01-29-06 The Golden Rule

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RELATIONSHIP PRINCIPLES OF JESUS Continued . . .

Relationship Principle #4:TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WANT THEM TO TREAT YOU (The Golden Rule)

Luke 6:27-36 (NASB)27 "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 "Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat , do not withhold your shirt from him either. 30 "Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. 31 "Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. 32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 "If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 "If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. 35 "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. 36 "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.


The Relationship Rules of Jesus:

1. Love Your ENEMIES.

2. Do good to those who HATE you.

3. Bless those who CURSE you.

4. Pray for those who MISTREAT you.

5. Turn the other cheek.

6. Give them your shirt as well.

7. Give to everyone who asks.

The Relationship Rules we employ:
Treat others the way THEY have treated me.
Treat others the way YOU have treated me.
Treat others the way I THINK they’re going to treat me.

But, Jesus’ “Golden Rule” is…
“Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.” Luke 6:31 (NASB)

The hidden key to the Golden Rule is the word WANT.

Following the Golden Rule is not giving them what YOU want, but figuring out what THEY want!

Besides the Golden Rule, there is the “Imitate God Rule” in Luke 6
36 "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:36 (NASB)

My relationships are not only molded by WHAT I WANT, they are modeled after WHAT GOD DOES.

Five Great Relationship Principles of Jesus
I. PLACE THE HIGHEST VALUE ON RELATIONSHIPS
II. THINK OF OTHERS AS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOURSELF
III. IN THE SAME WAY YOU JUDGE OTHERS, YOU WILL BE JUDGED
IV. TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WANT THEM TO TREAT
V. THE GREATEST ARE THE SERVANTS
adapted from Tom Holladay

Sunday, January 22, 2006

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RELATING LIKE JESUS

Relationship Principle #3:
JUDGE OTHERS AND YOU WILL BE JUDGED!

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye. You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Matthew 7:1-5

Look at the Eyes!

· HYPOCRISY is looking at the speck in another’s eye, ignoring the log in your own.

· INTEGRITY is removing the log from your eye.

· MERCY is removing the speck from your brother’s eye.


Jesus’ PRINCIPLES OF JUDGMENT
3 truths about judgment that will keep your relationships healthy:

1. GOD will judge!
“For I, the Son of Mankind, shall come with My angels in the glory of My Father and judge each person according to his deeds.” Matthew 16:26 (TLB)

“The day will surely come when at God’s command Jesus Christ will judge the secret lives of everyone, their inmost thoughts and motives; this is all part of God’s great plan, which I proclaim.” Romans 2:16 (TLB)

For healthy relationships: leave judgment in GOD’s HANDS!

2. Now is not the TIME for final judgment.
“If anyone hears Me and doesn’t obey Me, I am not his judge – for I have come to save the world and not to judge it.” John 12:47 (TLB)

“But all who reject Me and My message will be judged at the Day of Judgment by the truths I have spoken.” John 12:48 (TLB)

For healthy relationships: await judgement until GOD’s TIME .


3. As you judge you will be judged… with your measure it will be measured!

Jesus’ advice in Luke is: (3 practical ways to practice mercy and not judgment)

1. Do not CONDEMN, and you will not be condemned.

2. FORGIVE and it will be forgiven.

3. GIVE, and it will be given to you – a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.


“Don’t grumble about each other, brothers. Are you yourselves above criticism? For see! The great Judge is coming. He is almost here. (Let Him do whatever criticizing must be done.)” James 5:9 (TLB)

For healthy relationships: Be honest about your FAULTS.


If this is true…

Then how could Jesus say “You hypocrites” to the Pharisees? Isn’t that judging??

“It isn’t our job to judge outsiders. But it certainly is our job to judge and deal strongly with those who are members of the church and who are sinning in these ways. God alone is the Judge of those on the outside. But you yourselves must deal with this man and put him out of your church. Don’t you know that someday we Christians are going to judge?
and govern the world? So why can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves?”

1 Corinthians 5:12-13, 6:2 (TLB)

“And remember that your heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites when He judges. He will judge you with perfect justice for everything you do; so act in reverent fear of Him from now on until you get to heaven.” 1 Peter 1:17 (TLB)

“And as we live with Christ, our love grows more perfect and complete so we will not be ashamed and embarrassed at the Day of Judgment, but can face Him with confidence and joy because He loves us and we love Him too.” 1 John 4:17 (TLB)

Sunday, December 4th, 2005

Martin Bluff Baptist Church

The Case for Christmas: Then and Now

rev·o·lu·tion (rev'0-lū'shun)
n. A sudden or momentous change in a situation

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

THE AUTOMOBILE REVOLUTION

THE ANNO DOMINI REVOLUTION

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ [5] took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed [6] to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us). Matthew 1:18-23

Anno Domini abbr. A.D. - Latin “Year of our Lord”

Immanuel - God with US.

JESUS A MAN OF MIRACLES!

Jesus Healed a Paralyzed Man.

MARK 2:1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “My son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Perhaps the greatest miracle of all is the forgiveness of sin that Jesus offers.

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matt 1: 21

Every person is guilty before God - every person has sinned

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23

Through the ANNO DOMINI REVOLUTION - Jesus broke into history at a particular point in time.

Today Jesus still breaks into the hearts of men and women and causes a Revolution of the heart.

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26

For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Romans 10:10

Jesus Revolutionzes the heart as He overcomes resistance and restores damaged relationships.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Rev 3:20

Jesus Revolutionizes the heart as He gives peace and strength in the midst of life’s storms . . .

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27

Jesus Revolutionizes the heart as He stamps out anger and fear . . .

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Tim 1:7

Has the Jesus Revolution Begun in Your Heart?

Sunday, January 15th, 2006

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CONSIDER OTHERS BETTER THAN YOURSELF

1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himselfand became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Phil. 2:1-11 (NIV)

Two relationship killers:
1. Selfish ambition “What will I GET?"

2. Vain conceit “How will I LOOK?"

Jesus’ definition of humility is not “Consider yourself worse than others.” His definition of humility is “Consider others better than yourself.”

In Order to ACT like others are more important you must:

GIVE YOUR RIGHTS AWAY!
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also…” Matthew 5:38-39

The legal way of righting wrongs: VENGENCE
“An eye for an eye…” (Ex. 21:23-25; Lev. 24:19-20; Deut. 19:21)

Jesus’ way of righting relationships: MEEKNESS
“Do not resist an evil person.”

Jesus applies Principle #2 in three practical ways:
1. If someone slaps you on the right cheek: In the case of an insult.

Respond by turning the other cheek: VULNERABILITY.

2. If someone wants to sue you and take your tunic: In the case of a dispute.

Resond by letting him have your cloak: MEEKNESS.

3. If someone forces you to go one mile: In the case of demands.

Respond by going with him two: SERVICE.

What are 3 or 4 common ways that people in our day try to take from one another?


The ultimate expression of giving your rights: (Matt 5:43-48)
· Love your enemies.
· Pray for those who persecute you.

MBBC Sun. AM January 8th, 2006

GREAT RELATIONSHIP PRINCIPLES OF JESUS
“A new command I give you, love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

John 13:24

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as
in Christ god forgave you.” Eph. 4:32

I. VALUE RELATIONSHIPS ABOVE ALL
“Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matt. 6:31


II. LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU
“This is My commandment: that you love each other as much as I love you.” John 15:12

III. PUT OTHERS FIRST
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility, consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…” Phil. 2:3-4

IV. IN THE SAME WAY YOU JUDGE OTHERS, YOU WILL BE JUDGED (Mathew 7:1-5)

V. THE GREATEST ARE THE SERVANTS
“The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew 23:11-12

VI. TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WANT THEM TO TREAT YOU
“Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.” Luke 6:31


Principle #1: VALUE RELATIONSHIPS ABOVE ALL ELSE
Jesus taught that relationships deserve the highest of values. (Matt 22:37-40)

“Which is the greatest commandment?” That’s a values question. Jesus answered:

1. The Greatest Commandment: “Jesus replied: " '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.”
2. 39“And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Valuing your relationship with God means…

1. Love Him with all your heart. Your heart is where Feel .

2. Love Him with all your mind. Your mind is where you Think .

3. Love Him with all your soul. Your soul is where you Decide .


Valuing your relationships with others means:

1. Asking: What’s worth my Time?

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”

See - Luke 10:40-41

2. Asking: Who’s worth my Trust?

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”

See - Matt. 10:29-31


JESUS VALUES RELATIONSHIPS!
Jesus places a high value on relationship with Him.

He died on the cross to make relationship with Him possible.
(John 15:13-14)

Jesus places a high value on the relationship of marriage.
“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to commit adultery.” Matthew 5:31

Jesus’ statements about MARRIAGE:
· “God made man and woman to be joined together permanently in marriage.”
Mark 10:6 (NIV)
· “Therefore a man is to leave his father and mother, and he and his wife are united so that they are no longer two, but one.” Mark 10:7-8 (TLB)
· “And no man may separate what God has joined together.” Mark 10:9 (TLB)

Jesus places a high value on our relationships as Christians.

“All people will know that you are My followers if you love each other.”

John 13:35 (NCV)
adapted from Tom Holladay

Standing on the Threshold:
Remembering and Anticipating

Martin Bluff Baptist Church
Gautier, MS
January 1, 2006


Why Do I Observe the Lord’s Supper?
Because Jesus Instructed His first followers to “Do this in remembrance of me.”

Luke 22:19 (NLT)
Then he took a loaf of bread; and when he had thanked God for it, he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."


How Should I Observe the Lord’s Supper?
1. I should take the Lord’s Supper thoughtfully because I am proclaiming that Christ died for my sins.

2. I should take the Lord’s Supper thoughtfully because I am proclaiming that Christ is coming again.

1 Cor. 11:26 (NLT)
For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until he comes again.

3. I should take it with reverence and respect.

1 Cor. 11:27 (NLT)
So if anyone eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily, that person is guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord.

4. I should examine myself for any unconfessed sin or resentful attitude.

1 Cor. 11:28 (NLT)
That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup.

5. I am to be properly prepared, based on my belief in and love for Christ.

1 Cor. 11:29-30 (NLT)
For if you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself. 30That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.