The Golden Rule

THE GOLDEN RULE

INTRODUCTION: A rather legalistic Seminary student wanted to have a Scriptural basis for everything he did. He felt he was on solid ground if he could quote the Bible, book, chapter and verse to okay his actions. He did all right with that until he began to fall in love with a beautiful co-ed. He wanted very much to kiss her, but he just couldn’t find a scripture to okay it. So, true to his conscience, he would simply walk her to the dormitory each night, look at her longingly, and then say "Good night." This went on for several weeks, and all the time he was searching the Bible, trying to find some Scripture to okay kissing her good night. But, one evening, as he walked her to the dormitory and once again started to bid her "Good night”, she grabbed him, pulled him toward her, and planted a ten-second kiss right on his lips. At the end of the kiss, the Seminary student gasped for air, and stammered, "Bible verse, Bible verse." The girl grabbed him a second time, and just before kissing him again, said, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Okay, this might not be the best application of the Golden Rule but it’s pretty creative. The Golden Rule has always been popular. In fact, the reason it’s called the Golden Rule is because a Roman emperor, Alexander Severus, had this saying of Jesus engraved on his wall in gold. So, let’s take a look at this saying of Jesus called, ‘the Golden Rule’.

1) The Golden Rule fulfils the law of love.

Mt 7:7-12, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

At first glance it doesn’t look like verse 12 goes with the previous verses. Jesus is talking about God giving good gifts to those who ask and then finishes with the golden rule. What’s the connection?

Jesus is highlighting God’s love and generosity. I believe he is also highlighting God’s grace and mercy because how often have we received these things from God when we’ve messed up?

Then Jesus points out that we are already implementing this to a degree when it comes to our children. We show them love and generosity; we show them grace and mercy. We don’t give them everything they want just like God doesn’t give us everything we want. God does what’s in our best interest and we, out of love, do likewise for our children.

But then Jesus takes it a step further by challenging us to show that kind of love to others. Treat others the way you are treated by God. Show God’s love to others; show God’s generosity to others. Show God’s grace and mercy to others. These are the things you would want done to you so therefore go and do them for your fellow man.

The Golden Rule sums up the law and the prophets because it was all about love. Loving God and loving others. That’s what Jesus said the two greatest commandments were. The Golden Rule has love as the driving force.

Rom. 13:8-10, “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

“In March of 1943, Bulgaria, which had aligned with the Nazis, received orders from Berlin that they were to begin implementing the Final Solution, the extermination of the Jewish people in Bulgaria and deport them to Treblinka. The King of Bulgaria and the Parliament did not want to fulfill this order, but they passed it on nonetheless. The people of Bulgaria began to wonder what would happen to their Jewish neighbors and friends. The railroad cars were lined up 100’s long and the Jewish people in 3 towns were to be gathered at the local elementary school and then placed on the trains. Plodda was one of those towns. The Jewish people were told to bring only what they could carry. They were placed behind a chain-link fence at the school and they knew what was going to happen. They began to cry out to their neighbors and tell them goodbye with tears streaming down their faces.