Date written: June 2nd, 2006<\/p>\n
Bible Text: Matthew 22:36-40<\/p>\n
SUBJECT: Love, Obedience<\/p>\n
TITLE: The Second Command<\/p>\n
PROPOSITION: What does it mean to love my neighbor as myself? How do I practice it? Where do I start?<\/p>\n
Objectives: That each would understand more about the second command and how to live it.<\/p>\n
Aim: To encourage everyone to practice the second command.<\/p>\n
INTRODUCTION:<\/p>\n
1. Read: Matthew 22:36-40<\/p>\n
2. About the Text:<\/p>\n
1) There were many other occasions where Jesus was asked what the greatest command was.<\/p>\n
2) This was a popular question in the rabbinical world of the day and hotly disputed.<\/p>\n
3) Some had said that it was the command to perform sacrifice.<\/p>\n
4) Others had said it was the command to observe the great feasts.<\/p>\n
5) And with over 600 commands in the Old Testament there was plenty of room to argue, or so they thought.<\/p>\n
6) It was hoped that Jesus would side with one particular school or another so that Jesus could be discredited.<\/p>\n
7) Jesus response to this question was without dispute.<\/p>\n
8) Jesus, however, wasn’t content to leave it at that; He also gave the second command as well.<\/p>\n
9) He quotes from Leviticus 19:18 which says, “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.”<\/p>\n
10) Today many give lip service to loving their neighbor, but often times fail to put it into practice.<\/p>\n
11) Many simply don’t know what it means to love their neighbor being so caught up in self concerns.<\/p>\n
3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.<\/p>\n
DISCUSSION:<\/p>\n
I. WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?<\/p>\n
1. This is the same question that was asked by another in the Bible.<\/p>\n
2. In Luke 10:29, a lawyer, after understanding the first and second command, asked “Who is my neighbor?”<\/p>\n
3. In response, Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan. Luke 10:30-35 (Read)<\/p>\n
4. Then Jesus asked this man, “Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?”<\/p>\n
5. He answered, “He that showed mercy on him.”<\/p>\n
6. We learn from this parable that a neighbor isn’t just someone next door.<\/p>\n
7. A neighbor is anyone who is willing to help in time of need.<\/p>\n
8. And in a twist of the old proverb, if we want to have neighbors, we need to be a neighbor.<\/p>\n
II. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOVE?<\/p>\n
1. Today many people define love as having deep emotions for another person.<\/p>\n
2. Is that how the Bible defines the word?<\/p>\n
3. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 teaches us what it means to love. (Read)<\/p>\n
4. Love, then, isn’t merely having deep emotions for someone, but seeking their highest good.<\/p>\n
5. Jesus said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).<\/p>\n
6. Do we have this kind of love toward our neighbor?<\/p>\n
III. WHEN SHOULD I LOVE MY NEIGHBOR?<\/p>\n
1. You may be thinking in response to this question, “All the time!”<\/p>\n
2. That would be correct. Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loveth at all times….”<\/p>\n
3. However, love doesn’t just feel, as we noted above; love acts!<\/p>\n
4. So when do we act upon our love for our neighbor?<\/p>\n
5. First of all, when we have the opportunity. Galatians 6:10 says, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”<\/p>\n
6. Second, when we know to do good. James 4:17 states, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”<\/p>\n
7. Third, when there is a need. Acts 2:45 says, “And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.”<\/p>\n
IV. WHERE SHOULD I LOVE MY NEIGHBOR?<\/p>\n
1. Privately at home. Our society would be a lot better off if we recognized that loving our neighbor begins at home.<\/p>\n
1) There is the temptation to think that when I am home, in my own house, that I may do what I wish.<\/p>\n
2) There is no such excuse in Christianity.<\/p>\n
3) Husbands are to love their wives (Ephesians 5:25).<\/p>\n
4) Wives are to love their husbands (Titus 2:4).<\/p>\n
5) Parents are to love their children (Ephesians 6:4, Titus 2:4).<\/p>\n
6) Children are to love their parents (Ephesians 6:1-2).<\/p>\n
7) I fear that there is a great dearth of loving our neighbor in our very homes.<\/p>\n
2. At work.<\/p>\n
1) Our co-workers are our neighbors.<\/p>\n
2) This includes bosses, subordinates, and peers.<\/p>\n
3) John 13:35 says, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”<\/p>\n
3. At play.<\/p>\n
1) It is tempting when we go on vacation or engage in recreation to just think of self.<\/p>\n
2) Psychologists talk about having “me time.”<\/p>\n
3) There is no such exclusive time with the Christian.<\/p>\n
4) Philippians 2:3 states, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”<\/p>\n
4. In public. Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16).<\/p>\n
5. Wherever we may be that is the place to love our neighbor.<\/p>\n
V. HOW DO I LOVE MY NEIGHBOR?<\/p>\n
1. The parable of the Good Samaritan gives us one answer to this question by showing mercy.<\/p>\n
2. Paul tells us to keep God’s commands is showing love for neighbor, “For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Romans 13:9-10).<\/p>\n
3. Love will also compel one to tell others the message of the gospel. It so compelled God! John 3:16.<\/p>\n
4. If we love our neighbor we will respect God’s commands and teach them the truth about their salvation.<\/p>\n
VI. WHY OUGHT I TO LOVE MY NEIGHBOR?<\/p>\n
1. Because God commands it. James says it is the “royal law.” “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well” (James 2:12).<\/p>\n
2. Because it is the natural result of practicing the golden rule. Jesus said, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them…” (Matthew 7:12).<\/p>\n
3. Because it promotes peace and harmony among men. Romans 12:8 teaches, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”<\/p>\n
4. Because it is simply the right thing to do.<\/p>\n
CONCLUSION:<\/p>\n
1. We’ve answered several questions about the second command today.<\/p>\n
2. Have you been practicing the second command in your life?<\/p>\n
3. I exhort you to start doing that.<\/p>\n
4. If you need regular encouragement to do just that, then we would be happy to help you.<\/p>\n
5. Invitation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Date written: June 2nd, 2006 Bible Text: Matthew 22:36-40 SUBJECT: Love, Obedience TITLE: The Second Command PROPOSITION: What does it mean to love my neighbor as myself? How do I practice it? Where do I start? Objectives: That each would understand more about the second command and how to live it. Aim: To encourage everyone … Continue reading “The Second Command – Thou Shalt Love Thy Neighbour as Thyself – Bible Outlines”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43586","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43586","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43586"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43586\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43586"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43586"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43586"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}