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<\/a><\/p>\nCentral Thought:\u00a0 GOD\u2019s power is manifested through believers in CHRIST when they walk in love and live in unity.<\/h3>\n
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Text: \u00a0John 13:34-35; Acts 2:44-47, 4:32-37; 1 Corinthians 13<\/h3>\n
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Last week, we examined how believers can manifest GOD\u2019s power through signs, wonders and miracles.\u00a0 GOD has empowered us by His Spirit and He is ever willing to use us to perform signs, wonders and miracles as His representatives on earth to His praise and glory alone.<\/p>\n
This second lesson in our series on manifesting GOD\u2019s power focuses on the manifestation of GOD\u2019s power by believers through expression of love and unity among them.\u00a0 Love and unity were key points in the teachings of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.\u00a0 He commanded us to love one another and prayed for our unity, John 13:34-35, 17:1-26.\u00a0 Indeed GOD\u2019s power will be revealed to the world when believers choose to walk in love and live in unity.<\/p>\n
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What do you understand by love?<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Love as it relates to GOD involves total devotion of one\u2019s being to the LORD and HIS service, Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Matthew 22:33-38.\u00a0 GOD expects our love for HIM to be total.\u00a0 We must love GOD above anyone and everyone else; we must also love HIM above anything and everything else.<\/p>\n
Love, as it relates to man, is wishing our neighbor or fellow human being the highest good in life and helping to pursue the realization of that good.\u00a0 This is what is considered \u201cAgape\u201d \u2013 loving the way GOD loves, Matthew 22:39-40.<\/p>\n
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What does unity mean in biblical context?<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Unity has to do with togetherness.\u00a0 This has to do with believers having the same mind on issues; pursuing the same goals and objectives in life.\u00a0 It has nothing to do with denominations becoming one in programs, ideas or doctrines; rather it is a call on believers irrespective of denominations to see themselves as one and pursue the course of CHRIST on earth together.<\/p>\n
The LORD prayed for the unity of His Body \u2013 The Church, John 17.\u00a0 We must return to GOD\u2019s original purpose of believers being of one mind, pursing the same goals and objectives in life.\u00a0 It is worth noting that the early church demonstrated both love and unity in their relationship.<\/p>\n
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Love is both a command and a sign of discipleship.<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Believers are commanded to love GOD and to love one another, Matthew 22:37-39; John13:34; 1 John 3:23.\u00a0 God demonstrated for us when He gave His only Begotten Son to die for our sins.\u00a0 \u201cGreater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends\u201d, John 15:13. We are expected to love GOD with the totality of our being.<\/p>\n
Our love for one another is to be derived from the love GOD has for us.\u00a0 \u201cA new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another\u201d, John 13:34.\u00a0 Also, we read in John 15:12, \u201cthis is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have laved you.\u201d\u00a0 Our GOD has placed on us a responsibility to love one another as HE loved us.\u00a0 One of the ways we show our love for GOD is the way we express love to our fellow believers, 1 John 4:20.<\/p>\n
Loving one another is also a sign of true discipleship.\u00a0 \u201cBy this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love for one another\u201d, John 13:35.\u00a0 In his commentary on this verse, Dake wrote [Christ virtually said to them, \u201cYou have been ambitious, envious, and at strife for supremacy.\u00a0 This cannot be.\u00a0 You must love as I love.\u00a0 By this shall all men know you to be Christians.\u201d Disciples of different teachers were known by their habits or some particular creed or rite, but the disciples of Christ were to be known by the love they had for one another, 1 John 3:11-18, 4:7-21, Dake\u2019s Annotated Reference Bible P. 111, New Testament]<\/p>\n
Does it not baffle or surprise you that casting out devils, working on miracles, speaking in tongues, etc., are not necessary signs of true discipleship?\u00a0 As important as these are in ministry, the LORD dd not say when we do these things, men will know we are HIS disciples; rather HE said when we love one another, men will acknowledge that we are HIS disciples.\u00a0 May GOD help us understand the importance of love in our relationship with HIM and fellow believers.<\/p>\n
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What are some of the characteristics of this love?<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 reads, \u201ccharity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, endureth all things, charity never faileth:\u00a0 buth whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
This scripture reveals clearly that the characteristics exhibited by anyone who shows love include humility, kindness, patience, identifying with people in their situations etc.\u00a0 A believer who practices love will not turn his back on GOD when he or she supposes that their prayers have not been answered by GOD. A believer who practices love will not rejoice when a fellow believer falls into sin or is befallen by evil.\u00a0 A believer walking in love will not speak unkind words to fellow believers or be angry unnecessarily with his brethren.<\/p>\n
Many more attributes of love can be seen from the text above, and we may be able to see clearly how we fare on the scale of love as we relate with our people.<\/p>\n
Also, when believers love one another, we will not try to \u201cout do\u201d one another or struggle for positions in our churches, groups or places of fellowship.\u00a0 Read Matthew 20:20-38; Mark 10:35-45; Romans 12:10<\/p>\n
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How are we to demonstrate love today? James 2:14-17; 1 John 3:16-18, 4:20-21; Proverbs 3:27; Matthew 25:31-46<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Love is not expected to be latent or hidden.\u00a0 It is to be revealed in actions that are indicative of a kind, compassionate, merciful, tolerant and thoughtful heart.\u00a0 Some of the ways we can express love in a Christian congregation include:<\/p>\n
-Helping to meet the needs of the brethren.<\/span><\/p>\n
It may amount to delusion to suppose or think that a time will come on earth when all believers will be millionaires and we will not have the needy in our congregations.\u00a0 It will equally amount to absolute hypocrisy to upbraid or blame the needy for their situation or accuse them that it is \u201clack of faith\u201d that has kept them \u201cat their level\u201d, or where they are.\u00a0 The teaching or Scripture is that believers who have the means should cater for those who are in need.\u00a0 This was demonstrated by Barnabas and the early church.\u00a0 It is written in 1 John 3:16-18, \u201cHereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.\u00a0 But whoso hath this world\u2019s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?\u00a0 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.\u201d See Proverbs 3:27-28 and James 2:14-17<\/p>\n
-Identifying with people in their situations, Matthew 25:31-46<\/span><\/p>\n
The believer is to demonstrate love by identifying with people in their various situations. As seen from the scripture above, this will involve providing food for the hungry and drink for the thirsty; showing hospitality to the stranger; providing clothing for the naked and visiting the sick and prisoners.\u00a0 It may also include visiting and encouraging those who may have lost their jobs, failed examinations in school, suffered lack of promotion in the office, experienced business setbacks, suffering persecution for their faith, and the bereaved etc.\u00a0 As individuals and groups we are not to turn our back on these brethren; rather it is expected that we will help them out of their situations through practical demonstration of love.<\/p>\n
-Servant to all.<\/span><\/p>\n
Our love is to be shown also in our willingness to be the servant of all.\u00a0 This mindset of service to all irrespective of age, tribe, status, nationality, etc.\u00a0 will help us greatly in our desire to promote love among the brethren.\u00a0 The \u201cgood Samaritan\u201d has such a mindset and willingly spent his time, money, etc. helping someone he had never met.\u00a0 We are expected to spend our resources (time, money, position, etc.) in demonstrating love for our brethren and humanity in general.<\/p>\n
-The class can discuss other ways.<\/span><\/p>\n
It is necessary to state that our consecration to CHRIST must be to the point of knowing and acknowledging always that all we have, and all we will ever have, belong to GOD and must be dedicated to and used in HIS service.\u00a0 Generosity should be encouraged in the brotherhood.<\/p>\n
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Love promotes unity.<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Love is a strong factor that enhances or fosters unity.\u00a0 When an atmosphere of love is created in a congregation, there is bound to be unity in that congregation.\u00a0 This was the experience of the early church.\u00a0 They loved each other and they were united.\u00a0 They received answers to their prayers and GOD\u2019s power was further manifested in signs, wonders and miracles.<\/p>\n
It is our sincere desire always to have the same results as the early church had in ministry.\u00a0 Love and unity when practiced genuinely are some of the ways to achieving the same results.\u00a0 We must avoid schisms, tribalism, party spirit, etc. in fellowship.<\/p>\n
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Daily Living Application<\/h3>\n
GOD\u2019s power is revealed through us to the world when we show love to one another and are united.\u00a0 An atmosphere of love and unity is a vital ingredient for genuine fellowship.\u00a0 Believers are admonished to do good to all men especially to them of the household of faith, Galatians 6:10.\u00a0 We are therefore expected to help meet the needs of our brethren and identify with them in their various situations.\u00a0 As we manifest love and unity, we are likely going to witness further manifestations of GOD\u2019s power in signs and wonders.\u00a0 It is written in Acts 5:12-13, \u201cAnd by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all in one accord in Solomon\u2019s porch.\u00a0 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them:\u00a0 but the people magnified them.\u00a0 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women).\u201d<\/p>\n
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Memory Verse:<\/h3>\n
John 13:35 \u2013 \u201cBy this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Manifestation of God\u2019s Power \u2013 Part 2, Manifesting GOD\u2019s power through Expression of Love and Unity Central Thought:\u00a0 GOD\u2019s power is manifested through believers in CHRIST when they walk in love and live in unity. Text: \u00a0John 13:34-35; Acts 2:44-47, 4:32-37; 1 Corinthians 13 Last week, we examined how believers can […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":832,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sundayschool"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/feel-the-power-of-love.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/834","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=834"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/834\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":835,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/834\/revisions\/835"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/832"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=834"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=834"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=834"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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