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…Even if people do not know much about Bible, they usually have heard of the
“Golden Rule.” This is probably the most universally praised
statement that
Jesus ever made. This “Golden Rule” has been called the “topmost peak of
social ethics,” and “the Mount Everest of all ethical teaching.”
…In a word, the Golden Rule instructs us as to how we are to love
other
people. It reminds us that we are to be a people who are known as loving not
only one anther, but all people. When we do so, God’s love is beautifully
reflected in us, and shows us to be His children. The Golden Rule is another
way of expressing the Second Great Commandment found in Matthew 22:39.
TWO
CONSIDERATIONS HELPING US TO LOVE PEOPLE AS WE WOULD LIKE TO BE LOVED.
…FOR IN DOING SO, WE WILL FULFILL THIS GREAT COMMANDMENT AND REVEAL
OUR FATHER
ABOVE.
I. It
Is
Impossible
For You To Love Others With An Unselfish Love If You Do Not Know
Christ As Your Lord And Savior.
Rather, this law
further condemns you.
A. There
are
many
places in literature that express this Rule in the negative. “don’t
do to others what you do not want done to you.” Ex. Rabbi Hillel. Confusius,
Buddha.
1.
When put this way, it
is far
less
demanding, for it merely forbids action, it sets limits, but it
does not prescribe behavior.
2.
Even an unsaved
man, who is more moral than most, can discipline himself to
keep
this negative
expression of the Rule.
3.
Essentially,
the negative expression is
selfish
to the core. The only reason you do not
harm others, is that you do not want to be hurt.
…this falls far short of what our Lord is commanding of us…
…this expression is not “golden” because it is motivated by
self-preservation. Self!
B. Jesus
states the expression in a
positive
manner calling us to unselfishly love
others in the way that we would like to be so loved.
1.
Such an expression is
limitless. What a huge
change
from the other format.
2.
Yet, His
statement is also simplifying, for in a “nutshell” He gives a
summary
of the
Law and the Prophets. (The whole OT)
…For Jesus, the Word of God is not an impossible complex of rules and
regulations placed as a burden on men. Rather, it is the outworking of this
principle of love.
…Grasp this, and
everything else falls
into place. This is His point.
3.
Further, this
means that we are to love others the way we would want to be loved, whether we
are being so treated or not. Usually we are
not
…
C. Yet,
it is impossible for an unsaved man or woman to keep this commandment. The
essence of the unsaved
mind
is SELF, One can only do what Jesus says here if
his mind is entirely off self and fixed at all moments on the needs,
cares
,
loves, joys, hopes, and dreams of other people.
…Therefore, the effect of this Rule is to condemn
human goodness , for it is lacking.
…When God’s straight edge is applied, it shows how crooked he/she really is.
(Rom 3:20)
…So this command ought to drive men to Christ for
salvation.
II. It
Is Only The Christian Who Can Keep This Command, For This Is The Standard Of
Morality That God Is Constantly Leading The Believer.
A. To
obey this “Rule,” a person has to have a new
center
to his life. No longer
self…
1.
This is the
Gospel
,
for it makes us into NEW men and women. God did not save us, so that we would
remain
in our sin. NO!
2.
Rather, He
saved us to make us like
Jesus
, which means, we are now empowered by the Holy
Spirit to
live
out
this standard.
B. This
level of love is God’s level, and can only be achieved with God’s
help
.
1.
Romans 5:5
tells “the love of God has been
poured
out into our hearts through the Holy
Spirit, who has been given to us.” It is God’s love flowing out of us…to
others.
2.
So, how we treat others is not to be determined by how we
expect them to treat
us, or, by how we think they
should treat us. But by how we want them to
treat us !
LESSONS FOR
OUR LIVES;
1.
Love all others by treating them the way you would like to be treated....
2. If
you are a Christian, God is remaking you into a person who will think first of
others!
3.
Resist begin preoccupied with SELF!
4.
Take encouragement for this kind of love is God's love flowing thru you.
5.
Salvation is offered....Today...come to Christ and be saved from your sin!
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