INTRODUCTION<\/strong><\/p>\n A. Perhaps one of the more thought-provoking questions in the Bible is that one asked by Cain…<\/p>\n 1. Cain had killed his brother because God had accepted Abel’s offering, but not his own… Genesis 4:3-8<\/p>\n 2. When the Lord inquired concerning Abel, Cain’s response was: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen 4:9)<\/p>\n B. This is a question we would do well to ask ourselves today…<\/p>\n 1. Are we our brothers’ keeper?<\/p>\n 2. Do we have a responsibility to watch out for and care for one another?<\/p>\n C. When one turns to the New Testament, it becomes clear that the answer is in the affirmative. In fact, there are many passages which emphasize…<\/p>\n DISCUSSION<\/strong><\/p>\n A. OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO ONE ANOTHER<\/p>\n 1. We are to “love one another”<\/p>\n a. As commanded by Jesus — John 13:34-35; 15:12, 17<\/p>\n b. As taught by Paul — Romans 13:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:9<\/p>\n c. As instructed by Peter — 1 Peter 1:22<\/p>\n d. As stressed by John — 1 John 3:11 (note v.12), 23; 4:7, 11-12; 2 John 5<\/p>\n e. But how are we to express such love? Other passages can provide the answer…<\/p>\n 2. How we show our love for one another (“another” passages)…<\/p>\n a. We are to “receive one another” — Romans 15:7<\/p>\n b. We are to “edify another” — Romans 14:19<\/p>\n c. We are to “serve one another” — Galatians 5:13<\/p>\n d. We are to “bear one another’s burdens” — Galatians 6:1-2<\/p>\n e. We are to be “forgiving one another” — Ephesians 4:32<\/p>\n f. We are to be “submitting to one another” — Ephesians 5:21<\/p>\n g. We are to “exhort one another” — Hebrews 3:12-13<\/p>\n h. We are to “consider one another” — Hebrews 10:24-25<\/p>\n i. We are to be “hospitable to one another” — 1 Peter 4:8-10<\/p>\n 3. In light of such “one another” passages, is there any doubt that we are to be our brother’s keeper?<\/p>\n a. But how well are we doing?<\/p>\n b. To stimulate our thinking and help us reexamine how well we are fulfilling our obligations to one another, consider the following questions…<\/p>\n B. EVALUATING OUR ROLE AS OUR BROTHER’S KEEPER<\/p>\n 1. When one becomes a brother…<\/p>\n a. Do we receive them into the family of God, or ignore them? — Romans 15:7<\/p>\n 1) Are they properly assimilated in the family life of the congregation?<\/p>\n 2) Do they remain on the fringe?<\/p>\n 3) If we do not even know their names, we can be sure that we are failing as our brother’s keeper!<\/p>\n b. Do we edify them, or put stumbling blocks in their way? — Romans 14:19<\/p>\n 1) As individuals, are we “bodybuilders,” encouraging the members of the body?<\/p>\n 2) Or are we like a cancer, weakening the members of the body of Christ?<\/p>\n a) By our own example<\/p>\n b) By our words, attitudes, etc.<\/p>\n 3) It was said of Philemon that he refreshed the hearts of the brethren; do people say the same of us?<\/p>\n c. Do we submit to them, or arrogantly rule over them? — Ephesians 5:21<\/p>\n d. Do we serve them in love, or expect them to serve us? — Galatians 5:13<\/p>\n e. Do we demonstrate hospitality to them? — 1 Peter 4:8-10<\/p>\n 1) By visiting them in their need?<\/p>\n 2) By inviting them into your home (or accepting invitations to their home)?<\/p>\n 2. When a brother is overtaken in a fault…<\/p>\n a. Do we even consider them? — Hebrews 10:24-25<\/p>\n 1) Are we even aware of who they are?<\/p>\n 2) Are we ignorant of their problems? If so, why?<\/p>\n a) Maybe it is because we don’t assemble enough ourselves<\/p>\n b) We may “wonder about them,” but that is not sufficient!<\/p>\n 3) Do they drift away, with no one making an effort to reach them?<\/p>\n b. Do we exhort them, lest they become hardened by sin? — Hebrews 3:12-14<\/p>\n 1) Or are we afraid to confront them, for fear of running them away?<\/p>\n a) If we truly love them and approach them with humility, they are not likely to run away<\/p>\n b) If they do, they are running away from God, not you!<\/p>\n 2) Remember, such exhortation is to be daily! Perhaps we wait too long…<\/p>\n c. Are we willing bear their burdens? — Galatians 6:1-2<\/p>\n 1) So as to help them overcome and become stronger<\/p>\n 2) Or do we rather not be bothered?<\/p>\n d. Are we quick to forgive them when they repent? — Ephesians 4:32<\/p>\n 1) Fear of not being forgiven and accepted back into the family may keep some from repenting and returning to the fold<\/p>\n 2) Do we communicate a willingness to accept with open arms and offer complete forgiveness?<\/p>\n CONCLUSION<\/strong><\/p>\n A. How we answer such questions may reveal how well or poorly we are…<\/p>\n 1. Fulfilling our responsibility to be our brother’s keeper<\/p>\n 2. Living up to the one responsibility we have that includes all others: to love one another as Christ loved us — John 13:34-35<\/p>\n B. If we have failed to be our brother’s keeper, we need to…<\/p>\n 1. Repent of our lack of concern, our inactivity, or whatever has hindered us<\/p>\n 2. Confess our shortcomings in this area to God<\/p>\n C. Resolve to apply with zeal these “one another” passages!<\/p>\n D. Are you your brother’s keeper?<\/p>\n 1. Are you even identified with a congregation whereby you can be a working member who both cares for those in the family, and be cared for by them?<\/p>\n 2. I hope this study has stimulated your thinking about responsibilities you have toward your brethren in Christ<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sermon on My Brother’s Keeper INTRODUCTION A. Perhaps one of the more thought-provoking questions in the Bible is that one asked by Cain… 1. Cain had killed his brother because God had accepted Abel’s offering, but not his own… Genesis 4:3-8 2. When the Lord inquired concerning Abel, Cain’s response was: “Am I my brother’s … Continue reading “Sermon on My Brother’s Keeper – Am I My Brother’s Keeper? – Bible Outlines”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43904","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43904"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43904\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43904"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43904"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43904"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}