Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 7:12 -14

Matthew 7:12 -14 

These three verses contain some of Jesus’ most well-known sayings. Most people, religious or not, have heard “the golden rule” which has roots in this text. Though it may be familiar, let’s be cautious not to assume we “already know” everything there is to understand from this text. Putting into practice Jesus’ teaching here is a life-long journey of surrendering to Him. 

Let’s bring into focus the original audience of this text once again. Jesus is teaching his disciples, some of them from Jewsh background, some of them not. Throughout this teaching, Jesus is calling out the misleading teachings of “the hypocrites,” or the Jewish leaders while also clarifying some of the teachings in the Torah. Instead of promoting a bunch of religious rules like the hypocrites, Jesus is bringing into focus a kingdom of love and relationship with God through Jesus. This is the “new covenant” prophesied about in Jeremiah 31:31-33: 

31 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,

    “when I will make a new covenant

with the people of Israel

    and with the people of Judah.

32 It will not be like the covenant

    I made with their ancestors

when I took them by the hand

    to lead them out of Egypt,

because they broke my covenant,

    though I was a husband to[d] them,[e]”

declares the Lord.

33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel

    after that time,” declares the Lord.

“I will put my law in their minds

    and write it on their hearts.

I will be their God,

    and they will be my people.

Through our relationship with Jesus, we have the “law in our minds” and “in our heart.” We are being transformed internally to become people who seek the good of others above ourselves. 

Notice how verse 12, where Jesus teaches us to do to others as we would have them do us, follows logically from the previous passage. Jesus describes the Fathers as someone who gives good gifts freely. As someone who cares genuinely about us. We are called to embody these same characteristics to others.

This call of Jesus is a simple one. Yet, few find it. It can be easy to be swept away by legalism or the desires of the flesh or the ideologies of the world. The “narrow road” that leads to life is one marked by self-sacrifice. Consider Jesus words in Matthew 16: 

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”

For the one who chooses the narrow path of self sacrifice, seeking the good of others, and self denial lies the fullness of life. This is not an easy or cute teaching, it is difficult. Perhaps this is why few find this path. 

The good news is, you are not walking this path alone. Through the Spirit, you have the instruction of God written on your heart. Through the church, you have a community alongside you. 

Take some time to think of a relationship where you have not been seeking the other person’s good or have been selfish. Spend some time praying for that person and asking God to imprint upon you his character of generosity and care. Humbly take the next step of denying yourself, and find a way to do to them what God has done for you. May we be a people who embody the self-sacrificial love of God.