Just Do It!

Luke 6:27-36

January 10, 2010 – ©Rev. Dr. Linnea E. Carnes

Introduction

Last Sunday I introduced the first of our two goals for our church for 2010. Remember the first goal? “We will become people of prayer.” Prayer connects us to God and helps us live in godly ways.

A little boy in his Sunday school class was asked, “What do you think the Bible is trying to teach us?” His answer was: “The Bible is telling us to love God and to love people 365 days each year, and to be sure not to take too many days off.” [James W. Moore, At the End of the Day (Nashville, TN: Dimensions for Living, 2002) 23-24].

Today we begin to explore our second goal. Live daily the Golden Rule: “Always treat others as you would like them to treat you.” [Matt.7:12, REB]. The NIV says, “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.” Or as the little boy said, “Love God and love people 365 days each year, and to be sure not to take too many days off.”

The Golden Rule

That’s what the “Golden Rule” means. We can tiptoe around this verse or try to make it say what we want, but Jesus was very clear. “Always treat others as you would like them to treat you.”

David’s Example

The story of David and Mephibosheth from 2 Samuel 9 that was read this morning is an example of what the Golden Rule looks like in action from the Old Testament. King Saul had tried to kill David many times. After Saul and his son Jonathan were killed in battle, David was finally declared the King of Israel. At that time the new king of a country, would often kill all those related to the former king, as well as anyone else who might be a threat to the new king.

However, King David had made a promise to his friend Jonathan, that he would always show kindness to those in Jonathan’s family. When King David found out that Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth was still alive, he sent for him. Mephibosheth came in fear for his life, expecting to be killed. David welcomed him and assured him that no harm would come to him. Instead, David returned the property that belonged to his friend Jonathan to Mephibosheth. He promised to take care of him and make sure others provided for his family as well. Jonathan was invited to eat at the King’s table.

David’s actions were counter-cultural to what was expected of a king in that time and place. Instead of trying to get even for Saul’s trying to kill him, he extended compassion and love toward Mephibosheth. David did for Mephibosheth what he wanted Mephibosheth to do for him.

He had the power to put anyone to death, but chose to extend the gift of life to his friend’s son, who was lame in both feet.

Living the Golden Rule

Watchman Nee tells about a Chinese Christian who owned a rice paddy next to one owned by a communist man. The Christian irrigated his paddy by pumping water out of a canal, using a leg-operated pump that makes the user appear to be seated on a bicycle. Every day, after the Christian had pumped enough water to fill his field, the communist would come out, remove some boards that kept the water in the Christian’s field and let all the water flow down into his own field. That way, he didn’t have to pump. This continued day after day. Finally the Christian prayed, “Lord, if this keeps up, I’m going to lose all my rice, maybe even my field. I’ve got a family to care for. What can I do?”

In answer to his prayer the Lord put a thought in his mind. So, the next morning he got up much earlier, before the sun had begun to rise, and started pumping water into the field of his communist neighbor. Then he replaced the boards and pumped water into his own rice paddy. In a few weeks both fields were doing well—and the communist was converted. [PreachingToday.com, “Serving Your Enemy” (Making Things Right When Things Go Wrong, Howard, 1996)].

What makes a Christian do something so radical? Why do something nice for someone who is bad to you? Because that’s what Jesus did. Jesus wasn’t nice to only the nice people. He didn’t heal just the good people. He cared and showed love for all people.

After Jesus had washed his disciples’ feet, he told them, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” [John13:15].

But how do we know what Jesus wants us to do? What is the best way to help someone in need? When someone is hateful to us, how do we know the right way to show love to them?

We do what the Chinese Christian man did – ask God. He prayed and God gave him an answer. Then he did what God suggested.

Last week I mentioned that if you want to know how to pray, ask God. And if we want to know what God wants us to do, we need to ask God.

If God is going to do miraculous things in your life, you need to pray, seek God’s wisdom, ask God. We need to seek God daily. And we need to pray every day if we want to see God work miracles. The more we talk with God, the better we know his voice and his heart. The more we pray, the more we will hear the answers God has for us.

Also, if you really want to “Always treat others as you would like them to treat you,” you need to pray. Ask God to open your eyes and your heart to see how God wants you to treat them. God will answer your prayers and help you know what the right thing to do is. God will also give you the power to do it. Ask God to give you the power to do what he has called you to do – to love your enemy.

We can always think of excuses for why we should not follow the Golden Rule. We can try to justify our bad behavior toward someone who isn’t nice to us. But as Christians, we are called to surrender our lives to God and live in a way that honors God. Jesus tells us to imitate him.

· People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway.

· If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

· If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

· The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Be good anyway.

· What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

· People need help but may attack you if you try to help them. Help them anyway.

· In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway. [Keith M. Kent, “The Paradoxical Commandments,” from The Silent Revolution: Dynamic Leader-ship in the Student Council (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Student Agencies) 1968].

Jesus said: “Always treat others as you would like them to treat you.” So just do it!

N. T. Wright wrote, “Think of the best thing you can do for the worst person, and go ahead and do it. Think of what you’d really like someone to do for you, and do it for them.”

He went on to say: “Jesus whole life was one of exuberant generosity, giving all he’d got to give to everyone who needed it. … And finally when they struck him on the cheek and ripped the coat and shirt off his back, he went on loving and forgiving. He didn’t show love only to his friends, but to his enemies, weeping over the city that had rejected his plea for peace. He was the true embodiment of the God of whom he spoke.”

Jesus showed people the selfless, overflowing love of God. We need to be like Jesus, “because that’s what God is like.” [N.T. Wright, Luke for Everyone (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004) 73-75].

Conclusion

Jesus gave us the Golden Rule 2,000 years ago, but God hasn’t changed. God still wants us to pray. God still wants us to “always treat others as you would like them to treat you.”

The goals we have set out for our church are what God wants and expects from those who follow Jesus. However, unless we commit ourselves to these goals, we will get to next January 10^th and have not accomplished anything other than getting from day to day and year to year.

Goals require a commitment of mind and heart. Yet, when we commit ourselves to these goals, God will help us keep them. When we pray daily and try to live the Golden Rule, God will do great things in our lives and the life of our church.

If you really want to see God’s power unleashed in your life, prayer has to be a priority. Prayer has to become a part of everyday. Start with 10 minutes if this is new to you. But make them 10 minutes of uninterrupted time with God everyday.

We also need to make a commitment to live the Golden Rule. When difficult people interrupt our life, we need to ask God how to respond so that our actions reflect Jesus’ love in us. When someone is mean to you they expect you to be mean in return. Surprise them!

Ask God to help you “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.” [Lk.6:27-28].

Our commitment to this will bless us and honor God. Each time we choose to love rather than hate, we shine the light of Christ into the darkness of this world. The world is a little brighter when we reflect the love of Jesus

The book mark with our two goals for this year is for you. Don’t leave it in the hymnal or throw it out. Take it home with you and put it where you will see it often.

Memorize the goals and the verse.

◊ We will become people of prayer: “Constantly ask God’s help in prayer, … always praying for all God’s people.” [Eph.6:18].

◊ We will live daily the Golden Rule: “Always treat others as you would like them to treat you.” [Mt7:12].

© Commit yourself to daily prayer.

© Commit your life to treating others as you would like them to treat you.

© And don’t take too many days off.

© Jesus says it, so let’s just do it! Amen.

Return to the Sermons Page

Return to the Immanuel Home Page

To email Pastor Carnes or Immanuel Evangelical Covenant Church office@immanuelcov.org

This sermon is copyright ©2010 by Rev. Dr. Linnea E. Carnes, Immanuel Evangelical Covenant Church, Chicago, Illinois.