If you were walking down an icy sidewalk one winter’s day and you slipped and fell, badly spraining your ankle so that it was difficult to walk, wouldn’t you want someone to assist you in getting to some place that you could get help? I think that we all would appreciate that very much. But what if you saw this scenario happen right before you to someone else; what would you do? Would you help that person or not?
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.”
What kind of things do you like to have done to you? How do you like to be treated by others? These are questions that we all should know the answers to.
Jesus commands His followers to be filled up with love towards others, and to do this we must be able to treat others in the way that we would want to be treated. That is love.
Love is the end of the commandment, Jesus taught. To treat others as you would want to be treated is exactly how Jesus lived and taught His apostles to live. Not just to those you are close to, such as your close friends and family, but to treat everyone with this same kind of love. To “love your neighbor as yourself.”
Luke 10:25-37 “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
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.”
When Jesus died on the cross, whose sins did He die for? Just the sins of His disciples and followers? No, he died for the sins of everybody, the entire world. He showed everyone, good and bad, the same treatment. Those who may have sinned only a couple times and those who might have sinned hundreds each are the recipient of Christ’s love. Jews, Gentiles, black, white, male, female–all are treated the same by Christ, and we need to follow that example and apply it in our lives.
If you don’t want someone to hurt you don’t hurt others. Do you want others to spread lies and evil things about you? If not, then act accordingly. As we read about the Good Samaritan, our neighbor is not just those who live next door, but are everyone we meet. Whoever it is doesn’t matter, make sure that you treat them all the same, with love. Treat your neighbor as yourself, and show love as Jesus has taught.
In Christ
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 