THE UNIVERSAL LOVE FOR BRETHREN
First Bible Lesson: 1 John 4:21
"And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also."
Second Bible Lesson: John 14:23
"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."
Golden Text: Romans 13:10
"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."
Considering our texts, you can safely conclude that this is neither the time to tell lies against God nor a fellow human being. Whoever loves God must practise His teachings and injunctions. In the entire world, who can deceive himself that he loves our Lord Jesus Christ? From now, if any person shouts, "Jesus," ask such a person whether he has practised the injunctions of our Lord Jesus Christ. If you had loved our Lord Jesus Christ, you would have practised His words.
The whole Christendom shout, "Jesus, Jesus," yet they do not practise a jot out of His teachings. They therefore, do not love Him. For he had said that anyone who loves Him will keep his commandment. Love requires and commands obedience. Whosoever loves our Lord Jesus Christ, must also have a universal love for all brethren. It has been clearly revealed now to you that, love does no wrong to his neighbour. You claim to have love, why then do you get annoyed with someone else? Why do you think evil against your brother? Why do you hate and curse others. Do you know that love does not hurt its neighbour?
The more you continue to confess that you have been annoyed with your parents, brethren, and friends, the more it explains that you do not possess love. You confess that you sin every minute, which is an indication of lack of love, because, love does not commit sin. Whoever possesses love in its true definition, does not plan evil against another man. Any person who has love cannot steal, kill, curse, commit adultery, fornicate, prostitute, hate, be idle, backbite, and indulge in other deliberate sins. Now, examine yourself whether you have true love.
The three texts which constitute our sermon carry separate messages. These three messages bear witness of each other to establish a firm conclusion. It is said that the testimonies of two or three witnesses can establish any fact. The first lesson states that, whoever loves God must also love his brethren. The second lesson states that whosoever loves our Lord Jesus Christ will keep His commandment. The golden text also states that, love does no evil to his neighbour, for it is the fulfilling of the law. You can see that if you do not love your brethren, you have no love for God.
Also, if you do not obey and practise the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ, you do not love Him. One of the signs to identify those who do not possess love is that, they do not
knock their forehead on the ground to show respect to God. The knocking of the forehead is just like one saying," (may it be so), A-men." If you do not knock your forehead during prayers, it stands to reason that, you do not believe in God. Beloved brethren, if you claim to be a churchgoer or any place of worship, but do not express true love as directed by our Lord Jesus Christ, that is, by practising His injunctions, you have failed.
Some of you deceive yourselves by professing that you love your husbands so much. It is a blatant lie, because, if you had loved him so dearly, you would not have committed adultery with another man. If you love your husband truly, you cannot call him names when you quarrel or disobey him. Love is not that simple to achieve.
Another person may profess that he loves himself so much. This is also false; because if you love yourself, you would not indulge in fornication, adultery or prostitution. You would not steal or indulge in any form of evil. Our first and greatest problem is not lack of material things but lack of true love. If you fail to inherit this kingdom, it should be traced to lack of love. Your designation such as Bishop, Pastor, Senior Elder, Christ's Student, Christ's Servant are immaterial, irrelevant and to no effect whatsoever. In this kingdom, love is supreme. You may boast about your church, skyscraper and wealth generally; but have you, in the same magnitude talked about the extent of love you possess? Take note that without love, all these are not profitable.
Love As A Necessity
If you boast about having power and children, yet you have no love, it profits you nothing. You may claim to be a king, that when you utter a word, the heavens shake and everybody obeys you. Do you also have love? When there is no love, you are nothing. Whatever mental, physical, or spiritual capabilities you have if you do not possess love, all amount to nothingness. Some people complain that they have left their parents, wives, children, husbands, job and all things to follow the Father, yet they have problems here and there. The reason is simple and sure: you have no love. It is said that: "Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away." (1 Cor 13:8)
If you say you have served God for twenty years in Brotherhood, have you got love? Some people are urging the Father to give them Certificates as graduates from Christ Universal Spiritual School of Practical Christianity. Let it be known to you that, love is your certificate; no more, or less.
Those of you who say you are generous and give alms to the poor, are you sure you possess true love? Our Lord Jesus Christ through Paul says:
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. (1 Cor. 13:3)
You may have faith to command one city to move from one place to another or to heal the sick, yet, if you have no love, it is of no use to you. You may have the ability to extract charms and diabolical substances from people, yet if you do not have love, you are an empty vessel.
You may possess the gift of vision to the extent of revealing the true nature of God. If you do not posses love, you stand to gain nothing. You may convert and baptize five hundred (500) people into Brotherhood, it avails you nothing without love. Love is the principal property in life. It is that mustard seed which is smaller than any other grain but grows to become the giant of trees. (Refer to Matthew 13:31-32).
We are told that there are three things, Love, Faith, and Hope, but the greatest of these is Love. Some people have faith, some hope, others have faith and hope. Some have faith but no hope. All these are nothing without love. Who has ever desired God to endow him with these virtues? Your desire is firm, power, life, and wealth. You only brag about wealth and wisdom. Note that love is neither arrogant nor boastful. Love is the 'sine-qua-non' of humility and meekness. Love does not rejoice in evil performances. Love endures all things and it is patient. It is said that love believes all things, hopes on all things and has an unshakable faith. See (1 Corinthians 13:7):
Love beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
The Ultimate In Commandments
God has only one commandment which is love. He is love and does not change. Whenever you have love, you have God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit dwelling in you. In time past, people used to talk of ten commandments. The so called ten commandments signify the ten kings who had defiled the world created by God. When Moses had the ten commandments, he did not know their significance. Among the ten kings, Nebuchadnezzar was one. But it was written that one kingdom would manifest which will subdue and swallow up all the other kingdoms. This kingdom, with its overwhelming power and light, will last forever. (Dan. 2:44). The manifestation of this prophecy is another way of proving that the wisdom of God is beyond human comprehension. Consequently, the kingdom of love has swallowed the ten kingdoms.
A liar and a thief represent two kings. However, in the case of our Lord Jesus Christ, as it is exemplified in Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, there is only one commandment. It is written in the scriptures that the law of God is not burdensome to man. Now you see that, once you have love, you are free. Nothing is as appreciative and as adorning as love, yet, mankind had refused to imbibe love and practise same. Man always prefers evil to goodness. Refer once again to our first lesson.
First Bible Lesson: 1 John 4:21
"And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also."
Details on Love (1)
The above statement is not a vision, neither is it a prayer or prophecy but the word of God. No person can report you to Almighty God, neither can you report others. Whoever loves his brethren has loved God, and whoever loves God, must love his brethren. We have only one teacher who teaches love alone. Stop seeking after power, wisdom, wealth and other mundane things, but strive to possess and express a universal love. If you love your neighbour, it means you love Christ. If you love your brethren, it means you have kept the instructions of God. If you show the expression of love to people, it means you have kept the instructions of God and have practised the injunctions of Christ. That is why it is concluded in the golden text that, "love worketh no ill unto his neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."
You who contemplate on what to do in order to please the Lord, know that love of one another is the answer. Do not bother about how to serve God, but love one another. All other commandments are of the flesh, and cannot take you to anywhere, spiritually. Only love can give you eternal life in God's kingdom.
You have also heard that whoever has love dwells in the light and there is no cause of stumbling for him. (1 John 2:10). Whoever hates his brother abides in death. Love does not require wisdom in order to thrive. This is because once you love someone, you cannot lie to him, steal his things or do anything that will hurt him.
The major problem of the world is how to identify God; a Being which everybody has agreed that no one has ever seen. Now, if no person has ever seen Him; when He arrives, how will one identify Him? When the Being would say, 'look, I am the God you have been seeking,' you will not believe, because you have never seen Him. In the same token, love is what no human being has ever possessed. That explains why fake love abound and why man has accepted this fake love as being genuine.
People regard man, tree and other creatures as God. This is false. Man equally regards money, house, clothes and other mundane things as love. He has erred. Love does not seek after any mundane wealth and does not harm any person. If any person says, he or she loves you, but abuses you, he is a liar. He has no love for you. If any person professes to love you and disgraces you always and does not allow you to air your views, such a person does not possess love.
If we had loved our Lord Jesus Christ, we would have loved our brethren; for this was a supreme instruction from the Father, that whosoever loves God must love his brethren also. If you see any person who loves everybody, and does not get annoyed, neither does he impute sin on others, rather rejoices with everyone; such a person loves God very much.
Anger, lamentation, flogging, sighing and murmuring are all acts of sin. So any person found indulging in these vices does not possess love. If you go to somebody's house and found him frowning or sighing, you will conclude that something is wrong. It is said that blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 5:3). If then you start lamenting that you are poor, does it mean you love Christ? He said: Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake, Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad; for great is your reward in heaven. (Matt 5:11)
If you are falsely accused because of Him and you are not happy, it means you neither love Him nor believe in Him.Read the second lesson.
Second Bible Lesson: John 14:23
"Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him."
Details On Love (11)
Our Lord Jesus Christ directed that whoever has two coats should give one to him who does not have. He that had meat, let him do likewise (Luke 3:11). Have you done that? Whatever you have which is double, you have to give one out to him who has none. If you do this, it means that you love Him, otherwise the reverse is the case.
It is said, "That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also." (Matt 5:39) If you act negatively to this injunction, it means you neither believe nor love our Lord Jesus Christ.
Furthermore, it is said: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you..." (Matt 5:44). Your failure to comply positively with the above injunction declares you a rebel. It is written: Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven in perfect. (Matt 5:48)
How can you be perfect even as He is? Exercise absolute and ultimate love for all and sundry and you will qualify for perfection.
Those are His true instructions and injunctions. Any person therefore, who is not perfect, does not believe in Him and does not Love Him. If you do not obey the instructions of our Lord Jesus Christ, how can you know or obey God the Father? You cannot even believe or love the Father. Our Lord Jesus Christ said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6). Whosoever loves the son will equally love the Father, and the Father will also love him. Automatically, anyone who loves the Father, will love all his brethren. Anyone who claims to love the Father, but hates his brethren is a liar. (1 John 4:20). The commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ is very simple and it gives you joy, if you practise it.
Beloved brethren, the works of God and that of the flesh are incompatible. You will discover that all along, you have been carrying the heavier burden, whereas God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, had taken away your burden. The work of the flesh is very difficult, whereas that of God is very simple and light. Immediately you obey His words, by loving one another, you are saved. This is comparable to lottery where you throw in a few kobo and win thousands of naira. If you put in ten kobo to gain about one thousand naira, what have you lost? Similarly, if you love Christ our Lord, you will keep His words and the Father will love you, the Holy Spirit and the Father will dwell in you. Can you now see what you will gain with your little love?
It is clear that in the entire world, God dwells only in Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. This is as a result of love which is found herein. If the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit live in you, then you will not lack houses, money, clothes, brethren, wealth and power. What do you think will ever harm or threaten such a person whom God in-dwells? Where God Almighty dwells is holy, and no evil, temptation, darkness, confusion, segregation, lamentation and the like can ever be found in such a place. You can see that the presence of God in any place, and in anything, sanctifies and strengthens such a place or thing.
I do not need anything, either materially or spiritually from the world. I come that you may be transformed from imperfect and sinfulness to perfect and sinless nature, so that where I am, you also may be there.
Love is reciprocal in nature. If you love someone and that person does not love you, it means that the love will be dried up, and die very soon. See authority below:
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you; Continue ye in my love. (John 15:9)
Christ loved the Father and the Father loved him because He abided by the Father's commandment. For that reason, He and the Father are one and an indivisible entity. In one of the powerful statements of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is recorded that; I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. (John 8:18).
From the time of Adam to the era of our Lord Jesus Christ, only our Lord Jesus Christ loved God. That was why the Father said: This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matt 3:17).
The building of Cathedrals, electrifying and equipping it with modern amenities, does not qualify one as a child of God. The situation does not rest on shouting the name of Olumba Olumba Obu.
Love does not constitute healing the sick, raising the dead and making the lame to walk. It is neither giving a lot of money to people or training people in the University. He that keeps the commandments or instructions of Our Lord Jesus Christ loves Him, and therefore, loves the Father. Such a person must also love the entire world.
Golden Text: Romans 13:10
"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."
The Freedom In Love
To further explain this text, our Lord Jesus Christ said that he who loves Him will abide by His words, and His Father will love the person, and He also will love such a person. You can see that love does no evil against his neighbour. If you see any person who loves all people, do not ask any question for such a person is God personified.
Any place where there is no lying, sighing, lamentation, fear, quarrel, backbiting, hatred, craftiness, stealing, anger, cheating and immorality, know that such a place is the kingdom of God. Do not steal, tell lies and commit any sin, for this is the pathway to godliness. When you love, you are free. Your problem now is that you have seen the love but you have decided not to embrace it, rather, you continue to wallow in evil and immorality.
Whenever you leave 34 Ambo Street, Calabar, you start behaving like worldly people and idolaters. The teachings of Brotherhood are not expressed by you in any way outside here. Love does not judge and has nothing to do with evil. Love is the fulfilling of the law. Everybody knows that the Leader of Brotherhood practises nothing but love. You have to emulate this love. Your behavior, at all times, must depict love of one another. You complain that your husband or parents have rejected you because of Brotherhood; that you are suffering for Brotherhood yet you have no love. How will you be rewarded if they love you?
In the entire world, nobody is ready to develop and express love, yet they all want love to do wonders for them. Is this not an exhibition of the craftiness of satan? All you want is that once your problem is solved, you will disappear into the thin air. This is because you want love alone to work for you, but you would not express same love to others. If Brotherhood of the Cross and Star was of the world, it should have been extinct by now. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so also is the wisdom of God greater than that of man. (Isa 55:9). Hence, Brotherhood of the Cross and Star shall reign forever. If you want to live with the Holy Father, you must possess love. God is nothing but love, and once you express love, you are in Him. He who has love, has God and has everything. May God bless His Holy Words. A-men.
REFERENCE:Sermon Delivered By The Sole Spiritual Head Of The Universe
Leader Olumba Olumba Obu on:-
"THE UNIVERSAL LOVE FOR BRETHREN"
From: LOVE, LAW OF THE NEW AGE. Pages:29-40.