BUILDING BRIDGES OF LOVE
John 13:1-17, 34-35
Building bridges of love to one another is paramount among Biblical Christians. Jesus said that building bridges of love is how everyone will know that we are his disciples.
Two observations:
We are to love one another like He loves us.
Our love for one another indicates our love for God.
BACKGROUND:
With the Cross only a few hours away, the disciples were willing to fight for a throne, but no one wanted a towel.
Peter did not understood Jesus’ bridge of love (vv. 6-7).
"He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" {7} Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand"" (vv. 6-7).
Servant-hood = greatness: "whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all" (Mark 10:44).
"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet..." (v. 8).
The badge of the Christian is the towel, not the crown.
We cannot -have any part of Christ unless we are willing to accept the sign of the towel.
Jesus demonstrated the following attitude ...
Nothing to prove; Nothing to lose; Nothing to hide.
Oswald Chambers said, "The test of our spiritual life is our power to descend."
Jesus is our model of building bridges of love.
"I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him" (v. 16).
What must we do to Build Bridges of Love as Jesus did?
Abandonment of Rights. (vv. 3-5. 11-12)
(1 Cor 9:3-4 NIV) "This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. {4} Don't we have the right to food and drink?"
(1 Cor 9:5 NIV) "Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas ?"
(1 Cor 9:11-12 NIV) "If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? {12} If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more?...
But then Paul says: "...But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ."
Acceptance of Responsibility.
(1 Cor 9:16-17 NIV) "Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! {17} If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me."
Paul's said, "I'm not only willing to give up my rights, I'm willing to accept my responsibility for other people, that I am a debtor to every person."
Acceptance of the Role of Servant.
(1 Cor 9:19 NIV) "Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible."
Adjustment to the People's Needs.
(1 Cor 9:20-22 NIV)
"To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. {21} To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. {22} To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some."
It all started with God, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes should not perish, but have everlasting life. " That’s a core value at our church, loving one another as God loves us.