Stephanie Allen

Taking People to Jesus: One Another

September 6, 2026

 

Let’s begin where we closed last week. I left you saying that I have no desire to fight with anybody, but I do want to fight for people. What’s the difference? 

 

One anothering versus manufactured drama. 

 

Ephesians 4 separates the two out. Ephesians 4 (1-24) tells us what will approach in our growth and then Ephesians 4 (25-31) tells us what manufactured drama looks like. That is the stuff we are to flee: unwholesome talk, lies, sin in anger, giving the devil a foothold, stealing, grieving the Holy Spirit, bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander and “every form of malice”. 

 

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Romans 12:9-10

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling (κολλάω kollao - glue) to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love (φιλόστοργος Family love). Honor one another above yourselves. 

 

Be “devoted” to one another in love. 

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Colossians 3:12-14

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

 

t mean that we gaslight people. It doesn’t mean 

 

Romans 12:11-13

11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

 

How are we “never lacking in zeal”? Not “lazy” in spirit. We are to have “spiritual fervor”. 

 

zeó: To boil, to be fervent

Original Word: ζέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: zeó
Pronunciation: zay'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (dzeh'-o)
KJV: be fervent
NASB: being fervent, fervent
Word Origin: [a primary verb]

1. to be hot
2. (of liquids) to boil
3. (of solids) to glow
4. (figuratively) to be fervent (earnest)

Let me paraphrase, we are to be “on fire” for the Lord in our spirit. We are to be alive in the spirit. 

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Colossians 3:1-4

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

 

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12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

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Romans 5:

And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

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Romans 12:14-16

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 

 

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12).

 

“If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they keep my word, they will also keep yours” (John 15:19-20 ESV). 

. . .that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass and just as you know (1 Thessalonians 3:3-4 ESV).

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15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony (φρονοῦντες (phronountes) - want what God wants) with one another (ἀλλήλους (allēlous). Do not be proud (hauty), but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

 

“Blessed are those who mourn”.... We are to live in harmony with one another. What does that look like because, just like all siblings, we will at times have a conflict? Well, we avoid manufactured drama. We don’t hold a grudge. If you are holding a grudge against somebody because you believe they have harmed you then you have not taken that to Jesus. If we believe that only certain people are worthy of a conversation - like we ignore the ones who always have an issue or we avoid someone who is harder to connect with then we are choosing manufactured drama over harmony. One anothering means we seek to find our commonality instead of our divisions. 

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Romans 12:17-

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d] says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

 

Look at verse 21:

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

Put that together with verse 2 in chapter 12. We are either letting the world shape how we live or we are letting God transform us. It is a binary choice. 

 

Colossians 3:16-17

16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

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