Website owner: James Miller
HELP THE POOR, THE NEEDY AND THE AFFLICTED
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Matthew 25:31-46 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory,
and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the
throne of His glory. {32} "All the nations will be gathered
before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a
shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. {33} "And He will
set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
{34} "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come,
you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world: {35} 'for I was hungry and
you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a
stranger and you took Me in; {36} 'I was naked and you clothed
Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came
to Me.' {37} "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying,
'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and
give You drink? {38} 'When did we see You a stranger and take
You in, or naked and clothe You? {39} 'Or when did we see You
sick, or in prison, and come to You?' {40} "And the King will
answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as
you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it
to Me.' {41} "Then He will also say to those on the left hand,
'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared
for the devil and his angels: {42} 'for I was hungry and you
gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; {43}
'I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did
not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'
{44} "Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did
we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or
in prison, and did not minister to You?' {45} "Then He will
answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you
did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it
to Me.' {46} "And these will go away into everlasting
punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Luke 14:12-14 Then He also said to him who invited Him,
"When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends,
your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they
also invite you back, and you be repaid. {13} "But when you
give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.
{14} "And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you;
for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."
Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure,
pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put
into your bosom.
Luke 12:32-34 "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your
Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. {33} "Sell what
you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do
not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail,
where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. {34} "For where
your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
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BE HUMBLE, DON'T EXALT YOURSELF
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Matthew 18:1-4 At that time the disciples came to Jesus,
saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" {2}
Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst
of them, {3} and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are
converted and become as little children, you will by no means
enter the kingdom of heaven. {4} "Therefore whoever humbles
himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven.
Matthew 20:25-28 But Jesus called them to Himself and said,
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and those who are great exercise authority over them. {26} "Yet
it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become
great among you, let him be your servant. {27} "And whoever
desires to be first among you, let him be your slave; {28}
"just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to
serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
Matthew 21:1-9 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came
to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two
disciples, {2} saying to them, "Go into the village opposite
you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt
with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. {3} "And if anyone
says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of
them,' and immediately he will send them." {4} All this was
done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the
prophet, saying: {5} "Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your
King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt,
the foal of a donkey.' " {6} So the disciples went and did as
Jesus commanded them. {7} They brought the donkey and the colt,
laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. {8} And a very
great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut
down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. {9}
Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed
cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He
who comes in the name of the LORD!' Hosanna in the highest!"
Matthew 23:2-12 "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses'
seat. {3} "Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that
observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for
they say, and do not do. {4} "For they bind heavy burdens, hard
to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves
will not move them with one of their fingers. {5} "But all
their works they do to be seen by men. They make their
phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.
{6} "They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the
synagogues, {7} "greetings in the marketplaces, and to be
called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.' {8} "But you, do not be called
'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all
brethren. {9} "Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One
is your Father, He who is in heaven. {10} "And do not be called
teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. {11} "But he who
is greatest among you shall be your servant. {12} "And whoever
exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will
be exalted.
Luke 14:7-11 So He told a parable to those who were invited,
when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them:
{8} "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not
sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be
invited by him; {9} "and he who invited you and him come and
say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with
shame to take the lowest place. {10} "But when you are invited,
go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who
invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.'
Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at
the table with you. {11} "For whoever exalts himself will be
humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Luke 18:9-14 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted
in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
{10} "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and
the other a tax collector. {11} "The Pharisee stood and prayed
thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other
men; extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax
collector. {12} 'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that
I possess.' {13} "And the tax collector, standing afar off,
would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his
breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' {14} "I tell
you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the
other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he
who humbles himself will be exalted."
John 13:3-16 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all
things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was
going to God, {4} rose from supper and laid aside His garments,
took a towel and girded Himself. {5} After that, He poured
water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and
to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. {6} Then
He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, "Lord, are You
washing my feet?" {7} Jesus answered and said to him, "What I
am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after
this." {8} Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!"
Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part
with Me." {9} Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only,
but also my hands and my head!" {10} Jesus said to him, "He who
is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean;
and you are clean, but not all of you." {11} For He knew who
would betray Him; therefore He said, "You are not all clean."
{12} So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and
sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done
to you? {13} "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well,
for so I am. {14} "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have
washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
{15} "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I
have done to you. {16} "Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant
is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater
than he who sent him.
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FORGIVE OTHERS THE WRONGS THEY HAVE DONE TO YOU
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Matthew 18:21-35 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how
often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to
seven times?" {22} Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up
to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. {23} "Therefore
the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to
settle accounts with his servants. {24} "And when he had begun
to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten
thousand talents. {25} "But as he was not able to pay, his
master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children
and all that he had, and that payment be made. {26} "The
servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have
patience with me, and I will pay you all.' {27} "Then the
master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him,
and forgave him the debt. {28} "But that servant went out and
found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred
denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat,
saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' {29} "So his fellow servant fell
down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with
me, and I will pay you all.' {30} "And he would not, but went
and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. {31} "So
when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very
grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.
{32} "Then his master, after he had called him, said to him,
'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you
begged me. {33} 'Should you not also have had compassion on
your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' {34} "And his
master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he
should pay all that was due to him. {35} "So My heavenly Father
also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not
forgive his brother his trespasses."
Matthew 6:14-15 "For if you forgive men their trespasses,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you. {15} "But if you do
not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses.
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LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR, LOVE YOUR ENEMY, BLESS THEM THAT CURSE YOU
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Jesus taught us that we should love our neighbor. What did he
mean? Following are the dictionary definitions, from Webster's
and Funk & Wagnalls dictionaries, of the word "love" used in
this sense:
Love. Brotherly concern for others. The kindness and
charitableness man should show others.
Charitable. Exhibiting the virtue of Christian love;
benevolent. Inclined to judge others leniently; kindly;
tolerant.
Charity. Spiritual benevolence; brotherly love.
In I Corinthians the apostle Paul tells us a little more about love
used in this sense (Christian love):
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love suffers long and is kind; love does
not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; {5}
does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked,
thinks no evil; {6} does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices
in the truth; {7} bears all things, believes all things, hopes
all things, endures all things.
Following are some of the teachings of Jesus on the topic:
Matthew 5:38-47 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye
for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' {39} "But I tell you not
to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right
cheek, turn the other to him also. {40} "If anyone wants to sue
you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.
{41} "And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
{42} "Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to
borrow from you do not turn away. {43} "You have heard that it
was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
{44} "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who
curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those
who spitefully use you and persecute you, {45} "that you may be
sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the
evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the
unjust. {46} "For if you love those who love you, what reward
have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? {47} "And
if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than
others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
Matthew 7:12 "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you,
do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Luke 6:27-38 "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you, {28} "bless those who curse you,
and pray for those who spitefully use you. {29} "To him who
strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from
him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic
either. {30} "Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him
who takes away your goods do not ask them back. {31} "And just
as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
{32} "But if you love those who love you, what credit is that
to you? For even sinners love those who love them. {33} "And if
you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to
you? For even sinners do the same. {34} "And if you lend to
those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that
to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much
back. {35} "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping
for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you
will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful
and evil. {36} "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also
is merciful. {37} "Judge not, and you shall not be judged.
Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you
will be forgiven. {38} "Give, and it will be given to you: good
measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will
be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you
mete, it will be meted back to you."
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LOVE GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE
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Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the
LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with
all your mind.' {38} "This is the first and great commandment.
{39} "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.' {40} "On these two commandments hang all the Law
and the Prophets."
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BE CONTENT WITH LITTLE
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Luke 12:22-34 Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I
say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat;
nor about the body, what you will put on. {23} "Life is more
than food, and the body is more than clothing. {24} "Consider
the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither
storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value
are you than the birds? {25} "And which of you by worrying can
add one cubit to his stature? {26} "If you then are not able to
do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? {27} "Consider
the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet
I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed
like one of these. {28} "If then God so clothes the grass,
which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the
oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?
{29} "And do not seek what you should eat or what you should
drink, nor have an anxious mind. {30} "For all these things the
nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you
need these things. {31} "But seek the kingdom of God, and all
these things shall be added to you. {32} "Do not fear, little
flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the
kingdom. {33} "Sell what you have and give alms; provide
yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the
heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth
destroys. {34} "For where your treasure is, there your heart
will be also.
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KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS
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Matthew 19:16-22 Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good
Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal
life?" {17} So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one
is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into
life, keep the commandments." {18} He said to Him, "Which
ones?" Jesus said, " 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not
commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear
false witness,' {19} 'Honor your father and your mother,' and,
'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' " {20} The young
man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth.
What do I still lack?" {21} Jesus said to him, "If you want to
be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and
you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." {22}
But when the young man heard that saying, he went away
sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
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JUDGE NOT THAT YOU BE NOT JUDGED
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Matthew 7:1-5 "Judge not, that you be not judged. {2} "For
with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the
measure you mete, it will be dealt back to you. {3} "And why
do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not
consider the plank in your own eye? {4} "Or how can you say to
your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and
look, a plank is in your own eye? {5} "Hypocrite! First remove
the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to
remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Luke 6:37 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn
not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be
forgiven.
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DON'T DO GOOD ACTS TO BE SEEN OF MEN
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Matthew 6:1-13 "Take heed that you do not do your charitable
deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no
reward from your Father in heaven. {2} "Therefore, when you do
a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the
hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they
may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have
their reward. {3} "But when you do a charitable deed, do not
let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, {4}
"that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father
who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. {5} "And
when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they
love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of
the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to
you, they have their reward. {6} "But you, when you pray, go
into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your
Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in
secret will reward you openly. {7} "And when you pray, do not
use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that
they will be heard for their many words. {8} "Therefore do not
be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of
before you ask Him. {9} "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our
Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. {10} Your kingdom
come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. {11} Give
us this day our daily bread. {12} And forgive us our debts, As
we forgive our debtors. {13} And do not lead us into
temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the
kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Matthew 6:16-18 "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the
hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their
faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I
say to you, they have their reward. {17} "But you, when you
fast, anoint your head and wash your face, {18} "so that you do
not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in
the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will
reward you openly.
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IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT A MAN WILL BE DEALT WITH AS HE HAS DEALT
WITH OTHERS
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Jesus tells us that in the Day of Judgment a person will be
dealt with as he has dealt with others. What we have meted out
to others, the same will be meted back to us. If we have
forgiven others, God will forgive us. If we have had
compassion and mercy on others, God will have compassion and
mercy on us. If we have been generous with others, God will be
generous with us. If we have helped others he will help us.
If we have dealt kindly with others he will deal kindly with
us.
Luke 6:36-38 "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also
is merciful. {37} "Judge not, and you shall not be judged.
Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you
will be forgiven. {38} "Give, and it will be given to you: good
measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will
be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you
mete, it will be dealt back to you."
God wants us to act in the same way that he acts. He sends
rain on the just and unjust and is kind to the unthankful and
the wicked. How does God behave? Jesus was God in human form
so we need only look at how Jesus behaved. Jesus set an
example for us on how God behaves and how he wants us to
behave. He had compassion for the needy and afflicted. He
showed humbleness in condescending to leave his high position in
heaven and coming down to this earth and becoming man in order
to save man. He showed concern and love by the act of coming
down to give his life for man. He took abuse and answered not.
He demonstrated mercy and forgiveness. He asked God to forgive
those who crucified him. He showed us a life of simplicity and
self-denial. He said he obeyed God completely, in all things,
giving us an example.
What did Jesus teach? He taught a way of living life. He taught an
outlook, an attitude, a philosophy, a way of thinking, a way of
dealing with people: he taught kindness, humility, self-denial,
patience, peacefulness. As followers of him we are to avoid strife
and argument, we are to seek and pursue peace with others; we are to
be kind, patient and understanding towards others; we are to be
humble, self-denying, caring, forgiving people. It is these themes
that we find in his words in the four gospels and in the various
epistles of the New Testament. It is these things that should mark
the true Christian. This is what true Christianity is about. I had
a mother that I would describe as being selfless, self-denying,
humble, gentle, peaceful, patient, caring, understanding, godly,
good. That is what true Christianity is about. What is not
Christianity? The way of the world. That which we see all around
us: argument, strife, selfishness, arrogance, pride, hatred, malice,
vengeance, profanity, lust, immorality, covetousness, envy, jealousy,
etc.
Mar 2002
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