A number of prophetic words / encouragements were shared on Sunday which encouraged us to persevere if we are going through difficult times. We were also reminded about how crucial being in community is, especially when things are tough. Not only does it give us the opportunity to share our lives, it also allows us to care for and build one another up! The New Testament isn’t silent about this either, there are 59 'one another' statements which encourage us to build and be part of community.
Andy Stanley the Leadership Communicator, Author, & Pastor said: “a primary activity of the early church was one-anothering, one another”
If this was a primary activity fo the early church, don’t you think it should also be an important part of what we do as church today?
Andy Stanley also said: “when everyone is sitting in rows… you can’t do any ‘one anothers…’”
The intention here is to point out that rows make it difficult to share lives and care for one another but this can be done in smaller groups. These statements in the New Testaments are things that we should be doing for one another. They are things we do, they may happen because of our relationship with Jesus, and because we want to worship Him but they are done not to Jesus Himself (as it were) but to other people. Which clearly means we need other people around us to be able to fulfil these commands!
They may be things we talk about on Sundays but they aren’t things that are easy to do in the confines of a Sunday gathering, they need time and effort to happen! If we are going to be intentional about building Biblical community then we need to be intentional about providing contexts where these ‘one anothers’ can take place.
At Jubilee we make a priority of small groups (which we call LifeGroups) not just because it is good to spend time together during the week (which it is). It’s also not just so we can talk about what was preached on Sunday or so that we can pray together. It’s also so that we can have a context where it is natural for these 'one anotherings' to take place.
We’ve spoken on this subject a couple of times in the past you can listen to Graham speaking on the subject of "Loving One Another” from Sept 2021, Tim speaking from Acts on "Loving One Another” from July 2018 and finally Graham speaking on "Growing in Love For One Another” from February 2014.
Here is a list of the passages which talk about one anothering:
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. “…Honour 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.” (1 Cor. 11:33)
17. “…Have equal concern for each other.” (1 Corinthians 12:25)
18. “…Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (1 Corinthians 16:20)
19. “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (2 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.” (1 Thessalonians 3:12)
36. “…Love each other.” (1 Thessalonians 4:9)
37. “…Encourage each other…”(1 Thessalonians 4:18)
38. “…Encourage each other…” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
39. “…Build each other up…” (1 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.” (1 Peter 3:8)
48. “…Live in harmony with one another…” (1 Peter 3:8)
49. “…Love each other deeply…” (1 Peter 4:8)
50. “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” (1 Peter 4:9)
51. “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others…” (1 Peter 4:10)
52. “…Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another…”(1 Peter 5:5)
53. “Greet one another with a kiss of love.” (1 Peter 5:14)
54. “…Love one another.” (1 John 3:11)
55. “…Love one another.” (1 John 3:23)
56. “…Love one another.” (1 John 4:7)
57. “…Love one another.” (1 John 4:11)
58. “…Love one another.” (1 John 4:12)
59. “…Love one another.” (2 John 5)
So if you aren’t part of a LifeGroup then why not find out more and join one today? You can find out more on our website at: jubilee.org.uk/lifegroups