I just want to share again the message this morning to Metro Manila Christian Church ,UP Bahay ng Alumni delivered by Kuya George. Though I wish I could do this every week.
These are the notes I jot down based from what I heard, it was spoken mainly in Tagalog but when I'm writing, I translate it to English because some sentences are shorter when translated:
Scripture: 1 Thes 4:9-12
#1 Ang Halimbawa ng Pagmamahalan ng Magkakapatid
1 Thes 4:9-10
9Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.
- brotherly love is taught by God
- all of us were born of the same water and spirit
- brotherly love is for everyone
- love everybody, no reservations, no qualifications
cf John 13:34-35
34"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
*God teaches us to love by putting us in a situation where we have to love our brothers/sisters
-Kuya George cited an anecdote of how he became bestfriends with a brother he thought he would never be close with
Question: Meron ba tayong nararamdaman na di kanais nais sa ating kapatiran? Meron ba tayong iniiwasan sa kapatiran?
#2 Ang Tawag sa Balanseng Pamumuhay
1 Thes 4:9-11
11Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you,...
a. lead a quiet life
- peaceful
b. mind your own business
- do not invade other's privacy in a sense that we are dictating them what to do
- judging others depending on how they treat us
- if our happiness depends on what others do, we are not minding our own business
c. work with your hands
- tugon sa problem ng kawalang hanap-buhay
- do not be lazy
cf 2 Thessalonians 3:10
For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."
#3 Ang Kaibahan ng ating Magagawa
1 Thes 4:9-12
12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
- what we do can make a difference.
- our christianity should be evident
I learned another insight to this scripture. The practicals are also helpful.Amen