Just Do It!

Title: Just Do It!

Theme:

Text: Matthew 7:12; Mark 12:28 - 31

Opening Scripture

Isaiah 53:1-5 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? (2) For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. (3) He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. (4) Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. (5) But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Offering

Proverbs 11:24-25

There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.

Context

Before

Matthew 7:11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12 NKJV) cf. Luke 6:31

After

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. (14) Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Paul Emphasized in Romans 13:9 & Galatians 5:13, 14

Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving [58] that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?" Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' [59] This is the first commandment. [60] And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' [61] There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:28-31 NKJV)

Introduction

Last week we talked about from John 17 where Jesus challenges His church to be not in the world but of the world. He never calls us to isolate ourselves but to separate ourselves.

We realize we are ambassadors of Christ. We represent Him. We must be different. It is not easy to be different.

So how should we interact.

Principle # 1: These words sum up all the words of the laws and the prophets

Average Old Testament has 677 pages. Over 330 commandments.

NLT 12 "Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

So what Jesus was saying that this one phrase “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is the summary of the whole Old Testament.

Principle #2: These are words of Action

Words of Action – We take the initiative

Other Religions – Negative

Christianity – Action

Do G4160 - Original: ποιέω - Transliteration: Poieo - Phonetic: poy-eh'-o

- Definition: to make, to be the author of, to produce, bear fruit,

MSG 12 "Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God's Law and Prophets and this is what you get.

3. The golden rule is concerned with true love and with positive, active behavior.

a. It is more than not doing wrong (lying, stealing, cheating).

b. It is more than just doing good (helping, caring, giving).

c. It is looking, searching, and seeking for ways to do the good that you want others to do to you. It is seeking ways to treat others just as you want them to treat you.

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Matthew I.

Isaiah’s Challenge

Isaiah 1:17-18 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; [1] Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. (18) "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.