The Golden Rule

Key Scripture:

Matthew 7:11 (KJV)   If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

SUMMARY

This sermon beautifully explains what it means to be a Christian. Taking Matthew 7:12 as the Golden Rule, we learn on how we are to live as people who receive good things from our Heavenly Father. We have a big role to play too. It’s time to give back to the Lord and we learn how to do it from God’s word.

SERMON POINTS

The Golden Rule

Matthew 7:12 (KJV) 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.

The Lord wants us to be  unique people-people who bring about good things in the midst of all the negativity in the world. The Golden Rule in Christianity is this scripture- to do unto others as you want them to do to you.

God desires to give us good things. The Bible says that He crowns us with good things (Psalms 103:4).

To experience the good things from God, we need to follow the principle of the Golden Rule. When we hold Jesus Christ in our hearts, His goodness must reflect on the outside. We must desire and work to give the good things we have received from God to the hurting world.

We receive good things from God when we pray and also through the Father’s compassion, love, holiness and goodness over our lives. By following the Golden Rule, we who are full of God’s goodness are ready to go out to spread it into the world. Here is what we understand about Christianity from the golden rule

 

What True Christianity is all about.

1. Christianity is all about doing than hearing 

 Matthew 7:24 (KJV) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

 We hear a lot of sermons and we do that year after year. But Christianity is not based on hearing alone, it is in our actions; it’s all about doing

We have been called like Abraham to bless nations (Genesis 12:2). Especially in the trying times that we are in, this is the time to show the love of Christ.

Our Lord Jesus stressed on actions based on the hearing of the Word and that’s where we all fail. We need to actionize what we hear. We must come out and be more involved in the field, united in Christ, being there for others and strengthening one another.

God will do good things but what we do with it, determines how we follow the Golden Rule (Psalms 37:3).

These times are the test of our ‘doing quotient’ which goes beyond any barriers of offence, ego and pride. This is what we have been called to do like Jesus Christ of Nazareth who went about doing good, setting a model for us (Acts 10:38). We too are created to do good works in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:10)

2. Christianity is more about others than self

 Philippians 2:3,4 (KJV)  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

 Man’s greatest problem is obsession with self. God requires us to come out of that. The Golden Rule is all about an ‘other’ perspective. Do unto others…

Others include everyone around you. Once Christ is in our hearts we realize the crisis of our self-indulgence and regard one another better than ourselves and serve one another showing the goodness of Jesus.

These actions of kindness are never based on how people respond to them. Instead our actions towards others are always based on Jesus Christ whom we serve. This is how we are to treat others:

Jesus asked us to love one another as He loved us (John 15:17)

His love made Him serve His disciples, wash their feet though He was their Lord and Teacher (John 13:4).

The Bible teaches us to be kind and compassionate, quick to forgive (Ephesians 4:32), being devoted (Romans 12:10), honoring one another and always looking out for the interest of others.

In Christianity, there is no place for selfishness. Someone once said about the power of the Golden Rule- “This law is definite, simple, universal, beneficent, under authority of Christ, its observance would provide solution of all problems, preserve all rights, enforce all duties, cancel all differences, silence all discord and prevent all wars.”

If only we can come out of ‘self-zones’ and be willing to open our eyes, we can see the power of God’s peace overtaking the troubled world.

 

3. Christianity is all about understanding God’s heart

 Being a Christian means understanding the heart of God. God’s heart is revealed in the Law and Prophets, which is God’s word. The Torah is still a mystery. Once when asked, ‘What is the Torah?’ Rabbi Hillel said, ” That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah and the rest is commentary. Now go and study.”

Jesus Christ doesn’t teach us what we should refrain from doing, instead He stresses on what we are to do unto others.

We are called to not just be hearers but doers of the word of God and be countercultural. Our life is not based on responses but it is a reflection of Christ in you.  

CONCLUSION.

W H Griffith Thomas said, “What is called the Golden Rule is based on God’s willingness to give, since we have yielded ourselves to Him in prayer with perfect confidence that He will give everything that is good, we in turn are to imitate Him in our conduct.”

Can we turn to God and let go of our complacency, narcissism and self-centeredness? The Golden Rule challenges against all of these. The Church and the community are looking up to you. Let everyday be a day where you show the love of Christ to those around you. Let us initiate a goodness revolution around us. We can make a decisive difference in others lives, even as the world is battling against this pandemic.