![\"Unlimited](\"http:\/\/www.all-creatures.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/lambleft.jpg\")
<\/a>A Sermon Delivered to
\nThe Compassion Internet Church<\/p>\n
7 September 2014<\/p>\n
Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor<\/p>\n
Scripture References:<\/p>\n
Genesis 2:18-19
\nPsalm 149
\nMatthew 18:15\u201320
\nRomans 13:8\u201310<\/p>\n
Unlimited love fulfills God\u2019s heavenly will, and it is a guideline for all of us who truly are born again.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s take a look at some of the ways we can apply unlimited love.<\/p>\n
We live in a rural lake community, where wild animals are just as much our neighbors as our fellow human beings.<\/p>\n
This is the way that God, in His unlimited love, made them to be, as we are told in Genesis 2:18-19\u2026<\/p>\n
- \n
- Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”<\/li>\n
- And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature [soul], that was its [his or her] name.
\nNASB<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nAdam named each and every animal with a personal name, just as we do with our own children and our companion animals, who are part of our family.<\/p>\n
This is the way we should feel about our relationship with all animals.<\/p>\n
They deserve our unlimited love.<\/p>\n
Think about this as we look at Romans 13:8-10\u2026<\/p>\n
- \n
- Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
This is why you always hear us talk about the fact that we cannot harm any other living being and still remain in the heavenly will of God.<\/p>\n
To protect the animals from harm, and care about the animals\u2019 wellbeing, is our way of extending our unlimited love to them; for that really is the only thing we can owe them.<\/p>\n
And in so doing, we are fulfilling the whole of what we are taught in the Bible and in living in the heavenly will of God.<\/p>\n
Then Paul goes on\u2026<\/p>\n
- \n
- For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
We most likely understand these terms as they relate to our fellow human beings, but they also apply to our animal neighbors, too; in fact, they apply to all animals.<\/p>\n
If we plan to eat animals, or raise animals for food, or hunt them or fish for them, or have others do these things for us, we are committing premeditated murder.<\/p>\n
If we covet their fur and desire to steal it from them or have others do it for us, we are also committing premeditated murder.<\/p>\n
This is why we are to have unlimited love for all our human and animal neighbors, just as we are to have this same kind of unlimited love for ourselves.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.
\nNASB<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nTrue unlimited love doesn\u2019t do any wrong to a neighbor or to anyone else whether human or animal, and thus it fulfills all that the Bible teaches us.<\/p>\n
This is what Jesus taught us.<\/p>\n
This is living in the heavenly will of God.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s go on and see how our unlimited love is to be expressed to our neighbors and family as recorded in Matthew 18:15-20\u2026<\/p>\n
- \n
- “And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
In other words, don\u2019t embarrass him in the beginning, for such an act is not a part of unconditional love.<\/p>\n
- \n
- “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Here Jesus tells us that sometimes we may need to use a little embarrassment to wake someone up to the wrong they are doing.<\/p>\n
- \n
- “And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
And unfortunately, as a last resort, we may have to embarrass them before the congregation.<\/p>\n
But such a tactic won\u2019t work if the congregation is living in the same worldly ways that our brothers and sisters are, which is the case when people harden their hearts and souls to the suffering of animals.<\/p>\n
- \n
- “Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
A vital part of our unconditional love is to bind the evil and uncaring ways of this world, and do everything we can to prevent any more evil ways from entering the world.<\/p>\n
- \n
- “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.<\/li>\n
- “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.”
\nNASB<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nThis is also why our ministry calling is most effective when we work with other people in our efforts to free creation from its present corruption.<\/p>\n
Part of our maintaining our unlimited love is strengthening it through our praise of God as the psalmist does in Psalm 149:1-9\u2026<\/p>\n
- \n
- Praise the LORD!
\nSing to the LORD a new song,
\nAnd His praise in the congregation of the godly ones.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nThis verse is plainly telling us that we are not to just say, \u201cPraise the Lord,\u201d but we are to praise the Lord in the congregation for specific things.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, since this praise is being done publically, we should be praising God in such a way that it also helps encourage others to become peacemaking children of God, for everyone who turns away from the wicked ways of this corrupted world brings glory to the Lord.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
\nLet the sons of Zion rejoice in their King.<\/li>\n - Let them praise His name with dancing;
\nLet them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nThis psalm was written to encourage the Israelites thousands of years ago, but it is just as important for us, no matter where we live, to enthusiastically praise the Lord for all the wonderful things He has done for us and shown us.<\/p>\n
- \n
- For the LORD takes pleasure in His people;
\nHe will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nThis is an example of God\u2019s unlimited love, the same unlimited love that we are to have and express to the world around us.<\/p>\n
And remember that no one is more afflicted than the animals and those victimized by the warring madness plaguing the world.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Let the godly ones exult in glory;
\nLet them sing for joy on their beds.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nThe Godly ones are those loving, compassionate, and peacemaking children of God who are constantly seeking ways to free creation from its present corruption, and praising the Lord for every small step we make toward that goal.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
\nAnd a two-edged sword in their hand,<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nFor all of us who exhibit God\u2019s unlimited love know the joy of having the high praises of God in our thoughts and in whatever we say.<\/p>\n
And remember that this kind of two edged sword is not a physical weapon that can harm or kill; it is a spiritual sword espousing the word of God through us to convict the world of their evil ways and hopefully encourage them to return to the heavenly will of God.<\/p>\n
We are to love people into the kingdom of God; we are not to kill them if they decline.<\/p>\n
Those who resort to violence only represent the devil whom they follow.<\/p>\n
- \n
- To execute vengeance on the nations,
\nAnd punishment on the peoples;<\/li>\n - To bind their kings with chains,
\nAnd their nobles with fetters of iron;<\/li>\n - To execute on them the judgment written;
\nThis is an honor for all His godly ones.
\nPraise the LORD!
\nNASB<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nThis is not a physical punishment; it is a spiritual conviction of their sinful ways.<\/p>\n
This is telling us that if we are constantly showing the world around us our unlimited love, we will also be convicting the followers of worldly ways to repent of their sinful ways, and return to God and live a new life as His children.<\/p>\n
Amen.<\/p>\n
See our Sermons Archive: http:\/\/all-creatures.org\/sermons.html <\/a><\/p>\n
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- To execute vengeance on the nations,
- Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
- Let the godly ones exult in glory;
- For the LORD takes pleasure in His people;
- Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
- Praise the LORD!
- “Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
- “And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
- “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
- “And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
- Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.
- For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
- Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n