Sermon on the Mount
“Golden Rule or Fool's Gold”
The Golden Rule.
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
This verse is probably one of the best known of all Jesus’ sayings.
He Himself says it sums up the essence of all that is contained in the Old Testament; and it sums up the spirit of His ministry.
It particularly sums up His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount.
I guess – at this point in the Sermon on the Mount it signals that it is drawing to a close.
So in taking all that He has said into account - do to others what you would have them do to you.
It may surprise you to learn that when Jesus said this – it wasn’t actually an original saying.
Outside of the New Testament examples from Judaism are:
“And what thou thyself hatest, do to no man.”
“What is harmful to thee, do not do to thy neighbour.”
“A man should show love to his fellow by not doing to him what he dislikes when done to himself.”
However, when Jesus said the Golden Rule, He gave it a twist that other similar sayings didn’t have.
Other versions were put negatively – Jesus put it positively.
Other versions were saying “restrain yourself and don’t hurt”; Jesus was saying “initiate and reach others.”
So one version is about self-preservation (in a sense); Jesus’ version is about enhancing life for others.
One version is passive; Jesus version is active.
We could say – one is the Golden Rule and the other Fool’s Gold.
The way Jesus put it – it opens up a world of imagination and activity. It invites – compels – those who follow Him to be the first to act.
Not to hold back and measure life according to thinking about what hurt and evil I could do to someone else, and then not do that. It doesn’t go far enough.
Doesn’t go deep enough.
Instead – to reflect and imagine the good and just ways that would bless me – and to then go and do that for others…
…that’s an entirely different way of life.
It’s a lifestyle that is not holding back; but a lifestyle that is searching out ways to impact others.
It’s life lived large. And it is a more difficult life.
In Matt 25 – Jesus gives a glimpse of what will happen at the end of the age.
All the nations will be gathered before Him and He will separate them as a shepherd separates sheep from goats.
To the sheep (the righteous) He will commend them for visiting Him when He was sick, in prison, for clothing Him and feeding Him and welcoming Him when He was a stranger.
They have no idea or memory of ever having done that for Jesus. But He says that the least they did for others, they did for Him.
Golden Rule.
But those designated the goats – to those He says the complete opposite.
They hadn’t visited Him, clothed Him, fed Him, welcomed Him.
They had one thing in common with the other group. They had no idea or memory of ever encountering Christ. So how could He be saying these things?
And – here’s the thing – according to the other version of the Golden Rule; not doing evil to others. Holding back and restraining themselves – they wouldn’t have a case to answer.
They were in the clear.
Problem being, Jesus does not judge our lives on that principle.
That principle is Fool’s Gold.
He judges it on the principle of do to others what you would want them to do to you.
It is a subtle yet significant difference.
A difference between a passive life and an active life.
It is not uncommon to hear people evaluating and justifying their lives by saying “I lead a good life. I don’t hurt others or do evil things to people.”
That is essentially what the goats said.
Golden Rule vs Fool’s Gold.
After the Golden Rule, we read about two roads people can take in life.
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matt 7:13-14)
There are two gates. One narrow and one wide.
The gate represents the decision to follow Christ or not.
The road beyond each of the two gates corresponds to the gate.
One road is narrow and hard. Yet it leads to life.
One road is wide and broad. Yet is leads to destruction.
This saying about the gate and road is a saying about decision.
There is much we can say and reflect about concerning this – but this morning – I want us to consider these two roads in the light of the Golden Rule.
Whether we are living an active life of initiating good towards others; or whether we are living a passive life of restraint and holding back.
One lifestyle is hard.
One is easy.
One leads to life; the other to destruction.
One road begins with a decision for Christ.
The other has many options. It doesn’t really matter.
It’s interesting to note that in Acts – the record of the early days and years of the church – that Christianity was known as The Way.
Paul, opponents, enquirers referred to those who followed Christ as those who belonged to The Way (Acts 9:2; 19:23; 22:4; 24:14, 22).
Interesting name isn’t it.
It is a name that is dynamic. It conveys a sense of activity and that something’s happening.
Let’s consider the nature of a life that lives according to the Golden Rule; a life that has chosen to enter through the more difficult narrow gate and walk the more difficult road to life.
Let’s consider what life is like living the Golden Rule on the Way.
(John 13)
In John’s Gospel, his account of the last hours of Jesus before He died are quite different to the other three Gospels.
His beginning is classic:
John 13:3-5 (NIV)
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
After this – He restated the Golden Rule. In a different way though.
John 13:15 (NIV)
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
That’s the Golden Rule on steroids!
Imagine a life whereby you not only do to others what you would want them to do to you; but a life whereby you do to others what Christ has done for you.
It’s a narrow road and there are few who live like that.
But just imagine it!
Scripture has examples.
Obviously there is the one we have just considered. Jesus washing feet.
A humble and necessary task. Someone had to do it. No-one wanted to do it.
But by doing a necessary and mundane task.
Housework - and it modelled a heart attitude. A lifestyle.
Modelled the Golden Rule. The Way.
But Jesus practiced what He preached and embodied the Golden Rule and showed the Way.
What other examples are there?
(John 21)
There’s the time when Jesus sought out Peter after the resurrection. The time when Jesus could have said “I told you so!”
But instead of picking over how Peter had denied Him and abandoned Him, instead restored him and revived him.
He modelled the Golden Rule and showed the Way.
Forgiving and restoring a friend. A narrow way but one that leads to life.
(Luke 19)
What about the time when He was passing through Jericho.
There was a small man with a big problem. Zaccheaus – a chief tax collector.
The only time in scripture that someone is described as a “chief tax collector.”
In other words – he’s in serious trouble morally and before God.
But that day – against the way everyone treated this man – Jesus reached out and asked to join Zaccheaus for lunch.
A man who was ostracised and who no-one wanted anything to do with.
A man with whom no-one would want to dine with.
But Jesus embodied the Golden Rule.
And showed the Way.
That story ends with Jesus saying “Today salvation has come to this house…for the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost.”
Remarkable.
The difference which spending time with someone over a meal can make.
And yet it is a narrow road and few are those who take it.
(Luke 10)
Consider the story of the Good Samaritan in the light of the Golden Rule and walking on the Way.
Two lived life in that story passively. One actively. With love and was on the road to life.
(Luke 15)
Consider the parable of the Prodigal Son.
Many people relate to the elder brother.
They stand on the outer. Hurt, tired, bitter, angry.
Their sense of justice offended.
What would life be like should they determine to enter (again maybe) by the narrow gate (who is Christ) and walk the narrow road.
And rejoice in that situation and surrender their “right” to be angry and instead do to others as they have them do to them.
And embrace The Way.
It is a hard road – the road to life. And few are those who take it.
Oh – but when you encounter them – you know you have been in the presence of someone special.
And there are times when they come from the most unexpected quarters.
When I was leaving my job to go and study at Bible College fulltime, my manager asked me what I would like.
She wanted to buy me a present. Something of substance she said. Something that I would remember her by.
So – I asked for a Greek Interlinear Bible. They are not cheap.
In due course, just before I left, she presented me with this gift. And she wrote a moving note in the front of it.
And also in the bible was an envelope. In that envelope was a series of carefully handwritten vouchers and self-addressed envelopes for Ruth and myself to redeem once we were at Bible College.
One was a voucher for electricity; another for food…etc
When things were touch we were to post these vouchers and then a cheque would arrive.
And when the vouchers were exhausted – we were instructed not to stop asking!
She lived by the Golden Rule and she belonged to the Way.
Living according to Jesus’ teaching here is not easy.
Embracing the Golden Rule is not easy. Walking the path to life is not easy.
And the Sermon on the Mount up to this point provides us with many case studies of how such a life ought to be lived.
And yet we are not abandoned to it though. God is with us. He doesn’t observe from a distance. He empowers us; encourages us.
And we follow His example in any case. He has walked the road ahead of us.
Matthew 7:12-14 (NIV)
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
But there is a decision each of us needs to make. We can consider these words and reflect on them…
…and secretly try and escape their effect and their demand.
Maybe we need to commit ourselves for the first time.
Maybe commit ourselves again.
How does my life compare to the teaching and demands of Christ here?
It will not do to appeal to that other variation of the Golden Rule that has you living a passive and tame life; “not hurting others.”
Jesus wants you to belong to the Way. That narrow road to life accessed only through the Gate that is His very self.
He wants you living an active life which seeks others out to do the good that you would want them to do to you.
What then – is your decision?
What do you choose? The Golden Rule or Fool’s Gold?
The way leading to life?
Or the way leading to destruction?
Presented By: Rev. Geoff New