HOW TO: Greet One Another

Date
February 24, 2019
Speaker
Mike Root
Topic
How To

HOW TO: Greet One Another 2-14-19

Bottom Line: Greeting with a holy kiss is the expression of a deeper, more important, principle of love.

Introduction:

A. We live in a time of great confusion and division.

1. Exaggeration, generalization, & hyper-critical judging

2. Can’t agree on right or wrong; good verses bad…

B. Why? Because we have different values! (Fairly new)

1. Politics & party loyalty drive values (over country)

2. Love & hate are driven by social platforms

3. Personal rights are more important than life itself.

4. We removed God from our value system, but still blame Him for tragedies and disasters.

C. Without clear and absolute values, life if full of disconnects and inconsistencies.

1. We desire complete attention, but don’t give it.

2. We demand respect by being disrespectful!

3. We scream for unity by doing things that divide!

4. We are intolerant about being tolerant!

(Kevin Hart, Gov. of VA, TV host, HS mistakes?)

5. We call for reconciliation but are unwilling to forgive.

D. Without God as our guide, we will always have disconnects and inconsistencies.

1. Moral values must have definition – a foundation…

2. These problems are not new! Today & in 1^st century

E. Jesus met with his apostles – Matt.16:13-19 – I WILL build my church and hell will not win!

1. In a world of selfish & political focus, w/ religious groups full of disconnects & inconsistencies – I will build…

2. HIS CHURCH? Not I, Me, or Mine, but US, We, & One Another!

F. God’s will for His church is best defined & described by the One Another passages in the Bible

1. Depending on translation – scores of verses in the NT

2. Yet a GREAT DISCONNECT? Many people “do church” and never see or feel the need to do any one another things.

G. Our study: using some 40 plus passages, we will study nine one another subjects…

1. These are NOT OPTIONS! They are essentials!

2. We will be looking at the HOW TO part…

H. One of the strangest and most ignored One Another’s

1. Greet One Another! (five times)

2. With a holy kiss!

1. It’s a simple directive!

A. Mentioned in five places: Paul (4); Peter (1)

1. Rom.16:16; 1 Cor.16:20; 2 Cor.13:12; 1 Pet.5:14;

1 Thess.5:26

2. A brother in TN – Every Sunday w/ Bible in hand…

B. Notice they are all part of the closing admonishments!

C. Final challenges & requests are not taken lightly

2. It’s a simple principle!

A. Purpose: A seal of fellowship of the saints

1. A public practice among believers (cultural practice)

2. A show of Christian affection & unity of faith

B. “Holy” – to guard against erotic association = spiritual

1. Kiss of respect & friendship (again a common practice)

2. Unity & forgiveness – used before the LS (man – man)

C. A binding example or a command principle?

1. A kiss is different today but still an outward show of affection

2. An obvious and clear display & symbol

3. It’s a practical and intentional display of togetherness!

A. It assumes a seeking of relationship

B. It assumes a heartfelt caring!

1. Use of words like – love, respect, & affection…

2. Glad to see one another & to connect

C. It gave value to unity: Two concepts talked about a lot

1. Forgiveness – reconciliation and healing

2. Family – it’s what family members do

D. When & where?

1. Here and now! Slow down, share, & build

2. Find a place & time to develop deeper relationships

Conclusion:

A. The most famous kiss in the Bible came from Judas

B. A Judas kiss: it was genuine, but self-serving (traitor)

* A disconnect! * An inconsistency!

C. A Judas kiss destroys – a Holy kiss builds!

D. What kind of kiss do you give Jesus?