Preached Feb, 1999 at Faith Baptist Church
By Pastor Steven E. Mays
"My Neighbor"
Matt. 22: 34
But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
I. Exemplified By the Shepherd
John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
15 as the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Everything that can be learned about love, is taught by our Saviour, The Lord Jesus Christ.
If you want to know anything you look at Christ. He is our Model! He is our Pattern!
A Christian is someone in Christ's Pattern… (amen)
Laying down your life….. Most would think that is only about Physically dying, but "Laying down your life covers a lot more than that…"
1. Self Denial -- Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
2. Death to Self -- John 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Taking up your Cross… in essence "FULFILLING YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES" to Christ… Pie in the Sky is pretty easy to speculate about isn't it…
II. Expounded By the Savior
Matt. 22: 34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
The sixteenth amendment ot the Constitution, legalizing federal income taxes, was adopted in 1913. It began as an amendment to a bill in Congress lowering the tariff on imports. The idea was that the small deficit from reduced tariff receipts could be taken care of by a tiny tax on prosperous incomes. On incomes from $14,000 to $20,000, the bite was one percent. Few made over $4,000. That amount had a buying power of at least $10,000 of today's money. Few opposed the idea. It didn't seem important. Now the thing is big and detailed that no one understands it… we treat love the same way…
Things really aren't as complicated as you might think… Love God, Love your Neighbor!
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.
This is why you don't steal from folks, or mistreat them… why? Because that isn't how you treat a neighbor!
Romans 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
I've meet several folks who thought they had the corner on the market concerning love… yet they were some of the Biggest Gossip's I ever met! That is a sorry Neighbor!
III. Expected By the Son of God
1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, WE OUGHT ALSO to love one another.
This Loving your Neighbor stuff, it's not for the those who decide to take that option. This is expected!
Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, AS Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
I stand amazed Tonight, folks work out in some factory, the boss requires them to stay late or come early, or work overtime… or just to show up on time and we don't bate an eye at that, Yet, when it comes to Christ and going the extra mile for a Neighbor or for the Cause of Christ, we whine and belly ache… it's a sad, sick, selfish testimony!
Do you love your Neighbor? Would you be known by it?
It would be quite wrong to think that the way to become "loving" is to sit trying to manufacture affectionate feelings. Some people are "cold" by temperament; that may be a misfortune for them, but it is no more a sin than having a bad digestion is sin; and it does not cut them off from the chance, or excuse them from the duty, of learning "love." The rule for us all is perfectly simple. Do not waste time bothering whether you "love" your neighbor; act as if you did. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love them. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less. There is however one exception. If you do him a good turn, not to please God and obey the law of love, but to show him what a fine forgiving chap you are, and to put him in your debt, and then sit down to wait for his "gratitude," you will probably be disappointed.... But whenever we do good to another self, just because it is a self, made like us by God, and desiring its own happiness as we desire ours, we shall have learned to love it a little more or, at least, to dislike it less. - C. S. Lewis
Let's get this to where we can live and make a difference….
Ezekiel 33:4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.
8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
What kind of a Neighbor are You?
Pass out Neighbor slips right here… Explain what you want done….
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