Like A Good Neighbor, God's Church Is There Series

“I Love This Place” Series

“Like a Good Neighbor, God’s Church Is There”

Matthew 5:38-48

Introduction:

Do any of you know what the “golden rule” is? It a rule of living that Jesus gave us saying that successful living focuses on two things: “Loving God with our all our heart and loving our neighbor as ourselves.”

Eight times in the Bible we are told to love our neighbor. It was a staple, not only of Jesus’ teaching but His living.

1. It shows up in the story of the Good Samaritan.

2. It shows up in the way Jesus treated the lepers; although He was not from the neighborhood,

he treated them like a neighbor should.

3. It shows up in the way Jesus treats us; He is always there, although He his home was heaven,

as Max Lucado put it, “He moved into the neighborhood.”

If you watched “Home Improvement” years ago starring Tim Allen, you will remember a guy named “Wilson.” We never knew if Wilson was his first name or second name. He was just “Wilson.”

For eight seasons (From 1991-1999) “Tim to the Tool Man Taylor” would go into his backyard and would talk to his neighbor. Over those seasons “Wilson” was almost like the neighborhood sage. We knew he was highly educated, well read, traveled extensively, and was the cousin to Brian Wilson of the Beach boys.

Yet, one thing we never knew was what Wilson looked like. The reason why was because he never showed his whole face.

It was always partially hidden. There was a reason for that. The reason was two-fold:

1) Because Tim Allen had real life neighbor as a kid that would talk to him from the fence and

Tim was so short that he could never look at his neighbor eye to eye. So, in the show, He

created a character to honor his real-life neighbor.

2) Because it reminds us all that any one of us can be a neighbor. We all can fit the bill of being a

good neighbor. It’s a choice.

In Jesus life, ministry, and teaching He calls us to be a neighbor. A real neighbor. One that is simply defined by the command to: “love your neighbor as yourself”

One of the things Jesus loves about His church is that we are dispersed into different neighborhoods. We live in a community of people. We may not have a picket fence to lean over, but we have a neighborhood to take Jesus into. We do this as we “ “love our neighbor as ourselves.” Do you want me to explain what that means best? It means simply: “Love your neighbor like Jesus.”

Transitional Sentence: How do I love my neighbor like Jesus?

I. Forgive Others Like Jesus

Vs. 38-40-“ You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and an tooth for a tooth, but I say do not resist an evil person, but whoever slats you on your right check, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.”

Explanation:

One day Jesus went and sat down on the side of a hill in Galilee and explained to us how like is designed by God to be lived. This “talk” or “sermon” is called “The Beatitudes” which basically means: “The attitudes that ought to be.”

When it came to relationships and Jesus; He had the right attitude. It was an attitude of forgiveness and grace. Do you think you have Jesus’ attitude? Let’s see.

In Jesus day there were a lot of things being taught about relationships. In the synagogues Rabbis were quoting the Old Testament passage of Exodus 21:4 that simply reads: “Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”

This was taught consistently, but the way it was taught was incorrect.

When God communicated this verse, He was providing a guideline to the judges of Israel in how to administer civil justice. It was not in a section on how we should treat our neighbor.

They took this verse out of the realm of governmental justice, and put it in the hands of anyone. Therefore, they interpreted the verse in this way: “Take justice into your own hands. If someone knocks out your tooth, knock theirs out. If they stomp on your foot; stomp on theirs.”

Likewise, Rabbis took it to the next level and said: “You are obligated by God to do this. They went as far as to say, “If you punch me, I am obligated to punch you back because God told me to do get you back. Eye for an eye, a punch for a punch. (More or less)

The common teaching of Jesus day was not about forgiveness; it was about revenge and retribution.