Sermon on the Mount – Page 6 – watercress words by Dr Aletha

Exploring the Golden Rule from

the Sermon on the Mount

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12 ESV

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12 NIV

LIVING AND GIVING LAVISHLY-www.watercresswords.com- exploring the heart of health with faith, hope and love

What the late Reverend Billy Graham said about the Golden Rule, from his book

The Journey-How to Live by Faith in an Uncertain World

“How different our lives would be if we actually practiced this!

Instead of ignoring people or treating them harshly, we’d handle them with respect and kindness.

Instead of manipulating them for our own purposes, we’d help them achieve what is best for them.

We’d also try to see life through their eyes. Most of all, we’d point them to Christ, for the greatest gift we can offer anyone is His salvation.”

(from Chapter 21-When Others Disappoint)

Other books by Billy Graham (these are affiliate links used to help this blog share the HEART of health)

Life Wisdom: Quotes from Billy Graham

The Enduring Classics of Billy Graham

Understanding the Golden Rule from desiringGod.org

“The word so indicates that Jesus’s teaching is his conclusion from what he’s said previously. The entire Sermon on the Mount might be in view.

But it may be that Jesus is thinking more specifically of what he has just said, in Matthew 7:7–11.

‘Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!’

There he tells his followers that God is their loving Father and always gives good things to those who ask.

Therefore, because God is so generous to us, we’re to be lavishly generous to others.

The Golden Rule is glorious overflow.”

Read the rest of Stephen Witmer’s article at desiringGod to find out

Three Things Jesus Didn’t Say

Does this make you think differently about the Golden Rule, what it means, and how it plays out in your interactions with others?

Who has been “lavishly generous” to you?

Who have you helped to “achieve what is best for them”?

FAITH LOVE HOPE- words created with letter tiles — These three remain, faith, hope and love, and greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 graphic from LIGHTSTOCK.COM, affiliate

exploring the Golden Rule

Dr. Aletha

In another post based on Matthew 7 I wrote

” She thought about a young man she knew whose life had gotten “sidetracked”, and suddenly realized her negative attitude toward him wasn’t helping. As she began thinking about him in a more positive way, she saw ways that his life could be turned around that she had not considered before. Her new attitude seemed to create an ability to see a new vision for his life that she hadn’t been able to before. “

continue reading at

5 unexpected rewards by ditching a critical spirit

Matthew 6:9-13, NIV

(Jesus said)

“This, then, is how you should pray:

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

give us this day our daily bread — social graphic from Lightstock.com, an affiliate link

And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”

The Lord’s Prayer

This passage from Matthew may be the most quoted from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Although traditionally called the “Lord’s Prayer”, it might also be called the disciples’ prayer.

In the book of Luke, the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray.

He said to them, “When you pray, say:

“‘Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins,for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.’”

Christians pray these words exactly as written (although there are now many different Bible translations and paraphrases), or may use them as a model or outline for prayer. They are prayed during church services and in private devotions.

man praying on holy bible in the morning

The Lord’s Prayer has been set to music in various forms. A family friend sung it at my wedding. Some choose it for funerals or memorial services.

Singers ranging from amateur to professional have recorded The Lord’s Prayer in multiple languages. I enjoyed this Kenyan choir singing it in English.

Umoja English choir, Nairobi, Kenya

In Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster writes,

“Jesus taught us to pray for daily bread. Have you ever noticed that children ask for lunch in utter confidence that it will be provided. Children do not find it difficult or complicated to talk to their parents, nor do they feel embarrassed to bring the simplest need to their attention. Neither should we hesitate to bring the simplest requests confidently to the Father.”