Young Adults' Group

Stir Up Love and Good Works

by Pastor Mark
February 27, 2015

A time for the church family

For many of us, the celebration of the Lunar New Year involves family. It is a time to be with our families and develop a greater sense of bond with each other. But the occasion also does involve our spiritual family.

This Saturday, we will be having our church’s Lunar New Year special. How should we appreciate this time of being with our spiritual family?

Thinking of our spiritual family

“And let us consider one another…” (Hebrews 10:24)

The author of Hebrews gave a word of encouragement to those who are of the household of faith. The word “consider” means to “think according to”. We are to think of one another. We should be thinking according to each other’s needs. There should be a mutual sense of consideration for each other.

This is the kind of special consideration that we want to give as we gather together for this Lunar New Year celebration. Let’s not just think about ourselves but to give strong consideration for others in our spiritual family…especially the older ones.

Stirring up each other

“In order to stir up…”

The word “stir up” in Greek is “paroxusmos” which literally means “to cut close alongside”. This is likened to the jabbing of the side of a person. It is to stimulate feelings or to provoke someone to action. We are to stimulate…to stir up one another. Being in fellowship is not meant to be a passive thing. It is meant to be an active way in which we can mutually encourage and stir up one another. What is it that we want to stir up?

1. Love

“In order to stir up love…” (Hebrews 10:24)

We want to encourage love for one another. When we gather together, it is meant for us to have the opportunity to love…to have a mutual sense of love. As a spiritual family, it is great that we can come together for this Lunar New Year Special and to develop a greater sense of bond. We especially want to show our love to the older ones. We also want to show our love to those who may be new…who may not know the Lord. Let us seek to stir up love and to manifest this love to one another and to those who are still outside Christ.

2. Good works

“Stir up…good works,” (Hebrews 10:24)

Another thing that we should stir up is to do good works. Our love is best demonstrated through good works. It is to put our love into action…where our works can make a difference to someone. As a church, we will be giving out Lunar New Year gifts to those who are part of our pioneer generation. This is our way of showing our love and good works to the older ones. Let us seek to relate and to encourage our elderly brethren.

Let us be challenged to stir up love and good works to one another…to all who will be coming for the Lunar New Year special.

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