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Finally Brethren
2 Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 6:10-18; Philippians 3:1; 4:8; 1
Thessalonians 4:1-2; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5; 1 Peter 3:8-11
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“Finally, be Strong In The
Lord”
Ephesians 6:10-18
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“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord”
Philippians 3:1
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“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if
there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these
things.”
Philippians 4:8
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“Finally then … excel still more”
1 Thessalonians 4:1-2
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“To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic,
brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit”
1 Peter 3:8-9
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•1 Peter 3:8-9•Galatians 5:13-15•Matthew 12:25
“… not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the
very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.”
“For you were called to freedom, brethren; only {do} not {turn} your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the {statement,}
"YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not
consumed by one another.”
Matthew 12:25“And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself
will not stand.”
Be Harmonious, Brotherly
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Be Harmonious, Brotherly
•Likeminded–1 Corinthians 1:10–Philippians 2:1-4–We are characterized by sameness of:•Speech, agreement•Mind•Judgment•Love
“Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no
divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and
in the same judgment.”
“Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any
affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind,
maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from
selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not {merely}
look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
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Be Harmonious, Brotherly
•Sympathetic–Romans 12:15–1 Corinthians 12:26–Hebrews 13:3
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if {one}
member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”
“Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, {and} those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves
also are in the body.”
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Be Harmonious, Brotherly
•Brotherly–Love as brethren – KJV–1 Thessalonians 4:9–John 13:34-35–1 John 4:20-21
“Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for {anyone} to
write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;”
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I
have loved you, that you also love one another. "By this all men will know
that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
“If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the
one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who
loves God should love his brother also.”
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Be Harmonious, Brotherly
•Kindhearted•Humbleminded•Forgiving
–Matthew 7:12
“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want
them to treat you, ...”
Proverbs 24:29“Do not say, "Thus I shall do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work."”
Proverbs 25:21-22“If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give
him water to drink; For you will heap burning coals on his head, And the
LORD will reward you.”
Romans 12:17-21“Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect
what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave
room for the wrath {of God,} for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. "BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
1 Thessalonians 5:15“See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one
another and for all people.”
Luke 23:34“Father, forgive them; for they do
not know what they are doing.”
Acts 7:60“he cried out with a loud voice, Lord,
do not hold this sin against them!”
1 Corinthians 4:12“... when we are reviled, we bless;
when we are persecuted, we endure;”
2 Timothy 4:16“at my first defense no one
supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them.”
Philippians 2:3“Do nothing from selfishness or
empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more
important than yourselves;”
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Be Harmonious, Brotherly
•Forgiving–Forgives others as God has forgiven him•Ephesians 4:31-32
Ephesians 4:31-32“Let all bitterness and wrath and
anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”
Colossians 3:12-13“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart
of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other,
whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you,
so also should you.”
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Be Harmonious, Brotherly•Forgiving
–Forgives others as God has forgiven him•Willingly•Unreservedly•Immediately•Completely•Permanently•Repeatedly
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Pray for the Preaching of the
Gospel
2 Thessalonians 3:1-2
“Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread
rapidly and be glorified, just as {it did} also with you; and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil
men; for not all have faith.”
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Pray for the Preaching of the Gospel
•“Brethren, pray for us.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:25
–That he might be delivered from the disobedient – Romans 15:30-33
–That doors of opportunity might be opened – Colossians 4:2-3
–That he might say the right things – v.4
–That the word of the Lord might have free course – 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2
“Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for
me, that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for
Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints; so that I may come to you in joy by the
will of God and find refreshing rest in your company. Now the God of peace be with you
all. Amen.”
“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of
thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;”“that I may make it clear in the way I
ought to speak.”
“Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread
rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; and that we will be
rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith.”
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Be United
2 Corinthians 13:11
“Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and
the God of love and peace will be with you.”
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Be United
•Be Complete–“be mature, be restored and fitted for life”
–Philippians 3:12-16
•Be Comforted–“be encouraged”
“Not that I have already obtained {it} or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I
may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of {it} yet; but one thing {I do:} forgetting what {lies} behind and
reaching forward to what {lies} ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that
also to you; however, let us keep living by that same { standard} to which we have attained.”
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Be United
•Be Like-Minded–“think the same thing”–Romans 12:16
“Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not
be wise in your own estimation.”
Romans 15:5“Now may the God who gives
perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind
with one another according to Christ Jesus,”
Philippians 2:2“make my joy complete by being of
the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on
one purpose.”
Philippians 4:2“I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche
to live in harmony in the Lord.”
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Be United
•Live in Peace–2 Corinthians 12:20
“For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be
not what you wish; that perhaps {there will be} strife, jealousy, angry
tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances;”
Romans 12:18
“If possible, so far as it depends on you, be
at peace with all men.”
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Acts 20:32“And now I commend you to God
and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among
all those who are sanctified.”
Numbers 6:24-26“The Lord bless you, and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The
Lord lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.'”
2 Corinthians 13:14“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with
you all.”
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“And now I commend you to God and to the
word of His grace, which is able to build
you up and to give you the inheritance among
all those who are sanctified.”
Acts 20:32
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