One Another

One Another
Posted on Jan 3, 2016 in Sermon Notes
Author:  Pastor Jessie Arce

“One Another” – this is our theme for the year 2016.  Did you know that this phrase has been mentioned fifty-nine times in the New Testament?  We have been apportioned a consistent reminder to embrace one another for each week of the year, plus some.
That’s about sixty exhortations in scripture to actually “do” something towards another person every week for one year. We can count fifty-two weeks for this year, so we even have seven reserves in our back pocket. These are behaviors we may do out of an overflow of our relationship with Jesus. Although, taking heed on this really mean that we need to get other people involved in the process. “One Another” is about relationships in the body of Christ. It is intended to strengthen us in one of the areas most frequently addressed by Paul, Jesus, and other New Testament writers and teachers. We are taught to increase in our love for one another. It was one of the main characteristics of believers that Jesus had prayed for in His priestly prayer in John 15-17. In this prayer we learn that He desires for us to love one another with the kind of love He has for us. As we live and interact with others, we all come to realize that this command is both a challenge and an incredible witness.