24-0616a Transcript

Preacher: Mike Mathis

(1:36) Good morning to those that are here in the (1:40) building physically and those that are on the phone on the conference line. It (1:49) involves me in the rotation to be the speaker this morning.

As certain of us men that are in the (2:08) rotation will speak. That is my turn this morning. Before I get into the lesson, I just want to say that I am thankful to God that he is good, that he has blessed me as well as others in this (2:37) congregation.

That is to say Wally and Kevin and Ruth for being with each one of us and healing the eyes for Wally and being with Kevin and having the sinus (3:09) operation. Ruth has been having a good report on her procedure and for myself having the CT scan and it is showing nothing that shouldn’t be there. As everyone here knows that I had surgery (3:41) on my kidney and one kidney, the left kidney, or the right kidney rather, was removed along with mass on it.

And the mass was cancerous, but thank God that for now the report is that everything is clear. (4:09) God has been good to those of us that have been healing. And there are others of our congregation that still has chronic, continuous ailments.

(4:31) But I want to mention my sister Linda Noble. She has arthritis throughout her body, but she cannot take harsh medicine because she has a heart murmur and the doctor does not want to give her anything (5:02) stronger than acetaminophen, that is Tylenol, because of her heart. Yesterday I give a call every Saturday morning and speak to them, see how they are doing through the past week.

(5:32) She couldn’t talk long because she was in pain and not feeling well. And so we had to cut the conversation short. And I just wish that she could be relieved of the pain, but it’s the only thing that the doctor gives her and I don’t know of anything else.

(6:04) The doctor knows that Tylenol is about the only thing that helps some, but it just doesn’t take it away. She just feels painful all the time. (6:21) So I would request that we pray for her.

You know that she and her husband Larry had a fire at their house some months ago. They are staying currently at the Hampton Inn. (6:48) The insurance is paying the rent.

And he gets a little aggravated because he regrets about the money that should go to help get the house remodeled for the workers that just started. (7:13) They have been set back because of the weather, but he gets aggravated because it just seems like they are dragging their feet. (7:24) But hopefully, my concern right now is that my sister can get relieved from the arthritis.

I know how it feels because of the arthritis in the hip, which right now I’ve been able to ward it off. (7:49) But she can’t take and have what I can use because of her heart. But anyway, my concern is for her that she can feel better.

(8:11) The last time I spoke, it was about the first commandment. (8:19) Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy might. (8:32) In Luke 10 and verse 27.

(8:39) Today, this morning, I want to consider what is called the second commandment. (8:48) You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (8:53) Now I’m going to be in Leviticus 19.

(8:58) I’m going to read verses 15 through 18. (9:08) You shall do no injustice in judgment. (9:14) You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty.

(9:25) In righteousness, you shall judge your neighbor. (9:31) You shall not go about as a tailbearer among your people, nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor. (9:44) I am the Lord.

(9:46) You shall not hate your brother in your heart. (9:53) You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. (10:03) You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people.

(10:13) But you shall love your neighbor as yourself. (10:19) I am the Lord. (10:23) Now you know, you can read the Bible, you can read it as I have for years, (10:34) and not see certain things until you start studying, until you start looking at things.

(10:46) And as I did when I started considering this lesson. (10:57) It says you shall love your neighbor as yourself. (11:03) As it’s stated in Luke 10, 27.

(11:08) The first commandment is to love God, and the second commandment is love your neighbor as yourself. (11:18) And it says on these two commandments hang all the law. (11:27) Now in Leviticus, when I was studying about you shall love your neighbor as yourself, (11:39) as it is stated here, about the law.

(11:46) Well it’s in the law that they were told you shall love your neighbor as yourself. (11:56) Now for that particular phrase, I was wondering where that phrase, where that man was found. (12:07) Until I was looking and being referred to Leviticus 19, 18.

(12:19) Where it says you shall love your neighbor as yourself. (12:27) It is considered being the second commandment with the first, (12:33) Then thou shalt love the Lord thy God. (12:37) Which the last time we considered.

(12:41) And thou, you shall love your neighbor. (12:47) Now I want us to look at this, these verses from 15 to 18. (12:57) We’re going to look as we see.

(13:05) He says in verse 15, you shall do no injustice in judgment. (13:14) You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. (13:27) Well God is speaking, he’s speaking to Moses.

(13:32) And Moses is to tell the Israelites what he is telling Moses. (13:44) You look at the very first verse of this chapter. (13:48) It says, and the Lord spoke to Moses saying.

(13:52) And it goes right on down those different ways that God in this chapter is speaking of. (14:01) In particular how the Israelites are to treat a fellow man. (14:09) Now he began with, let’s look at the definition for neighbor.

(14:21) Now this is taken from Webster’s Third New International Dictionary on a Bridge. (14:33) And for neighbor definitions given are three things here to consider. (14:42) Neighbor can be one who lives next to or near another.

(14:52) The second thing to consider, a fellow human being. (15:00) And the third thing to consider is one who shows true kindness. (15:09) Now let’s think about this definition and these things as we look at what these verses here in Leviticus.

(15:21) Leviticus 19 is saying and saying to the Israelites. (15:31) God doesn’t want partiality. (15:34) He doesn’t want to honor the person of the mighty.

(15:41) In other words don’t just lean toward the poor just because they are poor. (15:52) And don’t honor just the person of the mighty rejecting the poor. (16:03) Because sometimes you know we can do that.

(16:08) And injustice can be done when that is done. (16:16) But it says in righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. (16:23) So it is in righteousness.

(16:25) So love will be the basis or the motivation for treating the other person that we have to deal with. (16:42) We deal with them in righteousness. (16:45) Without partiality.

(16:47) Without any honor toward the mighty. (16:52) Just because they are more powerful. (16:57) He wants us to do right.

(17:02) You shall not go about as a tale bearer among your people. (17:07) That sounds familiar. (17:10) In one place Paul tells the people that he is writing to.

(17:18) Not to go about as a tale bearer. (17:26) God wants them to know that they are not to go about bearing tales. (17:34) Nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor.

(17:41) I am the Lord. (17:44) God is speaking. (17:46) And God is wanting fairness in treatment.

(17:57) You shall not hate your brother in your heart. (18:02) Well wait a minute. (18:03) Somebody might say you are talking about a neighbor.

(18:08) Well let’s listen to this. (18:12) A neighbor could very well be a brother. (18:18) There in the Israelites a brother is one that is born into the kingdom of Israel.

(18:30) Physical birth. (18:33) And he is a brother. (18:35) And that brother could be a neighbor that could be living next door.

(18:43) Or could be living somewhere close. (18:50) Then he says you shall surely rebuke your neighbor. (18:58) And not bear sin because of him.

(19:02) You know there are some people that would rather keep silent. (19:09) Than to tell another person that he is wrong. (19:15) That he shouldn’t be doing what he is doing.

(19:21) If what he is doing is not right. (19:28) They just will not rebuke and tell somebody else that they are wrong. (19:41) The consideration is we just don’t want to rock the boat.

(19:47) But you know who is rocking the boat? (19:50) The person that is doing wrong. (19:52) The person that is not right. (20:00) So the neighbor could very well be a brother that can be living close by.

(20:12) And he says you shall not take vengeance. (20:18) Nor bear any grudge against the children of your people. (20:26) So God says don’t take vengeance.

(20:30) Because vengeance is mine. (20:35) God is going to take care of the situation. He knows.

(20:42) We should realize that our neighbor might be in danger. (20:51) We realize that he is. It is our duty to tell him.

(20:56) That God is not pleased with what he is doing. (21:03) And then he said you shall love your neighbor. (21:09) So not giving partiality to people.

(21:19) In righteousness judging your neighbor. (21:27) Not going about telling things among the people. (21:37) And giving false witness in that case.

(21:43) Because many times it is tailbanging to be just falsehood or rumors. (21:53) False rumors. (21:55) Not true.

(21:56) And if it is true we shouldn’t be telling everybody else about what the neighbor is doing. (22:09) Maybe they already know. (22:14) And then we are to rebuke our neighbor.

(22:19) If we see him not doing right. (22:22) Tell him so. (22:24) And do so in love and be patient with him.

(22:33) And then it says you shall not take vengeance. (22:38) Nor bear any grudge against the children of your people. (22:42) But you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

(22:46) I am Lord. (22:48) Now let’s drop down to verse 34. (22:53) In Leviticus 19.

(22:58) I am going to look at verse 33. (23:03) And also verse 34. (23:07) And if a stranger dwells with you in your land.

(23:13) You shall not mistreat him. (23:16) The stranger who dwells among you. (23:20) Shall be to you as one born among you.

(23:25) And you shall love him as yourself. (23:30) For you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (23:35) I am the Lord your God.

(23:41) Now you know many people have the tendency. (23:45) To make this law. (23:52) Or this goodness.

(23:56) Be the only thing to go by. (24:00) But you know. (24:03) Doing good to a neighbor.

(24:07) Or to a stranger. (24:10) Should be motivated by love. (24:14) And for the Israelites.

(24:17) They were to remember that they were strangers in Egypt. (24:22) And then they were in bondage in Egypt. (24:26) And God brought them out.

(24:30) They were to remember that. (24:35) The underlying motive here should be love.

(24:40) When we look at 1 Corinthians 13.

(24:47) Paul said that if I give all. (24:51) That I have. (24:54) To others.

(24:57) And do all sorts of things. (25:01) He said if I do not have love. (25:04) All that is empty. (25:07) Is vain. (25:09) It’s like a sounding cymbal. (25:12) Like it’s making a noise.

(25:16) It doesn’t do anything. (25:19) But love should be underlying here. (25:25) In Matthew 7 verse 43.

(25:30) Jesus said. (25:33) You have heard it said of old. (25:38) You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

(25:43) And hate your enemies. (25:46) I say to you. (25:49) Love your enemies.

(25:52) And we are to pray for our enemies. (25:57) Well let’s live. (26:00) The Bible here.

(26:03) Tell us in this. (26:07) Just what it actually does say. (26:11) Jesus tells us to love our enemies.

(26:14) But is that just new? (26:20) Is that just something that Jesus is saying.

(26:24) That they ought to do. (26:26) That it’s a new one.

(26:30) No. (26:31) Because in Exodus 23. (26:39) And verses 4 and 5. (26:43) It said.

(26:44) If you meet. (26:48) Your enemy’s ox. (26:51) Or his donkey.

(26:53) Going astray. (26:55) You shall surely bring it back to him again. (27:00) If you see the donkey.

(27:02) Of one who hates you. (27:08) Lying under it’s burden. (27:12) You.

(27:13) And you would refrain from helping it. (27:18) You shall surely help him.

(27:21) With it.

(27:24) You do this. (27:26) For your enemy. (27:31) Because.

(27:33) Well now the animal doesn’t. (27:36) Doesn’t know. (27:38) The enmity.

(27:39) That the enemy. (27:41) And you have. (27:43) Reasoned that.

(27:45) But if. (27:47) You realize that this. (27:49) Animal belongs to this enemy.

(27:53) I get even with him now. (27:56) We’ll just let that animal. (27:58) Just suffer.

(28:01) But why? (28:03) It’s not the animal’s fault. (28:05) But there is. (28:07) Enmity between.

(28:09) You and this person. (28:12) Should help that. (28:14) The animal.

(28:18) And says. (28:19) You shall surely help him. (28:21) That is.

(28:23) The. (28:24) Your enemy. (28:26) With his animal.

(28:29) You shall do good. (28:31) Well that’s what. (28:33) We’ve been.

(28:35) Is what. (28:36) Jesus is saying. (28:39) Now in Proverbs.

(28:41) 25. (28:43) I want to look at. (28:46) Proverbs.

(28:47) 25 and 21. (28:54) And 22. (29:02) We want to.

(29:04) Look at what. (29:05) It says. (29:11) In this.

(29:15) 21 and 22. (29:20) It says. (29:21) In verse 21.

(29:22) If your enemy. (29:24) Is hungry. (29:30) Give him bread to eat.

(29:32) That doesn’t sound like. (29:34) We should hate. (29:36) Or they should hate.

(29:39) There. (29:41) Now they were told. (29:42) To help the.

(29:45) Enemy’s. (29:46) Animal. (29:48) Now we’re to help.

(29:50) The enemy. (29:51) If he’s hungry. (29:52) Give him bread to eat.

(29:54) If he is thirsty. (29:56) Give him water to drink. (29:59) For so.

(30:00) He will cause a fire. (30:02) On his head. (30:04) And the Lord will.

(30:07) Reward you. (30:09) Now. (30:11) In our.

(30:12) Second reading. (30:14) Roger read in your hearing. (30:18) What Paul said.

(30:20) In Romans. (30:21) 12 and verse 20. (30:24) You know.

(30:26) Paul is quoting. (30:28) From this verse. (30:32) And I. (30:32) Thought that.

(30:36) That verse was only. (30:40) There in this verse. (30:43) Of Romans.

(30:44) 12. (30:46) And verse 20. (30:50) Now.

(30:51) And looking at that. (30:54) Yet. (30:54) On the margin it referred to.

(30:58) Why verse 25. (31:00) 21 and 22. (31:02) Well that was under.

(31:03) The Old Testament times. (31:08) So this. (31:10) Saying.

(31:13) That they heard of old. (31:15) You shall love your neighbor. (31:16) And hate your enemy.

(31:19) Is not true. (31:21) From God’s. (31:23) Point of view.

(31:26) Now. (31:28) And. (31:29) In man’s point of view.

(31:30) That might sound okay. (31:33) Because you know. (31:34) The enemy is.

(31:37) Is. (31:38) Against you. (31:41) So why not.

(31:43) Be for you. (31:44) Why. (31:47) But you know.

(31:50) God is wanting. (31:52) Right treatment. (31:55) Whether.

(31:57) You got a neighbor. (31:59) That is. (32:01) Close to you.

(32:03) And you. (32:05) Really love your neighbor. (32:09) Or you do not.

(32:11) Love your neighbor. (32:12) Or your neighbor doesn’t love you. (32:15) Yet.

(32:16) That’s what we’re supposed to do. (32:19) Now. (32:23) For the Israelites.

(32:24) The law says this. (32:27) Well I know. (32:28) The law says to do good.

(32:30) For our neighbor. (32:34) But that law. (32:35) That says do good to your neighbor.

(32:37) Says love. (32:40) Your neighbor. (32:44) We can do good.

(32:47) And be minus love. (32:49) We can do it out of. (32:52) Well the law says.

(32:54) To do good. (32:59) And yet. (33:00) I do it.

(33:01) And not love. (33:04) My neighbor. (33:06) But I’m supposed.

(33:08) It’s supposed to be done. (33:10) By love. (33:11) And that’s what these Israelites.

(33:13) Were told. (33:15) They needed to do that. (33:17) Through love.

(33:21) Now. (33:23) I’m going to stop right there. (33:25) Tonight.

(33:26) I’m going to give part two. (33:29) To this. (33:29) Of love your neighbor.

(33:32) And we will really get into. (33:35) The New Testament. (33:38) We will look at.

(33:40) The things. (33:41) In the New Testament. (33:43) About love.

(33:45) Your neighbor. (33:47) Right now. (33:49) What about.

(33:55) How do we consider. (33:58) Those that are about us. (34:00) Our fellow man.

(34:02) Whether he lives. (34:03) Next door. (34:06) Or whether somewhere close.

(34:12) Or just. (34:13) Being our fellow man. (34:17) We should love him.

(34:19) We should pray for him. (34:22) We should. (34:22) Pray for him.

(34:24) As a stranger. (34:27) And we should. (34:28) Pray for him.

(34:29) Even if he is our enemy. (34:34) We should. (34:36) Have love.

(34:39) We should not. (34:40) Have the attitude. (34:42) Of taking vengeance.

(34:45) As Paul said. (34:47) Do not reward evil. (34:49) With evil.

(34:51) But with good. (34:54) Now if you want. (34:57) To be a child of God.

(35:01) And to enjoy. (35:02) The love that God has for you. (35:06) Return.

(35:09) A portion of that love. (35:11) That you have. (35:12) To God.

(35:15) Do it with all your strength. (35:17) With all your heart. (35:19) With all your might.

(35:21) You are going to take everything you have. (35:25) There are going to be times.

(35:27) When we.

(35:28) Will be opposed. (35:30) But we need. (35:32) To stay with it.

(35:36) God is with us. (35:39) Will be with us. (35:40) Through tough times.

(35:44) But let us go to God. (35:46) And let us do things. (35:48) Out of love.

(35:50) Yes. (35:51) Let us love God. (35:53) And let us love.

(35:56) Our neighbor. (36:00) And. (36:02) When we do that.

(36:03) We will be obedient. (36:05) To God’s commands. (36:08) So if you want.

(36:09) To be a child of God. (36:11) If you haven’t done so. (36:13) Will you come in faith.

(36:16) Will you come in repentance. (36:18) Will you come and be baptized. (36:20) Into Christ.

(36:22) If you haven’t done that. (36:24) If you haven’t. (36:26) Let us love God.

(36:28) With all that it takes. (36:31) Let us love. (36:32) Our neighbor.

(36:34) Let us do good. (36:37) Even. (36:38) When.

(36:40) Good is not done to us. (36:43) And we will be. (36:44) Pleasing to God.

(36:48) If you want to become. (36:50) A child of God. (36:52) Why not come.

(36:54) And do so. (36:56) While we stand and while we sing.