The Golden Rule

Happy Sunday! Today we get to a most familiar verse. It's known as the Golden Rule. We find these words of Jesus in Matthew 7:12. There he says, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

Earlier in chapter 7, we have looked at the danger of being judgmental. That's in verses 1 to 5. We also saw the danger of being undiscriminating from verse six, and we talked about the Hogs and the dogs. In verse 7 through 11, we were encouraged by Jesus to pray, to pray that God, our loving father, would enable us to live as Jesus challenged us to live in this great Sermon on the Mount.

These words in verse 12 are so connected to the previous verses. After hearing Jesus speak, a person May respond by thinking that it's best to live a life away from others. "I won't judge them if I'm not around them" could be an attitude that people develop. Jesus tells us that our devotion to God will be proven in the way we treat others.

Before Jesus said, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," this teaching was given in a negative way. The negative saying went something like this: "Do not do to anyone what you would not want done to you." And Jesus turned this to the positive, and the difference is profound. And the negative light, you could just leave others alone. You don't have to do anything, just don't bother them.

But Jesus gives his followers the command to do, which involves loving and sharing and helping and encouraging. You get the picture. Just think how this world would be if people followed this one verse. The great preacher CH Spurgeon said, "Oh, that all men acted on it, and then there would be no slavery, no lying, no robbing, but all would be Justice and love." So true. There's a great power here.

As I Was preparing this sermon, I learned the news that OJ Simpson had died. I saw some horrible comments on Facebook as people seemed to celebrate with Glee that OJ was dead and facing Eternal judgment. If I join that club of rock-throwing judges, I need to expect to be treated that way myself one day. I want Grace and salvation for all that I know, and I know that, uh, God can save anyone and everyone.

I know there'll be judgment and hell for those without Christ. However, I will not choose to celebrate the death of anyone. Jesus said in John 3:17, "For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be sa saved." I want all men to be saved. I want to love all men. I want to pray for all men.

I need to do to others what I want for me. I've said this for a few years now: I no longer have a go-to-hell list. I won't be happy about that. How we want to be treated should dictate how we treat all others, no matter what. One of the best things for us to do is to put ourselves in the shoes of others.

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this some up the Law and the Prophets." Earlier I said, just think how this world would be if people followed this one verse. Knowing how important it is, Jesus said, "for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." This sums up the greatest of Commandments: love God, love others.

We're in the middle of a big remodeling project at our house. We've had workers here from all over the world, literally. One young man named Lis is from Venezuela and not been in this country long. He speaks no English, or very little, and I've tried to put myself in his shoes. I've tried to treat him with love and kindness and respect. Isn't that what Jesus was talking about here?

I wondered where the phrase Golden Rule came from, and I read that the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius seus Alexander, also known as Alexander seus, had the words, these words of Jesus, inscribed on the throne room, on the wall in the throne room, in Gold letters. He was the Roman Emperor from 222 to 235. As I read about his life, I'd hope that he had Liv the rule, and, well, it seems not.

We need to engrave this rule on our hearts. We need to live it for everyone we encounter. Jesus told us to do what really doesn't come naturally. Self-centeredness is our default position, but he will give us the strength to overcome that. Give it a try.

Pray with me. Father, let us prove that you are resurrected by the way we treat others. I've heard before there's two reasons that people aren't Christians: one, they never met one, and two, they have met one. Help us to never be a stumbling block. Help us to always be loving and to treat others the wonderful way you've treated us. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen. Thanks for watching.