[Biblemat] S) "WHAT DO YE MORE THAN OTHERS?" (1)

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  Here is a study from my ancient 
files.  Use to the glory of God.

"WHAT DO YE MORE THAN OTHERS?"  (1)

       "For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?
Do not even the publicans the same?  And if ye salute your bret-
hren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publi-
cans so?" (Matt. 5:46,47).

       These pointed questions from the heart of the Son of God
affirm a great truth about Christianity, and hurl a stimulating chal-
lenge to every Christian.

       The truth asserted is that Christianity is vastly superior to the 
philosophy, wisdom and charity of the world.  The challenge
laid down is that the genuiness of our profession of faith must be 
demonstrated by our living and moving and having our very
being on a higher level than that attained by the people of the
world.

       "What do ye more than others?", Jesus demands of those
who propose to follow Him.  And this attention-arresting quest-
ion brings out in sharp focus some basic truths about Christian-
ity.

A Religion Of Doing: -- 1. Christianity is a religion of doing.  "What Do ye 
more than others?" is the question that Jesus asked.

       There are more strange notions concerning Christianity that
are prevalent today.  Many regard Christianity as a religion of 
feeling.  In their minds the test of whether or not people are Christians is 
not what they have done or what they do, but that
they have felt, and how they feel.  But the question that Jesus
asks is not, "What feel ye more than others?", but rather, "What
do ye more than others?"

A Personal Religion: --  2. Christianity is a personal religion.
"What do YE more than others?"  Christ appeals directly to the
hgeart of the individual.

       Let us, then, be willing to accept our responsibility as individ-
ual Christians to act in concert with other Christians to discharge our 
obligations to God and to society.

A Superior Religion: -- 3. Christianity is a religion of superior ex-
cellence.  "What do ye MORE than others?"  Christianity is a re-
ligion that goes farther, reaches deeper and accomplishes more
than any human religion.

       All people have religion of some sort.  The publicans, to whom Jesus 
referred in our text, had a religion.  Theirs was a re-
ligion of isolation.  They loved those who loved them.  Their blessings were 
heaped upon those who were willing to bless
them.  They reserved their salutations, smiles, and benedictions
for those whom they called their brethren.

       The religion of the publicans, as delineated by Jesus here,
was the religion of selfishness.  There is much of that sort of
religion in the world today.  The issue is not always carefully 
joined as to whether one is on the side of right or wrong, but
whether one is taking a stand that will benefit him from a mater-
ial standpoint.

       Christianity is different.  That is what Jesus is underscoring
here.  Christianity is different!  And that means that real Christ-
ians are different.  It must mean that.  It cannot mean less than
that.

       Children of God must realize that their religion is different,
that it is superior, that is must carry them to greater heights of
love, service and sacrifice, than the vain religion that is of the
earth and is therefore earthly (Matt. 5:43-48).

       Christianity is the plus religion!  "What do ye MORE than
others?"  Christianity is morality plus righteousness.  Christian-
ity is righteousness plus -- righteousness plus zeal in the service of God 
and man.  And undergirding the Christ-sanctified
morality, righteousness and zeal of Christianity is a love so excellent -- so 
excelling all the vanity and selfishness of human
religions -- that it wraps its arms around the heart of the whole
human race (1 Thes. 3:12,13).

Why Christians Should Do More Than Others: -- There is no
doubt that God demands more of Christians than He does of
other people.  Why is this true?

The Noblest Mission: -- 1. Christians have the noblest mission of
any people on earth.  Their mission is to save the world -- it is no
less than that!

       There are many organizations that have splendid ideals and
worthwhile ambitions.  Some are devoted to improving the con-
ditions of labor, others to protecting the interests of business,
or of the home owner or of the land owner.  Certain organizat-
ions are dedicated to the elimination of injustice of various kinds.

       But the mission of the church is to save the world from sin.

       To whatever degree the church is successful in carrying out
her mission, to that extent the problems of mankind are solved.

The Grandest Ally: -- 2. Christians have the greatest and grand-
est ally in carrying out their mission.  "We are workers together
with God" (2 Cor. 3:9).

       When we think of the tremendous implications of the fact that our 
mission is to save the world, it is a breath-taking realiz-
ation -- until there dawns upon our consciousness the related
fact that "we are workers together with God"!

       More is expected of Christians because they are able to do
more.  They have more light and knowledge than others, becau-
se to them the Bible is not only an open book, but it is an open-
ed book, and because the God of the universe is a God, not alone at hand, but 
the Ruler of their hearts.

The Strongest Army: -- 3. Christians constitute the best equipp-
ed army on earth.  God has placed in their hands the only invinc-
ible weapons that earth has ever seen.  They are vastly superior
to any carnal weapons that the mind and brawn of man has ever
fashioned and made.

       The army of the Lord is the greatest moral force in the univer-
se.  The pen is mightier than the sword, moral force is superior
to physical force.  (2 Cor. 10:3-6; Eph. 6:10-17).

The Greatest Challenge: -- 4. Christians face the greatest challen-
ge of any people on earth.  Because Christians are able to do
more, because God is their ally, because God has placed in their
hands all the weapons they need, and because theirs is the greatest mission 
on earth, more is expected of them.

       Human leaders require of their followers that they do a good
job.  Christ requires of His that they strive for perfection.

       The world expects more of us.  Even though worldly people
sometimes ridicule Christianity, yet they expect Christians to be
better and to do more than other people.

       Our own consciences demand more of us because we have
on our hearts the burden of the salvation of humanity.

       This question, "What do ye more than others?" is applicable
to every Christian as an individual.  Let us make it intimately personal by 
each of us applying it to himself.  (More will be post-
ed on this subject tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS).
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20081103/7beffa43/attachment-0001.html