Three Loves of a Disciple

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(Love the Lord, the Brethren and the Lost)

Introduction

1. In the Great Commission, Jesus wanted His apostles to make disciples… – Matthew 28:19-20

a. A disciple is a learner, a follower, an adherent

b. Jesus wants us to learn from Him – Matthew 11:28-30

2. What does Jesus expect of us…?

a. Discipleship involves many things

b. But especially that we love – 2 Peter 1:5-8

3. But one might ask…

a. What are we to love?

b. How can we best show our love?

Body

I. THE THREE LOVES DEFINED

A. LOVES THE LORD…

1. Jesus taught we should love God – Matthew 22:37

2. His disciple John wrote that loving God must also mean loving His Son – 1 John 5:1

3. Jesus expressed the same thought as John, but conversely – John 15:23

— A disciple of Jesus is one who loves both the Father and the Son

B. LOVES THE BRETHREN…

1. Jesus made this love a mark of true discipleship – John 13:34-35

2. John made it a sign of spiritual life – 1 John 3:14; cf. 1 John 2: 9-11

— A disciple of Jesus is one who loves his fellow disciples

C. LOVES THE LOST…

1. God the Father certainly loved the lost – John 3:16

2. Jesus likewise had compassion for the lost – Matthew 9:35-38

3. Paul had great concern for the lost – Romans 10:1; cf. 1 Corinthians 9:19-22

— A disciple of Jesus is one loves those who are lost in sin

[Disciples also love their families, even their enemies, but such can be included in either the category of brethren or the lost. Knowing who we are to love, how can we manifest such love? Some thoughts on..]

II. THE THREE LOVES DEMONSTRATED

A. THROUGH WORSHIP…

1. This is how we can best demonstrate our love for God

2. Assuming that our worship is in harmony with what Jesus revealed

a. That it is in Spirit and truth – John 4:23-24

b. That it includes keeping His commandments – John 14:15, 21, 23; 15:10

3. We are to worship God in two ways:

a. Through our public assemblies – Hebrews 10:24-25

b. Through our private devotions – e.g., Matthew 6:6

— Disciples demonstrate love for God through public worship and private devotion

B. THROUGH FELLOWSHIP…

1. This is how we can best demonstrate our love for the brethren

2. By not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together – Hebrews 10:24-25

3. We are to fellowship with one another in two ways:

a. By coming together as a church, for the Lord’s Supper and other means of edification – Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 14:26

b. By extending hospitality to one another – cf. 1 Peter 4:8-9

— Disciples demonstrate love for brethren through fellowship in church and home

C. THROUGH EVANGELISM…

1. There is no better way to show love for the lost

2. Jesus manifested His compassion in this way

a. By teaching the lost – Matthew 9:35-36

b. By calling for prayer in behalf of the lost – Matthew 9:37-38

c. By developing and sending forth laborers – Matthew 10:1, 5-7

3. We can show our concern for the lost in similar ways

a. Through personal evangelism – e.g., 1 Peter 3:15; John 1:45-56

b. Through supporting foreign evangelists – cf. Romans 10:14-15

— Disciples demonstrate love for the lost by engaging in both local and foreign evangelism

Conclusion

1. We go a long way to becoming true disciples of Jesus by…

a. Loving the Lord

b. Loving the brethren

c. Loving the lost

2. We go a long way in demonstrating such love through…

a. Public worship and private devotion

b. Fellowship with one another in both church and home

c. Engaging in both local and foreign evangelism

3. Many Christians love only partially…

a. They worship God in public, but not in private

b. They fellowship with brethren at church, but not in their homes

c. They evangelize at home, but do nothing to support evangelism abroad

4. No matter how much we love as disciples of Christ, we can always improve…

a. “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment” – Philippians 1:9

b. Perhaps this study, “The Three Loves Of A Disciple,” can provide direction for improving our love…