How to Handle the Bride of a King

I Love God

(1 John 4:20-21, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, February 12, 2017)

[20] If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar;

for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen

cannot love God whom he has not seen.

[21] And this commandment we have from him:

whoever loves God must also love his brother.

The Unseen God

In the history of ancient Israel we read of the rebellion of that generation that saw so many miracles of God in Egypt. The Lord delivered them out of slavery through His mighty power and made a distinction between the Egyptians, who were their enemies, and God's chosen people, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Yet an entire generation died in the wilderness, a great host of people who had also demanded that Aaron make for them an image of God that they could see.

The golden calf incident became a distressing touchstone of unbelief for God's nation. They preferred a powerless image to the invisible God who spoke His Word to them. His commandment in Exodus 20 would define their worship as very different from that of the nations of the earth, “[4] You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. [5] You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, ...” He is the God they could not see.

The Brother We See

This invisible God has created a visible world. He has shown great care for the creatures of the earth and especially for His beloved chosen people who are part of His family. Through the only-begotten Son of God we in “the visible church” have all been counted as “brothers” and as children of God. We see one another and we understand at least something of the needs that we each have if we are paying attention. Who are the brothers? They include,

...The elderly woman with some dementia who no longer remembers why she should still be alive,

...The young father who has never been taught what it means to be a man and wonders how to do this sacred task that is set before him,

...The tired couple who feel pulled in too many directions and who are trying to recapture some solid feeling of love for God, love from God, and love for each other,

...The young single woman who wonders how her life could be turning out so differently from that of her parents, and finally

...The two little boys who have not yet learned that the following conversation is socially unacceptable in serious Christian circles:

Boy 1: “Do you like church?”

Boy 2: “No.”

Boy 1: “Me neither.”

All these men, women, boys, and girls are a part of the group that John calls “brothers” here. Some, like the last two little ones just mentioned, may have not yet expressed adult faith publicly, but we look for them to make a sincere commitment of trust in Christ and to surrender to His Word. All are part of the community that is defined by the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples to pray. The all have learned to call God, “Father.” When they are at their best, they approach Him with their petitions as one might talk to the greatest of all rulers who is also the closest of very near relations—one whose love has been proven by life and death. What should we do with them all, these “brothers” of ours, these children in the household of the Almighty?

Loving God and His Church

First see WLC on the sixth commandment with Scriptures proofs, and then listen to Lerner and Lowe's “Camelot” as you consider that all these church “brothers” are also a “bride” for the Messiah who showed His commitment to her with the sacrificial love of the cross:

At a key moment in Camelot King Arthur remembers Merlin's instruction from earlier in his life:

“How to handle a woman?

There's a way,” said the wise old man,

“A way known by ev'ry woman

Since the whole rigmarole began.”

“Do I flatter her?” I begged him answer.

“Do I threaten or cajole or plead?

Do I brood or play the gay romancer?”

Said he, smiling: “No indeed.

How to handle a woman?

Mark me well, I will tell you, sir:

The way to handle a woman

Is to love her... simply love her...

Merely love her... love her... love her.”

Then Arthur, all alone, practices these words for the queen he loves: “What's wrong, Jenny?” “Where are you these days?” “What are you thinking?” “I don't understand you.”

Loving God and Enemies

If we will love the visible church in ways that the Spirit and the Word will make obvious—if we will find a way to love the beloved bride of Jesus, then we will soon discover that the experience of spirit-filled sacrificial love so enjoyable, that we will be far more willing to have the Lord use us to love other “neighbors” around us, the world, and even our enemies.

God has made us living letters of His love. Can we say with any credibility that we truly love Him if we refuse to care for His family?

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 1 – Blessed is the Man

Gospel Reading—Matthew 5:43-48 – [43] “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ [44] But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [45] so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. [46] For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? [47] And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? [48] You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.