Brotherly kindness is a mark of spiritual maturity to sincerely love our fellow Christian, not simply for what they are in themselves, but for what they mean to Jesus.

Scripture:

• 1 John 4:20 "Does not love his brother."
• 1 John 4:8 "For God is love" Mat 22:36-39.
• John 15:13 "Greater love has no man than this, than to lay".

How we can measure that love ?

• John 3:16=1 John 3:16.
• 2 Sam 9:1 "to show kindness" Table" "His son".
• Roman 12:10. "Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love – giving preference".
• Honoring, showing appreciation. Read Col 3:12-13.

II.  WHAT IS THE RESULT OF PRACTICING BROTHERLY KINDNESS ?

2.1. Peace in the Body of Christ and unity.

When there is peace, there's rest.

2.2. It will also result in Evangelism. 

I John 4: 11-12,19-21; John 13:33

2.3. Corporate Anointing.

Rom 12:4-6; Eph 4:16 (LB); Jam 3:16; 2 Tim 4:18

III. UNDERSTANDING OUR LIFE TOGETHER.

is an intimate household in brotherly kindness.

3.1. JESUS VIEWED THE CHURCH.

A. Family doing the will of His Father in heaven –  Mt 12:46-50; cf. 7:2.
B. Both Jesus and His apostles often refer the church as  "family".

1. Jesus would speak of... 

a. God as His Father - Jn 2:16

Taught disciples to address God as our "Father" - Mt 6:9.

b. His followers as family relatives

2. The apostles referred to the church...

a. As a "brotherhood" - 1 Pe 2:17.
b. As the "house (family) of God" - 1 Ti 3:15; 2 Co 6:17-18.

Jesus established the church to be "An Intimate Household or Family Intimacy / a closeness not usually found in "organizations" or "institutions".

3.2. HOW FAMILY INTIMACY IS TO PERMEATE CHURCH LIFE.

A. IN OUR "RELATIONSHIP" with EACH OTHER ...

1. We are to be like little children - Mt 18:1-4.
2. Not striving for dominance over each other.

a. But with humility, showing submissiveness.
b. And with dependence upon one another.

B. IN OUR "CONCERN" for EACH OTHER...

1. Protecting the family from spiritual harm -Mt 18:5-7.
2. Concern for the strays. Mt 18:10-14.

C. IN OUR "DISCIPLINE" of ONE ANOTHER...

1. We are to remember that we are "brethren".

a. Follow a procedure that utilizes to the full advantage our relationship as a family - cf. Mt 18:15-17.
b. Treat the one disciplined as a brother - 2 Th 3:6-15

2. If the brother in error is not responsive...

a. Take advantage of the family relationship which we have enjoyed
b. By depriving the erring brother of it!

3. Failure of much discipline because the lack of proper fellowship.

D. IN "FORGIVING" EACH OTHER...

1. Realizing the value of this intimate, family relationship...

a. Forgiveness is to be automatic upon repentance - Mt 18:21-22
b. Not to keep a tally of our offenses, it hinder our relationship as family.

2. We are to keep in mind...

a. How our Father has forgiven us.
b. That our forgiveness by God is contingent on our forgiveness of our brethren! - Cf. Mt 18:23-35.

E. IN "SERVICE" to ONE ANOTHER...

1. Our "older brother" came to serve - Mt 20:25-28.
2. So we are to serve one another as we would in our physical family

Above emphasize an important spiritual truth: The church is to be such a fellowship of believers that it can be rightly considered as:
1) A home away from home!
2) A home which is our true home!

3.3. THE CHURCH: OUR TRUE HOME

A. THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP CAN BE GREAT...

1. For some,  may mean forsaking their earthly family
2. Cf. Mt 10:34-39

B. CHRIST INTENDS FOR HIS CHURCH TO MAKE UP FOR ANY COST...

1. Whether it be:

a. The cost of putting Christ before family
b. The cost of leaving family to serve Christ (e.g. missionary in the fields)

2. Christ has promised a hundred fold in replacement - cf. Mk 10:28-30

C. THE CHURCH CAN BE A HOME (FAMILY) FOR ALL...

1. Especially for those away from home (e.g., college students).
2. Especially for those who never had a family at all, or an incomplete one.
3. Especially for those from a "dysfunctional" family.

For the church to be the home Christ intended, the family "members" must do their part.  And for some that might mean making some changes...

 

3.4. BUILDING FAMILY INTIMACY IN THE CHURCH.

A. WE MAY NEED TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH EACH OTHER...

1. For some, it may mean being more faithful about attending the services ("mealtimes") of the church.
2. For others, it may mean widening our circle of fellowship to include others.
3. For all of us, it means...

a. Being less self-centered!
b. Being more willing to become involved with the concerns of others!

B. WE MAY NEED TO BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN THE WORK OF THE "CHURCH FAMILY"...

1. For our task is not just to create some sort of "social club".
2. But a "family of believers"  active fulfilling the will of their Father in heaven:

a. Saving souls.
b. Restoring the erring.
c. Edifying the saved.

3. So we need to provide the appropriate service, which in turn builds Intimacy:

a. Preaching and teaching.
b. Exhorting and restoring.
c. Ministering to the needs of the family, both spiritual and physical.

IV. CONCLUSION

1. What are we doing to see that the church is fulfilling its design to be "An Intimate Household"?.
2. If we are doing nothing, or if we are depriving others from trying to become close to us...

a. Then we are depriving ourselves of one of the greatest blessings found in Christ!
b. And, we are also giving the impression that we may be false disciples of Christ! - cf. Jn 13:35.

Brethren, let us all work harder at being the kind of family God would have us to be!  If becoming a child of God is your need today, consider what Paul wrote about how we become sons of God - cf. Ga 3:26-27... Will, there be evangelism, will there be peace, unity, restoration and reconciliation, and the household of God in operation will corporate anointing and the presence of God manifesting in miraculous power will depend very much on brotherly kindness.  Will the church them become a powerful instrument or be destroy by the enemy of indifference so as not be able to fulfill the ministries in Christ?