Grace Fellowship Grace Fellowship ChurchChurch

Pastor/TeacherPastor/TeacherJim RickardJim Rickard

Sunday, August 8, 2010Sunday, August 8, 2010

www.GraceDoctrine.orgwww.GraceDoctrine.org

John 15:12-14John 15:12-14

Impersonal Love Impersonal Love Motivates Divine Good Motivates Divine Good

Production!Production!

The Doctrine of The Doctrine of Laying Down your Laying Down your

Life for your FriendsLife for your Friends

1. Definition: 1. Definition: There is no greater love in There is no greater love in

the entire universe than the entire universe than that AGAPE love that puts that AGAPE love that puts others first and ourselves others first and ourselves

second.second.

1 John 3:16, 1 John 3:16, “We know love by this, “We know love by this,

that He laid down His life that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay for us; and we ought to lay

down our lives for the down our lives for the brethren.”brethren.”

It means suffering martyrdom It means suffering martyrdom for the sake of fellow for the sake of fellow

believers, Rev 6:9; 20:4. believers, Rev 6:9; 20:4. It is also the day to day It is also the day to day

carrying of your Cross for the carrying of your Cross for the benefit of others, benefit of others,

Luke 9:23-24; Gal 5:24-25.Luke 9:23-24; Gal 5:24-25.

Luke 9:23-24, Luke 9:23-24, “If anyone wishes to come after “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and Me, he must deny himself, and

take up his cross daily and follow take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever his life will lose it, but whoever

loses his life for My sake, he is the loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.”one who will save it.”

Gal 5:24-25, Gal 5:24-25, “Now those who belong to “Now those who belong to

Christ Jesus have crucified the Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and flesh with its passions and

desires. If we live by the Spirit, desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”let us also walk by the Spirit.”

2. Believers receive a 2. Believers receive a spiritual gift at the moment spiritual gift at the moment of salvation, which should of salvation, which should be applied in the service of be applied in the service of

God every day. God every day. 1 Cor 12:4-7, 12-21; 13:1-71 Cor 12:4-7, 12-21; 13:1-7

3. There are two aspects in 3. There are two aspects in scripture that entail “laying scripture that entail “laying

down your life”: down your life”: a) Your mental attitude, a) Your mental attitude,

b) Your actions. b) Your actions. 1 John 3:18, 231 John 3:18, 23

a. The Appropriate a. The Appropriate Mental Attitude for Mental Attitude for

“Laying Down Your Life.”“Laying Down Your Life.”

Rom 14:7-8; Phil 1:21-25Rom 14:7-8; Phil 1:21-25

Rom 14:7-8, Rom 14:7-8, “For not one of us lives for “For not one of us lives for

himself, and not one dies for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” live or die, we are the Lord’s.”

1) Mentally put God’s will 1) Mentally put God’s will for your life, before your for your life, before your

own will or anyone else’s. own will or anyone else’s.

Luke 22:42Luke 22:42

Luke 22:42, Luke 22:42, “Father, if You are willing, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; remove this cup from Me; yet yet not My will, but Yours not My will, but Yours

be donebe done.”.”

2) Mentally put aside 2) Mentally put aside worldly titles, credits, worldly titles, credits,

power and prosperity that power and prosperity that are a hindrance to serving are a hindrance to serving

God and His children. God and His children. Phil 3:7-8, 15-17Phil 3:7-8, 15-17

3) Overcome the sinful 3) Overcome the sinful desires of your Old Sin desires of your Old Sin

Nature with the Word of Nature with the Word of God resident in your soul.God resident in your soul.

Gal 5:24Gal 5:24

Gal 5:24,Gal 5:24,“Now those who belong to “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions the flesh with its passions

and desires.”and desires.”

4) Do not judge your 4) Do not judge your fellow believer.fellow believer.

Rom 14:10, 13Rom 14:10, 13

Rom 14:10, Rom 14:10, “But you, why do you judge “But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, your brother? Or you again,

why do you regard your why do you regard your brother with contempt? For brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the we will all stand before the

judgment seat of God.”judgment seat of God.”

Rom 14:13, Rom 14:13, “Therefore let us not judge “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but one another anymore, but

rather determine this—not to rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling put an obstacle or a stumbling

block in a brother’s way.”block in a brother’s way.”

5) Have an absence of 5) Have an absence of hatred (for whatever hatred (for whatever

reasons), toward fellow reasons), toward fellow believers.believers.

1 John 2:4-111 John 2:4-11

6) Dwell on righteousness 6) Dwell on righteousness rather than the garbage of rather than the garbage of the world (Satan’s Cosmic the world (Satan’s Cosmic

System). System).

Phil 4:8-9 with 1 John 3:7Phil 4:8-9 with 1 John 3:7

1 John 3:7, 1 John 3:7, “Little children, make sure “Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the no one deceives you; the

one who practices one who practices righteousness is righteous, righteousness is righteous,

just as He is righteous.just as He is righteous.

7) Strive for peace with 7) Strive for peace with your fellow believer and your fellow believer and the edification of their the edification of their

souls. souls.

Rom 12:18; 14:19Rom 12:18; 14:19

Rom 12:18, Rom 12:18, “If possible, so far as it “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at depends on you, be at peace with all men.”peace with all men.”

Rom 14:19, Rom 14:19, “So then let us pursue the “So then let us pursue the

things which make for things which make for peace and the building up peace and the building up

of one another.”of one another.”

Grace OfferingGrace Offering

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship Church

Sunday, August 8, 2010Sunday, August 8, 2010

Tape # 10-085Tape # 10-085

Impersonal Love Motivates Impersonal Love Motivates Divine Good ProductionDivine Good Production

Laying Down Your Life, Pt 2 Laying Down Your Life, Pt 2 Upper Room Discourse, Part 399Upper Room Discourse, Part 399

John 15:13-14; Phil 1:21-25; 3:7-8, 15-17; 4:8-9 John 15:13-14; Phil 1:21-25; 3:7-8, 15-17; 4:8-9

James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2010James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2010