12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7: 12-14 ESV
Matthew 7: 12-14 The Golden Rule
…35One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with a question: 36“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?” 37Jesus declared, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’…
…38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”… Matthew 22: 35-40
Whatever you wish that others would do - Note that it isn't written an eye for an eye, as in whatever others do to you do also to them. Remember Matthew 5? As part of this same sermon He has already told them that those belonging to His kingdom look a certain way, like Christ, which means they act a certain way, "Blessed are the merciful', and 'love your enemy, pray for those who persecute you". Many cultures and religious systems have a very similar structure to this; we call it the "Golden Rule", you like freedom then don't be like Russia, don't go into another nation unprovoked. You don't like getting your stuff stolen, well then don't steal, don't wanna be killed, well then don't be a murderer. Even some of the more new age types will "send good thoughts out into the universe, so the universe will send good thoughts or vibes back to them." It's a pretty simple concept, so why then are there still wars, stealing, murder and all that stuff? Short and simple, men are all in a fallen state from Adam onwards, and at enmity with God. Men are made in God's image, so we strike out at what we can get to. We want others to follow laws, at least the ones that benefit us, and yet, if we break the law, then we want others to forgive us, but we are all hypocrites in this. When I wanted to be an atheist, I did mostly because I didn't like aspects of God's laws, yet I wanted to maintain my own moral structure, still desiring to call some things right and some things wrong, but without any fixed moral bar, eternal deity. So we end up with a form of this, yet we are still corrupt, so we fight for who get's to decide what's right and wrong, and it unfortunately comes down to survival of the fittest, might making right. Some think a fairer form of this is democracy, where a majority vote decides what's right or good, and that for others as well, but as a Christian, I would now contend that the majority can also be wrong too. The Golden Rule has no strength on it's own, so if the people with the biggest guns and best technology also happen to be the nicest people, then we have some peace for a while. If I say, I have invented the atomic bomb and I don't want to use it, but if you don't behave I will, then everyone behaves for a while. But people are also greedy, so eventually the secrets to this technology get sold elsewhere, and now there is a race in arms, and much tension, as we all hope this doesn't fall into the hands of the insane, someone who does not see the image of God in others and whose ego would allow for them to press the button. So now the golden rule is basically a Mexican stand off, don't drop your bombs and I won't drop mine.
Do also to them - Respect others based not on how they treat you, but on how you would like to be treated by them. This extends to infractions as well. When you back into my car this is not the signal, justification, for me to jump out of mine and pull you through your window. I need to show mercy, knowing that I have wanted that for myself as well. We are so quick to be judge, jury and executioner, let your ego go, which is denying yourself, and then God will use you in this situation to be a peacemaker, to bring glory to Him and His kingdom.
…17You must not harbor hatred against your brother in your heart. Directly rebuke your neighbor, so that you will not incur guilt on account of him. 18Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. Leviticus 19: 17-18
…5For if you really correct your ways and deeds, if you act justly toward one another, 6if you no longer oppress the foreigner and the fatherless and the widow, and if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place or follow other gods to your own harm, 7then I will let you live in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.… Jeremiah 7: 5-7
Enter by the narrow gate - Now keep in mind, He is not talking to pagans who have never heard of God, He is talking to religious people and He has been dismantling the perversions of their system. He has called out their religious leaders, those who interpret God's law, as hypocrites. They believed they were righteous by their system, but they were leading men astray, keeping them blind to the context of Scripture, and not letting some anywhere near it. They were bigots, stuck up, proud, blind leaders of the blind. People esteemed them as holy, but it was all outward, and God was looking at their hearts, calling them murderers and adulterers based upon what He saw in there. They were at the wide gate, and those that followed them were going down that path as well. They thought that rich people were good people, that people who did outward deeds for the applause of men were good people. What does Jesus present? A narrow way, only wide enough for one person to enter at a time, the width of the one standing in front of them, a porthole made possible by Him and through Him, one way. He is offering self denial in place of self righteousness, mercy and repentance instead of sacrifice, faith instead of works, feelings or "good" intentions.
…6Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. 7Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon. 8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.… Isaiah 55: 6-8
9 To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable: 10“Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.… Luke 18: 9-10
23But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me. For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” 24Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. 25For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.… Matthew 16: 23-25
…16What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” 17“Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 18And: “I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”… 2 Corinthians 6: 16-18
Pride, self-righteousness, self-indulgence, sins of all sorts are welcome on the broad road, but if you’ve got them, you don’t even get on the narrow road, because you can’t get through the gate with that stuff. A West Indian who had chosen Islam over Christianity said this: “My reason is that Islam is a noble, broad path. There is room for a man and his sins on it, and the way of Christ is far too narrow.” That’s the choice.
A letter was written to the Melbourne Daily paper after the Billy Graham Crusade of some years back. This is what the man who wrote the letter said: “After hearing Dr. Billy Graham on the air, viewing him on TV, and reading reports and letters concerning him and his mission, I am heartedly sick of the type of religion that insists my soul and everyone else’s needs saving, whatever that means. I have never felt that I was lost, nor do I feel that I daily wallow in the mire of sin, although repetitive preaching insists that I do. Give me a practical religion that teaches gentleness and tolerance, that acknowledges no barriers of color or creed; that remembers the aged, and teaches children of goodness and not sin.
“If in order to save my soul I must accept such a philosophy as I have recently heard preached, I prefer to remain forever damned.” And he signed his name. And that’s the choice everyone makes. You either invent a nice little religion that fits you, or you take the truth of God and accept it. That’s the choice you make. One gives life, the other death. Let’s pray. Thank You, Father, this morning for speaking to us so pointedly. These are hard words, hard words for us to face because of our sin. May we face them. Thank You, though, that when we enter that narrow gate there is great security and confidence, as our hearts cry out Abba Father, knowing full well that we’re Your children. - J Mac
It's not the popular message, the widely accepted message; few there are that find it. All you, who have found the way, have only God to thank for that, not yourselves.
…18Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And after He had said this, He told him, “Follow Me.” 20Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper to ask, “Lord, who is going to betray You?”…
…21When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!” 23Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. However, Jesus did not say that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you?”… John 21: 18-23
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