Series: All: All Authority, All Nations, All Allegiance
Scripture: Matthew 7:7-12 (Main); Luke 11:1-10)
Title: How do I live obey the Golden Rule? (Darien Gabriel)
(See below for bibliography)
Summary: call Matthew puts the other half of the sandwich on here when he says “the law and the prophets.“ He summarizes 5:17 through 7:12 with the golden rule. And an effort to give us more insight and how to pray, he gives us the golden promise that empowers to Golden Rule.
My bottom line: Doing to others as you want them to do for you (Golden Rule) is possible when we pray with persistent expectation (Golden Prayer).
Q. What do I want you to know?
A. How to live out the golden rule realistically.
Q. Why?
A. Because this is the bottom line to Christian living.
Q. What do I want you to do?
A. Live the golden rule by leaning into the golden promise.
Q. Why?
A. Because
it’s a worthy goal and
the only way you’ll succeed at doing it.
Discussion questions for group and personal study.
1. Why is it astounding that God hears and responds to your prayers?
2. If God hears you, why is it important to pray persistently? Why does he want you to pray more than once for your needs?
3. What is the difference between casual prayer and expectant prayer?
4. What prayers can you look back on and be glad that God did not answer in the way you initially wanted? How did God answer the prayer better than you asked? Or how was it good that God refrained from giving you what you wanted?
5. The Bible says to ask and God will provide. What in your life do you desire but are not praying for? Why?
6. What could you begin praying for this week that God would change in your life?
7. How brave are your prayers? Are they filled with needs that you can accomplish on your own or needs that require God to provide?
8. What happens when you follow or teach the Golden Rule without teaching and depending on the golden promise or the gospel?
9. How does the Golden Rule flow out of the way Jesus has treated you?
10. Our culture often privileges some people over others for sinful reasons. How does the Golden Rule change how the church welcomes and serves those who are marginalized by the culture?
“We can never ask too much spiritually. Let us ask and receive. Someone once said, "Any discussion of the doctrine of prayer that does not issue in the practice of prayer is not only not helpful, but harmful. That is true. We would all do well to engage in the following actions:
1. Search out some spiritual qualities that you lack but would like to have.
List them on your prayer list.
2. Pray passionately for them -keep asking, seeking, knocking.
3. Have confidence that God your Father will give them to you.” —Kent Hughes
Final Questions (optional or in place of above)
What is God saying to you right now?
What are you going to do about it?
Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast
Intro
When our girls were young they would often ask Anita for things. After all, she was there all day everyday. Easy habit to start. Sometimes when they were asking for something of, and I was in the house, she would then say go ask your father!
At other times, the kids would just come ask me if they thought I was more likely to say yes. Because I loved to say yes to our girls. Don’t get me started on them asking the grandparents for stuff!
Our heavenly father loves to say yes to his kids too. He loves to say yes—unless he has a better answer than what we’ve even asked for. Ever thought about that? Sometimes he says no to our request because he has something better for us.
In this passage we’re going to see that the Lord wants to bless us to be a blessing to others. This is why he gives us the golden promise – so that we will practice the Golden Rule.
So let’s ask our father for help with this!
Main idea: “Because God is a good Father who desires to answer persistent and expectant prayers we are able to treat others as we want to be treated.” -D Akin
My bottom line: Doing to others as you want them to do for you (Golden Rule) is possible when we pray with persistent expectation (Golden Prayer).
The Golden Rule came from an emperor of Rome putting this verse on the wall of his palace in gold.
We think of it as such a good rule that we call it golden. Both work.
It starts with God and moves to people. (Like the 10 commandments)
Our bullseye for being a faithful learner and follower of Jesus the Christ is:
Growing in Christ-like character, and
Growing in Christ-like competency. (See video)
So, we can see why Jesus ends this part of the sermon on the mount with this verse. It’s a summary verse for the Christian life. Let’s dig in a little more.
I. Golden Promise: God promises to answer our prayers. (7:7-11)
A. We should ask persistently. (7-8)
B. We should ask expectantly. (9-11)
II. Golden Rule: God challenges us to obey the Golden rule. (7:12)
A. START with what YOU would want.
B. FINISH with what OTHERS want.
C. REJOICE that this is what GOD wants!
Conclusion
My bottom line: Doing to others as you want them to do for you (Golden Rule) is possible when we pray with persistent expectation (Golden Prayer).
In the Rose Bowl parade each Jan. 1st we watch through the lens of the TV network we get a limited perspective on the entire spectacle that is the Tournament of Roses Parade.
In contrast, the Lord sees the entire parade route with floats cued up through blocks and blocks of streets awaiting their turn. In addition, there are so many stories of how their float came together and the associated drama.
When we pray, it’s easy to let our limited perspective keep us from believing that God “knows how” to give us good gifts. But he does. Every time.
So pray persistently by asking, seeking and knocking continuously.
And pray expectantly believing that God knows how to give good gifts to those who ask.
We start with thinking of what we want.
We move to thinking of what others want.
This gets us to what God wants.
Pray
References/Bibliography:
“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes
“Matthew” by RC Sproul
“Sermon on the Mount” by Charles Quayle’s
“The Sermon on the Mount: Kingdom Life in a Fallen World” by Sinclair Ferguson
Bible.org https://bible.org/seriespage/12-maintaining-peaceful-relationships-matthew-521-26
“CSB Christ Chronological,” Holman
“Jesus Manifesto” sermon series, by Darien Gabriel: https://youtu.be/x65i2tqFrXk
“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)
“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)
“Exalting Jesus in Matthew” by David Platt (CCE)
“Exalting Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount” by Daniel Akin (CCE)
Outline Bible, D Willmington
NIV Study Bible (NIVSB)
ESV Study Bible
ESV Gospel Transformation Bible (GTB)
"Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes" by Kenneth E. Bailey
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