Sermon: Philadelphia Summary: We need to support our faith with brotherly love, which describes a deep love that expresses itself in the warmth of friendship based on family ties in the family of God Know: Our love for each other should be a deep, familial type of love that is a deep, lasting freindship that will last for eternity Feel: The inadequacy of mere “aquaintance” type fellowship with brethren Do: Reflect on ways to be a freind to Christian brethren Text: 2 Peter 1:7 Scripture Reading: 1 Thess 4:9 Mediatation Scripture: 1 Peter 1:22 Intro: 1. Two men out hunting in woods - grizzly bear comes charging at them a. One starts putting on running shoes b. Other says - What are you doing, you can’t outrun grizzly c. Replied - I don’t have to outrun grizzly, have to outrun you! d. That’s not brotherly love 2. 2 Pet 1:7 - Support faith with brotherly love - Not Agape, but philadelphia a. Compound word - Phileo and Adelphos b. Many words compound with Phileo 3. What is Phileo? a. Root idea - Love, affection, deep freindship b. Usually based on some sort of tie, often a family tie c. Not a sharp distinction between agapao and phileo - One example: 1 Pet 1:22 - But Bible never uses “agapadelphia” 4. Our faith needs to be supported with brotherly love. How I. Fondness A. I get this from one of the phileo words 1. Paul often says to greet one anothe with “philemati hagion” a. Philema means - A token of love, usually a kiss b. Rom 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20; 2 Cor 13:12; 1 Ths 5:26 c. Greet each other with a “holy kiss” 2. 1 Pet 5:14 - Greet one another with “philemati agapes” a. We are to greet each other with a kiss of love B. These verses tell us to express our love for each other 1. I have heard it said, have to love you, but not like you a. Comes from a misunderstanding of Agape - Not a sharp distinction between agape and phileo b. Metaphor for the church: We are a body - I am fond of my body parts - I love them, but I don’t like them? Makes no sense c. We are bride of Christ - I am fond of my wife. I love my wife. - Not - I have to love you, but not like you - Can imagine God saying, I don’t like you but love? d. (Hosea 11:6-9) - God loves Israel - Can see the emotion in this verse - Like when you discipline child you love - Tugging in your heart. Love you child, you like them 2. We are specifically told to support faith with brotherly love a. Not agape, but phileo b. Idea of a certain type of warmth 3. That means we have to like each other 4. But that sounds unreasonable! C. ILL: Stacey - Nine brothers and sisters in same house 1. Brother and Stacey not get along, always fighting a. He always wanted things his way b. Got real bad, mom try to use some creative discipline 2. Brian and Stacey had to hold hands for 2 weeks everywhere a. Front time came home till bed and on weekends b. Even in bathroom, had to put hand on door until done c. No one else at home, he hollered need toilet paper d. It in back bathroom - “I’d get it, but can’t leave the door” 3. We want our family members to get along and like each other a. No one would say that is unreasonable b. So why it unreasonable to expect it in God’s family D. If support our faith with brotherly love, will work at liking each other 1. Involves giving “philema” a token of love 2. Sometimes grandparent, says give everyone a hug for me a. That is similar to what Paul and Peter do in letters b. Show your affection and love II. Friendship A. One of the words derived from phileo is “philos” 1. It means “beloved one” or “friend” a synonymn of “agapetos” 2. Jn 15:14 - Jesus said you are my “philoi” if do what I command 3. In all the commands for brotherly love, freindship and such, there is the idea of freindship B. What does it mean to be a freind? 1. (Prov 17:17) - You love at all times, even the bad a. Bad times, house burn down, lost job, etc. b. Friends don’t say, “oh that’s bad, hope it gets better” c. Real freind is a bad weather friend too 2. (Prov 27:6) - Keep your friend on the right path a. Tell them what they need to hear b. If friend say, I’m going to get high, drive drunk, dive into Missouri off bridge, etc. You probably stop them c. What if they involved in sin? Anger, self control, etc... d. Friends don’t let friends ... continue in sin 3. Not talking about “finding” a friend a. “I tried to find a friend, but couldn’t find one” b. “I decide to be a friend, and many friends found me.” C. ILL: Mark talked to Joe, an old friend who separated from wife, affair 1. A few days later, shows up at the door 2. Surprise visit! Why? To encourage him to get life right. 3. Flew all the way out here for that? Yes. a. Mark was firm, loving, and blunt b. Mark spent a few days with him, and the affair ended c. Began to talk to wife again D. A friend loves at all times 1. Brotherly love is about being a deep abiding friend 2. I know can’t have same level of closeness to everyone 3. Jesus chose 12, and 3 out of 12 closest to him 4. We each need to be deep friend to a small group of Christians III. Family A. The word itself, “brotherly love” communicates familial connections B. (Mk 3:31-35) - Whoever does will of God is mother, brother, sister 1. 1 Tim 5:1-2 - Older men as fathers, women as mothers..... 2. Earthly families will not endure, but God’s family will 3. Look around you, this is your family. a. There is a stronger tie here than physical family b. This family is the family that will go on to Heaven C. ILL: Trip to Tulsa 1. In High School and in College, alway an adventure a. Travel with Eye Openers - Lost money, they fed us b. Car broke down - host paid for repair c. Got misplaced, counldn’t find chorus 2. We came out okay in each case. Why? Family D. ILL: Growing up, pick on each other 1. But someone else mess with brother or sister, that different a. Neighborhood bully teasing my sister and mom b. I chased him all the way down the street c. Finally caught him one day, Mom made me let him go 2. We are God’s family, and we stuck together Concl: 1. Need to support our faith with brotherly love. Involves a. Fondness b. Friendship c. Being family 2. Without brotherly love, we lose part of that “support” for our faith 3. Are you part of God’s family? (invitation) 4. If you already have, then guess what. You are family. a. That means I like you, you like me, we “love” each other b. We demonstrate our kindness, love, and compassion to each other c. Too touchy feely? Well, I’m going to try and hug you anyway! Questions for Small Group Discussion