“…as you would have them do unto you.”. Are we growing spiritually? Judgment day will be a...

“…as you would have them do unto you.”

Are we growing spiritually?

• Judgment day will be a surprise for many religious people. (Mt 7:21-23)


• Matthew 7:21-23 - " Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'


• They were active in what they thought was acceptable service to God.

• But they did not know God and as a result they could not imitate Him.

• They had developed a self-centered religion and placed God’s name on it.

• We can be ready to meet the Lord as we keep our hearts tender and open to Him.


• Jesus is the potter and we are the clay! (Isa 64:8; Rom 8:29)


• Isaiah 64:8 - But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.


• Romans 8:29 - For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.


• There are many tests we could take to see how we are progressing. We must be moving from a self-centered life to a life of self-denial. How can we know?

• How do we view, think and treat others? This is one of the greatest tests we can take! Everything God wants can be found in two simple tests! (Mt 22:37-40)


• Matthew 22:37-40 - Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 "This is the first and great commandment. 39 "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

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We are challenged to treat others as we would want to be treated

• If we follow the spirit of the world, we become the flawless center of the universe. (Jer 17:9-10)


• Jeremiah 17:9-10 - " The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? 10 I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.


• In the world we are given allowances while others are judged without mercy.

• In the world we want others to understand us but we do not lift a finger to understand others.

• In the world we will hold grudges and seek revenge. We will trust no one but ourselves. (Titus 3:3)


• Titus 3:3 - For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.


• In the world we can have no peace with this mind. (Isa 57:19-21)


• Isaiah 57:19-21 - "I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near," Says the LORD, "And I will heal him." 20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 "There is no peace," Says my God, "for the wicked."


• Jesus challenges us to think about our actions towards others. (Mt 7:12)


• Matthew 7:12 - "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.


• This is not just about self-interest. Even a selfish person is challenged to think.

• This way of thinking is found in the Old Testament. (Ex 22:21)


• Exodus 22:21 - " You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.


• The pain of recent memories helped Israel. (Ex 23:9)


• Exodus 23:9 - "Also you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.


• How we handle and remember our hurts is crucial to how we treat others.

• If Israel could remember the unmerited mercy they received because they daily gave thanks to God, then they would treat others with mercy.

• We cannot be a Christian without a grateful heart that has been broken and healed. (Mt 5:3-4)


• Matthew 5:3-4 - "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.


• Have we forgotten what God has done for us?

• We all were once were lost and strangers. (Eph 2:11-13)


• Ephesians 2:11-13 - Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh -- who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands -- 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.


• 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.


• Do you and I remember what it was to be lost? Evangelism helps us!

• I remember the first services that I visited. Someone cared for me!

• How did the Pharisees treat the lost? (Lk 18:10-11)


• Luke 18:10-11 - "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.


• You cannot have a right attitude towards others when you are filled with self.

We are challenged to think of others as we would want others to think of us

• Self-centered people are quick to make unrighteous judgment on others. (Mt 7:1-4)


• Matthew 7:1-4 -"Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?


• Jesus appeals to us to remember others that have judged us unfairly. He is repeating the golden rule in a different form.

• One of the great challenges we face is to be pulled into an unjust and unmerciful mindset. It is poisonous and a form of hatred. (1 Jn 3:15; Lev 19:18)


• 1 John 3:15 - Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.


• Leviticus 19:18 - 'You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.


• When you let your mind go down this path you will likely give in to mistreatment of others. What can be taken from those you hate? (Lev 19:34-37)


• Leviticus 19:34-37 - 'The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. 35 ' You shall do no injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight, or volume.


• 36 'You shall have honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. 37 ' Therefore you shall observe all My statutes and all My judgments, and perform them: I am the LORD.' "


• We must be committed to principle and not let emotions drive us. (Jn 7:24)


• John 7:24 - "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."


• Emotional people can be easily manipulated to false reality.

• Jesus was successfully slandered because people did not pursue justice. (Lk 7:33-35; Prov 18:8)


• Luke 7:33-35 - "For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' 34 "The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' 35 "But wisdom is justified by all her children."


• Proverbs 18:8 - The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body.


• Ask these questions often: “What do I know?” “Did this really happen or do I really think I can read minds?” Have friends that help you!

• Am I letting unresolved issues of the past poison me? Often our hurts have distorted the past as well. (Eph 4:26-27)


• Ephesians 4:26-27 - "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.

How can we have a heart of justice and mercy towards others?

• We must major on seeing our forgiveness towards God. (2 Pt 1:8-11)


• 2 Peter 1:8-11 - For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.


• 10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.


• When we do this we will be reminded of our own need of mercy and rejoice!

• We will love mercy and want to reflect God’s character. We will reach out!

• Without this we will become isolated and suspicious of our brethren.

• I need to honestly test my own heart. Consider these questions:


• 1. Am I often dominated by critical thoughts towards my brethren?

• 2. Are there people I avoid or withhold a “thank you” or encouragement?

• 3. Do I often think of a “me versus them” situation among brethren? (1 Sam 22:8)


• 1 Samuel 22:8 - "All of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who reveals to me that my son has made a covenant with the son of Jesse; and there is not one of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day."


• 4. Am I spending more time with people of the world than with Christians?

• 5. Am I quick to be hurt by questionable actions of others or am I quick to make allowances for others? (1 Cor 13:7; Lk 23:34)


• 1 Corinthians 13:7 - bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.


• Luke 23:34 - Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.


• What does God want me to think of my brethren? (Rom 14:19; 15:1-2)


• Romans 14:19 - Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.


• Romans 15:1-2 - We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.


• We must always be glad and actively seek to encourage every brother.

• I should go out of my way to help those that I may struggle with!

• When I really learn the love of God I will be glad to be with my brethren! I will speak well of them and heartily greet them! (Eph 4:1-2; 2 Pt 1:8-11)


• Ephesians 4:1-2 - I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,


• In marriage we need tongues guided by “the law of kindness.” (Prov 31:26)


• Proverbs 31:26 - She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.


• True spiritual growth will be seen here. How are we doing?

The dangers of false teachers taking advantage of us

• Those that do not pursue this are prime targets for false teaching. (Mt 7:15)


• Matthew 7:15 - " Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.


• There are men who work in the background and use bitterness as a tool.

• Some are easily manipulated to broadly accept slander concerning churches.

• Satan will take your anger and shut down your mind. (1 Jn 2:9-10)


• 1 John 2:9-11 - He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.


• Some have used visits to homeless shelters as a mean of attacking brethren!

• We must not let men cause us to discard mercy and fairness. (Jas 2:13; Mt 5:7)


• James 2:13 - For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.


• Matthew 5:7 - Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.


• Are we growing or pulling back? Let us follow Jesus in serving others!

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