The Eleventh Commandment

Setting - John 13:31-33

How many of you have given your children the ‘Grand Lecture’ before leaving them in the house alone, whether it’s just for an hour or two while you go shopping or for a longer period when you went on holiday? You know what I mean, don’t you? “Don’t have wild parties! Don’t wreck the house! Don’t forget to keep the house clean! Don’t upset the neighbours!” It’s probably one of the most important speeches you make as a parent, I reckon. And of course, the children always listen, don’t they? And they always obey every word of every instruction to the letter, don’t they? You leave them a set of instructions to follow and as soon as you are out of sight, the instructions are out of mind. Well I reckon it’s not too different for us today, as Christians. We come to church on a Sunday and hear God's Word from the Bible, and we learn about the teachings of Jesus and yet as soon as the sermon is over, we forget everything we've just heard. On the last night before Jesus heads for Calvary, one of his disciples - Judas Iscariot has just left the upper room to put the wheels of betrayal in motion. Jesus remains in the room  with the other 11 disciples. It's to be his last night with them and he is trying to leaving them with a message, a mission if you like. He is giving them a purpose and a reason as to why they must continue after He has gone.

So what is this great message or set of instructions that Jesus wants to leave with his disciples during these last few precious moments? First of all, he tells them that he has glorified God and is about to be glorified by God. He sets the background in John 13:31-32, When Judas had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once".

Secondly, he tells them in verse 33 that he must go on a journey and that they will not be able to go with him. He must make this journey alone. “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come".

Lastly, and most importantly, having set the background, and warned them that he is leaving, before he leaves them, he must give them something that will serve to guide them on their own subsequent journeys. In other words, he may have fulfilled his purpose and be heading on the last lap of his journey, but this is not the end for them. They have not yet come to the end of their journey; in fact, their real journey is just about to start if you like. In verses 34-35, Jesus gives his disciples a new commandment! 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Listen carefully! On the very last night of his life, Jesus gave the disciples a new commandment to be honoured and kept. The giving of this commandment was made even more important by the fact that it is one of the last teachings Jesus gave them. And that new commandment? Three simple words: "Love one another". Most of us, if not all, will have used or heard these words in our communion services – “On the night in which He was betrayed, Jesus, took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to His disciples.” We may do well to remember this “On the night in which He was betrayed, Jesus, took bread, the word from God, gave thanks and gave it to His disciples.” When we remember what Jesus did for us, we need to remember also what He commanded us to do, for Him, for each other. 

The Significance of the New Commandment

What is the significance of Jesus giving a new commandment? Well the significance is found in Jewish history. It was at the very beginning of the Jewish nation that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. These Ten Commandments were to serve as the foundation for all the other laws and regulations given to Israel. And Moses was given one of the highest places in Jewish history because he became known as the lawgiver. When Jesus proceeds to give a new commandment, he is placing himself above Moses, as the new lawgiver. In effect, his new commandment becomes the Eleventh Commandment! If we compare the events surrounding the giving of the ten Commandments and the Eleventh Commandment, there’s a few interesting things we should notice. First of all, the Ten Commandments were given by God to Moses (Israel's leader). The Eleventh Commandment was given by Jesus (God in the flesh) to the disciples (the movement's soon-to-be leaders). Second, God's promise to the nation of Israel was that if they faithfully kept these commandments God would treasure them as his nation and they would become a kingdom  of priests and a holy nation Exodus 19:5-6. Jesus' promise to the disciples was that if they faithfully kept this commandment, all people would know that they were his disciples John 13:35. Third, the Israelites' response was to become impatient and frustrated and to make another god Exodus 32. The disciples' response was to get sidetracked and miss the point. Peter focused, not on the giving of the new commandment, but on the earlier statement about Jesus going on a journey that they could not follow.

The Church Has Become Sidetracked Through the Ages

This same response, that of getting sidetracked, has become a recurring pattern for the Christian Church throughout the ages. How many times have Christians fought Christians down through history? Killed Christians? Burned, starved, hunted, tortured, and mutilated Christians? What do people in the community think of our church as a family of God? Do they see us, as a congregation and as individuals, living out the Eleventh Commandment? "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” You have to note that the focus here with the words of Jesus is on disciples loving disciples, on Christians loving Christians, not Christians loving the world in general. This is not a general call to love everyone but a more basic step. After all, a church cannot effectively reach out with the gospel for very long if its members don't love one another first. 

In this new commandment, Jesus is not simply repeating the second great commandment which says “Love your neighbour as yourself” which implies loving the whole of mankind, He is saying “Love one another – stop hating each other, stop dividing the church with labels, LOVE ONE ANOTHER! If you can manage to do that one simple thing, you will be setting an example for others to follow, for the non-believers, for the seekers, for the lost sheep. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” The Jews lived and died by the Ten Commandments. Why don't Christians live and die by the Eleventh Commandment? Is it any less binding? Is it any less important? Remember, it was given by God through Christ and it was to be  the sign to the world that Christians were God's people and the people of his kingdom.

We CAN Live the Eleventh Commandment

"Love one another." These are the simple and brief words of Jesus that make up the Eleventh Commandment. And just as simple and brief are Jesus' instructions on how to carry it out in our lives. Jesus said "As I have loved you, you also should love one another". In other words, Jesus tells the disciples, "Just do as I did to you." Do you see the direct link to Micah 6:8? “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God”. “Love each other as I have loved you.” How did Jesus love the disciples? Jesus loved the disciples in at least three ways.

Sacrifice: Jesus loved the disciples by making sacrifices for them. He sacrificed his time, his energy, his emotions, his schedule, his family, his privacy, even his life. If we are to live out the Eleventh Commandment and love one another, then we will also have to make sacrifices for one another. In order to love one another we will have to sacrifice our time, energy, emotions, schedules, families, privacy, maybe even our lives for one another. These sacrifices may need to be made in order to visit the sick or hurting, help others with a problem, or responding when called on in an emergency. Remember, this call to love one another and therefore call to sacrifice for one another is for all disciples, not just the ministers.

Sharing: Jesus loved the disciples by sharing himself with them. He listened to their fears, he cried in their pain, he laughed in their joy. He prayed with them and for them. He gently showed them their sin and helped them onto the right path. Jesus shared who he was with them. He opened himself up to them. If we are to live out the Eleventh Commandment and love one another, then we will also have to share ourselves with one another. In order to love one another, we will have to share other people’s pain and laughter, gently point out faults and then forgive, seek forgiveness when wrong, and open up ourselves to others. In other words, we need to be genuine and real with others, not phony. This sharing may be required when comforting the bereaved, celebrating another's achievement, confessing a specific sin and asking for forgiveness, or privately going to another to express concerns about the way they are living.

Service: Jesus loved the disciples by serving them. He called them to follow him, became their master and teacher, and then proceeded to serve them. Earlier in chapter 13 the Son of God was washing the disciples' feet! If we are to live out the Eleventh Commandment and love one another, then we will also have to serve one another. That means no matter who you are in the church, you are never too good or too mighty, too important or too wealthy or too educated, too old or too young to serve anyone else in the church. If the Son of God can serve men and women of all kinds then so can you. How do we love one another as Jesus loved? We sacrifice for one another, share ourselves with one another, and serve one another. Are the situations different in our times? Maybe in the details and the names, but not in general. 

Are there disciples who need to be sacrificed for? Are there disciples who need someone to share their burden? Are there disciples who need to be served? If yes, then there are opportunities for you and me to love one another. Trust yourselves and your instincts to do the right thing. God has been with you, teaching, guiding, loving, encouraging. Now go and love one another. 

In the name of Christ. Amen

Hymn For The Warriors - recorded in Clarkesville TN, November 2008

Recorded in Clarkesville TN, November 2008

Recorded at Nico Recording Studios, Clarkesville, TN Ocrober 30th & November 1st 2008

Lyrics & Harmonica - Albert J Burton 2006

Original music - Jason Burton 2006 (Arranged by D D Skreamer and Jon Nicolosi 2008)

Produced by Jon Nicolosi 2008

        

    

    

So How Did I Get Here?

My faith Journey

I gave my life to Jesus on Friday the 28th June 1985, at a Billy Graham Crusade in my home town of Sheffield in England. My faith walk has not been an easy one, but I thank God that I have learned many lessons along the way – some good, some bad, some ugly and some downright painful. You see, this is what faith is about, it’s not an easy road being a Christian sojourner, it’s a long road, a hard road, a slippery road and sometimes I stumble and fall. However, the one constant in my life since that day has been my belief that no matter what happens in this life Here on this planet, God is with me. He has been with me in the past, even when I was unaware, He is with me in the present, even when I feel He is distant, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that He will walk with me into the future, wherever that may lead.

I had been a Christian for about 8 years when I became aware of a prompting from God, a call into lay preaching ministry. I set about training in October 1993 and became accresited on the 28th May 1998. I preached the Gospel of Christ, the good news of salvation, freely and willingly offered and made available to all who will call on him, for 25 years. I spent most of my Sundays either in the pulpit delivering the Word, or in the congregation being fed by the Word. In all of my 40 years under the banner of his love, I can say that “gently He has led me, but mightily He has fed me”. As I draw closer to God on this journey called life, I feel that my faith has grown, I have become more mature in my outlook, and my roots have gone deeper into the wellspring of the Master’s teaching. It has not been, is not and never will be an easy, smooth path that I tread along life’s highway and I continually find myself praying, going back to scripture to test the next step, before hesitantly edging forward. I don’t always get it right, I know, and I am oftentimes in danger of ‘falling through the ice’, but I have the promised gift of God’s Holy Spirit to be my counsellor, advocate and guide, sometimes prodding me forward, sometimes holding me back, always and ever present.

As I endeavour to walk the way that my Master would lead me, I am aware that my speech, my attitudes, and my opinions are at times very forceful. I have been challenged and condemned by Christians and non-Christians alike for my views and for statements I make about my beliefs, and in the past I have compromised my own stand to fit in with the crowd and to pander to popular views, however misconceived I believed them to be. Some have accused me of being offensive and less than Christian in my manner and some have confronted me quite vehemently. This may come as a shock to some, but I am not prepared to apologise for any view I have offered in the past, any view I may offer in the here and now, and certainly not for any view I may offer in the future. My beliefs are my beliefs and can always be tested by the Spirit and tested against Scripture. I know I do not always get it right, and for the times I have been in error, I bow humbly before my creator and ask his forgiveness, for He is the only one to whom I must atone at the last.

This is me!

I do not care for the ‘easy, comfortable gospel’ that is being bandied around today and I care not for the ‘wishy washy gospel’ diluted to not offend one of another faith. I care not for the gospel of prosperity and wealth that has drawn many away from Christ and nearer to abject poverty in both material and spiritual terms. I care not for worldly acclaim and fame riding on the back of God’s word. I preach the Gospel of Christ, and nothing besides that, and that to His glory only. My sermons may be long, my words harsh, my demeanour may appear confrontational, but by the same token they may also be full of the love of Christ, should the occasion arise.

I will not compromise on my faith.
I will not walk to the left nor the right.
I will not draw back from the enemy.
I will not put down my sword.
I will not turn my back.

I am a Warrior For Christ.
I will stand my ground, even should I be the last one standing.
I will proclaim the Gospel of Christ until the last breath leaves my body, 

Or until my Master calls me home, and His will be the choice.

I AM MY LORD'S AND HE IS MINE! 

Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly host.
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen

God bless you all 🙏🏼

Bible Study on The Prayer of Jabez

 The Prayer of Jabez

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, 

“Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!

Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm

so that I will be free from pain.”And God granted his request.

(1 Chronicles 4:10, NIV)

At first reading the prayer of Jabez is an unusual prayer, because Jabez is asking God for a personal blessing. In general, the act of blessing is usually associated with people blessing others, such as when Moses blessed the Israelites in Deuteronomy 33:1 or when Jesus blessed the children in Mark 10:13-16, or when God bestows a blessing on an individual.

So is it OK to ask for a blessing for yourself? 

Introduction

Jabez was from the tribe of Judah, and his mother had a difficult labour, naming him Jabez, Hebrew for distress or pain. We don’t know anything else about Jabez because there is only one mention of him in the whole of the scriptures and it is here in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10.

The four petitions of Jabez

"Oh, that you would bless me"

Jabez asks for a big blessing. The heart of God is to give good gifts to His children, and Christ encourages us to ask the Father for these gifts:

Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!                                                                                Matthew 7:9-11

"Enlarge my territory"

Jabez had a massive goal. Out of all the ancestors in 1 Chronicles 4:4-8 Jabez was noted mostly for prayer, and for God honouring his requests. The prayer of Jabez could apply to many areas of the believer’s life, and not just physical territory as appears to be in the case of Jabez.  

Examples could include:

On a personal level
Such as the overcoming of fears or mindsets. That I might "take more ground" in godly thinking about myself, and that the ground that poor self esteem has in my life would diminish.

On a giving level
The charity I work for expands its reach and its impact in society.

On a work level
There are new opportunities at work for career development.

"Let your hand be with me"

The third thing that Jabez asks for is God's hand to be with him. Jabez is dependent on God in this process of stretching and development. He looks to God for his strength, presence and guidance. Here we can compare the prayer of Jabez with the Lord's Prayer "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one" Matthew 6:13. Jabez understands that his prayer carries risks - as his portion is increased there is also the risk of falling into sins such as pride and the love of power. Jabez asks that he would not be a pain! Jabez was born in pain, 1 Chronicles 4:9, and his name means "sorrow-maker". However, as Jabez asks for blessing and expansion he does not want to cause sorrow to himself or anybody else. This shows us that his motivations come from a genuine heart for the good of all and not just his own wellbeing.

"And God granted his request"

God honoured Jabez with his request. God desires to give us the longings of our hearts:

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. 

Keep on seeking, and you will find.

Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks, receives. 

Everyone who seeks, finds. 

And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Matthew 7:7-8

Conclusion

Perhaps the most controversial element in this prayer is that Jabez is praying for himself, for his own development. It is easier to pray a blessing on somebody else; "God bless them" feels more comfortable and less self-seeking than "God bless me". However, this is not the only instance of a character from the bible asking blessing for oneself; Solomon's request to God for an understanding mind in 1 Kings 3:9.

The key takeaway is this. In the prayer of Jabez, we learn that God blesses an individual after a direct request for more. This does not mean that God will answer every specific request for more. Somebody may be seeking something for selfish gain. What they want may actually be harmful to them or to other people. However, what this prayer does reveal is that Jabez sets a precedent in prayer. When there are good motivations; not to cause harm, and a dependency on God's hand for strength and protection, then God is eager to answer such prayers.

Questions

Discuss the four requests of Jabez. Has anyone in your group prayed in the past for their own success, and if so, did God answer that prayer?

How can we ensure that the prayers we pray for our own self-development are godly ones?

Think of one area that you would like to see success in, eg. personal (this might be overcoming a fear), family (finding a partner, having children), giving (serving the church or community in some way) or work (business, career development or aspirations) These are just some ideas - feel free to think of others!

Share these thoughts with the group, then pray together and ask God to meet you in them.

Bruce Wilkinson makes the point that Christ expands our horizons - Christ calls us to make disciples of all nations, not just, as it was at the time, the Jewish people. In a recent interview, he observed that Jabez can not have prayed the wrong thing in asking for his territory to be increased, because God never answers a wrong prayer.

In conclusion, the prayer of Jabez is a prayer for four greater things in a persons life:

• Greater success (bless me indeed)

• Greater influence (enlarge my territory)

• Greater power (the hand of God, touch of God)

• Greater protection (keep me from evil)

We should take heart from the fact that God granted his request.

Essential Characteristics of a Godly Man

What Does it Mean to be a Godly Man?

A Godly Man is someone who strives to follow the will of God. 

  He aligns his thoughts, words, and actions with God’s Word. 

A Godly man is far from perfect. 

  He tries his best to live by the light he has been given. 

A Godly Man is about more than just being a good person.

  He tries to become more Christlike every day. 

A Godly Man does not seek to serve himself over others.

  He treats others according to God’s standards. 

A Godly Man is not self glorifying.

  He seeks to glorify God through His life.

A Godly Man seeks to understand and adopt godly behaviours and lives to please God. For this reason, he does not give up on striving for perfection. He wants his character to reflect Christ’s, so he seeks to change his bad habits and traits. His character is being transformed every day. He understands his weaknesses, and he regularly asks for help from God to change him. A Godly man knows that only by learning and practising spiritual disciplines can he become a Godly Man. 

1. A Man of God Pursues the Things of God

1 Timothy 6:11 says, “But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.” 

This verse is part of a larger section of a letter the apostle Paul wrote to his young protégé, Timothy. Timothy wanted to become an effective evangelist and teacher, and so he was eager to hear Paul’s guidance on growing in his faith and witness. Paul taught that he should flee sinful actions and instead focus on the things that mirrored God’s character. By doing so, he would fill his own heart with the things of God.

2. A Man of God Confesses His Sins

1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

No one is without sin; we are all fallen human beings, and Even though God has saved us forever through the sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we should still be quick to recognize our shortcomings and ask for forgiveness when we do sin. If we do, He will extend His forgiveness over our hearts, remove our guilt and shame, and we will be free to continue His work in making us more like Him.

3. A Man of God Is Faithful No Matter His Stage in Life

1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”

There is no age limit to becoming a man of God; begin right now! If you are faithful in reading His Word, praying for His will, and living according to the example of Jesus, you can be a man of God now! Becoming old and wise begins today. What you say and do, how you interact with others, and what you do when no one is looking will all build your life into the man God wants you to be.

4. A Man of God Looks to Heaven

1 John 3:2 says, “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.”

We can draw strength from what God has created us to be in the here and now, but we should constantly be looking to our glorious future in heaven. By faith, we can be assured that God will remake our bodies and transform our spirits into the eternal beings we are destined to become, and we can look to that wonderful day when we can see Jesus face to face in His eternal kingdom.

5. A Man of God Has Puts His Old Self to Death

Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

By accepting Jesus’ salvation and being baptised, we will identify with Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross as a sign that our old sinful self has also been put to death. We will be raised up to walk in newness of life with renewed purpose, a strengthened spirit, and an eternal hope that can never be taken from us.

6. A Man of God Behaves Himself Properly

Romans 13:13 says, “Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarrelling and jealousy.”

The character traits and lifestyle choices listed here are not compatible with the nature of God. We must avoid even any appearance of immorality, and certainly avoid flagrant and deliberate actions that conform to our old sinful ways. This is absolutely true of any habits we personally indulged in or sins that we struggled with before coming to Christ; and we should aggressively avoid these things and instead choose to pursue holiness and righteousness.

7. A Man of God Is True to His Word

James 3:2 says, “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.”

By honouring what we profess and being faithful to match our speech to our actions, we show that we are following the Lord. We will never be completely perfect, but by controlling our bodies and our tongues, as we yield to God’s will, we are walking down a righteous path.

8. A Man of God Has Put His Old Life Behind Him

Galatians 5:24 says, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

Crucifixion is a violent, agonising and absolute form of death which leaves no question or doubt that the victim is gone. This is how we should treat our life of sin before coming to Christ: we must put it to death and be renewed into the new life we live with Jesus Christ.

9. A Man of God Holds Fast When Asked About His Faith

Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He Who promised is faithful.”

When we find things are getting tough, or we are confronted by people and situations, it can be tempting to leave God out or say that we succeeded or survived in our own strength. A godly man will always give the glory back to God, and remain faithful to His Father, who has always been faithful to him.

10. A Man of God Is Filled with the Holy Spirit

Acts 13:52 says, “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”

The true believer has the knowledge of the full power of God residing in his heart at all times – what greater cause for joy could we have? Let us always remember His presence in our lives, and draw true joy from it each day.

11. A Man of God Relies on God No Matter Where He Is

2 Corinthians 5:9 says, “So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please Him.”

God is not just the God of Sunday services; He is the God of every day, and so He should be at the forefront of our lives every minute of every day.

12. A Man of God Is Humble and Selfless

Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”

This is the meaning and application of Jesus’ command that we should love our neighbour as ourselves. The Man of God should serve others as though they were more important than himself, giving selflessly so that they might benefit ahead of us. This act of humility puts God’s heart first and foremost and God will reward our actions because of it.

13. A Man of God Serves God by Serving Others

Matthew 25:40 says, “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.’”

When we see Jesus reflected in people around us, we see them with God’s eyes. This is how we know that God fully resides in a person, and this should be our motivation for serving others – not because it makes us feel good, but because we want others to see Jesus reflected in us, and so further God's kingdom on earth