Welcome to this edition of the Weekend Sermon. I am very glad to be with you this week. I apologize for the sermon being delayed this week. There has been so much going on with the weather and health issues.
Thankfully, my house was not damaged during the recent heavy rains in my area. A little water did get in the garage, but it was nothing like what I was afraid of. I thank the Lord for this, and I thank you all for your prayers in this matter.
Also, this week, I developed another bad lung infection. I've had to go into the doctor and get a breathing treatment, and I am back on prednisone and antibiotics. Please pray that I can get well soon.
In prayer this week, please continue to pray for those in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Illinois who are facing flooding. Pray that the waters will recede quickly.
Let us also be in prayer for France. The French presidential elections are this Sunday. Pray that those in France will have wisdom as they vote for a new leader.
Please continue to pray for peace in this very troubled world. Syria, Iraq, Yemen and South Sudan still need prayer.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let's pray for those in the nations of Myanmar and Kosovo. Pray that people in these two nations will hear the message of Jesus' mercy and love.
Over the course of the this year, most of our Weekend Sermon's have dealt with one of the parables of Jesus. Today, I want to deviate from that series and speak about something that has become very important to me over the course of the last few months. In fact, I've written about this here on the blog not too long ago. However, with the state that the world is in, I believe it is something that has to be reiterated over and over again.
There are two verses in the Bible that I believe are more important that ever in our world. In Matthew 7:12, the Lord Jesus spoke the words that we now refer to as the Golden Rule. Jesus said, "Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them." In Ephesians 4:32, the Apostle Paul stated these great words, "Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."
It is my belief that if we were to take these two verses seriously, the world would be revolutionized. Let's think about this for just a moment.
It seems to me that the world in which we live is become much more course and rude. There seems to be little kindness within the interactions people have with one another on a daily basis. I happen to work at a job which over the last two plus years has brought me into contact with some high levels of nastiness. Over the course of the last two plus years, I've been called horrible names, heard others called horrible names and heard some general awful things about how people react to one another and treat one another. I find this all very upsetting.
There is a great deal of selfishness in the world with people only thinking about themselves and not seeming to care how other people feel.
This attitude has become very clear in politics in my country. Politicians pass pieces of legislation that will only end up hurting the poor and the vulnerable, and the politicians don't seem to care as long as they and the rich and the powerful get more for themselves.
A good example of caring only for oneself and not for others was related on a news story I heard on the radio this morning. Apparently, a major company in the United States had made a good profit, so they decided to give their employees a raise. This actually, made some of the major shareholders angry because they said it was not maximizing profit, and it would make the value of their shares lower.
I believe that Christians need to lead the way in helping to make the world a better place by following the two verses I've shared with you today. If Christians would begin to live out these two verses, I believe that it would have a very positive effect on the world at large.
As believers, let us follow the words of our Lord. For each action, let us think how we would like others to treat us or not treat us. Then, let us act upon it.
For instance, I don't believe that anyone wants to be spoken to in an abrasive and hurtful manner. So, as you deal with others this week in person or on the phone, attempt to speak words that heal and not words that hurt. Try to put yourself in the other person's shoes.
As you consider political positions, put yourself in somebody else's position. Ask yourself, If I was in this circumstance, would I want to be treated in this manner? If you wouldn't want to be treated in that way, don't treat others that way.
In business, take into consideration the feelings and the needs of others when implementing work rules and compensation. If you were in your employees' shoes, would you want to live with the rules and regulations you make them follow? Would you want to try to live and support a family on what you are paying your workers?
Paul's words are also important words to live by. If we could all be kinder and nicer to each other, the world would be so much better.
May 7 is coming up, and that is always an important day to me. May 7 is my friend Toby's birthday. Whenever I think of Ephesians 4:32, it reminds me of the times that Toby and I had together. We had a kind and peaceful relationship. It was a relationship where the Lord Jesus demonstrated His kindness towards me by allowing me to find just the right friend at just the right time to help me make it through life when I was getting too deep into depression.
When the spirit of kindness is brought into someone's life, it changes everything. It makes the day go smoother, and even when dark times arise, a relationship based on kindness will help you carry on.
Try to find some way to spread kindness and goodness in the world and in your relationships. In word and in deed, let each one of us try to think about helping others and being those who speak words of encouragement and healing.
I think that one of the keys in implementing what these two verses are trying to teach is to get the focus off of us and put the focus on others. The Apostle Paul urges us in Romans 12:3 not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. We don't have to have our own way all of the time. This week, try to analyze your behavior and your thought patterns in light of the Golden Rule and Ephesians 4:32. If we work hard to follow the messages of these verses, I believe that the power of the Holy Spirit will be with us to do great things.
As I close this message, one thing that really strikes me is how good and kind the Lord is to us even though we often reject Him and do what we want to do instead of what He wants us to do. Over and over again, the Lord has been gracious. Jesus demonstrated His great kindness and goodness to us when He came to this earth to show us how to live a holy and good life. He demonstrated His kindness and love by bearing our sins on the cross and rising from the dead to conquer death, hell and the grave. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us, and He will come again for us because of His great kindness and love.
In my own life, the kindness and love of the Lord has been demonstrated in so many ways. I've already told you about one with my friend Toby. But, the Lord has been kind in so many other ways. He allowed me to be a writer and poet. He has allowed me to play and create music. These are great kindnesses of the Lord for which I am truly grateful.
Think about the kindness of the Lord in your life. Let it motivate you to be kind to others. Think about doing unto others as you would have done to you in all things.
Next week, I will post the verses on Monday. There will be a review on Wednesday. On the following Wednesday, I am going to post the book I wrote as a single post. My posting of it chapter by chapter was very haphazard for which I am sorry. To remedy this, and to make the book more readily accessible, I will post the entire book as a single post the Wednesday after this Wednesday. Next Friday, I will post the Weekend Sermon. We will continue with our parables of Jesus series, Lord willing. May God bless you all. Amen.
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