his darn commandments. By not doing what he tells us to do.
Some people hate accountability and hate following rules. Yes, Messiah is a Messiah of rules. He says, if you love me, you will keep my what?
Commandments. And upon keeping my commandments, I and my father will make our abode in you. They’re going to know you’re my disciple because you keep my commandments.
They’re going to know that you’re from me. You’re like, well, how do I keep all those commandments? He made it easy.
Just love. Because love will cover a multitude of sins. This extensive love, this expensive love, and this expansive love, you don’t need to have to follow along with that because I’m not going all the way in there.
I’m not going in there. That’s going to be, that’s going to yell, I’m all the way. Just, you know what?
Just go to the title card and leave it. Again, this is a two-part. I’m not going to keep it.
That is some really like motivational, inspiring. No, don’t do it. He’s fine.
He’s fine. Let him be. He’s quiet.
He’s fine. It just sounds like motivational music. You know, I’m like ready to run a marathon.
Like, I’m like, man, I’m like, yes. Thought the Avengers were coming in or something. Love is, you know, that’s like triumphant music.
You ought to start when we, as we grow, when we move to a bigger building, I want you to find like some triumphant music. Not when I come out. Like when she come out, I don’t want all of this.
You know, like when mama come in, like this triumphant music, like, I don’t know. Like, what is wrong with you? I am happy.
What’s wrong with me? I’m happy. God is good.
He has been so good. You know, the young man I prayed for is like a, he’s like a son to me. He’s young man that at the beginning of service that I prayed for, it’s like a son to me.
He calls me his second dad. I call my brother’s daughter, my second daughter. Although I got three daughters.
They were instrumental in the upbringing of my children. And I was instrumental in theirs. And my heart sank to the ground as I opened up Facebook for probably the first time yesterday and the first thing I saw was him in the car.
My heart sank. And I didn’t read the rest of the post because if I would’ve read the post, I was like, all right. I immediately swiped up, hit the phone, called.
Where y’all at? Where you at? How you doing?
I’m on the way. Where I need to come. I don’t even know where I’m going.
I’m getting up, getting my shoes on. I don’t know. I know you somewhere in Missouri.
I could be anywhere in Missouri in about four hours. I know that for a fact. And he told me what happened.
So I paced my floor talking to my brother in the service. Probably about an hour. Probably wore a line in my carpet.
But he’s, God kept him. The prayers of his grandmother who has gone on. They said her prayers kept him.
And she held him in his arms. So I’m happy today. I got to hear someone who would not proclaim God at one point.
Thank God. When I was told I was weird for what I was doing, I still loved. But God showed up yesterday with the first flip of that car.
Actually, let me back up. God showed up when he swerved left. God was there when he overcorrected right.
And sideswiped the semi-truck. Went off on the other side of the road. God was there when the Jeep started the first turn.
He was there when the Jeep did the second turn. He had a Jeep like Cynthia’s old, old one. He was there with him when it flipped the third time.
And the fourth. And when he finally came to rest on the passenger side after the fifth flip. The Lord was there when they went to use the jaws of life to cut him out.
God kept him in so much peace that the boy was joking with the firemen. He said, can y’all get me out of here? He said, we need, you need to wait.
He said, well, I’m not going nowhere. I’ll just hang in right here. I’m hanging in there, laughing with him and joking.
God was there with him then. When his father didn’t know what was going on as he pulled up on the scene. He saw him cutting his baby boy, the baby of the family.
Saw him cutting him out of the car. Taking him on to a, on a helicopter. You know, that’s bad when they put you on a helicopter.
Didn’t know if he’ll see him again. God was there at that point. When he told the cop, I’m breaking every law to get to St. Louis to be with my son. The cop said, drive safely. When he made it to St. Louis to get to the hospital safely, God was there. When they drove back and they had their baby boy in the back of the car and all he had was a fractured wrist.
They knew then God had been with them the whole time. So I’m giddy trying to preach about brotherly love when all I really want to talk to y’all about is the goodness of God. But I can’t talk about the goodness of God if I don’t also talk about how to love God in the right way by making the choice today and every day to love each other.
Because how can I tell you about the goodness of God if I don’t tell you how to love one another? How can I tell you to love God if I don’t tell you to love one another? How can I tell you to love God if I don’t tell you to accept one another even in their messed up ways?
That you may have, like I talked about when we talked about giving, you may have the very seed that is needed to change their life for the good. You may have just, you may have the patience to change their life for the good. You may have the right word to change their life for the good.
You may have the financial blessing to change. You may have the bright idea to change their life for the good, but you have to make the choice. That’s why that love is extensive.
That’s why that love is expensive. And that’s why that love is expansive. Ultimately, that’s why that love is a choice.
I have to choose to give to you what God has given to me to give to you. It’s still a choice. That’s why gossip is so bad and so dangerous.
That’s why it’s so bad and so dangerous. It destroys, it destroys. Be careful of that.
You ever want to know if you love someone, if you’re gossiping, then you are destroying your love for them. That’s why we have to be careful. Genuine love does no harm.
Genuine love does not raise false report. Genuine love does not put thine hand into wicked ways. Genuine love.
We’ll go into that, not next week, but the week after next. I’m just giving you a little bit of highlights. We may talk a little bit about it too.
The command, the Bible commands us not to go up and down with our words like that. It commands us not to go up and down. Not to go up and down with our words, to be a towel bearer or something like that.
Because then you end up having the blood of your neighbor on your hands. We’ll talk about that more. My question the week after next is gonna be the same as my question this week.
How is your love life? I’m not talking about yours with your wife. I’m talking about yours with the Lord, with your brother.
No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains united with us and our love for him has been brought to his goal in us. Beloved friends, that’s how I’m ending today.
First John chapter four, verse 11. Beloved friends, if this is how God loves us, we likewise ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God.
If we love one another, God remains united with us and our love for him has been brought to his goals. Here’s how we know that we remain united with him and he with us. He has given to us from his own spirit.
That’s how we know. That’s how we know. That’s why it’s imperative.
You don’t trust every spirit, but you test by his spirit. I pray to see you all tomorrow evening. We’ll have a wonderful, wonderful feast.
We’ll celebrate our risen savior. We’ll celebrate that we have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb. And we get to participate in what our Lord did some 2,000 years ago.
We get to participate in what our Lord did 2,000 years ago. Oh, how enriching it is to sit at the table at the feet of Jesus. Let us stand and pray.
Father, I love you, Lord. I got that song in my head. For your goodness never fails me.
In all my days, I’ve been held in your hand. For the moment that I wake up, until I lay my head, I will sing of the goodness of God. All my life, all my life, you have been faithful.
Ooh, yes, yes, yes. And all my life, you have been so, so good. Oh, thank you, Lord.
In every breath that I have made, I will sing of the goodness of God. Ooh, mm, amen. Oh, I love you, Lord.
I love you, Lord. I love you, Lord. I’m gonna get you there, son, and you can move it as we go, okay?
So I’m gonna give y’all, I said we’re gonna pray, but we in the midst of praying. I’m gonna give you a hint of what’s coming next week. I got it for you.
Next week, we’re gonna be talking about holiness. Oh, yes, encountering the glory of God as we are in the actual Holy Week. We move into the Feast of Firstfruits.
That’s why I’m splitting this message up in two. We’re gonna have a pause because I really wanna talk about the glory of God next week during the Feast of Firstfruits. So please stay tuned.
Come on, Lady Ivy. Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank you, Lord, for ears that were willing to hear. Oh, I thank you, Lord, for those who were here that they received.
Oh, I thank you, and I bless all these wonderful children. Oh, I thank you, Lord, for them. Enrich them, increase them, bless them, oh, Lord.
Oh, especially the one who came to show his love and appreciation. Lift him up, the little mighty man of valor. I thank you, Lord, for them.
And a blessing, Father, it’s not a blessing until it is spoken. And so I say, the Lord keep you from all harm and watch over your life. The Lord keep watch over you, come and go both now and forever.
May the Lord bless you. May the Lord keep you. May the Lord make his face shine upon you, be gracious to you.
May the Lord turn his face towards you, give you peace. According to Deuteronomy 1 and 11, may the Lord, God of your fathers, make you a thousand times more numerous than you already are and bless you as he has promised you. And in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, this day I decree and declare that you are the blessed.
The head did not detail, above and not beneath, a picker and never anybody’s victim. And so I say to you, Shalom. Harmony, holiness, oneness, confidence, welfare and tranquility to be with you now and forevermore.
Shalom. Pause. We’ll see each other again.
No responses yet