Brotherly love has amazed many people throughout the centuries. Love of the brethren is commanded by God. Brotherly love mus be worked at to achieve. problems in the church are either directly or indirectly connected to lack of love for one another. love is the key to a growing or even a surviving church.

1. LOVE OF THE
BRETHREN

2. Romans 12:9-13 Let love be
without hypocrisy. Abhor what is
evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be
kindly affectionate to one another
with brotherly love, in honor giving
preference to one another; 11 not
lagging in diligence, fervent in
spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing
in hope, patient in tribulation,
continuing steadfastly in prayer;
13 distributing to the needs of the
saints, given to hospitality.

3. BROTHERLY LOVE
A. Brotherly love has amazed many people
throughout the centuries.
B. Love of the brethren is commanded by God:
1. Heb. 13:1 - "Let love of the brethren continue."
2. I Peter 3:8 - "Finally, be ye all like minded,
compassionate, loving as brethren,
tenderhearted, humble minded."
C. Brotherly love must be "worked at" to achieve.
1. I Thess. 1:3 - "remembering without ceasing
your work of faith and labor of love and
patience of hope..."
2. Heb. 6:10 - "For God is not unrighteous to
forget your work and the love which ye showed
toward his name, in that ye ministered unto the
saints, and still do minister."

4. BROTHERLY LOVE
D. Problems in the church are either directly
or indirectly connected to lack of LOVE
for one another.
1. Problems at Corinth--- (every problem
shows a lack of love)
2. Division, Sexual immorality, lawsuits,
feast of Lord’s Supper, etc.
E. Love is the KEY to a growing or even a
surviving church. 1 Cor. 13
F. Paul wrote to the church at Rome about
love of the brethren.

5. I. THE SINCERITY OF LOVE - V.9a "LET
LOVE BE WITHOUT HYPOCRISY"
A.1 Peter 1:22 Since you have purified
your souls in obeying the truth
through the Spirit in sincere love of
the brethren, love one another
fervently with a pure heart,
B.1 Timothy 1:5 Now the purpose of
the commandment is love from a
pure heart, from a good conscience,
and from sincere faith,

6. II. THE PURITY OF LOVE - v.9b "ABHOR
WHAT IS EVIL. CLING TO WHAT IS GOOD."
A. Abhor evil
1. extreme hatred and aversion to evil.
2. True love wants to stay away from evil no matter
what.
B. Cling to good
1. "To join fast together, to glue, cement..." (Vine)
2. Do not let go of good. What does that say about
your life?
C. 1 Peter 3:10-12 For "He who would love life And
see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit. 11 Let him turn
away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace
and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the LORD are on
the righteous, And His ears are open to their
prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those
who do evil."

7. III. THE QUALITY OF LOVE v.10a. "BE
KINDLY AFFECTIONATE TO ONE
ANOTHER WITH BROTHERLY LOVE."
A. 1 Peter 3:8-9 Finally, all of you be of one mind,
having compassion for one another; love as
brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not
returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on
the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called
to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
B. Love must express itself.
C. 1 John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in
word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
D. This kind of love cannot go unpronounced.
E. How can it be affectionate love if it is not
expressed?
F. How can we "love the brethren" and not express it?

8. IV. THE HUMILITY OF LOVE v. 10b. "IN
HONOR GIVING PREFERENCE TO ONE
ANOTHER."
A. Philippians 2:3-4 Let nothing be done through
selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind
let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let
each of you look out not only for his own interests,
but also for the interests of others.
B. Matthew 20:25-28 But Jesus called them to Himself
and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles
lord it over them, and those who are great exercise
authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among
you; but whoever desires to become great among
you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever
desires to be first among you, let him be your slave-
- 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be
served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom
for many."

9. V. THE PERSISTENCE OF LOVE
v.11a. "NOT LAGGING IN
DILIGENCE. FERVENT IN SPIRIT."
A. 1 Peter 1:22 Since you have purified your
souls in obeying the truth through the
Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love
one another fervently with a pure heart,
B. John 15:12-13 This is My commandment,
that you love one another as I have loved
you. 13 Greater love has no one than this,
than to lay down one's life for his friends.

10. VI. THE GENUINENESS OF LOVE
- v.11c. "SERVING THE LORD."
A.Love gives of itself.
B.Colossians 3:23-24 And whatever you do,
do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to
men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you
will receive the reward of the inheritance;
for you serve the Lord Christ.
C.Ephesians 6:7-8 with goodwill doing
service, as to the Lord, and not to men,
8 knowing that whatever good anyone
does, he will receive the same from the
Lord, whether he is a slave or free.

11. VII. THE JOY OF LOVE - v.12a.
"REJOICING IN HOPE."
A.1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love suffers long
and is kind; love does not envy; love does
not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does
not behave rudely, does not seek its own,
is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not
rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
B.Love looks for the best and hopes for the
best and that brings joy.

12. VIII. THE ENDURANCE OF LOVE
v.12b. "PATIENT IN TRIBULATION".
A. James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you
fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of
your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience
have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking nothing.
B. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a Love suffers long and is
kind; love does not envy; love does not parade
itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely,
does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no
evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in
the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never
fails.
C. Love can see you through many hardships.

13. IX. THE PRAYERFULNESS OF LOVE
v.12c. "CONTINUING STEADFASTLY IN
PRAYER."
A.Love should cause us to pray for those
we care about.
B.Colossians 4:2 Continue earnestly in
prayer, being vigilant in it with
thanksgiving;
C.1 Thessalonians 5:15-17 See that no one
renders evil for evil to anyone, but always
pursue what is good both for yourselves
and for all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray
without ceasing,

14. X. THE UNSELFISHNESS OF LOVE -
v.13a. "DISTRIBUTING TO THE
NEEDS OF THE SAINTS."
A. Love never lets a faithful brother go lacking.
B. 1 John 3:16-18 By this we know love, because
He laid down His life for us. And we also ought
to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But
whoever has this world's goods, and sees his
brother in need, and shuts up his heart from
him, how does the love of God abide in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word or
in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
C. We must be hard working people in order to
help others.

15. XI. THE WELCOME OF LOVE -
v.13b. "GIVEN TO HOSPITALITY."
A. "Hospitality" - "love of stranger" - (Vine).
B. Heb. 13:2 - "Forget not to show love unto
strangers: for thereby some have entertained
angels unawares."
C. 1 Peter 4:8-10 And above all things have
fervent love for one another, for "love will cover
a multitude of sins." 9 Be hospitable to one
another without grumbling. 10 As each one has
received a gift, minister it to one another, as
good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
D. Love helps others.

16. DO YOU LOVE THE BRETHREN?
A. Love of the brethren is not optional. 1 John 4:20-
21 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his
brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his
brother whom he has seen, how can he love God
whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment
we have from Him: that he who loves God must love
his brother also.
B. Love is necessary for our salvation. That is how
important it is. 1 John 3:14 We know that we have
passed from death to life, because we love the
brethren. He who does not love his brother abides
in death.
C. When is the last time that you told a brother or
sister that you loved them?
D. Better still when was the last time you showed your
love for a brother or sister?

18. HAVE A
LOVING WEEK