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[One day a poor boy, who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal, he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry and so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?" She replied, You don't owe me anything. My mother has taught us never to accept payment for a kindness." He said, "Then I thank you from my heart." As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strengthened also. He had been ready to give up and quit.] 

[Year's later, that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialist to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, he went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown, he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day, he gave special attention to the case. After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested from the business office to pass the final billing to him for approval. He looked at it, and then wrote something on the edge, and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words: "Paid in full with one glass of milk Signed: Dr. Howard Kelly." Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank you, God, that your love is shed abroad through human hearts and hands."] 

[This passage strikes at the heart of friendship and good will.] 

[Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.]  

[The golden Rule is all about respect and how we treat one another.] 

Notice what is contained within this single sentence, 

A.    The Description of Godly Good Will  [- "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, . . ."] 

1.      [How do you like to be treated?  If you were to take a minute or two and write down one word descriptions that describe how you like to be treated. What would you write?  You would likely write things like respect, honesty, honor, love, compassion, kindness, charity, etc . . .] 

2.      [Why do you like to be treated with? (From the above list)] 

3.      [Notice the All Things Whatsoever in our passage.  What on your list could you leave out?  Who wants to be treated disrespectfully, or with disdain?  Yet, that is often how we will treat others and then wonder why they won’t hear your witness and testimony.] 

B.     The Direction of Godly Good Will (Rom 12.10-21) [- "Do ye even so to them . . ." – God gives you clear and definite directions about how you, as God’s child and representative in life, ought to treat other people.  Paul wrote clearly to the Roman Christians about how they should treat those around them.] 

1.      Treat the Church with Good Will (Rom 12.10-13) [- Christians ought to treat Christians with:] 

[Romans 12:10-13 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.]  

a.       [Kind]

b.      [Compassionate]

c.       [Respectful]

d.      [Give them Preference]

e.       [Prayerful]

f.       [Benevolent or giving]

g.      [Hospitable] 

2.      Treat the Community with Good Will (Rom 12.14-18). 

[Romans 12:14-18 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 16Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 17Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. ] 

a.       [Bless and curse not (vs 14) - Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.]

b.      [Rejoice and weep with them (vs 15) - 15Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.]

c.       [Humble ourselves toward them (vs 16) - Meet them where they are.]

d.      [Forgiving toward them (vs 17) - 17Recompense to no man evil for evil . . .]

e.       [Be honest with them (vs 17) - . . . Provide things honest in the sight of all men.]

f.       [Live peaceably with them (vs 18) - 18If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.] 

3.      Treat the Contentious with Godly Will (Rom 12.19-21). 

[Romans 12:19-21 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. ] 

a.       Longsuffer with him (vs 19)

b.      Provide for him (vs 20)

c.       To be good to them (vs 21). 

[It is the Christians attitude of Good Will that sets him apart from the world.]

[Its what makes us different.] 

C.    The Duration of Godly Good Will [- [How long are we to employ the Golden Rule? Two responses,] 

1.      The Contemporary Response. 

a.       [Until I'm betrayed.] 

b.      [Until I'm abused.] 

c.       [Until I've been used.] 

[Illustration:  There once was a preacher, he was a big burly man, and one day a man was angry with him and struck on his cheek.  All that stood around watched in awe as the preacher stood there in incredible self control and turn to the man his other cheek; which the opponent vigorously struck.  Then the preacher looked about, set down his Bible, began rolling up his sleeves and stated, "I have no further instructions to guide me!"] 

2.      The Christian Response (Matt 18.21-22; 2 Pet 3.9). 

a.       [Until God stops forgiving you - Until seven times seventy] 

[Matthew 18:21-22 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. ] 

b.      [Until all come to repentance] 

[2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. ] 

D.    The Distinction of Godly Good Will [- Demarcation means to set apart (wb).  Therefore we are talking about how the Golden Rule makes us different.  What makes us different as Christians,] 

1.      Our Conversion makes us different (Rom 12.1-2; 2 Cor 5.17) [- The New Birth makes us different from the world.  Once you receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior a metamorphosis takes place in your life.  You are not the same as you used to be.  You are not like this world people anymore.  You have been set apart by God (sanctification), you are now a child of God (adoption), it is time that you realize and acknowledge that you have been transformed (consecration). 

[Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ] 

[There is supposed to be something different about born-again believers. ]  

[2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. ] 

2.      Our Convictions make us different (1 Pet 4.3-4; Eph 6.10-11) [- Once you become a child of God you ought to feel and covet deep godly convictions.  Conviction can make you feel guilt and ashamed, if you fail to recognize what it is and then fail to respond to it.  Conviction is the Holy Spirit of God within you striving to conform you to image of our Lord and Savior and seeking to make you the express joy of your Heavenly Father.  Conviction is a good thing in a Christians life, or even a lost persons life.  For a lost person conviction is the Holy Spirit of God seeking to bring into the family of God through the New Birth.] 

[Conviction demands change in your life for the sake of God’s glory and kingdom.  Many rebel against conviction.  They don’t ever want to feel or hear conviction.  But conviction is necessary and is the evidence that God is working in your life.  Every child of God needs to be in a Church that brings them under the sound of the convicting Word of God.  When you come under conviction don’t rail on the pastor or resist the Holy Spirit, look for God work in your heart and life and respond with joy to the nurturing of your you Heavenly Father.] 

[It is the conviction of God that will cause the healthy spiritual transformation of your life.  It is this same conviction that will cause the world around you to see the work of God in your life.  Your old friends that you used to hang around with before your New Birth will often be the first to notice the changes in you.  The Bible says,] 

[1 Peter 4:3-4 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: 4Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:] 

[What has happened to cause your old associations to notice a difference in you?  You have learned to stand with and for the Lord Jesus Christ.] 

[Ephes. 6:10-11 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ] 

3.      Our Compassion makes us different (John 13.35) [- Your conversion and conviction will also lead you to a new kind of compassion.  The love of God, not the love of the world, will be manifested in and through your life.  The Bible states,] 

[John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. ] 

[The love of God is not the same as the love of the world.  Worldly love is selfish, restitution love.  Worldly loves manifests itself primarily toward those who have something to give in return and reward for your kindness and compassion.  God’s love is unconditional and sacrificial.  God’s love give when there is nothing that can be given in return.] 

[Those born again through the Lord Jesus Christ will give a kind of compassion that this lost world does not understand and has trouble receiving.  It is through this compassion that our distinctiveness is clearly manifested.]

CrossRoads Baptist, May 17, 2009