Sermon preached by Matthew DelValle on October 13, 2024 at First Baptist Church in Delphi, Indiana. First Baptist Church is an evangelical church in Delphi, Indiana helping people find and follow Jesus. Our mission is to declare God’s truth, disciple God’s people, delight in God’s Son, and display God’s glory. Join us for Sunday Worship at 10:30am. Sunday School begins at 9:30am. We gather at 103 S. Indiana Street, Delphi, Indiana 46923.
Learn more about First Baptist Church.
Introduction
Big Idea: Jesus commands us in every circumstance to treat people the same way we want them to treat us, in accordance with God’s word and for God’s glory.
1. Why Does Jesus Give the Golden Rule?
- The Summary Purpose [Mt. 5:17–7:12]
- The Scriptural Purpose [Mt. 22:37–40; Rom. 13:8–10; Gal. 5:13–14]
- The Golden Rule is not a substitute for the rest of Christianity.
- The Golden Rule is not a subjective situational ethic.
- The Salvation Purpose [Gal. 2:19–21; 2 Cor. 5:14–15]
- The Golden Rule is not the gospel.
- The Golden Rule cannot be kept perfectly in this life.
- The Sanctifying Purpose [Eph. 4:32–5:2]
- The Golden Rule cannot be fulfilled in your own strength.
- The Golden Rule is not ultimately directed at self-interest.
2. What Does the Golden Rule Require of Us?
- The Golden Rule requires us to put away our natural thinking.
- “Do to others as they do to you” (retaliation)
- “Do to others so that they will do to you” (manipulation)
- “Do to others before they do to you” (persecution)
- The Golden Rule requires us to consider how others think and feel.
- We must reflect on how our neighbors ought to be treated.
- We must remind ourselves that we have a duty of justice.
- We must deal with others according to their circumstances.
- The Golden Rule requires us to be proactive in our love.
- We must be proactive in caring for those with physical needs.
- We must be proactive in caring for each other’s spiritual needs.
Conclusion