The Same Measure

Matt. 7:12 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.

This, so called, “golden rule” is a guide for us to live by.

A. It’s more than just a nice little guide.

1. Many of the things found in the spirit of the

“Golden Rule” will determine our very

salvation.

How we treat others is....EXACTLY HOW WE WILL

BE TREATED, BY GOD, ON THE JUDG-

MENT DAY!

A. To the same degree......in the same way......to the

same extent......with the same patience......with the

same mercy....etc., etc..

All of this can be quite scary.....when you really think about

it (and we really NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT!)

A. This isn’t some strange....deep....and quite

mysterious object to be pursued.

1. It’s simple....and it’s very difficult (if you

don’t work at it all the time)

a. GUIDELINE: Treat EVERYBODY in

the exact same way you want to be

treated by God!

1.) With the same kind and amount of

mercy, forgiveness, and love.....

with the same amount of patience

that we would like to have from

God......EVERYONE...ALL THE

TIME AND TO THE SAME

EXTENT THAT WE WANT TO

BE TREATED AT THE FINAL

JUDGMENT.

This can become quite scary as we examine ourselves and

don’t see ourselves in this picture.

A. All is not lost....as with any other sin....REPENT!

1. Along with that repentance, comes a different

YOU...a you that will operate within the way

of Christ.

Let us start now, by realizing that we haven’t been doing

the right thing,......and by searching for a true

understanding of what God wants.

I. We really need to come to grips with this thing called

“patience and kindness”. We desire it from God and

we desire it from our fellow man.

A. Just how much “patience and kindness” would

we expect from God?

1. Do we deal with God and mankind in the

same way as we expect to receive?

B. We have a bit of a problem, which we need to

fully understand.

1. Perfect patience comes from God.

a. God can, has, and does display this kind

of perfect patience to us, today,.....as

He has shown it to others in times past.

2. Being unable to attain to these Godlike

traits on our own......we need to turn to some-

one who is able to help us.

a. In comes the Holy Spirit....God....the one

who can practice perfect patience.

1.) As we are in the Holy Spirit...then

....and only then....can we practice

the patience that God demands of

us.

a.) It is not something that we can

do on our own....it is not

something that can be faked...

it IS something that we can

definitely recognize as

having......or not having.

C. Here’s where another trait needs to come in.....

we need to be honest with God, others, and our

own selves.

1. When the roles are reversed, we seek patience,

mercy, love, long-suffering, etc..

a. Why then, do we feel that we can act like

gods when we treat other’s difficulties

and sins against us......or those we

witness

Matt. 18:21-35 - 21Then Peter came to him and asked,

“Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins

against me? Seven times?”

22“No!” Jesus replied, “seventy times seven!

23“For this reason, the Kingdom of Heaven can be

compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to

date with servants who had borrowed money from him.

24In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who

owed him millions of dollars. 25He couldn’t pay, so the

king ordered that he, his wife, his children, and everything

he had be sold to pay the debt. 26But the man fell down

before the king and begged him, ‘Oh, sir, be patient with

me, and I will pay it all.’ 27Then the king was filled with

pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.

28“But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow

servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed

him by the throat and demanded instant payment. 29His

fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little

more time. ‘Be patient and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. 30But

his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and

jailed until the debt could be paid in full.

31“When some of the other servants saw this, they were

very upset. They went to the king and told him what had

happened. 32Then the king called in the man he had

forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that

tremendous debt because you pleaded with me.

33Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as

I had mercy on you?’ 34Then the angry king sent the man