Exhort One Another

The Repetition of an Old Duty: Exhort One Another

0:02 I encourage you to turn with me to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 as we will conclude this morning the second of two paragraphs in this very practical section of the epistle dealing with the general theme of the second advent of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and the focus of our attention this morning will be upon verse

0:38 11 I remind you briefly by way of introduction the basic contrast between the paragraph beginning with chapter 4 and verse 13 and continuing to the end and the paragraph that we've been studying chapter 5 1 through 11 for some weeks now in the passage in chapter 4 the apostle is addressing himself to an area of ignorance I would not have you to be ignorant brethren and so he is. He introduces the subject of the return of Christ in order to supply what was lacking in the knowledge of the Thessalonians however in chapter 5 he is not supplying knowledge

1:22 primarily but he is stirring to activity. Is this making it difficult for you folks to hear I'm finding it awfully difficult to speak about would you mind just closing those doors Bob it will make it a little warm but I feel that perhaps my discomfort that will be the greatest is worth it. Being sure that you hear that's why I turned the fan off it was blowing on me that's much better I don't know how it is for you but I'm very conscious that I'm not able to have any flexibility in my voice and might lose something. Chapter 5 is dealing with an area in which they were very well instructed for he says in verse 2 you know perfectly that the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night

2:07 and so his concern is to stir them up to make proper use of that knowledge. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 2. And the proper use of that knowledge is threefold it should make the people of God sober watchful and armed for conflict. Now as he closes the paragraph he comes to words that are very similar to what we found at the close of the preceding paragraph here they are wherefore exhort one another and build each other up even as also ye do.

2:42 12 sermons and four months later here we are right back again to where we were chapter 4 and verse 13 wherefore comfort one another with these words so we haven't made much progress 12 sermons four months later and we're right back with the words comfort one another in the light of this truth. So as we approach the text this morning the first thing that strikes us is that we have an old duty repeated. But you'll notice. Comparing with verse 18 we also have a new duty introduced and build each other up.

3:20 He didn't mention that at the end of chapter 4 and then we have also in the third place a very honest encouragement given even as also he do so to think our way through the text we have an old duty repeated a new duty commanded and then an honest encouragement given. 13. An old duty repeated. What is that old duty?

3:46 To exhort or to comfort one another. And when we study verse 18 I took a good bit of time to show that this word exhort or comfort is a very general word. It encompasses everything from the passing on of information to very stringent pointed exhortation seeking to stir people up to action. 14.

4:12 A very forceful warning. And this duty of mutual exhortation which the people of God have with relationship to one another is a duty so vital to the people of God that the apostle is not the least bit reluctant to repeat it almost word for word though in the very preceding paragraph he had spelled it out very clearly. 15. This reminds us that there is no sin in repetition.

4:40 16. Nor should we look upon repetition as an indication that a preacher or teacher is running out of material and going back over the same ground because he has no more rows to plow in the field of his present knowledge. No God enforces his truth with repetition whether that be objective truth or whether it be exhortation to duty and practice. 17.

5:11 The official duty of mutual exhortation a responsibility which all the people of God have to one another is set before us again. 18. I would remind you as we studied in the last paragraph that this is not the exclusive duty of preachers. 19.

5:30 In the very next verse he says know them that labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you. 20. There are some who have an official duty to admonish. 21.

5:40 That official duty does not cancel out the responsibility of every child of God to exhort and comfort his brethren and sisters in Christ. 22. Now why is this old duty repeated? Well there are two basic reasons.

Reasons for the Repeated Duty

5:56 One, a different set of ideas has been introduced. The verse begins with a wherefore which literally could be translated this way, because of these preceding factors exhortation. 22. The apostle has covered some new ground since the close of chapter 4.

6:17 23. If they needed to comfort or exhort one another in the light of the truth given in chapter 4 verses 13 to 17, now that new areas of truth have been covered in chapter 5 through verse 10, there needs to be a fresh exhortation to mutual exhortation and consolation. 24. One believer of another.

6:41 25. Verse 18 primarily applies to the passing on of these facts to fellow believers. 26. When they are swallowed up in sorrow, we are to come to them and say, ah dear friend, look, that loved one will not be in the grave forever.

6:57 27. By the word of the Lord we have it straight. 28. He will come again and when he comes the dead in Christ shall be raised up.

7:05 29. Comfort one another with these words. 30. This is clearly the facts of the doctrine of what will happen at the second coming.

7:14 31. But the whole focus of chapter 5 has not been doctrinal, the whole focus has been practical. 32. And so he says your exhortation and comfort one of another must not only comprise doctrinal information of which we remind one another, but we must stir one another up to practical Christian duties.

7:36 33. This is the first reason why he repeats the old duty, a different set of ideas has been introduced. 34. And then secondly, because of the special reference in verse 10, and I missed this in my preparation last week and made no mention of it, it wasn't until I was preparing for this week that I caught it.

7:55 35. Notice what he says. 36. Who died for us that whether we wake or sleep, we should live not just with him, but we should live together.

8:07 37. And the together does not refer to the Christian together with Christ. That's the way I read it and expounded it last week, and remember I made no mention of the word together, I didn't make any point of it. 38.

8:23 But what he's saying is that we shall live with him, but in a state of togetherness. 39. Now in the light of the fact that even in eternity we as believers will share a common life, a communal life if you please. 40.

8:42 For every picture of the redeemed in heaven that you get is a communal picture. You don't get any individualistic concept of heaven. 41. You always see the redeemed as a multitude, as a body, prostrate before the throne, following the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, dwelling together in the new Jerusalem, in the city of our God.

9:04 42. And so it's as though the apostle says, in the light of the fact that when he comes, even then we shall not be separated one from another, but will share together this common resurrection life of glory, don't you think if you're going to live with people forever you ought to show some practical concern about them now? 43. And so because of this reference in verse 10, to the togetherness of the people of God through all eternity, he draws this inference, wherefore in the light of this build each other up now.

9:42 44. You see, when I counsel with couples prior to their getting married, one of the points I often, always press with them is this. Do you believe that this relationship into which you're about to enter is for keeps? 45.

9:57 Are you absolutely convinced that if this turns out to be the worst marriage on earth, a veritable hell on earth, there's no way out of it unless one or the other of you dies or runs off with somebody else's wife, or just plain runs off, period? 46. Are you convinced that you're entering into a relationship with someone else? 47.

10:14 Are you convinced that you're entering into a relationship that's for keeps? 48. You know why I press that issue? Because unless they are convinced of that, they won't make the necessary adjustments in their own thinking and self-denial and all the rest to work out a harmonious relationship.

10:32 49. It's very rare that two people just, quote, fall in love and live happily ever after. That only happens in the movies and in fairy stories. It doesn't happen in real life.

10:40 50. And if you ever see two people, after two years or twenty years, not just dwelling under the same roof and sleeping in the same bed and eating at the same table, but really sharing a common life, a relationship that wherever you think of it as a Christian, you can't help but think of Christ and His church. That didn't just happen. That represents long hours of sweat and talk and discussion.

11:05 It represents many trips to Calvary. It represents many, many times of self-humiliation and confession one to another. 50. But when they enter that relationship knowing, look, we're in this thing for good, and until one or the other dies, knowing something of the permanence of the relationship, they are willing to roll up their sleeves to work at the success of the relationship.

11:33 51. Now, when you're convinced of the permanence of your relationship not only with the Lord but with His people, together we'll be with Him. Why, then we're going to roll up our sleeves and get down to working at the relationship. Working at the success and beauty of our relationship not only with the Lord but with one another here and now.

Application: New Light, New Responsibility

11:54 52. So the apostle repeats this duty in the light of the new information he is given and secondly in the light of this special reference to the togetherness of the people of God through all eternity. 53. Now, before we move on to the new duty that's introduced, let me just say by way of application, we're reminded in the apostle's repetition of this duty.

12:18 Of a very simple principle, but a very vital one, namely, that every increase of light to your mind brings new demands and responsibilities to obedience in your life. Have you sat through the expositions of chapter 5? Then with that exposition and new light has come new responsibility, not only heavenward but manward. And if the new responsibility has come, then the new responsibility has come not only heavenward, but manward.

12:49 And if the new responsibility is not shouldered and discharged, all the new light has done is increase your judgment. For Jesus said to whom much is given, much shall be required. He that knew not his Lord's will and did it not shall be beaten with few stripes, but he who knew his Lord's will and did it not shall be beaten with many stripes. So the fact that new light has come.

13:19 The apostle reminds us that new responsibility. New responsibilities have come with that light. And it also reminds us that God never gives us light for light sake alone. But the end for which God has imparted his truth is that he might mold and shape our lives.

13:41 Here the apostle moves from the realm of practical Christian duty to the great high stratosphere of the high doctrines that we considered in the past two weeks. Verse 9. The election. Verse 10.

13:54 The effectual atonement of Christ. The definite atonement of Christ. And where does he go? From the practical.

14:00 He roots it in the high doctrinal and then he comes right back down to terra firma again. Right down to earth and says here's the practical outworking. Wherefore on account of these things, in the light of these things, here is your responsibility. One of the great responsibilities of a preacher is to continually do, try to show the people of God.

14:23 And that is to keep these preconditions of truth in life but he can't always be doing it. And every child of God ought to as he is listening to sermons be asking himself, now Lord I believe that, what should it do for me in my circle of life. With my wife, with my children, in my shop, in my school, in my place of business, in my neighborhood, Lord what should this truth do for me in my world where you have placed me? So much then.

The Introduction of a New Duty: Build Each Other Up

14:53 For the old duty repeated. that he introduces he does so in these words and build each other up now what does that word mean well it comes from the building trade two words are put together one the word for house the other world to build other word to build literally translated it would mean to build a house to construct something it's the word used in the familiar conclusion of our lord's sermon in the mount in matthew 7 24 and 26 about the wise man who built his house upon the rock the foolish man who built his house upon the sand it's the word used in luke 14 28 about a man who's going to

15:35 build a tower and he's foolish he doesn't sit down and count the cost first same word used and all the way through the gospels wherever you find the word it's used in that literal sense but when you move into acts chapter 9 in verse 31 there's a turning point in the whole use of the word it's used in that literal sense but when you move into acts chapter 9 in verse 31 the word. It says the disciples were edified after the persecution ceased with the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. It says the believers were edified. They were built up. And from there

16:08 on out, it's almost exclusive use in the New Testament. It's used metaphorically. It's used to indicate the idea of growth and development within the life of a believer. So we may give as a meaning of the word the following. The act of promoting the growth of another in

16:29 wisdom, holiness, and usefulness. Let's put it into the text that way and see how it fits. Wherefore, exhort one another and be diligent to promote the growth of each other in wisdom, holiness, and usefulness. The whole idea is that of the believers.

16:54 Who has life, but that life needs to be developed, expanded, increased. Now this duty of one believer being an instrument to promote the growth of another believer in wisdom, holiness, and usefulness is not just found tucked away in a little conclusion of a paragraph on the second coming. When we give ourselves for the bulk of a Sunday morning study to this duty, are we just making a lie? Not out of something that's insignificant. Not in the least. For this duty is clearly

The Importance and Universality of Edification

17:29 set forth in other key portions of scripture. And I want you to look at several of them with me. Ephesians chapter 4. How important is this duty of one believer being an instrument to build up another believer?

17:48 Ephesians chapter 4. Beginning with verse 11 we read that the ascended Christ gave some apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and disciples the power to build up another holy building with God, which He had made. Ephesians 1.1 and 2 are the works of his life.

18:12 Ephesians 1.1 says the building up of the body of Christ is the responsibility of those with special ministering gifts. Yes, at this juncture, but now, read on. Ephesians 1.1-14. We may be no longer children tossed to and fro, carried about by every

18:27 wind of doctrine. Ephesians 2.16. Ephesians 2.17-19.

18:29 But speaking the truth in love. Ephesians 2.19. may grow up into him in all things verse 16 from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth according to the working in due measure of each several part maketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love and here's the word building up edifying exactly the same word and here's the picture of every member of the body contributing to the development and building up of the whole body and so in this key chapter

19:13 in which the apostle is setting out the function of the church as a body he says that this responsibility to aid in the building up of the body is incumbent upon every single member of the body look later on in this same chapter verse 29 let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth but such as is good for here's the same word again for edifying building up as the need may be that it may give grace to them that hear every believer is responsible to guard his speech on the one hand negatively so that no corrupting influence comes forth but on the other hand

19:57 positively that his speech will be an instrument of building up of edifying the people of god romans 14 and verse 19 showing that this duty is incumbent upon all the people of god so then let us follow after things which make for peace and things whereby we may edify one another chapter 15 verse 2 let each one of us this is incumbent upon all of us please his neighbor for that which is good unto edifying

20:35 same word building up now god has repeated this injunction in order that wherever we turn in these letters of instruction the people of god might acknowledge that it is their duty it's not enough for you to keep your own head above water spiritually some of us have enough trouble just doing that and even then sometimes we wonder if we're making it we begin to spit water and we know we've gotten a few miles fulls and we feel a burning in our spiritual nostrils and weakness and wonder if we're going down under and when we're just able to keep our own head above water and keep the water out of our own throat and nose we feel boy we're

21:16 making it but you and i have a responsibility not just to keep our own head above water we have an active responsibility to keep my own brother's head above water and more than that to teach him how to swim effectively we are to build one another up this is the responsibility of the responsibility incumbent upon all of us so he introduces this duty it's enforced elsewhere now the question is how do you perform it sure that's all right for you to say paul build each other up but how do you do it may i suggest that scripture teaches that everything you do to build

How to Build Each Other Up: Words and Deeds

21:52 up your brethren can be classified into two heads the effect of your words and the effect of your deeds all that you do and say as far as it comes into any circle of acquaintance with your brethren whether it's your wife your children the people of god and the assembly all that you do and say is either building up developing increasing their spiritual life promoting their growth in wisdom holiness and usefulness or it's tearing it down for we bear no influence upon any whom we touch let's consider

22:36 those two ways in which we build each other up or tear each other down words and deeds go back to ephesians 4 29 this is dealing with what we might call the normal conversation general social exchanges amongst the people of god what is to be the effect of our normal everyday conversation in each other's presence ephesians 4 29 let no corrupt speech

23:15 proceed out of your mouth but such as is good for edifying as the need may be that it may give grace to them that hear may i ask you a very simple question how much of the time is your normal unguarded conversation with others governed by this sense of responsibility that i am to so speak that i will build up my brother when i've hung the phone up when i've left his home that he will in some measure be a little bit more

23:54 stirred up to grow in grace in knowledge and experience often is that thought consciously before you acting as a sentinel upon your lips saying nope don't let that word out keep that one in nope don't let that area of conversation begin keep that unspoken how often is your conversation consciously disciplined by the recognition that you have a responsibility to build up your brothers and sisters

24:31 not in special ministries but in ordinary social conversation i think it would be pretty embarrassing for us to have to stand up and acknowledge this morning honestly in the presence of god how little of the time we are consciously governed by this principle it's so easy to let that which is corrupt just come out why because the remains of corruption within we're just acting consistent with what we are and grace just doesn't come that way or the expressions of grace naturally there must be this conscious checking

25:13 of the tendency to speak that which is corrupting and choosing rather by god's grace in the direction of his spirit and his word to speak that which will edify and then the second way our words edify or in what we might call more special ministries of conveying the word of god and the whole substance of chapter fourteen of first corinthians focuses upon this principle what in every child of god to amat whenever he quotes fiction whenever he's dealing more particularly with what we would call spiritual subjects what is every teacher became that every preacher to amen

25:55 Well, no less than five times in 1 Corinthians 14, the subject of which is the exercise of spiritual gifts, does this word edify, build up, come to the fore. Notice in the first few verses, follow after love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. Well, why should we seek prophecy among all other gifts or above all other gifts? He's going to explain that.

26:23 For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God. For no man understandeth, but in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men edification and exhortation. There's the word, edification, building up.

26:39 He that speaketh in a tongue edifies or builds up himself, which is all right, Paul says, but there's something higher. He that prophesieth builds up or edifies. The church. Now, I would have you all speak with tongues.

26:54 Oh, I want you to take any measures, he says, to build up yourselves. But there's something higher than keeping your own head above water. There's something more than filling out your own spiritual muscles. There's something more than titillating your own spiritual sensitivities.

27:11 Here's the higher goal, but rather that ye should prophesy. Greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh. Why? Why?

27:21 That the church may receive edifying. And all the way through this entire chapter, the conclusion, of course, comes in a verse like verse 26. What is it then, brethren, when ye come together? Each one hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpretation.

27:38 Let all things be done unto edifying. In other words, the primary goal, whenever the truth of God is communicated, whether it's writing a letter to a loved one, whether it's a pastor standing to expound the word of God, it must be this, what will build up the people of God?

28:01 Now, how different our whole approach to conveying truth will be. I say to future ministers sitting here within the sound of my voice this morning, what is to motivate your preparation? What is to determine your vocabulary in preaching? What's to determine your outline?

28:19 What's to determine your illustrations? Is it? Is it to be some artificial rules of preaching imposed upon us? Is it to be my reputation as a clever man, that I can get three P's or three C's or three D's every time I open my mouth?

28:35 Is it to be that my people will think well of me? No. The thing that is to drive me into the study, keep me laboring while I'm at study, and to motivate me when I stand before the people of God is this, I must seek to study. Speak in a way that will bring the most edification.

28:57 What will build them up the most? My reputation as a preacher or teacher doesn't amount to a hill of beans. What they may want doesn't amount to a hill of beans.

29:08 But what God has deposited in His word for their good is everything. And I must study simplicity. I must study order. I must study the hearts of men in order that I might, edify them with the truth of the living God.

29:27 This is to be the driving motivation and passion, not only in my normal conversation, but in my more official administrations of the truth of the living God.

Edifying Through Deeds and Foregoing Lawful Liberties

29:42 Well then, what about our deeds? And it's interesting that there is great emphasis in the scripture on the fact that my life and my conduct builds up, or tears down, my brethren. Will you turn to 1 Corinthians 10.23, and then we're going to look at a parallel passage in Romans.

30:14 The apostle in chapter 9 has mentioned the fact that he has a right to get married and have a wife. He has a right to have people take offerings where he preaches and support him. But he says no to all those rights. He goes about as a single man, indicating that that's a rougher life, contrary to some who may have a wife.

30:33 an idyllic idea of the life of singleness. The apostle says it's denying myself to be single. It's denying myself. It's denying myself to have to make tents at night and preach all day. I forego these rights.

30:48 There are other things. I have the privilege, he says, of eating certain forms of meat and drinking certain forms of beverage, but I forego these things. Why? Look at verse 23.

30:58 All things are lawful. That doesn't mean everything in the world is lawful. It means everything that is not explicitly condemned by the law of God are lawful, but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful, now notice, but not all things edify.

31:18 Let no man seek his own, but each his neighbor's good. And then he moves into the very practical realm of eating certain types of food and abstaining from certain types of food, drawing the implication that even though there are areas of conduct that are perfectly legitimate, he says, if in so partaking of these foods, in doing these actions, I will cause my brother not to be built up, but be torn down. I will say no to lawful, legitimate things, lest I should tear down my brother. Rather,

32:02 then build him up. Notice the same thought set forth in the 14th chapter of Romans, verses 19 to 21. So then let us follow after things which make for peace and things whereby we may edify one another. Not words, but things. Overthrow

32:25 not for meat's sake the work of God. All things are indeed clean, how be it's evil. It is evil for that man who eateth with offense. It is good not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor do anything whereby thy brother stumblet. He said,

32:44 seek after the things, not just that please yourself, but that build up your brother. He didn't mean to tell me that my actions are to be determined not only by the law of God, what is right and wrong, but by whether or not they'll build up my brother, and that in everything I'm to consider, not only what is lawful, but what is edifying. Exactly. Exactly. Is it

33:11 lawful for me to go on out if I have the money, and buy myself a ten dollar meal? Sure.

33:21 But will that stir up my family to a sense of Christian stewardship and frugality? No. Paul says, I forego the ten dollar meal, that I might teach stewardship and frugality to my family. Is it lawful for me to go ahead and drive a nice big plush car? Sure,

33:43 if you have the money, sure.

33:46 But will it encourage others to live a life of self-denial and sacrifice to advance the kingdom of Christ? No, if not, I forego this right in order that I might build up my brother in zeal to extend the kingdom of God. See? Is it right for me to go ahead and go down to the lake, or down to the shore, and lay around in my bathing suit?

34:11 Enjoy the sun and the water? Sure.

34:14 Is that going to teach my children modesty?

34:24 Is it going to teach them what it means to flee unnecessary sources of lust and provocation to sin? If not, I forego the right to lounge in the beach,

34:38 and I swelter in the heat for the sake of teaching modesty, building my children up. What a ridiculous standard, is it?

34:51 Wherefore, in the light of the return of Christ and the necessity to be sober and watchful and armed, build one another up. Build each other up, not only by your words, but by your deeds, foregoing even lawful liberties that I might encourage my brethren in self-denial, in pressing on after the kingdom of Christ. Now, someone's going to go out and say, ah, summertime's coming, pastor's preaching against mixed bathing. No, I didn't do that. If you get

35:26 only that, God help you. I'm pressing an issue to your conscience, and I'm saying this. The issue you're to determine, whether it's going swimming, whether or not you put on a bathing suit in promiscuous crowds, in mixed crowds, the issue that determines the kind of car you buy, the kind of steaks you eat, the issue that determines all of conduct is not only is it lawful, but will it build up? That's the principle. I'm merely

35:53 giving you some applications, because if I don't, the principle will just hang up there in the sky, and you'll say, that's sweet.

36:00 Go on out and buy your ten dollar steaks and lay around on the beach all summer. Saying, well, I believe everything the pastor preaches. I'm just trying to hook it into some specifics so you get the idea of what this means. We are to build one another up by the example of our lives.

The Prerequisite for Edification: Self-Denying Love

36:17 Now, I hope you're seeing something. Having asked the question, what does the word mean, build up? Having seen the duty and force from other portions of scripture, how do we perform? We perform the duty by our words and deeds.

36:30 We come to probably what is the crux of the whole issue. What is the great prerequisite to perform this duty? And I think you've seen the answer. Biblical, God-like love.

36:41 Self-denying love that seeks not its own. And scripture explicitly states that the key to a life that builds up its brethren is a life immersed in this kind of love. 1 Corinthians 8 in verse 1. Notice, now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge.

37:06 Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifyeth. What he's saying is this. Here's a man who sees this piece of meat out there in the meat market outside the heathen temple. A half an hour before, some priest had killed this particular animal and had been offered up in sacrifice and the pagan worshipper went home and now the meat is there to be sold at a bargain rate.

37:30 And here this Christian comes by and he says, now I know that that meat is a piece of meat. I can accept it as a gift from God. The extra money that I would have spent buying it down at the regular meat market, I can give to missions and I know that that meat is in no way identified with that idol worship. Therefore, knowing this, I'll buy my meat at a cut rate and what I do with the extra money is my business.

37:56 Someone says, yes, but what about Mr. Smith down the street who just last week was converted out of heathen worship. Three weeks ago, he went up and offered his hunk of meat and worshipped his idol but through the preaching of the apostle he's been brought to the knowledge of Christ but he's just emerging from all the entanglements of heathenism. He sees you buying that piece of meat. In his

38:21 conscience, you're supporting idol worship. You're partaking of idol worship. You're identifying yourself not just with a piece of meat that you received from God but you're identifying yourself with the idol to whom it was offered a half an hour before. Now, what's going to happen when Mr. Jones

38:39 knows that that's how Mr. Smith thinks? One of two things. Either he'll say, oh look, this is stupid. Anybody knows

38:47 who knows anything, if we have knowledge, that's just a piece of meat. Since I know it and since I can eat it with a good conscience, I don't care about his conscience. Knowledge will puff a man up but if he has the love of Christ in his heart, even though he says, boy, you know, I sure would love that piece of meat. I can't afford that. Buy that kind of meat at the regular

39:07 meat market. I want to see my brother built up in the faith. I don't want him torn down by my example. So because I love him, I won't buy that meat sold in the shambles, but I'll go down to the regular meat market and buy him a hamburger.

39:27 Love in his heart makes him more concerned about building up his weak brother than in simply saying, I can do it, so I'll do it. You see? That's the point Paul is making. Notice the same point in Romans 14.

39:43 Romans 14 verse 14 or verse 13. Let us therefore not judge one another anymore. Let us not therefore judge one another anymore, but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block in his brother's way or an occasion of falling. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing nothing.

40:07 Nothing is unclean of itself. Nothing unclean with eating that meat. Nothing unclean with going out and enjoying the water, enjoying the sun. Nothing unclean with enjoying that nice car.

40:19 Nothing unclean with any of these gifts of God. Say that to him who accounteth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Now here's the key verse. For if because of meat, if because you partake of that thing that you can do with a good conscience,

40:37 thy brother is grieved. Instead of your brother being edified and built up, he is grieved. His faith is torn down. Notice thou walkest no longer in what?

40:53 Love. He says you're not walking in the context of love. When all you're concerned about is what can I do with a good conscience instead of what can I do to build up my brother. You're no longer walking in love. You're

41:07 walking in selfishness. For what is the characteristic of divine love? 1 Corinthians 13. Love seeketh not her own.

41:19 And I know of no more practical test of the measure to which the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts than this. How much am I willing to forego lawful legitimate privileges for the sake of building up my brother?

41:40 That's the acid test. That's the acid test of love.

Personal Application of Self-Denying Love

41:45 Beloved, I speak personally. When it comes to the matter of the summer and lounging around in beaches and the rest, I doubt there's anyone here as warm-blooded as I. And I don't enjoy sweltering through the summers. I've not enjoyed in past days sweltering through our Sunday school picnics. But I know I had

42:06 a choice to make to preach with power on Sunday and have some example of Christian modesty or sacrifice that upon the altar of having my flesh feel good for a few hours.

42:22 I'm not giving theory. Something very real.

42:28 You mothers, do you want your children modest? They don't learn it by lectures. They learn it by example.

42:36 Anything wrong with you going around in your backyard in shorts and a halter? No. Is that going to teach modesty to your girls? Is it going to build them up in a Christian concept of modesty?

42:53 You better forego it. In all of these areas, the test is made. How much do I love? Is there that love operative within me that will check my words? Words that may be perfectly

43:09 true, may be perfectly honest, but if they won't build up, love acts as a sentinel to check those words. Love will cause me to deny certain activities. Love will cause me, if I'm in the ministry of any kind, to discipline myself in the choice of words. That's one of the greatest disciplines that I know of personally.

43:34 Sometimes there's a word on the tip of my tongue that just says it so right for me. But I might as well be talking in tongues as far as you're concerned. And I have to force myself to use 20 other little words because the whole end is what? Communication.

43:49 Edifying. Building up. Not impressing people with your vocabulary or your learning or your reading, but with the truth of God. Love demands and forces us to make those denials upon ourselves.

The Nursing Mother Analogy

44:03 As I was scratching around for a very homey illustration, one that came to my mind, and I believe it's an accurate one, is the illustration of a nursing mother. And I can speak because my wife has been that to our children, two of them. And I can remember when the little ones were being built up by the nourishment that came from her own body, how every time she sat down to eat, she had not only to think of, this, is this food legitimate, bonafide, nourishing food that tastes good to me, but she always had to think, will it have any adverse effect upon the baby? And we found out by experience that if she ate onions and other things, it would make the baby sick and gassy.

44:46 So there you are. You got your hamburger and you're just a hamburger. It's not a hamburger without onions. But you had to say no to onions. Why?

44:53 Because you were living not just to build up yourself with that food. You were living to edify, to build up. That infant life. Oh, you'd love to go away for a couple of days. Man, wouldn't it be

45:07 wonderful? But you knew about every three hours there's going to be that wail and that cry. And that the only place the nourishment could come was from you. So what'd you have to do? You had to, in planning your schedule,

45:21 not only think of what would be nice and good and right for me, but even in the planning of the schedule, the most innocent events, everything was geared in terms of that little life. I have to build it up. So my food, my schedule, things I didn't like. I can remember my wife just glutting herself with liquids, even in these hot days.

45:39 She'd drink maybe a half a glass of water. She doesn't get thirsty. Doesn't like to drink. I can remember her force-feeding herself, drinking liquids down. Why?

45:47 Not because it was good for her. That life is dependent upon me. Everything must be done unto edify. I believe that's a little bit of a picture, and the Apostle has already used it. You remember when we went through

45:59 chapter two, he said, I was gentle among you as a nursing mother with her own children. What's it mean to build one another up? It means to be so infused with a spirit of self-denying love that in everything I say and do, my concern is not merely to know if it is lawful for me, but will it build up my brother in knowledge, holiness, and usefulness. Well, my time is gone, and I never did get to the third point, and I'll just touch on it briefly.

An Honest Encouragement and Call to Greater Abundance

46:36 An honest encouragement given. Notice how he closes the text. He says, even as also ye do. Now, does he do this as a flatterer? No.

46:48 Grace and graciousness can be compatible. Some don't think so. They think the more grace you have, the less gracious you must be. But the Apostle had a lot of grace and a lot of graciousness. And you'll find him

47:00 giving these sort of little compliments now and then. Why? Where he could give valid encouragement, he did so. Lest they be discouraged and say, man, don't we do anything right. Here he tells

47:12 us, exhort one another, and then he comes right back and gives it to us again. And then he piles another duty upon us. Build each other up. And lest they become discouraged, he says, even as also ye do.

47:22 You're doing it. You're doing fine. But I just want to push you along a little bit in the same direction. Recognizing the principle that there is no grace so developed in the Christian, but what it needs, constant prodding and the constant reminders to press on, to greater measures of the same. Well, I trust that

47:42 this duty that I've sought to set before you this morning will drive us afresh to Christ, confessing, Lord, my heart's just not built that way.

47:53 Lord, I'm just not built to think will it build up others. I thought I was making progress when I got to the place where in everything I asked, Lord, is it pleasing to you? Well, that is progress. If you've come to the place where in every area of life your concern is, Lord, will it please you? But that's not all.

48:09 Now we must go beyond and say, Lord, will it build up my brother? And even the things that are pleasing to God, but will not build my brother, I must say no to them if I'm to live to his edification. Careful in the light of the great cataclysmic events that will come at the return of Christ and the necessity of our being sober and watchful and armed for battle, may God grant that we shall be instruments to build each other up even as also ye do in some measure. But would to God that we shall abound more and more.

48:50 Let us pray.