Part 8 - The Golden Rule
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Here in Matthew 7, the chapter begins by discussing judging and here toward the middle of the chapter, our Lord begins tying everything together.
He has covered a number of topics in this message which deal with such issues as compassion, corruption, contamination, complication, condemnation, dedication, domination, fornication, supplication, subordination, trepidation, tribulation, reconciliation, and jubilation.
He now begins a lengthy conclusion to this message. In effect, Jesus was saying, “That’s it, my friends. Now what are you going to do with what I have told you? There is no point in listening to the sermon if you are not going to do anything about it. A choice must now be made.”
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
He informs his followers that if we want to judge correctly, we should judge with a spirit of love.
The Lord goes all the way back to the Old Testament law to make his point.
He reiterates that his prophets promoted loving thy neighbor as yourself. He tells us the same standard was the foundation of the Old Testament; we are to be people of love. If we judge someone with a spirit of love then that judgment should be bathed in grace and mercy. This is the standard that Jesus expects his followers to live by, the law of love.
If we monitor the life of Jesus we notice that he was a man that modeled loved in every phase of his life. He loved his enemies just like he loved his followers.
Jesus made no difference in showing love, he never picked who he would love, and he loved everyone. He displayed love to the servant that Peter cut his ear off the night he was arrested and even as he was dying on the Christ he displayed love and forgiveness.
He gives us what is known as the golden rule in our text tonight…He says:
12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Jesus did not make a meaningless statement here. The Lord never spoke just to be speaking, every word means something…This was His life platform…Jesus modeled love in His life and mandated it from His followers.
Ya’ll remember Charlie Brown? The Peanuts comic series? A long while back, I saw an old comic and it had the character Linus in it…He was saying in the comic “I love mankind…It’s the people I can’t stand.”
If we’re honest, we can probably relate to that statement…But human companionship is good for us, and making enemies is detrimental for us.
I understand it’s extremely difficult, down right impossible to get along with all people, but we ought to try:
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
How do we live peaceably with all men? The secret is found in Matthew 7:12...
I want to look at this verse for a little while…notice with me first of all:
The Magnitude of this Statement
The Magnitude of this Statement
Notice the magnitude of this statement:
Matthew 7:12 (KJV 1900)
12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you...
The magnitude of this verse is all encompassing - That means there are no exceptions, no excuses, and no exemptions.
In EVERYTHING you do with others, you should ask yourself this question: “How would I feel if this were done to me?”
It includes all communication
It includes all communication
Anytime you’re speaking with someone else, it would be good to ask yourself, “How would I feel if someone said to me what I’m telling this person?”
or
“How would I feel if someone said about me what I’m getting ready to say about this other person?”
We need to allow every word we say go through the filter of Ephesians 4:29:
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
It includes all disagreements
It includes all disagreements
As long as we are alive, we are going to have disagreements with people. We cannot avoid this, but there is a Biblical way to handle it:
When you’re involved in a disagreement, apply Matthew 7:12 to the situation.
It includes all correction
It includes all correction
Certainly there are times to correct the brethren, but nobody enjoys being corrected. Anytime you correct someone, make sure to handle the matter with prayer and wisdom.
We always need to remember; nobody likes being corrected by a hypocrite:
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
Matthew 7:12 again - When we do have to be corrected, we want it to be done by someone who will approach us with a sincere heart of love and concern.
The point of correction should always be edification…There’s always a wrong way to do something, but there’s always a Biblical way also!
It includes all actions
It includes all actions
No matter what it is you’re doing - think about how you want others to treat you and show that same compassion toward them!
The Motivation of this Statement
The Motivation of this Statement
Matthew 7:12 (KJV 1900)
12 ...that men should do to you...
Most religions have a golden rule that has something to do with treating others well.
But the motivation of Matthew 7:12 is not that men will treat us the way we want to be treated…What???
NO! This is not our motivation - our motivation is simply the love of Christ! He asked us to treat others the way we want to be treated, but He did NOT tell us to expect that kind of treatment in return.
Let me give you some examples of other religions:
Confucianism says, “Do no do to others what you would not like yourself. Then there will be no resentment against you, either in the family or in the state.” - Analects 12:2
Buddhism says, “Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.” - Udana-Varga 5,1
Hinduism says, “This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you would not have them do unto you.” - Mahabharata 5,1517
Every one of those statements I just gave you state their golden rule negatively by stating that we should not treat people the way we don’t want to be treated.
The problem with these statements is the motivation - If ya’ll hadn’t picked up on it already, the motivation is selfishness!
The motivation is about the anticipated outcome, which is kindness in return!
This isn’t the same as Christianity’s motivation - The motivation given by Christ has nothing to do with selfishness.
As Christians, our motivation should be to honor the Lord and to be a blessing to others around us! The entire chapter here is about how we treat others, and looking back at the sermon on the mount - it contains some of the most challenging passages in the Bible concerning putting others before ourselves!
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, 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;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
The motivation of Matthew 7:12 is purely from a heart of service to others.
The world’s motivation is selfishness…Christianity’s motivation is the love of Christ and the wellbeing of others.
The Movement of this Statement
The Movement of this Statement
Matthew 7:12 (KJV 1900)
12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do...
If you’re going to live out Matthew 7:12, you have to make the conscientious decision to DO so!
You won’t see the fruit of this verse if you’re passively minding your own business, trying to avoid conflict. You have to actually DO what you would appreciate being done to you...
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
To apply the golden rule, there must be action!
Putting the Golden Rule into practice is not as easy as it sounds.
It is one thing to say, “I must not injure people. I must not do to them what I would object to their doing to me.”
The laws of our city can compel us to act this way. It is quite another matter, however, to say, “I must go out of my way to help other people and to be kind to them, as I would wish them to help and to be kind to me.”
That attitude, only love can compel us to do.
The attitude which says, “I must do no harm to people,” is quite different from the attitude which says, “I must do my best to help people.”
One attitude requires doing nothing. The other attitude requires action, time, inconvenience maybe, and sometimes financial assistance.
This is why it is easy to understand, but difficult to apply.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Treating others the way you want them to treat you may be difficult, but it can yield rich rewards and blessings.
Let me ask you this in closing, “Is there someone in your life that you need to treat differently?”
Perhaps you have been argumentative, critical, harsh, rude, cold, or unconcerned toward them. They may be your husband or wife, your kids, or someone at work or school.
If the Lord has brought someone to your mind, then you have the opportunity to put into practice the Golden Rule.
The only way we can practice this rule is with the help of the Holy Spirit…Come get some help tonight!