Advice Your Attorney Won't Give You
Preaching
Shaking Wolves Out Of Cherry Trees
And 149 Other Sermon Ideas
Purpose Statement: A much-ignored mandate given by Jesus, "going the second mile," needs serious consideration.
There are several teachings of Jesus that we find very difficult to accept or practice. Jesus said that if someone sues you for your shirt, give that person your coat as well (Matthew 5:40). Who does that? Your attorney would never give you that advice, nor would anyone else for that matter. People would consider you crazy to follow such a suggestion. Yet history has extensive examples of this kind of love, the chief example being Jesus going to the cross and forgiving those who killed him. We have all heard of beautiful stories similar to the incident where a couple adopted the seventeen-year-old boy who, while driving drunk, killed their only son. Call them fools, but until the world has more people like them, we will continue to have too much hate in the world.
a. Three philosophies are reflected in the Good Samaritan story (Luke 10:25-37).
1. The thief says, "What is yours is mine and I'll take it!"
2. The priest and Levite say, "What is mine is mine and I'll keep it!"
3. The Samaritan says, "What is mine is yours and I'll share it!"
b. Many find ways of objecting to uncomfortable teachings of Jesus.
1. Jesus didn't intend it, at least for us.
2. It won't work.
3. When the other person does it first, then I'll turn the other cheek.
We still have the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you want them to do to you," which is found in some form in the sacred writings of other religions.
There are several teachings of Jesus that we find very difficult to accept or practice. Jesus said that if someone sues you for your shirt, give that person your coat as well (Matthew 5:40). Who does that? Your attorney would never give you that advice, nor would anyone else for that matter. People would consider you crazy to follow such a suggestion. Yet history has extensive examples of this kind of love, the chief example being Jesus going to the cross and forgiving those who killed him. We have all heard of beautiful stories similar to the incident where a couple adopted the seventeen-year-old boy who, while driving drunk, killed their only son. Call them fools, but until the world has more people like them, we will continue to have too much hate in the world.
a. Three philosophies are reflected in the Good Samaritan story (Luke 10:25-37).
1. The thief says, "What is yours is mine and I'll take it!"
2. The priest and Levite say, "What is mine is mine and I'll keep it!"
3. The Samaritan says, "What is mine is yours and I'll share it!"
b. Many find ways of objecting to uncomfortable teachings of Jesus.
1. Jesus didn't intend it, at least for us.
2. It won't work.
3. When the other person does it first, then I'll turn the other cheek.
We still have the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you want them to do to you," which is found in some form in the sacred writings of other religions.
