Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to ask you a little question.
If you were drowning in a lake somewhere, would you want someone to reach out and save you? If you were a young child who got hurt on your bicycle, would you want someone to lift you up? If you fell down in your home and needed help, would you want somebody to assist you?
This reminds me of the Christian life.
How would you treat yourself, if you were in the same situation that someone else was in? God commands us to treat others in the same manner that we want to be treated. To do this, you really need to ask yourself this question. If that was me, how would I react? If that was me, what would I do? Will you treat them the same way as you treat the person who is looking back at you, every time you look into the mirror?
Matthew 7:12 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.
We naturally care about ourselves. For example, when we are hungry we find ourselves something to eat. If we are thirsty, we will get ourselves a glass of water. When we are cold, we find warmer clothing. As a Christian, we are supposed to love others in the same way that we love ourselves. If you do it for yourself, then you should be able to do it for others too. This is what it means to love your neighbor as yourself.
Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
The carnal nature is very selfish. Instead of thinking about others, it only thinks about itself. When it sees someone who is struggling, it turns the other way. It provides for its own needs, but then closes up to the needs of others. It is more concerned about what will benefit itself, rather than benefiting others. To truly love others is to think about them, rather than focusing just on yourselves.
Philippians 2:3-4 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.
Scriptures teach us that the love of money is the root of all evil. This misplaced love will cause someone to close off their heart, when the opportunity to help somebody presents itself. Time will be used to further one’s own interests, rather than helping others with what God has given you. How can you possess earthly wealth, and ignore the cries of the poor that surround us every day? Easily, when somebody’s heart is void of love for their neighbor.
1 John 3:17-19 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
James 2:15-16 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Jesus gives an example of treating others the way that you would want to be treated.
Luke 10:26-37 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Like shutting off a sink faucet, some people completely shut off compassion for others. Nowadays, people will quickly say, ” it’s not my problem, I’ve got enough things going on in my life as it is.” The Samaritan was compassionate towards the suffering of another person, giving freely of his time and possessions to help somebody else. In the following passage, it teaches about the eternal consequences of not caring about others by turning away from them in their time of need.
Luke 16:19-31 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
From the highest in society to the lowest, whether rich or poor, we are all members one of another. Those who profess to be Christian need to open their hearts to the needs of their neighbors. Look at them as if you were looking at yourself. Care about them the way that you care about yourself. Granted we won’t always be treated the way that we want to be treated, but what matters is how you have treated them. If you desire mercy, then be merciful. If you desire kindness, then be kind. If you desire love, then show love to others.
When you gaze into the eyes of your neighbor just ask yourself this question. Will you treat them the same way as you treat the person who is looking back at you, every time you….
……Look into the Mirror.
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
tlkjbc.com
.
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 