Law of Reciprocity

LAW OF RECIPROCITY

Luke 6:37-38

37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

I. Jesus said he did not judge, but that his word will judge them.  Judge gives “opinions” and “orders.”

John 12:47-49

47 “As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.

1. Oprah Winfrey asked TD Jakes his opinion on same sex marriage. “I do not have the right to my opinion when God has already spoken.”
2. We offer our personal opinion.
3. What goes around comes around.
4. For every action, there is an equal reaction. These laws are partially true, but according to Jesus, what goes around will be more and the reaction will be greater.
5. The law of reciprocity is relatively easy for us to identify since it is so visibly pervasive in the physical world.

1. Agriculture

2. The law of physics (jet, car over a hill)

Luke 6:31

31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

II. How to apply it: even though the law is readily accepted by many few practice it.

1. Interpersonal realm. You will find nice people anywhere you go if you’re nice to them.
2. The story of Dick Simmons witnessing to some black youths. (page 124-125)
3. Heaping hot coals on his head.

Rom 12:20

20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 

1. Financial realm.

Wrong way to give:

Luke 14:13-14

13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

1. Give to those who can pay you back

 

Matt 6:1-4

6 “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

2. Give to maintain a good public relation.

Buy this product and we will donate 25 cents.

The correct way:

Mal 3:9-11

 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

1. Tithe

Deut 12:5-7

5 But you are to seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; 6 there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. 7 There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.

2. Offerings and other gifts.

2 Cor 9:7

7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

3. Cheerfully (quality of the seed)

Rom 14:23

everything that does not come from faith is sin.

4.  Give by faith

• Story of Missionary to Chile, “You have not declared my tithe to my people.” (page 118-119)

Deut 26:1-15

Deut 26:15

Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling place, and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our forefathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

1. OT elaborate ritual for giving. It included praying, and mentioning the past poverty of God’s people, then with a request for God to bless.
2. Occupational realm.
3. Do not go for a job with this thought in mind: What will I get out of it.
4. Mt 5:41 Extra mile mentality.
5. Story of Jacab and Labon.

Gen 29:13-30, 30:29-32, 31:1-3

Don’t Quit

Don’t Quit

Luke 8:13

they believe for a while,

Luke 8:14

and they do not mature

Luke 8:15

15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

1. You must understand this parable to understand any of Jesus other parables.

Mark 4:13

13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?

B. This parable is foundational to all other parables.

C. This parable is about the Word of God that

people receive into their hearts.

1. The word brings salvation (1 Pe 1:23),              healing (Ps 107:20), prosperity (Pr 3:2), overcome the evil one (1 Jn 2:14).

 

Luke 8:11-15

A. The key to producing fruit is perseverance.

B. A farmer must be patient.

 

1. The Law of Perseverance is absolutely necessary.
2. We live in a society that gives up when the going gets tough.
3. Divorce
4. Quit job
5. We are by nature, quitters.
6. The world counts on you to give up.
7. Story of company who refused to give me my money back.
8. Money back guarantee.
9. Automatic renewal.
10. Politicians count on you quitting.
11. Too often Christians gives up is in Prayer
    

Luke 11:9-10

9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

1. Prayer
2. Ask, seek and knock are words in the present imperative and present particles often repeated.

Luke 11:9

9 So I say to you, Ask and  keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and  keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and  keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you.

1. This teaching was so important that Jesus  repeats this teaching later in His ministry.

Luke 18:5

 will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!'”

1. The negative lesson is “giving up”.
2. God answers quickly.
3. Why does it not seem quickly to us? Because we have not developed strong enough faith.
4. Strong faith does not tell time.

James 1:4

4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

1. Perseverance is necessary in order to develop strength so that you will be prepared for the next level of opportunity.
2. The chick and the egg.
3. Certain risks go with every new              opportunity,  but God prepares us for those risks through perseverance and struggle, building our muscles for every new phase of our lives.

Acts 14:22

“We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,”

1. Hardships are necessary to enter the kingdom of God, which are the benefits of Calvary. Kingdom suffereth violence–Mt 11:12
2. Discouragement. Elijah.
3. Satan’s favorite weapons to cause God’s people to give up are discouragement and depression.
4. We must constantly be alert against discouragement and depression.
5. Satan discourages by trying to keep our focus on what we see.

1. You’re not accomplishing anything.

2. You’re on the wrong course.

3. You’re not going to succeed at that.

4. You’re not going to healed.

5. You’re not going to have enough money.

6. Your family will never get saved.

Heb 6:12

12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

1. The power twins.
2. Just as we are by nature lustful rather than loving; greedy rather than giving, we are lazy rather than diligent.
3. Many want faith, but lack patience to make their faith work.
4. Bible Examples:

1. Mt 9:27-30 Two blind men.

2. Mt 15:21-28 Canaanite woman.

1. Modern Examples:
2. Abraham Lincoln. Lost the senate race in  Illinois before he became President.
3. Thomas   Edison failed through hundreds of experiments before he achieved success with the electric light.
4. Wright Brothers constantly battled the elements, the ridicule of men, lack of resources. They built, they failed, they rebuilt and failed again. Finally they flew.
5. Story of Stanford Cardinals playing California Golden Bears. 1982 band game. California wins. youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fZCCAqoSwY  run 1:05

You are Not Too Young to Lead

You Are Not Too Young to Lead

2 Chron 33:24-34:2

24 Amon’s officials conspired against him and assassinated him in his palace. 25 Then the people of the land killed all who had plotted against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his place.

34 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.

1. What were you doing when you were eight years old?
2. The crown did not fit. His feet couldn’t even reach the floor.
3. Our success is steered not by our ages, but by our attitudes.
4. Josiah father was killed; his counselors removed.
5. Never allow a lack of support to deplete your own enthusiasm. Josiah surprised an entire nation when he not only accepted the crown, but embraced the responsibility entrusted to him to turn his nation around.
6. Young people often want rights, but not responsibilities.

1 Tim 4:12

12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

1. Want the car, but won’t make your bed.
2. Want to stay out late, but won’t do your homework.
3. Want adult privileges, but won’t take adult responsibilities.

 

2 Chron 34:3

3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David.

1. At age sixteen, he began to seek God. Without a father, he looked to David as his example.
2. We need fathers and mentors.
3. My father was my pastor.
4. We are not prepared to lead until we first submit to God.
5. Atheists cannot lead.
6. Josiah did not see his crown as a privilege, but a trust given to him by God.
7. “Father David.” David was young. I think Josiah used David as his example.
8. I love biographies.
9. Seek those who have gone beyond what you currently think is possible.

 

2 Chron 34:3-4

In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles, carved idols and cast images.

1. Take it one step at a time.
2. Must pull down before you can build up.

Eccl 3:3

a time to tear down and a time to build,

1. Josiah risked being unpopular.
2. He did not need to reform Israel for himself; he saw that he owed it to his country to risk his crown.
3. Concern for the modern church. It tries to be positive and not deal with sin.
4. Early in the Seeker Sensitive Movement, leaders were actually encouraging pastors not to mention sin or evil during Sunday services. Save that topic after people accept the Lord.
5. Some pastors still have this philosophy.

Isa 58:12

12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins

and will raise up the age-old foundations;

you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,

Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

1. I saw that the age old foundations of morality and Christianity were being destroyed.
2. Contemporary church was the problem as well.
3. No crosses, ministers wearing cool tshirts, avoidance of sin. No gifts of the Spirit. Communion quickly done. Lord’s prayer removed.
4. Church became worldly.
5. This is why I went back to the age-old foundations of our country. Ordained under an old historic tradition.
6. I had to challenge the bad practices.
7. Operate and remove the shrapnel before stitching.

 

Jer 1:2-3

2 The word of the Lord came to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah,

1. God sent Jeremiah to help him.
2. God always has someone there to help you.
3. After he decided to do the right thing by pursing Israel and Judah from Idolartry, God raised up Jeremiah. Young too.
4. God will send you someone to help you. For every Josiah, God has a Jeremiah.
5. David had Jonathan.
6. Ruth had Naomi.
7. Elijah had Elisha.
8. Moses had Joshua
9. Don’t let your position, popularity, or preferences choose the people who are a part of your life.

Jer 1:5-6

5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

before you were born I set you apart;

I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

6 “Ah, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.”

1. He also felt inadequate.

Jer 1:8

8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

1. People pleaser is one who fears people.

 

2 Chron 34:8

8 In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the Lord his God.

1. Christianity is not tearing down and speaking against sin, but it has a positive message of building up one’s life.
2. We cannot be a people that are known only for what we are against. People must know what we are for!
3. Marriages will not be healed in just stopping the negative; it only becomes happy in doing the good.

 

2 Chron 34:14

14 While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses.

1. You will find scriptures for you to stand on.

2 Chron 34:18-20

And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

19 When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes.

1. King repents. It’s possible to begin your change even before you get saved; but you can only get saved when you hear and believe the Word.
2. The Word of God is the answer for your turn around.

 

2 Chron 34:29-32

29 Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 He went up to the temple of the Lord with the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites — all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. 31 The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord-to follow the Lord and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.

32 Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

1. Leaders lead in following God. Others followed Josiah lead.  Pray for young people.
2. Pastors lead.
3. Father’s lead.
4. Bosses lead

2 Chron 34:33

As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the Lord, the God of their fathers.