The 59 "One Anothers"
Posted by Randy | Labels: Allelon, Carl George, Every ONE Matters, Love, One Anothers, Sermon Series | Posted On Sunday, August 7, 2011 at 10:20 AM
During August 2011 I'm preaching a series I've entitled, "Every 1 Matters." I think it's one of the most important series I've ever preached. I feel like God has been showing me things for over a year now, and it's amazing to me how all these separate pieces keep coming together and confirming the vision God is giving us.
Every ONE matters because every single individual matters to God. You matter to God. I matter to God. There are no exceptions - He loves us all and cares about our lives.
But, God didn't create you and me to focus on ourselves. He created us to love God and love our neighbors. Love is the defining characteristic of a life committed to Jesus Christ. And love is a verb - it always plays itself out in our interactions with others, in our relationships.
So, Every ONE Matters for a second reason. Not only do each of us matter, but so do the people around us. People to whom God calls us to reach out to, care for and love. In fact, this is the point - to love others!
One of the clearest ways this has come to me is through a list found scattered throughout the New Testament that someone along the way titled the "One Anothers." In the New Testament, the Greek work allelon is found one hundred times, but 59 of those times it is used as a command toward another. Allelon essentially means "one another" or "each other." Throughout these 59 references we see so many ways we are to demonstrate that Every ONE Matters. All these actions are typically one person to another person. They are individual and personal, rather than a scatter shot aimed at a whole group. In fact, love is typically best expressed and best received when it is personal and individual.
I think too often we try to defer to a group to love others or be the church. But, I am the church, and love is real and genuine when I express it toward another. It's not simply up to others to love - it's up to me to love individuals. To come alongside others and invest in them and express the love of Christ to them. To be the tangible hands and feet and voice of Christ to another. The tragedy of our time is that we (and I include myself here) think or hope or pray that someone else will do to another that which God has called us (me) to do. Following Christ means to love each one, every one, as one, because that is how God has chosen to love us - by loving each one of us.
Below is the entire list, as compiled by Carl George in his book Prepare Your Church for the Future (Revel 1991; pp. 129-131).
The 59 “One Anothers” of the New Testament
Every ONE matters because every single individual matters to God. You matter to God. I matter to God. There are no exceptions - He loves us all and cares about our lives.
But, God didn't create you and me to focus on ourselves. He created us to love God and love our neighbors. Love is the defining characteristic of a life committed to Jesus Christ. And love is a verb - it always plays itself out in our interactions with others, in our relationships.
So, Every ONE Matters for a second reason. Not only do each of us matter, but so do the people around us. People to whom God calls us to reach out to, care for and love. In fact, this is the point - to love others!
One of the clearest ways this has come to me is through a list found scattered throughout the New Testament that someone along the way titled the "One Anothers." In the New Testament, the Greek work allelon is found one hundred times, but 59 of those times it is used as a command toward another. Allelon essentially means "one another" or "each other." Throughout these 59 references we see so many ways we are to demonstrate that Every ONE Matters. All these actions are typically one person to another person. They are individual and personal, rather than a scatter shot aimed at a whole group. In fact, love is typically best expressed and best received when it is personal and individual.
I think too often we try to defer to a group to love others or be the church. But, I am the church, and love is real and genuine when I express it toward another. It's not simply up to others to love - it's up to me to love individuals. To come alongside others and invest in them and express the love of Christ to them. To be the tangible hands and feet and voice of Christ to another. The tragedy of our time is that we (and I include myself here) think or hope or pray that someone else will do to another that which God has called us (me) to do. Following Christ means to love each one, every one, as one, because that is how God has chosen to love us - by loving each one of us.
Below is the entire list, as compiled by Carl George in his book Prepare Your Church for the Future (Revel 1991; pp. 129-131).
The 59 “One Anothers” of the New Testament
1. “...Be at peace with each other.” (Mark 9:50)
2. “...Wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14)
3. “...Love one another...” (John 13:34)
4. “...Love one another...” (John 13:34)
5. “...Love one another...” (John 13:35)
6. “...Love one another...” (John 15:12)
7. “...Love one another” (John 15:17)
8. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love...” (Romans 12:10)
9. “...Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)
10. “Live in harmony with one another...” (Romans 12:16)
11. “...Love one another...” (Romans 13:8)
12. “...Stop passing judgment on one another.” (Romans 14:13)
13. “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you...” (Romans 15:7)
14. “...Instruct one another.” (Romans 15:14)
15. “Greet one another with a holy kiss...” (Romans 16:16)
16. “...When you come together to eat, wait for each other.” (I Cor. 11:33)
17. “...Have equal concern for each other.” (I Corinthians 12:25)
18. “...Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (I Corinthians 16:20)
19. “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (II Corinthians 13:12)
20. “...Serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:13)
21. “If you keep on biting and devouring each other...you will be destroyed by each other.” (Galatians 5:15)
22. “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” (Galatians 5:26)
23. “Carry each other’s burdens...” (Galatians 6:2)
24. “...Be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:2)
25. “Be kind and compassionate to one another...” (Ephesians 4:32)
26. “...Forgiving each other...” (Ephesians 4:32)
27. “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” (Ephesians 5:19)
28. “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21)
29. “...In humility consider others better than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3)
30. “Do not lie to each other...” (Colossians 3:9)
31. “Bear with each other...” (Colossians 3:13)
32. “...Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.” (Colossians 3:13)
33. “Teach...[one another]” (Colossians 3:16)
34. “...Admonish one another (Colossians 3:16)
35. “...Make your love increase and overflow for each other.” (I Thessalonians 3:12)
36. “...Love each other.” (I Thessalonians 4:9)
37. “...Encourage each other...”(I Thessalonians 4:18)
38. “...Encourage each other...” I Thessalonians 5:11)
39. “...Build each other up...” (I Thessalonians 5:11)
40. “Encourage one another daily...” Hebrews 3:13)
41. “...Spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:24)
42. “...Encourage one another.” (Hebrews 10:25)
43. “...Do not slander one another.” (James 4:11)
44. “Don’t grumble against each other...” (James 5:9)
45. “Confess your sins to each other...” (James 5:16)
46. “...Pray for each other.” (James 5:16)
47. “...Love one another deeply, from the heart.” (I Peter 3:8)
48. “...Live in harmony with one another...” (I Peter 3:8)
49. “...Love each other deeply...” (I Peter 4:8)
50. “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” (I Peter 4:9)
51. “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others...” (I Peter 4:10)
52. “...Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another...”(I Peter 5:5)
53. “Greet one another with a kiss of love.” (I Peter 5:14)
54. “...Love one another.” (I John 3:11)
55. “...Love one another.” (I John 3:23)
56. “...Love one another.” (I John 4:7)
57. “...Love one another.” (I John 4:11)
58. “...Love one another.” (I John 4:12)
59. “...Love one another.” (II John 5)
