Love thy Neighbor...the Wayfarer 5/7/13

 "Love Thy Neighbor"
  5/7/13

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies and bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you” 

(Matthew 5:43 &44)

As promised, we will continue the series of messages taken from the Sermon on the Mount given by Jesus,  again today. We’ll pick back up at the 38^th verse shortly, but first let’s look at verses 43 and 44.

In Jesus’ time, as it is today, most people subscribed to and practiced what is stated in verse 43 “Love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.”  At that time, and in that society it was even set into the laws that governed that society. 

Today, this same concept, while not sanctioned in writing, is hidden within them making it acceptable to hate our enemies. This is where we often see the very laws intended to protect us, twisted by various interests, to threaten and abuse the rights of those they were written to protect.

 It is even a direct threat to our rights to preach and practice Christianity. This goes back to an earlier statement I made in reference of our need to defend our rights as Christians, and be Loud and Proud of our Lord Jesus. We must stand up and be counted if we are to survive the onslaught of religious persecution in our court system, and politically correct society today! “Love thy neighbor” is an all-encompassing statement.

 In order to do this, you must first know who your neighbor is! The answer given that question, by our Lord, may be found in Luke 10:30-37. Go there and read for yourself what it means to love your neighbor, and just who your neighbor truly is.

Excuse the introduction’s having skipped to the 43d verse, but as promised, we will

 now pick back up at the 38^th verse.

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, AN EYE FOR AN EYE AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also”

This is an admonition for us to hold in check our natural impulse to return physical violence for physical violence. 

It is not telling us not to defend ourselves, home and family or even country when the need arises, but it is telling us to withhold our anger that is a part of the sinful nature of this creature called man. 

That anger, unchecked, is sin, and will eventually be judged as such. If it is strong enough, it will destroy your life, and possibly even kill you. The only defense against this is prayer.

Again, in today’s world, we can read in any newspaper, (at least those still in print), see on television, or even here on the web a continuous flow of news stories about murders and other crimes, (sins), that are directly connected to a need for retaliation for some perceived slight or hurt felt by the perpetrator. 

One, not so recent story, but still often used in conjunction with others, is the mass killings at Columbine High School.

Those children were taught by society that there was a need for retaliation. The mindset that brought about this tragedy stems directly from a lack of teaching, either by their families, or by society itself, that the concept of an eye for an eye is not acceptable, without having completed the verse, which tells us that vengence belongs to God, not us!

To build a better world we must live the teachings of Jesus, so that others see it in us and desire to imitate our faith and love and teach that faith and love to as many as will listen. It is only then that we may reach their hearts and lead them fully to Christ Jesus.

The 40^th verse continues:

“And if any man sue you at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh of thee, and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not them away.”

As followers of Christ, (Christians), we are asked to do more than is asked or expected of us.

 We still, today, hear the phrase, “Go the extra mile.” It is used often in normal conversation without thought as to where it came from, and I have even seen it used in advertising. We must not relegate these teachings to mere phrases in our vocabulary, but we must live them.

 Give a little more of your time and abilities to assist a fellow human being, even when not asked to do so. By doing this you are giving a little more of them to your Lord!

Every human born has something that should be shared with the rest of humanity.

 You don’t have to be rich. Your contribution need not be money. Share your love and whatever ability you have been given.

 Share your time to comfort someone. These most simple gifts are sufficient to God.

 Give your tithe to your local church, but more than this. give your tithe to God, remembering that that tithe is not just monetary, but of "all your goods". This means your effort and talent, and time as well as the common concept of a monetary tithe. This is after all, the very reason you have been given all that you have.

This brings us back to the 43d verse where we started so I will continue from the 45^th verse which states:

“That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven for he maketh the sun to rise on the evil and the good and sendeth the rain on the just and on the unjust.”

God is no respecter of person! Neither should we be! We need to be constant in our faith and in our love, so that not only our friends and family see Jesus in our lives, but our enemies as well.

The 46^th verse continues:

“For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Publicans were Jews who worked for the Roman government and were among the most despised people in Jesus’ society. The point He makes here, is that we all have the capacity to love not only family and friends, but everyone we come into contact with, even those whose actions may disagree with our concept of what is right.

 Christians are expected to be a little more, say a little more and do a little more, not only for each other, not just for fellow Christians, nor just for the members of the congregation you attend, but for all mankind. 

No matter how difficult you may find it, YOU have within yourself the capacity to change the world around you. simply by living a Christian life. You won’t always see the results of your love, but the results and fruits of being a Christian are there! If you touch and reach ONE soul, it is one more touched and reached by our Lord!

Love One Another!!!

I feel compelled to add the scripture found in John 15:8-17, to further clarify the point of today’s message.

“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples.

 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 

These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full .

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 

Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever  ye shall ask of the Father, in my name, he may give it you .

These things I command you, that ye love one another.”

What does it mean to truly love one another?

 Is love shown to your fellow Christians in the gossip, backstabbing, and patently false allegations about your ”fellow  Christians” and the “sinners” in the neighborhood? 

Jesus said that the ONE commandment he left for us is to love one another!

 If our faith is truly strong, we should be spreading the gospel of his love to all our fellow mankind. 

We have brothers and sisters in sundry parts of the world hungering and thirsting for the righteousness of this love. 

Many are too busy defending each other and their faith, their very lives, daily while being persecuted by those of other beliefs, and even their own governments to indulge in paltry gossip!

 They take any and all risks just to hear the gospel, and to read for themselves of Jesus’ love for them.

They are too busy being Christians, to criticize and otherwise denigrate those around them. They don’t care what particular local church you belong to nor even which denominational teachings you subscribe to. 

It is enough for them to hear and spread the gospel of Jesus and share his love and salvation with all who will listen. 

They don’t look at a “sinner” as beneath them or unworthy, or to be shunned. Instead they attempt to reach them through truly sharing God’s love, sharing even their meager possessions and meals with their fellow believers, and any others that are in need, all the while aware of the fact that they endanger their very lives by so doing!

My prayers are always there for these true Christians, that God protect, and preserve and bless them, that they persevere in the face of their persecution, this not of themselves, but by those around them that refuse to accept or believe in my Savior. To paraphrase Paul, I would to God that all were as these few truly faithful without the persecutions that exist.

Each time one of us presents himself as above his fellow sinners and better than those around us, souls are lost, not gained. We need to constantly remind ourselves that:

“All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” 

(Romans 3:23) 

and that this includes us!

When people see self-righteousness, and high mindedness, and the conflict within the very bastions of our faith: when they see the poor and needy neglected and shunned, when they see the failure to live the love of Jesus in those who claim to be His followers, they naturally feel no need to seek this kind of righteousness.

If souls are to be saved, if Christ is to be honored, if His love is to be given freely as He intended, the churches must remember the first works.(Revelation 2:5) and return to BEING  Christians, not just people meeting in a church building.

 If true Christianity is to survive the persecution of this world which hates it, and all that it represents, we must not only boldly declare our allegiance to the King, but must PROVE that allegiance through the lives we live. 

We must support each other spiritually, admonish those who stray, in private, forgive those we see hurting us, pray for our enemies to see the light of Jesus in us and amend their lives, and REPENT continually our own failures to live up to the perfection we are unable to attain, but that God demands.

You say you are a Christian. What have you done for Jesus today? This week? This month? This year? Have you shared His love with a neighbor in need? Have you spoken His name in public, and if so was it worshipfully of in profanity? 

Have you prayed for forgiveness for your failures, our country’s failures, for the world’s failure to see His light? Have you stopped to assist someone in need, or passed by more interested in your own needs, and selfish goals? 

Have you shared His Joy with a family member, or more importantly with a stranger? Do you ask Him to walk with you, or do you ask Him to allow you to walk with Him?

When I was an Army Recruiter, the slogan used was “Be all you can be”.

 Are you being all you can be for Jesus, or are you seeking only your own aggrandization and wealth? 

If you would truly be wealthy, not with the wealth of this world, but with the gift of eternal life, REPENT and TRUST JESUS to show you HOW TO BE A CHRISTIAN!!!

      

I close with the admonition that in order to do any of the things mentioned above, you must first accept your own fault and failure to be what is intended for us to be, OUR own inability to overcome the sin that permeates the entire world because of mankind's greed, indeed our own inability to save ourselves from the separation from God that comes because of our own stubbornness, and instead accept Christ  Jesus as Savior, The Way, The Truth and The Life. Savior sent by the Father to substitute His own purity and righteousness for our own attempts to ignore the fact that without that same purity and righteousness we remain sinners forever separated from His love, and that WITH that acceptance of Christ comes the forgiveness that allows us the required innocence to return to our intended position within the love and grace providing eternal life .

Once more I salute all my brothers and sisters, with the love of my Lord, a simple fellow sinner, saved by grace,  and still a soldier in his service, in the name of my Lord, Intercessor, and Savior, Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

AMEN and AMEN

the Wayfarer