09 May 2010

Kindness - Dr. Timothy Keller

5th Sermon in the Series: The Real Signs of the Spirit

John 15 : 6-15

6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command.15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you

• Nothing humanizes you more than friendship.
• Character of Friendship - Common love, interests, and passions.
• Embracing the Other means being vulnerable through transparency and displaying sacrificial loyalty.

Which means show them who you really are
Giving and receiving critiques well.

• Don't just tell your friends what they want to hear

Proverbs 29:5 - 5Whoever flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet.

• Remain true even if you aren't getting anything out of the friendship.
• Exodus 33:11 11The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.
• Christian love is social love among social inequalities.
• Self-image is a contradictory patchwork of how you see yourself through others.