Love One Another

 By Tony V. Hammack

These notes are best utilized with the audio or video.  Please click here to watch the video or click here to listen to the audio.

1. John 13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
They way we’re supposed to love one another is illustrated in the way Jesus Christ loves us.
No greater love has anyone than this, than a man lay down his life for his friends.
God demonstrated his love for us in this, while we were still sinners Christ died for us. The kind of Love God has for us includes painful sacrifice.

What is Love?
When people say “I Love You”, they can mean a lot of different things. Let’s take a look at the type of love Jesus wants us to have for one another.

The Type of Love we’re to have for one another is agape love
   (a) Agape is the Greek word used to describe the attitude of God toward His Son, the attitude of God toward the human race, and to such as believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, particularly.
   (b) Agape is used to convey God's will to His children concerning their attitude one toward another, and toward all men,
   (c) Agape is also used to express the essential nature of God.

Love is a Choice
Love can be known only from the actions it prompts. God's love is seen in the gift of His Son, it was not drawn out by any excellence in its objects. It was an exercise of the Divine will in deliberate choice, made without assignable cause save that which lies in the nature of God Himself.
Love had its perfect expression among men in the Lord Jesus.

Love-the greatest joy and pain
Love creates the greatest Joy when it’s reciprocated.
It creates incredible pain when it’s scoffed at or ignored.

2. John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

True disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ love one another with God’s type of love.
This type of love will communicate to all men.

What you are doing speaks so loudly I can hardly hear what you are saying.
Actions speak louder than words.

3. Romans 13:8-10 8Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

When we love one another we show that God’s saving grace is in us and we are considered righteous by faith which expresses itself through our love for one another.

4. 1 Peter 1:22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.

It takes a pure heart through obedience to have true love for the brothers.

There are different types of “love”. Some love is rooted in selfish desires or a desire to receive love.
We’re to love one another deeply from the heart. This means we’re not just supposed to tolerate one another but we’re supposed to love one another. This is a challenge for everyone.

5. 1 John 3:11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

This message goes back to Cain and Abel. Don’t be surprised if the world hates you. Anyone who does not love illustrates that they are still in the way of death.

6. 1 John 3:23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
If we obey God’s commands (see above) we have confidence that God hears our prayers and we will receive what we ask for.

7. 1 John 4:7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
Agape love is a divine expression from one person to another. Without receiving agape love from the Father Christian people will struggle in the way they express this love to one another.

8. 1 John 4:11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
When the Love of God touches our hearts we must express love for one another. It’s a divine nature that God deposits into the lives of his children. Those who have been touched by the love of God will touch others with the love of God.

9. 1 John 4:12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
By loving one another it causes God’s love to mature in us.

Before you go before the Lord in prayer please take a look at God's love for you by watching this video.






 Lets pray and ask God to show us by revelation the great love he has for us. He’s demonstrated it in the cross. Help us to have eyes to see the great love you’ve given us. Give us the grace to express the same love you’ve given us to others.

If you'd like to learn more about becoming a Christian please click here.

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:00 AM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501
(870) 793-9124


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by Tony V. Hammack

How to Build the Church

By Tony V. Hammack

These notes are best utilized in conjunction with the video or audio of this message.  To watch the video please click here.  To listen to the audio please click here.


Matthew 16:13-18
13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"  14They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" 16Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

People have a tendency to compare you to someone they are already familiar with.
The general consensus about the identity of Jesus is varied but centers on the idea that he is a man of God.

Jesus asks the disciples, “who do men say that I am” because he wants to see if any of his disciples have been listening to the heavenly frequency from the Father and he wants one of them to make a declaration about his identity.

Peter has been listening to the Heavenly Father and knows by this voice the identity of Jesus.

Instead of rebuking Peter for his brashness (as Jesus always did when confronted by error), Jesus blesses him for his confession of faith. Throughout His ministry Jesus accepted prayers and worship as rightfully belonging to Himself.

Jesus on Trial Before the Sanhedrin

Matthew 26
The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." 64"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." 65Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66What do you think?" "He is worthy of death," they answered.

For Peter to say, “You are the Christ the Son of the Living God he is also risking blasphemy.” His deep rooted understanding of the identity of Jesus is deeper in him than his fear of death. Peter, as a good monotheistic Jew understands what he is saying, in the same way the Sanhedrin understood what Jesus said.

Jesus says, You are Petros (littler Rock) and upon this Petra (Big Rock), I will build my church. When we hear from God and say what he tells us to and do what he says we become littler rocks upon the Big Rock (God’s revealed voice)

This is the way the church is built.

Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone
Ephesians 2:19-22
19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

The cornerstone is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.

When we hear God and come in line with his word we become part of the church and serve to further the work of the church. This is the best reason to be a part of a church ministry, because He has spoken to you to be a part.

A paradigm shift from John Kennedy. He said, ask not what your country can do for you but what can you do for your country. I believe it’s appropriate among the spiritually mature to ask the same question accept substitute the word Church for country. Ask not what your church can do for you, but what can you do for your church.

If everyone has a servant’s attitude we can’t help but grow. However when we take on an, “I need to be served” “I need to be fed” attitude we will be limited in our ability to measure up to people’s expectations. If we can meet a person’s expectations and perceived needs they will stay, if we can’t they will leave.
We need servant minded people serving the Lord to push us over the hump.

Our church isn’t perfect but we’re doing pretty well for where we are. I’m very optimistic about our future and know it will take sacrifice from everyone if we’re going to continue moving forward.

One thing that gives people fuel to critique any ministry is if they themselves are out of the will of God. Often being out of God’s will, walking in dis-obedience, creates feelings of guilt that can be temporarily eased by critiquing someone else.
It’s much easier to critique it than get involved and start bringing about positive change. Joe Schmo off the street has an opinion but this will not advance the kingdom of God.

Spiritual Ambition
Mark 9:35
35Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

Luke 13
30Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.

One of the biggest indicators of spiritual maturity is service for God and others. People who need to be served haven’t reached a basic level of spiritual maturity.

John 13:13-17
13"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Philippians 2:4-11
4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.  5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:  6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!  9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,  10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

It’s my desire that we will have a church body where we’ll have a lot more to offer baby Christians. However in the meantime we must all serve faithfully in our own areas to move the church forward. Servant hood is the key.

If you'd like to learn more about becoming a Christian please click here.

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:00 AM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501
(870) 793-9124


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The Old Phone on the Wall

When I was a young boy, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighborhood. I remember the polished, old case fastened to the wall. The shiny
receiver hung on the side of the box. I was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination when my mother talked to it.  Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person. Her name was
"Information Please" and there was nothing she did not know. Information Please could supply anyone's
number and the correct time.

My personal experience with the genie-in-a-bottle came one day while my mother was visiting a neighbor. Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a hammer, the pain was
terrible, but there seemed no point in crying because there was no one home to give sympathy.

I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway. The telephone! Quickly, I ran for the footstool in the parlor and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver in the parlor and held it to my ear. "Information, please" I said into the mouthpiece just above my head.

A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear. "Information."

"I hurt my finger..." I wailed into the phone, the tears came readily enough now that I had an audience.

"Isn't your mother home?" came the question.

"Nobody's home but me," I blubbered.

"Are you bleeding?" the voice asked.

"No," I replied. "I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts."

"Can you open the icebox?" she asked. I said I could.

"Then chip off a little bit of ice and hold it to your finger," said the voice.

After that, I called "Information Please" for everything. I asked her for help with my geography, and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math.  She told me my pet chipmunk that I had caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts.

Then, there was the time Petey, our pet canary, died.  I called, "Information Please," and told her the sad
story. She listened, and then said things grown-ups say to soothe a child. But I was not consoled. I asked her, "Why is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to
end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?"

She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly, " Wayne , always remember that there are other worlds to sing in."

Somehow I felt better.

Another day I was on the telephone, "Information Please."

"Information," said in the now familiar voice.

"How do I spell fix?", I asked.

All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest . When I was nine years old, we moved across the country to Boston. I missed my friend very much. "Information Please" belonged in that old wooden box back home and I somehow never thought of trying the shiny new phone that sat on the table in the hall. As I grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left me.

Often, in moments of doubt and perplexity I would recall the serene sense of security I had then. I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spent her time on a little boy.

A few years later, on my way west to college, my plane put down in Seattle . I had about a half-hour or so between planes. I spent 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister, who lived there now. Then without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my hometown operator and said, "Information Please."

Miraculously, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well.

"Information."

I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying,

"Could you please tell me how to spell fix?"

There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, "I guess your finger must have healed by now."

I laughed, "So it's really you," I said. "I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time?"

I wonder," she said, "if you know how much your calls meant to me.

I never had any children and I used to look forward to your calls."

I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister.

"Please do", she said. "Just ask for Sally."

Three months later I was back in Seattle .. A different voice answered,

"Information." I asked for Sally.

"Are you a friend?" she said.

"Yes, a very old friend," I answered.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this,"She said. "Sally had been working part time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago."

Before I could hang up, she said, "Wait a minute, did you say your name was Wayne ?"  "Yes." I answered.
"Well, Sally left a message for you.  She wrote it down in case you called.  Let me read it to you."

The note said, "Tell him there are other worlds to
sing in.  He'll know what I mean."

I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.

Never underestimate the impression you may make on
others..

Whose life have you touched today?

If you'd like to learn more about becoming a Christian please click here.

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:00 AM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501
(870) 793-9124


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by Tony V. Hammack

7 Reasons Not To Mess With Children

Reason # 1
A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.

The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.

The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.

Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.

The little girl said, 'When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah'.

The teacher asked, 'What if Jonah went to Hell?'

The little girl replied, 'Then you ask him'.


Reason #2
A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work.

As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.

The girl replied, 'I'm drawing God.'

The teacher paused and said, 'But no one knows what God looks like.'

Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, 'They will in a minute.'


Reason #3
A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds.

After explaining the commandment to 'honor' thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, 'Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?'

Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, 'Thou shall not kill.'


Reason #4
One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head.

She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, 'Why are some of your hairs white, Mum?'

Her mother replied, 'Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.'

The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, 'Mummy, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?'


Reason #5
The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture.

'Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael, He's a doctor..'

A small voice at the back of the room rang out, 'And there's the teacher, she's dead.'


Reason #6
A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, 'Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face.'

'Yes,' the class said.

'Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn't run into my feet?'

A little fellow shouted,
'Cause your feet ain't empty.'


Reason #7
The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray:

'Take only ONE .. God is watching.'

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.

A child had written a note, 'Take all you want. God is watching the apples.'





If you'd like to learn more about becoming a Christian please click here.

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:00 AM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501
(870) 793-9124


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by Tony V. Hammack

For God So Loved the World that He Gave

After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church's pastor slowly stood up and walked over to the pulpit.  Before he gave his sermon for the evening, he briefly introduced a guest minister who was in the service.

In the introduction the pastor told the congregation that the guest minister was one of his dearest childhood friends. He wanted him to have a few moments to greet the church and share whatever he felt would be appropriate for the service.


With that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit and began to speak.


"A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing off the Pacific coast," he began.  "When a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to the shore.  The waves were so high; even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright.  The three were swept into the ocean as the boat capsized."

The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story.  The aged minister continued with his story. "Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life, which boy would he throw the other end of the life line?  He only had seconds to make the decision.  The father knew that his son was a Christian, and he also knew that his son's friend was not.  The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of the waves."


"As the father yelled out, 'I love you son!' He threw out the life line to his son's friend.  By the time the father had pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beneath the raging swells into the black of night.  His body was never recovered."

By this time, the two teenagers were sitting up straight in the pew, anxiously waiting for the next words to come out of the old minister's mouth.

"The father," he continued, "knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus, and he could not bear the thought of his son's friend stepping into an eternity without Jesus.  Therefore, he sacrificed his son to save the son's friend."


"How great is the love of God that He should do the same for us.  Our Heavenly Father sacrificed His only begotten Son so that we could be saved.  I urge you to accept his offer to rescue you and take a hold of the life line he is throwing out to you in this service."  With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room.

The pastor again walked slowly to the pulpit and delivered a brief sermon with an invitation at the end.  However, no one responded to the appeal.

Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old man's side.  "That was a nice story," politely stated one of them, "but I don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his only son's life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian."


"Well, you've got a point there," the old man replied, glancing down at his worn Bible.  A big smile broadened his narrow face.  He once again looked up at the boys and said, "It sure isn't very realistic is it?  I'm standing here today to tell you that story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up His Son for me."

"You see, I was that father and your pastor is my son's friend."

If you'd like to learn more about becoming a Christian please click here.

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:00 AM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501
(870) 793-9124


View Larger Map
by Tony V. Hammack